◈ Homepage — https://teacherjustine.com/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=organicSkip to content Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Professional Reading Tutor for Your Child Is reading a struggle for your child? It doesn’t have to be. But the earliest intervention is vital. Get a FREE Assessment today. Get a Free Assessment My Tutoring Services Reading, Spelling, Writing, and Handwriting integrated in all lessons Speech-to-Print Approach Beginning and Remediation Instruction K-8th Grade Learn More My Home-Support Blog Reading Spelling Writing About Teacher Justine Hi! I’m Justine, a tutor, teacher, and mom, who loves teaching reading, spelling, and writing and wants to share the why’s and how’s with you. I started off as a Waldorf teacher believing a holistic natural approach to reading was the answer to everything. My first daughter easily learned to read with this method. But my second daughter showed signs of a struggling reading from preschool. I did not want to admit it and thought she just needed more time. By third grade, I finally had to admit that she was not learning to read. That is when I began learning about beginning, struggling, and reluctant readers and how they need a direct, systematic, and explicit approach. I can’t wait to share the best tips for helping your child in reading and spelling with you! Find Out What You Can’t Miss! My Favorite Posts 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring October 21, 2023 What Does a Reading Tutor Do? June 24, 2023 Latest Posts Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds Read the Whole Blog My Reviews Students who work with Justine – raise reading levels, – improve grades, – increase confidence, – have aha moments, – develop a love of reading Read My Reviews Get My Free Guide Get my free guide Send me the guide We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime. Built with Kit Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP ◈ Interior Pages — 24 pages crawledTutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Teacher Justine contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLS Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra charge to you. See my disclosure policy for more information. Home / Writing / Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me By Justine Forelli November 22, 2025 January 8, 2026 January 8, 2026 I love writing and wanted to teach structured writing in my tutoring sessions. Parents were asking for it too.  I’d  heard that thinkSRSD follows naturally after EBLI, so I took the training, and gave it a try.  But tutoring with thinkSRSD?  I’m not going to lie — it was hard.  Once a week sessions and no open-and-go materials…the planning and logistics made my heart race and my breathing stop. Here’s what finally worked and why I now love tutoring with thinkSRSD. Grade 3 What's inside this post Toggle COLLABORATIVE WRITING with SRSD Strategies The Problem: thinkSRSD Is Powerful — But Tricky to Use in Tutoring My Solution: Build the Resource I Needed But Couldn’t Find What My Tutoring Workflow Looks Like Now Lesson 1: Plan Lesson 2: Organize Lesson 3: Write Lesson 4: Edit & Reflect The Results: Confidence, Structure, Real Progress Final Thoughts: Why I Love Tutoring Writing Now Want to Use What I Made? COLLABORATIVE WRITING with SRSD Strategies Read More Of My Tips And Thoughts On Spelling and Writing: COLLABORATIVE WRITING with SRSD Strategies Perfect for tutors using thinkSRSD™-inspired instruction Prompts – Exemplars – Sources Check Price on TPT The Problem: thinkSRSD Is Powerful — But Tricky to Use in Tutoring thinkSRSD was designed for schools. In the classroom, students write every day. Teachers have time to guide them through each step of the writing process. But tutoring? That’s usually one session a week — not nearly enough time to teach writing from scratch and go through a full writing cycle. Another problem? In schools, students write about content they’ve been learning all week — in science, social studies, or ELA. But in tutoring, we don’t have that built-in background knowledge. We also don’t have a library of curated sources ready to go. There’s no open-and-go curriculum for writing tutors. I had to invent everything: Think of a topic Find just the right sources (not too short, not too long) Create a prompt that actually lent itself to a strong paragraph And even after all that… I had no roadmap. No exemplars. Nothing to model. No idea what “good” looked like for that particular topic and age. My materials were scattered. Sometimes I printed graphic organizers from the thinkSRSD website, sometimes I made my own. But they got lost, crumpled, or forgotten between sessions. It was stressful. And unsustainable. But parents want help with their child’s writing . My Solution: Build the Resource I Needed But Couldn’t Find After a year of trial and error with a second grade student, I finally realized: if I wanted a solution, I’d have to build it myself. Now that he’s in third grade, I created Collaborative Writing with SRSD Strategies – Grade 3 — a resource designed specifically for tutoring, not the classroom. Here’s what’s inside: ✅ 5 writing sets on third grade-friendly topics 📚 Each set includes a prompt , 2–3 curated sources , and 3 leveled exemplars (plus one below-level model) 🧠 A student-friendly scoring + goal-setting sheet ✍️ Sentence stems and bookmarks to scaffold writing 🔁 All built around the thinkSRSD process (POW + TIDE), adapted for tutoring 💬 “This was the thing I needed to stop reinventing the wheel every session.” You can see the full resource and get instant access here.: 👉 Visit my thinkSRSD Resources page What My Tutoring Workflow Looks Like Now Once I’ve given the pre-assessment and taught POW + TIDE, our tutoring sessions follow a repeatable, stress-free flow  — thanks to my own resource , Collaborative Writing with thinkSRSD: Grade 3 Each of us uses a spiral notebook — one for me, one for the student — and we follow the process laid out in my resource, Collaborative Writing with thinkSRSD: Grade 3 . At the start of each new writing cycle, I choose one of the pre-selected topics from the resource , complete with the prompt, source texts, and leveled exemplars. No scrambling or last-minute Googling — just open, teach, and start the writing process. Lesson 1: Plan We start by writing a Self Regulation Plan (SRP) : Self-talk (“I’ve got this!”) Tools (POW + TIDE) Goals for the session Next, we move into the P in POWeR: Read the texts (I usually read aloud to save time) Write a gist sentence at the top of the page Break apart the prompt using a “Do | What?” chart Brainstorm ideas ✅ We check off the “P” in POWeR and celebrate progress! Lesson 2: Organize Review the 3-Ps and prompt from last time On a new page, write POWeR at the top Draw a TIDE chart in our notebook Use “caveman talk” to jot ideas into the planner Pull in evidence from the text and abbreviate in our notes ✅ At the end, we check off “O” in POWeR — another win. Lesson 3: Write Review our TIDE organizer On a new page: TIDE on the left, POWeR on the right Begin drafting the paragraph collaboratively Check off T, I, D, and E as we finish each section If the student is ready, I release them to write independently ✅ We check off “W” in POWeR and celebrate our writing. Lesson 4: Edit & Reflect Student reads their draft aloud We fix spelling ( they still need help ), punctuation, and capitalization together We check off the “e” in POWeR Then we score the piece and an exemplar at the same level Optionally, revise a lower exemplar We name what we did well, set new goals, and get excited for the next write The Results: Confidence, Structure, Real Progress The best part about using my own resource in my tutoring flow? It’s working. I’m no longer stressed about “What are we writing about this week?” I have pre-selected topics, curated sources, and exemplars that act as roadmaps . They show me what’s possible — but if a student surprises me with a new idea, we go with it. And if they still need hand-holding? I’ve got a plan. A fifth-grade student told me last week: “I like this. It’s easy.” He was talking about writing from his TIDE planner. My third-grade student just wrote his first full draft on his own. He was quiet for 40 minutes. Writing and checking off his TIDE planner. He’s starting to internalize the structure and use his authentic voice . The exemplars have even more uses than I expected. I can: Use them to reteach the TIDE structure (backmapping and color coding) Highlight rich sentence features (subordination, sentence combining, vivid details) Show students real examples of strong writing at their level And the notebooks? Total win. Students love flipping back through to see their growth . Final Thoughts: Why I Love Tutoring Writing Now I never thought I’d say this — but I’m starting to like teaching structured writing in response to texts even more than teaching reading, spelling, and simple opinion writing like “my favorite season.” (Don’t worry — I still love EBLI .) There’s something incredibly satisfying about helping students internalize structure , gain confidence, and express complex ideas in writing. And when you make writing the focal point of tutoring, you’re reinforcing all the foundational literacy skills at once. ✅ Wondering what kind of writing support your child needs? Start with this post: What Do Parents Mean When They Say “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? 