Friday, June 5, 2009

Child 1st - Sight Words for Children Improve Reading Skills & Stimulate Learning Appetite

Is your child falling behind in grade level expectations? Not recognizing words, or trying to sound out every word he comes to? Unable to blend sounds into words? Reversing, substituting, adding, or omitting sounds? These are common problems that face young children today. Fortunately, Child 1st can help.


At Child 1st, our product designers look at children first to discover how they learn most naturally. We integrate explicit phonics instruction with specific strategies (visuals, movement, storytelling, humor, rhyme, and patterns) to engage children with an array of learning strengths. CFP's products are also highly effective in teaching beginning readers, building a strong foundation for learning from the very start.


Among our many resources, we have the most advanced tools to help children with sight words. SnapWords® are multisensory Dolch sight words combined with other high frequency words. They help visual, right brained learners, and children with learning disabilities learn to read more easily. Although we call our products "sight words for kindergarten," you may teach our Dolch sight words to children of any age with great success.


Sight Words are easily defined as the most common words that comprise found in most children's texts. There is a big push in most schools for children to memorize these words so that they can experience success in reading. At Child 1st, our idea is not to replace a systematic phonics instruction curriculum and expect children to memorize 306 words. Our approach is different. For children who have difficulty in working on left-brain functions, we embed cards/visuals into the letters and sight words, allowing the child to focus on what he's reading. This way, children will learn good phonics strategies, combined with visuals, will help make them fluent readers. Children can practice their sight words as often as needed, using our decodable text books, all in a way that is fun and easy.


For any child who struggles in reading, adding the visual and kinesthetic elements is like giving him a friendly, non-threatening approach that is not a reminder of past failure. Some children do not successfully learn to read the expected way: they might not understand decoding, might not have a good retention of sight words, but giving them visuals and motions as additional pathways for learning can make all the difference in the world. Moreover, for non-English speakers, our sight words greatly enhance the learning experience as the visual becomes a vital memory prompt to meaning. At first, children might say the word in their own language, but over time, they will make the transition to English words!


Child1st sight word cards propel children into reading. No matter how difficult reading has seemed before. For those children who cannot decode, are stuck in the decoding stage, or who have little short term memory, SnapWords® are the answer. Providing multisensory reading instruction is vital for Learners with Dyslexia, Aspergers, Autism, ADD, Reading Comprehension Problems, Visual Learners, and other Right Brain Learners. We provide a path to reading success using explicit phonics instruction combined with visual, kinesthetic (body movement), and tactile elements that provide multiple channels into the brain.

Monday, June 1, 2009

What An Online School Can Do For You

Online high schools - these are today's means of providing young students with the best quality of education. These are the trend in today's modern learning system.

An online school is basically the same as a traditional academy. The only difference is that an online high school provides the support of a traditional academy through a technology-based home-school academic program. It dynamically combines the resources of a traditional academy with the proven elementary and secondary multimedia curriculum only online schools can provide.

Students all over the world can subscribe to these online schools. All the students need is a decent computer with a connection to the internet! Their work is transmitted over the Web for the academy to grade and record.

With a flexible yet structured program that is customized to meet the need of every student, an online high school allows the student the ability to attend classes, work on projects and submit their requirements at their convenience. Students may be logged into the classroom or working during their free time.

Clients are always backed up by the online high school. The students are provided a schedule that outlines what needs to be done and when it needs to be done, thus preparing the student ahead of time and giving him the opportunity to accomplish his work earlier. And because spoken material in the classroom often passes students by because of a number of distractions, absences, fatigue or boredom, all course material is available to the student anytime, enabling him to read and re read lectures, discussions, explanations and comments.

In an online school, student interaction and the diversity of opinion is increased. Why? It's because in an online environment, everybody gets a say, not just the most talkative. The students' anonymous status also provides a less intimidating and equal playing field. Here there is no bias caused by seating arrangement, gender, race and age. Students also can process their thoughts longer and can share their insights when they are ready.

What gives an online school an edge? Student-centered teaching methods are applied. Learning styles vary to everyone. Some are visual learners and others learn by interaction.

So now you know what an online school can do for you. All that's left is for you to make up your mind.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Basic Tips on How to Home School Your Kids

It is estimated that around 1 million students are homeschooled in the United States every year. Homeschooling is an excellent way to stay close to your children; give them the proper care they need while helping them become well-rounded adults. Homeschooling allows you individualize; to find education that is best suited for your children.

Reasons for Homeschooling

Find out whether you share the following thoughts about why homeschooling is required: (i) Parents have religious belief that they can provide better education at home; (ii) Parents thinking that the environment at school will not be congenial for their children; (iii) Homeschooling will help develop character and morality of a child; (iv) There are subjects taught at schools that are not in accordance with the faith, thinking of the parents; (v) The child has special needs or disabilities.

Now, the question arises whether or not homeschooling has any adverse affects on a child's education; maybe not. Homeschooled children have above average test results on the ACT and SAT college entrance exams. Also, homeschooled kids are sometimes better at social adjustment than kids who go to school. The way the homeschooled children make up for not attending a regular school is by participating in homeschool support groups, scouting, church and recreational activities, and other associations.

Getting Started with Homeschooling

One way of knowing more about homeschooling is by joining local support groups. Such groups can be found by word of mouth or through public or private schools, religious groups, or state or national associations. Each state has at least one homeschooling association. These groups offer necessary advice and information and hold conferences at which families who school at home discuss legal, philosophical, and teaching issues. Some school districts allow homeschoolers to attend public school part-time.

Following are different homeschool methods: (i) Diane Lockman's authentic classical trivium (The Classical Scholar) unit studies, (ii) Charlotte Mason's methodology, (iii) Montessori or Waldorf methods, and (iv) eclectic blends of different styles.

Is Homeschooling for Everyone?

No. Homeschooling is hard work. It can also be expensive, as you have to pay for educational materials and extracurricular activities. You may also be faced with a loss of income if one parent has to quit a job to homeschool. References: The Responsibilities of Homeschooling Homeschooling means being able to devote yourself to your children all day through. You, as a parent will fully responsible for the direction, depth, and breadth of your child's education for the rest of its life. This is a very big responsibility and should not be taken lightly.

Ask yourself these questions to see whether you are ready. Why do you think you want to homeschool? What is it that your child will be able to achieve by being homeschooled that he or she will not receive in a regular school? What do you consider a "good" education? These questions can help you make the decision, and help you create the right environment that will be best your children.