Local Students are Singing Their Way to Becoming Better Readers

PRLog (Press Release) – Apr 19, 2008 – One of the most dramatic skills a parent will witness their child master is the ability to read.  Like walking and talking, parents eagerly await the day their child says the words “I can read!”  But when a child struggles with the skills that lead to reading ability, it can be heartbreaking for parents to watch.  

As the parent of a struggling reader and a classroom teacher herself, Sue Dickson saw a better way to help students learn and remember the code to reading:  using phonics and song.  Sue developed Sing, Spell, Read, and Write over 30 years ago, but the power of the program is still working today.  Students learn all of the letters, the sounds they make, and how they work together to form words by singing!  Just like the power of a catchy jingle, kids quickly memorize the sounds of the letters by learning a song.  No different from when you “sing” the alphabet in your head to remember which letter comes next in alphabetical order, kids can use the memory of the song to help them decode words and read on their own.

Although she knew a lot about SSRW, Amy Smith, the owner of a local tutoring company, wasn’t convinced until she put her own child through the program.  Her son’s inability to consistently recognize all of the letters meant he could not progress.  “The catchy tune of the song stuck in his head and became his crutch when he could not remember the letters or the corresponding sounds.  I even catch myself singing the song, but it works, and that is what matters.  Zachary started Kindergarten with confidence and was able to progress with the rest of his class.” Now as a dedicated advocate of SSRW, Amy wants to share the program with as many kids as she can.  Her tutoring company, Advanced Learners, has devoted classroom space to hold classes for both beginning and struggling readers in their Clearwater office starting in June.  

All interested parents, teachers, and students are invited to attend an Open House on Wednesday, April 30 at 2508 Coachman Road in Clearwater.  The program author Sue Dickson, along with the staff of Advanced Learners, will be available from 4-8 to give classroom tours, share information, answer questions, and register students for summer classes.  

Contact:  
Victoria Kearney, Director of Tutoring Services
Advanced Learners
727-796-0847
http://www.AdvancedLearners.com