💬 Curious why thinkSRSD pairs so well with EBLI? Read: Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well Wit Reviews for Teacher Justine Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Reviews For Teacher Justine Students who work with Justine – raise reading levels, – improve grades, – increase confidence, – have aha moments, – develop a love of reading Read the reviews for Teacher Justine and student success stories. I found Justine after learning about the EBLI approach for dyslexia in a parents group for children with dyslexia. After having given the Barton system a go for several years, we thought the EBLI approach was worth trying. My daughter has loved working with Justine over the past year and has made big improvements toward grade level reading. Justine’s tutoring program is set up very professionally and she’s so accessible and prompt to reply to any questions or concerns. I recommend you reach out to her to see how she might be able to help your struggling reader! – Kaitlyn Blanchard, Utah My 11-year-old daughter started off the school year struggling with spelling and handwriting. I was unable to find a specialized EBLI tutor in our community and turned to the internet to search for an expert. Thankfully, we found Teacher Justine. Justine was quick to respond to my initial inquiry and clearly laid out the services that she could provide to help my daughter. She tailored sessions to meet my daughter’s needs, pace, and frustration tolerance. Sessions challenged my daughter to help her grow. The wonderful thing about Teacher Justine is that she ends each session with games so that there is something to look forward to after working hard. Justine kept me informed of my daughter’s progress and demonstrated expertise and kindness in every interaction. I highly recommend Teacher Justine. – Melissa Punnoose, Los Angeles, CA Justine has been effective in helping out daughter gain confidence with her reading, and ensuring that she has the strong phonics foundation that she needs. Justine has made such a difference and we’re grateful for it! Angela Ochoa, Orinda, CA Justine was a pleasure to work with. My daughter was struggling with pre-reading / letter & sounds recognition and got a lot out of her sessions with Justine. She made learning fun so it didn’t feel like work. Added bonus – she can teach Italian too! – Darci Davis, Moraga, CA We love online tutoring with Justine because it’s not only very convenient in terms of time-saving – not having to drive, it’s also really fun for our son. Now that most of his learning is in person, online sessions seem special. He sees his parents on zoom calls, and this makes him feel like he has important work meetings too. The live instruction coupled with game/presentation interactive format keeps him focused and interested. – Yulia Goldshtrakh, Orinda, CA I found Justine by posting something in the Lamorinda Families Facebook Group and we have been really happy with her! She has helped support our daughter with both reading and math as she has progressed through 2nd and now 3rd grade. She is really kind and patient and has spent time trying to hone in on her specific struggles and figure out how to best help her. She has been flexible with scheduling needs whenever needed. Highly recommend her! – Amy LeBold, Orinda, CA Teacher Justine has been a God sent. I searched on google for a reading teacher and found her. My daughter was having difficulties learning to read and I could see that she felt she was being left behind, while her peers were having an easier time. Teacher Justine has been so patient with my sassy daughter. I see her progressing with each lesson. Can’t recommend Teacher Justine enough. – Maria Guzman, San Mateo, CA I found Justine by posting something in the Lamorinda Families Facebook Group and we have been really happy with her! She has helped support our daughter with both reading and math as she has progressed through 2nd and now 3rd grade. She is really kind and patient and has spent time trying to hone in on her specific struggles and figure out how to best help her. She has been flexible with scheduling needs whenever needed. Highly recommend her! – Adrienne Schell, Moraga, CA I am absolutely amazed at the way my son has progressed since we started in September. He’s getting more and more confident tackling the unfamiliar words, whereas before he’d just give up. Thank you so much for your patience and building that foundational relationship to engage him. – Joyce Zang, Walnut Creek, CA I am a homeschooling mom of a 6 year old and I found Justine through our charter school – Visions in Education. My child is struggling with becoming a confident reader and needed support with specific language skills such as blending, spelling, and writing. Justine was able to immediately assess right where he was in his language arts skills and confidently dove right in with a plan of action. My child is improving leaps and bounds in language arts and confidence with every session. Justine is easy going, knowledgeable, kind, fun and in tune with how to balance work and play so that my child enjoys the learning process. When I first met with my Visions Charter School certified teacher, she was amazed by my child’s progress in such a short time! I highly recommend Justine to any parent who is looking to provide their child with language arts support. – Rachel Hankins, Sacramento, CA I found Teacher Justine from a flyer posted at my local Starbucks. I decided to give Justine a call because my daughter was struggling with reading and despite participation in a reading intervention group at school, showed very little progress. She was lacking confidence, was reading-avoidant and was not reading independently at her grade level. After speaking with Justine on the phone and receiving a complimentary reading assessment of my daughter’s needs, I immediately knew Justine was very knowledgeable and could provide the structured lessons which would compliment the support my daughter was receiving in school. My daughter absolutely loves her lessons with Justine, never complains and always looks forward to her online reading practice. She has gained invaluable phonics skills, has learned to pick up patterns, and corrects herself when she makes mistakes. More importantly she has gained confidence in reading and now enjoys reading to her family and on her own. Thank you, Teacher Justine! – Julianna Bryant, Orinda, CA Justine has helped my 2nd grader get up to grade level reading in just a few months. Her online lessons are interactive and fun so that he feels that he is at play and not at work. I highly recommend her! – Vanessa Smith, Oakland, CA Justine was great in assisting my daughter. We were looking for handwriting and spelling help. I called Peterson Handwriting and they told me about EBLI. Then I searched online and found Justine. I would recommend her. – Joanne Salva Cruz, Los Angeles, CA Teacher Justine tutored my five-year old over the summer to help guard against any potential learning loss. I was delighted by the reading progress he made in a very short time working with Justine and the EBLI method. Highly recommend!! – Jenny Collins, Oakland, CA I want to give you more accolades on the improvement I’ve seen with my son the last couple of weeks. He is making huge leaps in his confidence with spelling, reading, writing and I’m in awe at what I’ve seen so far. So thank you! – Amanda Van Voorhis, Benicia, CA My son previously worked with an Orton–Gillingham tutor, and he would fight going. Reading used to feel like a chore and he would avoid it. After some research, I learned about EBLI and decided to try a different path. That’s when we found Justine. The change has been incredible Program and Prices Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Program and Prices One-on-one online tutoring or in-person instruction. In-Person $95/session Lafayette Library Free Consultation & Placement Book a Free Consultation Online $95/session Convenient for your busy schedule Free Consultation & Placement Book a Free Consultation Homeschoolers Approved Vendor of: Visons and Compass Free Consultation & Placement Book a Free Consultation Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Contact Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Let’s Talk Contact Teacher Justine to come up with a tutoring plan for your child that will close the gap and help them FEEL GOOD ABOUT READING.  Tell me what reading is like for your child  Name Email * Message * Email Submit Please enable JavaScript in your browser to submit the form Search Search About Justine Facebook Instagram You might be worried your child will never learn to read and spell, but I'm on a mission to prove that's not true! Hi! I'm Justine! As a tutor, teacher, and mom, unlocking the keys to reading and spelling for beginning and struggling readers has become my passion. I want to share that with you! Find out what you can't miss! Enter Giveaway Win a free thinkSRSD eLearning Course. Giveaway closes January 31, 2026 at 12 PM PST. Enter here . Shop my TPT Store Reading, Spelling, Writing Resources Best of Teacher Justine I s Your Child's School Teaching Reading Wrong Become a Better Reader of Fiction Tips and Ideas Help your child read and spell with tips and ideas delivered to your inbox. Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Teacher Justine contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLS Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra charge to you. See my disclosure policy for more information. Home / Writing / Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? By Justine Forelli November 10, 2025 January 10, 2026 January 10, 2026 “ThinkSRSD pairs well with EBLI.” If you’ve spent time in EBLI Facebook groups, you’ve probably seen this phrase — maybe more than once. But why do so many people say that? After “finishing” EBLI or seeing progress in reading, parents notice their child still struggles with spelling . The advice they often hear? “Have them write — spelling gets stronger through writing!” But writing more than a sentence is hard. Most kids freeze. Let’s be honest — a lot of adults do too. (I’ve been doing this for years, and I still feel that way sometimes!) If you’re a parent staring at your child’s blank page, wondering how on earth to teach writing — maybe even starting to panic — you’re in the right place. Enter thinkSRSD : a structured writing method that parents often hear about as a next step after EBLI. But is it really a good fit? Let’s explore. Yes, EBLI and thinkSRSD really do pair well. What's inside this post Toggle What Parents Are Hearing in Facebook Groups Common Scenarios That Lead to ThinkSRSD Why thinkSRSD Feels Like a Natural Fit After EBLI Both Are Explicit and Direct Both Emphasize Collaboration Before Independence Both Use a “Gist” Step Both Are Methods, Not Curricula What I Do in My Tutoring So Does ThinkSRSD Fit Well With EBLI? Writing Is Never Done Read More Of My Tips And Thoughts On Spelling and Writing: What Parents Are Hearing in Facebook Groups Many parents first hear about thinkSRSD in EBLI-aligned Facebook groups, especially the popular EBLI Community group.  