Rather than waiting until children struggle, every child should receive systematic phonics instruction from the start. This is why I chose a dyslexic curriculum for my neurotypical child. Moving beyond the whole language approach, phonics focuses on understanding the sounds and rules of English. In this article, I explain the differences between these approaches, share my teaching experiences, and recommend valuable resources for effective reading instruction.

Soggy little pieces of cardboard mush lay waste around my daughter’s crib as I reach in to pick her up. The remnants of her naptime snack lies in shreds between blankets, pacis, and stuffed animals. No I don’t let my babies eat in their crib. They just often decide that a book would be a nice treat.