These communities are filled with trusted advice and real success stories, so when one parent mentions that thinkSRSD worked for them, others want to know more. Common Scenarios That Lead to ThinkSRSD Here are some of the most common situations where thinkSRSD enters the conversation: The student has “finished” EBLI either by doing all 140 activities or by becoming fluent and accurate in reading and their parent or tutor wants to know: what’s next for writing. The parent is homeschooling and searching for a writing curriculum to extend what EBLI started. The parent notices their child still struggles with spelling even though their reading has improved and has heard that the best way to improve spelling is through the child’s own writing.  For many families, this is the first time they’ve heard about thinkSRSD — and they want to know what it is and how to use it. 💡 One thing I always clarify early on: thinkSRSD is a method — not a full curriculum. Just like EBLI, it’s an approach. EBLI is simply a way to sound out unknown words to become an accurate reader and better speller. You can use it for anything you read.  thinkSRSD is simply a method to learn the steps of the writing process and tools to make it easier. You still need to find things to write about and to create prompts. Why thinkSRSD Feels Like a Natural Fit After EBLI thinkSRSD feels like the natural next step after EBLI — and there’s a good reason for that. Writing composition is a higher-level cognitive task. Before a child can plan and write full paragraphs, they need strong foundations in handwriting, spelling, and reading fluency — exactly the skills that EBLI builds. It’s also a natural fit because EBLI doesn’t just teach reading — it includes foundational writing practice , too. Students write single sentences, summaries, and short responses — which makes it a perfect lead-in to structured writing using prompts and text evidence. So it’s no surprise that parents say thinkSRSD pairs well with EBLI — the two approaches overlap in style and build on one another. Both Are Explicit and Direct EBLI begins with direct instruction in three core concepts about the English language. These foundational concepts are then applied repeatedly through skills like blending and segmenting , giving students a consistent structure they can rely on. thinkSRSD also relies on explicit instruction — but in a different way. It teaches students how to use specific strategies for self-regulation (like goal-setting, self-monitoring, and self-talk) and provides concrete tools to organize their writing. Both approaches use step-by-step guidance to reduce overwhelm and build confidence. As Leslie Laud, founder of thinkSRSD said in this video “thinkSRSD cuts out the noise”. The same can be said about EBLI. There’s also very little “discovery learning” at first — instead, both follow a gradual release model : I do, we do, you do. Both Emphasize Collaboration Before Independence One of the biggest reasons people say thinkSRSD pairs well with EBLI is that both methods emphasize doing it together before asking the child to do it alone. They follow a similar teaching rhythm: EBLI: teacher-led → supported → independent thinkSRSD: exemplars → collaborative writing → independent writing This gradual release approach makes a huge difference for struggling writers and readers. It removes pressure and creates a supportive environment where kids feel safe trying — and learning from mistakes. In EBLI, the teacher leads the student through the process of reading and spelling with clear modeling. Over time, the student takes more responsibility until they can do the task on their own with confidence. In thinkSRSD, the teacher models each writing step — like reading the prompt, generating a gist, planning, or writing a topic sentence — often out loud and with student input . Then the teacher and student complete tasks together before shifting into independent work. In my own tutoring, I’ve seen how powerful this gradual release is — especially for kids who feel anxious about writing. When we plan together first, they stop freezing at the sight of the page. Both Use a “Gist” Step In EBLI, every time a student reads a text, they’re asked to write a summary sentence of 10 words or fewer . This isn’t just a fun challenge — it’s designed to make sure they truly understand what the text is about. To help students craft these summary sentences, I guide them through the journalist questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Then we combine those ideas into one focused statement.  In EBLI, that’s usually where the writing ends — but in thinkSRSD , it’s just the beginning. In fact, writing a gist sentence is one of the first steps in the thinkSRSD planning process. Students “ pre-read for the gist ” before they start outlining their response. That gist might even become the first sentence of their topic introduction — or it might simply be a way to confirm they understood the reading. Either way, students who move from EBLI into structured writing with thinkSRSD are already very comfortable summarizing . It’s a natural transition. And here’s the best part: once a tutor or parent learns how to teach thinkSRSD, they can use its tools to extend EBLI writing without going through an entire thinkSRSD writing cycle .  Just by prompting a student to add evidence, details, and a conclusion , that 10-word summary can grow into a strong, structured paragraph. Both Are Methods, Not Curricula As I mentioned earlier, both EBLI and thinkSRSD are methods — not packaged curricula. EBLI is a method for teaching students to decode and encode words so they become accurate, fluent readers and spellers. thinkSRSD is a method students can use t Teacher Justine Forelli Online Reading Tutor Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Who Is This Blog For? Hi! I’m Justine, tutor, teacher, and mom who loves helping kids learn to read and spell accurately. I also love helping parents find the right resources to help their child feel confident in reading, spelling, and writing. If you’re a parent of a child who is learning to read or who needs help in becoming a confident reader and speller, then you’re in the right place. Get my free guide Send me the guide We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime. Built with Kit What To Expect Here’s a glimpse of what you can look forward to from my Reading, Spelling, and Writing blog: Home assessment tools for parents Overview of the different approaches to teaching reading Reviews of different phonics programs for home support Choosing the right reading program for your child Suggestion for ways to gamify reading and spelling at home Building your child’s reading confidence Understanding and thriving with dyslexia Downloadable and printable reading, spelling and writing activities Writing prompts to inspire kids to write Handwriting tips and techniques Book lists for the different grades . . .and so much more to help you support your child at home! Who Is Teacher Justine? In addition to being a mom of two daughters, I have been a CA Credentialed Teacher since 2011 and became a full-time Reading Tutor in 2021. I have to be honest, even after all my teacher training and working in schools as a teacher, I didn’t really know how kids learn to read and I wasn’t confident that I was doing things the right way. It wasn’t until my second daughter was clearly not learning to read at school, that I became very interested in learning how to help people with dyslexia and other learning difficulties learn to read. Structured Literacy or Print-to-Speech While trying to find the best help for my daughter, I learned that reading is not natural and that it must be explicitly taught because our brains have to be rewired for reading and writing. For the first two years of tutoring, I used a Structured Literacy approach which was very effective for almost all of my students. There are many excellent print-to-speech programs available for parents to help their children. I have tried many of them and will share what I have learned with you. Structured Linguistic Literacy or Speech-to-Print In 2023, I began tutoring students in reading, spelling, and writing using EBLI (Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction). EBLI is a “speech-to-print” or Structured Linguistic Literacy approach which accelerates student learning and literacy outcomes. I am very happy with this approach and feel it makes a lot of sense. I will share information about the different speech-to-print programs with you. In March of 2024, I became a Certified EBLI Instructor. I am not the only one who loves this method. My students love it too. Why I’m Writing this Blog Helping all beginning, struggling, and reluctant readers read and spell accurately and fall in love with reading is my purpose. But I can’t do that just through one-on-one tutoring, so I also blog about different methods and shares tips with you so that you feel inspired and have the tools to make a real difference on your child’s reading journey. Fun Facts or Let’s Get Personal Both of my daughters learned to read! One is in college and the other is a senior in high school working on her college applications. When I started off as a Waldorf Teacher, I truly believed reading would happen naturally like the “sprouting of the second teeth”. My college degree is in Italian and I love all romance languages. Pro tip: learning a romance language helps vocabulary and spelling in English. I have a Chihuahua/Terrier mix that often is seen on camera during online tutoring. I have tutored students online who live in CA, GA, PA, HI, TX, UT, NV, WI, and MI. I was born and raised in Madison, WI and CA students sometimes tell me I don’t say the short “o” sound correctly. Next Steps Read how EBLI certification has made me The Best Tutor Ever . Read why kids love EBLI tutoring . Sign up for a Free Tutoring Consultation/Assessment for your child. Use my contact form or email me to tell me what you are noticing about your child’s reading. Send me an email: justine [at] teacherjustine.com Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe and get Reading, Spelling, and Writing tips delivered to your inbox: Search Search About Justine Facebook Instagram You might be worried your child will never learn to read and spell, but I'm on a mission to prove that's not true! Hi! I'm Justine! As a tutor, teacher, and mom, unlocking the keys to reading and spelling for beginning and struggling readers has become my passion. I want to share that with you! Find out what you can't miss! Enter Giveaway Win a free thinkSRSD eLearning Course. Giveaway closes January 31, 2026 at 12 PM PST. Enter here . Shop my TPT Store Reading, Spelling, Writing Resources Best of Teacher Justine I s Your Child's School Teaching Reading Wrong Become a Better Reader of Fiction Tips and Ideas Help your child read and spell with tips and ideas delivered to your inbox. Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy What Does a Reading Tutor Do? - Teacher Justine Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Teacher Justine contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLS Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra charge to you. See my disclosure policy for more information. Home / Reading / What Does a Reading Tutor Do? What Does a Reading Tutor Do? By Justine Forelli June 24, 2023 January 11, 2025 January 11, 2025 What's inside this post Toggle Find out what a reading tutor does and why your child needs one Does my child need a reading tutor? Struggling with Reading Why is my child not learning to read at school? Phonics is great but letters don’t talk My child can decode but not comprehend What should I look for in a reading tutor? Ask ‘What makes you different?’ Struggling with Reading Find out what a reading tutor does and why your child needs one The other day a friend of mine asked me, “What does a reading tutor do?”. My friend is also a teacher, so this might seem like a strange question. But since she is Italian, this is a perfectly logical question. English, unlike Italian, is a complex code. To teach children to read accurately in English, it is important to teach the code in a systematic way. This is because, in English, the same sound can have many different spellings. And the same spelling can have different sounds. Think of all the different spellings for the long e sound: ee (beef), ea (meat), ie (thief), y (silly), i (medium), e (me), ey (key), ei (receive). And think of all the sounds for the spelling ‘ea’: team, great, bread, heart. In Italian, there is a 1-to-1 sound-spelling correspondence. Learning the English code is easy for some children, challenging for most, and very difficult for others. Schools formally teach decoding in kindergarten through second grade. They do this through whole -class instruction, small groups, and by sending kids out to the resource room for more help. Even with this multi-tiered approach, there will be many kids who do not learn how to read accurately. This can do undetected and become a huge problem. Does my child need a reading tutor? If you suspect your child is not learning to decode and is only memorizing words in the early stages of reading, then they will benefit greatly from one-on-one instruction with a tutor. If your child seemed to be doing fine in the early stages of reading, but is getting frustrated in third and fourth grades, then they have a reading problem with multisyllabic words. One-on-one instruction with a tutor will fix this problem. If your upper elementary or middle school child stumbles over words, omits and inserts words, and misreads words, this problem is not going to go away on its own. A tutor can help remediate this problem with one-on-one instruction. IF YOUR CHILD IS Struggling with Reading I CAN HELP Book a Free Consultation Why is my child not learning to read at school? Learning to read means understanding that our speech is made up of sounds and that these sounds are represented by letters. This is the key to cracking the code. For the past 20 years, most schools were using an approach that did not explicitly teach the code. Instead, they gave beginning readers books with predictable text and lots of pictures. They told the children to look at the first letter of the word and the picture and make a guess. Since the text repeated the same sentence on each page with a different word at the end that was represented by the picture, it seemed like the children were reading. However, if you asked the children to read the same words later in a different context without the picture, they had no idea what the word was. This method called Balanced Literacy, has recently come under attack by parents and teachers. Because of this many districts are changing their instruction for grades K-2. They are switching to phonics to teach the code. For more on this, read my blog Are Schools Teaching Reading Wrong? Phonics is great but letters don’t talk Teaching phonics instead of teaching children to guess words is great but can still cause problems. Many teachers tell children that letters make sounds. “B says buh.” There are two things wrong with this. The first is that letters don’t talk. They represent sounds in our speech. The second is that “buh” has more than one sound. “Buh” is a consonant sound plus a vowel sound after it. If a child learns that b says ‘buh’ and d says ‘duh’, then when they try to sound out the word “bed”, they will say buh-ĕ-duh. When they try to blend that together, they can’t recognize a word they know. It is very important to clip the sounds when segmenting so the child can blend them together and recognize the word they are saying. And it is essential to teach children to isolate each sound when they are segmenting so that they can learn to spell correctly. Some children will learn to read in schools no matter what approach is used or how it is taught. But many children will not catch on. They will resort to memorizing and guessing words and this will result in a reading problem. Reading tutors who specialize in teaching the code in an explicit, systematic way can help fix these problems. My child can decode but not comprehend The purpose of reading is to understand what the author is saying. Sometimes parents tell me that their child can decode accurately but they don’t comprehend what they are reading. When this happens, the first thing I check for is accuracy and fluency. Sometimes parents think their child can decode but they are actually guessing the multisyllabic words. If accuracy is not the problem, then the next thing I check for is fluency. Fluency means reading with appropriate rate and phrasing. If the phrasing is off, this will interfere with comprehension. If both accuracy and fluency are fine, then lack of comprehension probably comes from lack of interest in the text, lack of background knowledge, or difficulty with the vocabulary and syntax. If you are not interested in what you are reading, it is hard to stay focused. This happens to all of us. We read an entire page and can’t remember anything we read. Some children are easily distracted especially at school. A tutor can help with this. Another cause of comprehension difficulties is that some text is difficult, and you have to put effort into understanding it. Elementary and middle school students might not realize that reading is active, and you have to try to catch the meaning that the author is sending to you. This means re-reading, underlining, looking up words, and thinking. A tutor can help with comprehension issues by teaching how to summarize, identify key words, visualizing, and asking questions. What should I look for in a reading tutor? There are many different kinds of tutors. Some tutors help with homework. Some tutors say they will tailor their reading program to your child’s “learning style”. Avoid this! You want a professional reading tutor who understands how to teach reading effectively. A professional reading tutor will: Quickly identify your child’s gaps and weaknesses using diagnostic tests. (Isolated word recognition, nonsense word decoding, phoneme awareness, phoneme segmentation, phoneme blending, code knowledge, fluency.) Use these tests to develop a profile of your child in order to know where to focus the instruction and which level to start in. Teach your child to read correctly using a good reading method in a short space of time . Tutoring is expensive and should not go on and on forever. Use a good reading method that makes it clear that speech is made up Writing Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Writing Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me By Justine Forelli November 22, 2025 January 8, 2026 Read More Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me Continue Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? By Justine Forelli November 10, 2025 January 10, 2026 Read More Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? Continue What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? By Justine Forelli October 14, 2025 November 22, 2025 Read More What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? Continue Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy EBLI Tutor: 5 Reasons Kids Love Reading Tutoring Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Teacher Justine contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLS Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra charge to you. See my disclosure policy for more information. Home / Reading / 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring By Justine Forelli October 21, 2023 January 11, 2025 January 11, 2025 What's inside this post Toggle Discover how EBLI is different and why kids love reading tutoring with an EBLI tutor 1. An EBLI tutor starts with speech Struggling with Reading 2. EBLI tutoring is active 3. The EBLI activities are challenging, not babyish 4. In EBLI tutoring, there are no rules 5. Their EBLI tutor is so happy Discover how EBLI is different and why kids love reading tutoring with an EBLI tutor 1. An EBLI tutor starts with speech The number one reason kids love tutoring with an EBLI tutor (Evidenced-Based Literacy Instruction) is because it is different from what they have already done in the past. Many kids who are struggling in reading have already tried other approaches and they haven’t worked. At first, they might think “Oh no, another reading tutor.” But they quickly realize that EBLI is different, and they relax. Soon they are smiling. IF YOUR CHILD IS Struggling with Reading I CAN HELP Book a Free Assessment What makes EBLI tutoring so different is that we start with the spoken word. When I first meet with students and their parents, I point out that speaking is natural, but reading is not. Most babies learn to speak naturally by imitating their parents. But they can’t learn to decode written words simply by watching their parents read. The reason we need to read and write is to communicate with people who are not with us in space or time. Writing is a way for us to put our thoughts on paper. And reading is a way for us to hear the words others have transcribed onto paper. When I say paper, I mean any writing surface including digital forms. Once kids realize we are starting from something they already know, they become curious. 2. EBLI tutoring is active Now that they are curious, an EBLI tutor gives them something to do right away. “Take your caps off your markers” is one of the first things I say. Next comes “Put lines down for the sounds you hear in ______.” Other cues are: “Say as you write” and “Tell me your sounds”. Listening to the sounds that come out of their mouths forces them to be actively involved. After that, they write the letters and letter combinations representing these sounds on the lines. I give them immediate feedback on how they write their letters. Practicing correct letter formation keeps kids active and stimulates their brain. Not only does making their writing legible give them pride, the motor planning of letter formation also increases their reading comprehension. Once they have fixed their spellings and letter formations, they erase the whole board and write it one more time beautifully. The spelling has been orthographically mapped into their brains. This exercise does not take much time, but they can immediately see the progress in both their handwriting and in their learning of correct spelling patterns. The quick pace also keeps the activities fun and engaging. 3. The EBLI activities are challenging, not babyish Even though speech is natural, becoming aware of the sounds coming out of our mouths is not always easy. Noticing the sounds that make up words when you speak is a challenging and active exercise. All the activities work on this in different ways. Becoming aware of the sounds coming out of our mouths and mapping those sounds to spellings also changes our thinking. When kids (and adults) do these activities, they make amazing discoveries about sounds and spellings. Having these “aha” moments is a good feeling. “I can’t believe <ey> is a spelling for the /a/ sound when it doesn’t even have the letter A in it.” – Olivia, grade 5 Olivia said this to me on her first day of EBLI tutoring. On her own, she had already discovered the second of the three important concepts underlying this method of reading instruction: In English, 1, 2, 3, or 4 letters can represent one sound. The same sound can have different spellings. The same spelling can have different sounds. An EBLI tutor explicitly teaches these concepts right away. Olivia happened to have discovered the second one on her own. These concepts are what makes it possible to move much faster in EBLI than in other methods. Instead of introducing one spelling per lesson, EBLI introduces 6-7 spellings for the same sound. Rather than overwhelm them, this helps kids read accurately much faster. Right away they are reading and spelling multisyllabic words alone and in authentic texts. In addition, vocabulary is interwoven into every EBLI activity. 4. In EBLI tutoring, there are no rules This is the hardest part for adults to understand. But kids love that there are no rules, only patterns to discover. For example, most structured literacy approaches teach students extensive syllable division rules to decode multisyllabic words. Students apply numerous steps to analyze a multisyllabic word before reading it. This is very tedious, and the worst part is that there are as many exceptions to the rules as there are rules themselves. It turns out that that you don’t need to know syllable types to read multisyllabic words. You only need to know that each syllable contains a vowel sound. There are a few other strategies involved in reading multisyllabic words but they don’t include massive analysis that taxes working memory and is not even useful. An EBLI tutor focuses on getting kids reading authentic text accurately and quickly. 5. Their EBLI tutor is so happy Kids love EBLI tutoring because they get to work with an adult who is happy. When I close my computer after finishing with may last student of the day, I feel good — like an important and effective member of society doing good in the world. Justine Forelli – happy EBLI Tutor I love practicing my craft and getting better and better each time. That is why I have become a Certified EBLI tutor. You can read about that in Becoming a Certified EBLI Tutor Has Made Me the Best Tutor Ever . I like that the quick pace keeps the students challenged and interested, but that I can also vary the pace for each student according to their needs. Not every student is jumping for joy when we start tutoring. But even the most resistant students get caught up in the process and suddenly I see a flash of “Aha” go across their face. “I’ve never done anything like this in school.” – Kaden, 2nd grade I also love that there is a wide community of people learning and practicing structured linguistic literacy through EBLI. I like belonging to the EBLI Facebook groups asking and answering questions and hearing about everyone’s successes. Some people refer to these quick gains as the “magic of EBLI”. In the age of the Science of Reading, I don’t want to call this learning process magic. Sine there is so much we don’t understand about the brain and how it recognizes patterns and begins to self-teach that it feels like magic. The EBLI method, however, is actually common sense. “Francis has been so excited all week asking when is his next class.” – Parent of Francis, kindergarten Mainly I love that I am able to remediate kids’ reading, spelling, and writing challenges in a reasonable amount of time so that they are able to feel confident and fully EBLI Tutoring Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Course Description My Courses EBLI tutoring in Reading, Spelling, Writing, and Handwriting. What is EBLI Tutoring? I tutor students K-8 in reading, spelling, writing composition, and handwriting using the  EBLI  reading remediation method. EBLI stands for Evidenced-Based Literacy Instruction.  EBLI is a “Speech-to-Print” or Structured Linguistic Literacy approach to reading. This means that we start with a focus on the spoken word, and we move from that starting point to the written word.  Speech-to-Print Speech-to-print methods have been around for a long time but are recently becoming more well known as we learn more about how oral language, reading, and writing are integrated in the brain. Speaking, unlike reading, is natural. Children learn to speak with no formal instruction. Speech-to-print approaches like EBLI, use this natural ability to speak to teach the unnatural activity of reading.  Spelling and Reading are Intertwined In EBLI tutoring, we teach the student to become aware of the sounds in the spoken word. Then, we teach them how to map the spellings to those sounds. After that, they read the words they have spelled both in isolation and in an authentic text.  Correct Handwriting Improves Comprehension As an EBLI tutor, I correct your child’s handwriting immediately. In addition, learning to say the sounds as they write the letters correctly also accelerates comprehension.  In the photo below, the student has learned the different spellings and meanings for the homophones “there”, “their”, and “they’re”, and now he is using them in a sentence I dictated.  Remediation with EBLI Tutoring takes less time EBLI tutoring accelerates student learning. In contrast, traditional reading tutoring can take years to remediate students. But EBLI tutoring can take just a few weeks or months.  How does this work? First, we will meet online for my free assessment . Next, you will tell me about your child’s reading. Then, this information and the assessment results will tell me where to place your child.  There are four entry points for EBLI tutoring depending on the child’s age and reading ability. After I speak with you, I will know where to place your child.  The assessment marks the starting point and from there we can measure progress.  Let’s Get Started! After that, we start tutoring. I will do 4-8 activities during each session. The activities are fun and fast-paced, so your child stays engaged. Let’s get started! Get a Free Assessment Read  5 Reasons Kids love EBLI Tutoring . FAQ’s: Online EBLI Tutoring Requirements Online tutoring with the EBLI method is practical and engaging. However, to make sure your child gets the best experience and instruction, please check out the technical requirements in my  FAQs .   Search Search About Justine Facebook Instagram You might be worried your child will never learn to read and spell, but I'm on a mission to prove that's not true! Hi! I'm Justine! As a tutor, teacher, and mom, unlocking the keys to reading and spelling for beginning and struggling readers has become my passion. I want to share that with you! Find out what you can't miss! Enter Giveaway Win a free thinkSRSD eLearning Course. Giveaway closes January 31, 2026 at 12 PM PST. Enter here . Shop my TPT Store Reading, Spelling, Writing Resources Best of Teacher Justine I s Your Child's School Teaching Reading Wrong Become a Better Reader of Fiction Tips and Ideas Help your child read and spell with tips and ideas delivered to your inbox. Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Reading Posts Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Reading Posts Oral Language Foundations Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading By Justine Forelli January 19, 2025 January 21, 2025 Read More Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading Continue 11 Fun Phonological Awareness Activities at Home By Justine Forelli February 10, 2022 January 11, 2025 Read More 11 Fun Phonological Awareness Activities at Home Continue 5 Reading Readiness Actions You Must Do with Your Child By Justine Forelli November 17, 2021 January 11, 2025 Read More 5 Reading Readiness Actions You Must Do with Your Child Continue Child Can’t Read Entering First Grade – Should You Worry? By Justine Forelli July 22, 2021 January 11, 2025 Read More Child Can’t Read Entering First Grade – Should You Worry? Continue Cracking The Code Is Your Child’s School Teaching Reading Wrong? By Justine Forelli November 22, 2022 January 11, 2025 Read More Is Your Child’s School Teaching Reading Wrong? Continue Whole Language & Phonics: A Tale of My Two Daughters’ Reading By Justine Forelli September 15, 2021 January 11, 2025 Read More Whole Language & Phonics: A Tale of My Two Daughters’ Reading Continue Reading for Enjoyment Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds By Justine Forelli November 21, 2024 November 21, 2025 Read More Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds Continue How to Get Your Child to Love Reading By Justine Forelli March 27, 2023 January 11, 2025 Read More How to Get Your Child to Love Reading Continue Become a Better Reader of Fiction By Justine Forelli September 28, 2022 January 11, 2025 Read More Become a Better Reader of Fiction Continue Dyslexia And Reading Difficulties Child Struggling With Spelling: How A Parent Can Help By Justine Forelli October 27, 2024 January 11, 2025 Read More Child Struggling With Spelling: How A Parent Can Help Continue Dyslexia – Who Can Use this Word? By Justine Forelli June 21, 2021 January 11, 2025 Read More Dyslexia – Who Can Use this Word? Continue Reading Tutoring How I Overcame EBLI Confusion With These 5 Subtle Changes By Justine Forelli November 17, 2024 January 11, 2025 Read More How I Overcame EBLI Confusion With These 5 Subtle Changes Continue Becoming a Certified EBLI Instructor Has Made Me the Best Tutor Ever By Justine Forelli May 27, 2024 January 11, 2025 Read More Becoming a Certified EBLI Instructor Has Made Me the Best Tutor Ever Continue 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring By Justine Forelli October 21, 2023 January 11, 2025 Read More 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring Continue What Does a Reading Tutor Do? By Justine Forelli June 24, 2023 January 11, 2025 Read More What Does a Reading Tutor Do? Continue Can Summer Tutoring Help in Lafayette, CA? By Justine Forelli April 26, 2022 January 11, 2025 Read More Can Summer Tutoring Help in Lafayette, CA? Continue Is Summer Tutoring a Good Idea in Lafayette, CA? By Justine Forelli April 12, 2022 January 11, 2025 Read More Is Summer Tutoring a Good Idea in Lafayette, CA? Continue 5 Advantages of Online Tutoring vs. In-person Tutoring By Justine Forelli November 7, 2021 January 11, 2025 Read More 5 Advantages of Online Tutoring vs. In-person Tutoring Continue Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Teacher Justine contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLS Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra charge to you. See my disclosure policy for more information. Home / Reading / Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading By Justine Forelli January 19, 2025 January 21, 2025 January 21, 2025 Did you know that the development of oral language is the most important skill for helping your child become a confident reader? Oral language lays the foundation not just for decoding but also for comprehending text. As an EBLI-certified reading tutor , I’ve seen firsthand how vital oral language skills are in reading and spelling.  I’ve also experienced it as a parent. My own daughter had trouble learning to read, and now I realize that although her habit of mixing up syllables in words was adorable, it was an early sign of future challenges. In this post, I’ll share why oral language matters so much and simple ways you can nurture it at home. Dive in to help your child thrive and enjoy the journey to becoming a strong reader. Development of oral language begins at birth. Photo by the author. What's inside this post Toggle What Is Oral Language And How Is Oral Language Acquired? The Importance Of Oral Language for Reading and Writing The Parent’s Role in Oral Language Development Ways To Promote Language Development at Home Activities to Build Oral Language Skills Development of Oral Language and Kindergarten Readiness Signs Your Child Is Ready for Literacy Development How to Assess Oral Language at Home Easy Ways to Observe and Track Language Development When to Seek Help Oral Language and the Reading-Writing Connection The Teacher’s Role in Literacy Development Partnering with Teachers It’s Never Too Late Read More Of My Best Tips And Stories On Oral Language Foundations: What Is Oral Language And How Is Oral Language Acquired? Oral language is the foundation of communication. It’s the ability to listen, speak, and understand spoken words, encompassing both receptive and expressive language. These critical cognitive skills begin developing at birth (and before), long before children even utter their first words. It all starts with babbling. Babies experiment with sounds, then progress to forming words, learning vocabulary, and eventually building sentences. All the while, their brains are like sponges, soaking up every word, tone, and pattern they hear. What’s fascinating is that the brain is hard-wired for spoken language. At birth, a child’s brain is primed to learn any language in the world. However, as they grow and are consistently exposed to their mother tongue, their brain focuses more narrowly on the sounds and patterns of that language. This is why consistent exposure to new vocabulary is so important. The more words children hear in context, the richer their understanding and ability to express themselves will become.  Nurturing oral language from the start gives your child a head start in reading, writing, and lifelong communication skills. Phonological and phonemic awareness are the building blocks of reading and writing. The Importance Of Oral Language for Reading and Writing Oral language skills are essential for developing phonological awareness and phonemic awareness —two critical building blocks of reading and writing.  Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and work with sounds in spoken language, while phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds, or phonemes.  These skills allow children to flex and manipulate sounds, which is necessary for cracking The Alphabetic Code and using phonics to decode words. But oral language and reading aren’t just about decoding. Rich experiences with vocabulary and oral communication lay the groundwork for the higher comprehension skills needed to truly understand what you read.  The more familiar a child is with words, sentence structures, and how language works, the more prepared they’ll be to tackle reading and writing tasks.  Whether your child is a native speaker or a language learner, strong oral language skills provide the foundation for decoding and comprehension. In fact, as cognitive scientist Dr. Mark Seidenberg points out in this video , a child’s ability to learn to read often depends on the oral language experiences they’ve had before formal reading instruction begins.  Exposure to a wide range of vocabulary, varied sentence structures, and meaningful conversations helps children build a strong foundation for Reading Readiness . Simply put, oral language is the bridge between learning to read and becoming a fluent reader who can comprehend and engage with the text. By focusing on oral language development early on, you’re setting your child up for success not only in reading but in lifelong learning. You Are Your Child’s First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy The Parent’s Role in Oral Language Development As a parent, you are your child’s first—and most important—teacher. Long before they enter a classroom, your interactions lay the foundation for their language skills and, ultimately, their ability to read and write. In fact, You Are Your Child’s First Teacher , is one of the first parenting books I read when I had my first baby. I am glad I discovered this when I did so that I started off on the right path. The way you speak, the environment you create, and the opportunities you provide all shape your child’s oral language development. Every conversation, every story, and every moment of connection is helping them learn how language works and how to use it effectively. By modeling quality speech and creating a nurturing space for communication, you show your child that their voice matters. Your encouragement and support give them the confidence to explore language, ask questions, and grow. For families where English is not the first language, integrating English language conversations into everyday routines can support bilingual development and literacy. Parents play a unique and irreplaceable role in their child’s language journey. Through your example and the bond you share, you set the stage for their future success in reading, writing, and beyond. A love of reading begins with a strong oral language foundation. Ways To Promote Language Development at Home Fostering oral language at home doesn’t have to be complicated—it’s about weaving language into your everyday interactions in meaningful ways. Here are some practical tips and examples to get you started: 1. Engage in Daily Conversations Make time to talk with your child every day. Whether it’s during meals, car rides, or bedtime, ask them about their day, their thoughts, or their favorite activities. Simple conversations build connection and language skills. 2. Narrate Everyday Activities As you go about your day, describe what you’re doing. For example, while cooking, you might say, “I’m chopping the carrots into little pieces for the soup.” This exposes your child to new vocabulary and helps them understand how language connects to real-life actions. 3. Ask Open-Ended Questions Encourage your child to think and express themselves by asking questions that can’t be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Instead of asking, “Did you like the story?” try, “What was your favorite part of the story, and why?” 4. Read Aloud and Discuss Stories Reading aloud, at all ages, is one of the most powerful ways to develop oral language. Choose books with rich vocabulary and engaging stories. Pause to discuss the c What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Teacher Justine contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLS Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra charge to you. See my disclosure policy for more information. Home / Writing / What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? By Justine Forelli October 14, 2025 November 22, 2025 November 22, 2025 As an EBLI tutor, parents often say to me, “my child is reading pretty well, but needs help in writing.” “My child needs help in writing” can mean very different things, so the first question I ask parents is what do you mean by writing? If the child is very young like K-1st, they usually mean handwriting, actual letter formation. If the child is 1st-3rd they often mean spelling. And if they are 4th and up, they might mean composition — idea generation and structuring ideas into sentences and paragraphs. In this post, I’ll walk you through what writing ‘struggles’ might actually mean, based on your child’s age — and how to get them the right kind of help. Student preparing to write using a graphic organizer. What's inside this post Toggle What Does “Writing” Mean at Different Ages? Writing in Kindergarten–1st Grade = Handwriting Writing in 2nd-3rd Grade = Spelling Writing in 4th Grade and Up = Composition Why This Confusion About Writing Happens Why I Start With Spelling — Even When Parents Say “Writing” When To Move to Structured Writing What Your Child Might Be Missing The Hidden Building Blocks of Writing How I Help Students with Writing in Tutoring EBLI for Spelling and Accurate Reading Structured Composition For Extra Support at Home Final Thoughts: We All Need Help In Writing Ready to Take the Next Step? What Does “Writing” Mean at Different Ages? Writing means different things at different ages — and figuring out what kind of “writing help” your child needs starts with understanding what’s developmentally appropriate. This guide is here to help you — the parent — start to name and understand what “writing help” might actually look like, so you can better support your child or communicate more clearly with a tutor. Writing starts with letter formation in kindergarten. Writing in Kindergarten–1st Grade = Handwriting At this age, “writing” usually refers to handwriting basics : Holding the pencil correctly Forming letters clearly and consistently Leaving spaces between words It also includes early sound-symbol awareness — like saying a word aloud and trying to write the sounds they hear. Drawing and labeling pictures is also a key part of writing at this stage. Sometimes, “writing” for young children also means dictation : the child tells an adult what they want to say, and the adult writes it down. This builds oral language , confidence, and print awareness. What Parents Often Notice When parents say “my child needs help with writing” at this age, they’re usually seeing things like: Messy or barely readable work Hand fatigue after a short time Avoiding writing tasks altogether An awkward or ineffective pencil grip Holding the hand in the air instead of resting it on the page Forming letters from the bottom up instead of top down What Parents Can Do If this sounds like your child, start by focusing on handwriting mechanics — or let your tutor know that your child specifically needs help with handwriting. That clarity can make all the difference in how support is delivered. EBLI tutoring is perfect for kids who need help in handwriting because handwriting is part of almost every activity in the EBLI exercises. 👉 To learn more about how correct letter formation (top-to-bottom, left-to-right) helps organize your child’s brain and builds a foundation for future reading and spelling success, check out my post on handwriting support (coming soon) . Writing by child using invented spelling. Writing in 2nd-3rd Grade = Spelling At this age, when parents say “my child needs help in writing,” they often mean their child needs help with spelling . And that makes sense — English spelling can be confusing, even for adults! This is why: English is like a layer cake — made up of multiple languages (Latin, Greek, French, etc.), so its spelling system includes many irregularities. It’s not just phonetic — spelling in English also depends on morphemes (meaning units like roots, prefixes, and suffixes). This means kids need more than just phonics — they need morphemic understanding to spell well. What Parents Often Notice Many parents feel relieved that their child can read (decode) words… But then feel alarmed when they realize their child can’t spell (encode) them. Here’s what you might notice at this stage: Still using inventive spelling or basic phonetic spelling using only the sound symbol correspondence learned early on. Low confidence and dismissive attitudes (“It doesn’t matter — I’ll just use spell check.”) Can decode but can’t encode Weak vocabulary affecting word choice Struggles to apply spelling patterns across different contexts 📍 If you’re noticing these things, you’re in good company. Spelling often lags behind reading — that’s because reading uses recognition memory , while spelling requires retrieval memory , which is harder and takes longer to develop. What Parents Can Do There are things you can do to help your child start remembering spellings more consistently: Encourage them to say the word aloud as they write Use structured speech-to-print support, not rote memorization Teach word parts (like prefixes and suffixes), not just sounds Give them lots of chances to write in context (not just word lists) Create spelling lists with them from their own writing EBLI tutoring or using EBLI methods are perfect for helping your child in spelling because EBLI teaches reading through spelling. Every activity is about connecting the sounds we say to the spellings in words we write. 👉 To dive deeper into strategies that work, read my spelling blog posts and check out the Spelling & Writing Tracker — it’s a printable tool I created to support structured, speech-to-print spelling practice at home. You can get it on TPT or here’s a sneak peak: Student paragraph writing. Writing in 4th Grade and Up = Composition By 4th grade and beyond, when parents say “my child needs help in writing,” they’re often referring to paragraph and essay writing — specifically, their child’s ability to organize ideas, support arguments, and write clearly for school assignments. What Parents Often Notice The first red flag might not come from your child — it comes from school . Maybe you’ve seen comments like: “Your child has partial ability to locate and cite evidence to support their ideas and opinions.” Or maybe it’s more subtle — and you start noticing things at home, like: Difficulty getting started with writing assignments Trouble organizing ideas into logical paragraphs Writing that feels unfinished, vague, or disorganized Struggling to complete assignments independently Why Does This Happen? Here’s the truth: While reading reform has gained national traction, writing instruction is still all over the place — or completely missing. Some schools don’t teach writing explicitly at all. Students are told to “just open a Google Doc and write,” with little guidance on structure, clarity, or support. What to Do If you’re lucky, your child’s school is teaching the writing process using clear and explicit instruction. But many parents find themselves searching for outside support . EBLI tutoring and using EBLI methods help kids who struggle in this higher level of writing – thinking, planning, and getting words into sentences and pa 12 Best Answers for Online Reading Tutor FAQs Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Frequently Asked Questions Below you find the answers I get most about online tutoring in general and how it works with EBLI. What reading tutoring method do you use? I tutor Reading, Spelling, Writing, and Handwriting using the EBLI (Evidenced-Based Literacy Instruction) system. EBLI is based on Linguistic Phonics or Structured Linguistic Literacy research and practice. Read more about my courses here . Are you a Certified EBLI Instructor? Yes, I am a Certified EBLI Instructor. I got my certification in March 2024. I have taken many students through all 140 activities in all 3 tracks. How long have you taught EBLI? I have been using EBLI and the Structured Linguistic Literacy approach in my private tutoring since early 2023. What other reading tutoring methods have you used? Before I switched to EBLI, I used a Structured Literacy program called SIPPS. I have also used IMSE, an Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy program. How does online reading tutoring work? Follow these simple these steps: 1. Schedule a Free Assessment with me. 2. I will talk to you and then listen to your child as they perform some diagnostic reading pre-assessments. 3. After the assessments, I will talk with you again and let you know what I am noticing and how I can help. 4. We will look at the calendar and find a time that works. 5. I will send you my registration link. Once that is completed, I will put your child on the calendar and send you the link to my online classroom. 6. I will meet with your child weekly. 7. Every 8-12 weeks I will I will do progress monitoring assessments and share the results with you. Do you ever do in-person tutoring? Yes, I do in-person tutoring if desired and you are local to me. We meet at the Lafayette Public Library on Saturdays. How long will my child need EBLI tutoring? How long your child will need tutoring depends on the child, the length of the sessions, and the frequency of the sessions. I keep a quick pace and try to do 6-8 activities per session. At this pace, reading remediation could take as little as 18 sessions. What tools do I need for EBLI online tutoring? You will need a 12″x18″ whiteboard and dry erase markers and a desktop computer or laptop. For best results, you should get a document camera so that I can see the student’s board as they write. How long are online reading tutoring sessions? Tutoring sessions are 50 minutes once a week. I also do 30 minute sessions twice a week. What are your tutoring rates? My current tutoring rates are $95 per 50-minute session or $60 per 30-minute session. Why do you teach online? Teaching online is very convenient for me, the students, and the families. Teaching online is also fun because we can supplement lessons with content related videos and games. Do you work with students with dyslexia? Yes, I work with all kinds of students including neurotypical, neurodivergent, and dyslexic (diagnosed or not). To learn to read, the brain has to learn to look at letters and words and hear sounds and attach this to meaning. This process happens quicker for some people and takes longer to build up for others, but all skilled readers read words left to right and are hearing sounds as they scan the text. Do you tutor any other subjects? Yes, we can talk about this when you contact me. What makes you different? What makes me different is my secret sauce. My secret sauce is my ability to connect to your child and make them feel relaxed and happy. I keep a quick pace to keep them engaged and learning but I am also sensitive to their energy levels and moods. I incorporate movement as needed and rewards. Search Search About Justine Facebook Instagram You might be worried your child will never learn to read and spell, but I'm on a mission to prove that's not true! Hi! I'm Justine! As a tutor, teacher, and mom, unlocking the keys to reading and spelling for beginning and struggling readers has become my passion. I want to share that with you! Find out what you can't miss! Enter Giveaway Win a free thinkSRSD eLearning Course. Giveaway closes January 31, 2026 at 12 PM PST. Enter here . Shop my TPT Store Reading, Spelling, Writing Resources Best of Teacher Justine I s Your Child's School Teaching Reading Wrong Become a Better Reader of Fiction Tips and Ideas Help your child read and spell with tips and ideas delivered to your inbox. Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Reading Tutor near me, Child struggles with reading? Lafayette, CA Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Professional Reading Tutor for Your Child Is reading a struggle for your child? It doesn’t have to be. But the earliest intervention is vital. Get a FREE Assessment today . Get a Free Assessment My Tutoring Services Reading, Spelling, Writing, and Handwriting integrated in all lessons Speech-to-Print Approach Beginning and Remediation Instruction K-8th Grade Learn More My Home-Support Blog Reading Spelling Writing About Teacher Justine Hi! I’m Justine, a tutor, teacher, and mom, who loves teaching reading, spelling, and writing and wants to share the why’s and how’s with you. I started off as a Waldorf teacher believing a holistic natural approach to reading was the answer to everything. My first daughter easily learned to read with this method. But my second daughter showed signs of a struggling reading from preschool. I did not want to admit it and thought she just needed more time. By third grade, I finally had to admit that she was not learning to read. That is when I began learning about beginning, struggling, and reluctant readers and how they need a direct, systematic, and explicit approach. I can’t wait to share the best tips for helping your child in reading and spelling with you! Find Out What You Can’t Miss! My Favorite Posts 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring October 21, 2023 January 11, 2025 What Does a Reading Tutor Do? June 24, 2023 January 11, 2025 Latest Posts Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds Read the Whole Blog My Reviews Students who work with Justine – raise reading levels, – improve grades, – increase confidence, – have aha moments, – develop a love of reading Read My Reviews Get My Free Guide Get my free guide Send me the guide We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime. Built with Kit Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Privacy Policy - Teacher Justine Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Privacy Policy Last updated: September 20, 2021 Teacher Justine (“us”, “we”, or “our”) operates the Teacher Justine website (the “Service”). This page informs you of our policies regarding the collection, use and disclosure of Personal Information when you use our Service. 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Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy thinkSRSD Writing Resources for Tutors | Teacher Justine Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu you got this Plan SRSD writing cycles without the stress. Everything tutors or parents need to run strong, collaborative informational writing cycles—prompts, sources, TIDE charts, and leveled exemplars—ready to go. 👉 Get Instant Access on Teachers Pay Teachers The Problem If you tutor or homeschool using the thinkSRSD™ approach, writing cycles are hard to plan. You’re expected to: Find appropriate topics Track down readable, engaging sources Create prompts that actually work Guide creation of TIDE planners Model strong responses at different levels And you’re doing this outside a school curriculum , often with limited prep time. Why This Is So Frustrating So what happens? You scramble right before sessions Writing gets pushed aside for “easier” activities Students don’t get consistent modeling thinkSRSD strategies work , but implementing them feels overwhelming You know what good instruction looks like—but planning it every week is draining The stress isn’t teaching writing. It’s planning writing . The Solution I built the resource I needed as a tutor. Collaborative Writing with SRSD Strategies is an open-and-go toolkit designed specifically for tutors and parents. What’s Included Instant digital PDF download (printable + digital use) 5 high-interest informational writing topics Prompts aligned to thinkSRSD-style instruction Carefully leveled student exemplars Completed sample TIDE chart Support for modeling, discussion, and gradual release Student friendly scoring sheets Student bookmarks with scoring rockets A clear “how to use this” structure for tutors No scrambling. No reinventing lessons. Just show up and teach. 👉 Get Instant Access – $7 on Teachers Pay Teachers Who This Is For Perfect for: EBLI tutors moving into longer writing pieces with their students Tutors and parents looking for thinkSRSD writing resources One-on-one or Small-group instruction SRSD-style or thinkSRSD-inspired teaching Teachers who want strong models without creating them from scratch Not designed for: Full-year classroom writing curricula Teachers looking for scripted daily lessons 👉 View the Toolkit on Teachers Pay Teachers What You’ll Walk Away With When you use this resource, you’ll be able to: Look forward to tutoring with a stress-free, collaborative writing plan Stay on track with the writing cycle across multiple tutoring sessions Boost your students’ writing through clear, strong exemplars Help students score their writing and set goals About the Creator I’m a reading and writing tutor who works with students outside traditional classroom settings. I use thinkSRSD™ strategies because they work—but I needed a way to make them practical, repeatable, and sustainable in real tutoring sessions. This product is the system I created to make writing instruction calmer, clearer, and more effective—for students and tutors. 👉 Get the Collaborative Writing Toolkit ($7) More Reading and Writing Resources Looking for additional reading and writing tools or future releases? You can explore all of my current resources on Teachers Pay Teachers. 👉 Visit My TPT Store Want to be the first to know about new writing resources? Join my email list to get first access to new thinkSRSD-inspired writing tools and lesson resources. Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Teacher Justine contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLS Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra charge to you. See my disclosure policy for more information. Home / Spelling / How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child By Justine Forelli May 6, 2025 October 17, 2025 October 17, 2025 You keep hearing spelling lags behind reading, right? That spelling is harder than reading because it requires retrieval memory whereas reading only needs recognition skills. But you want to help your child close their spelling gap. You want to see her smile when people can read and understand her writing. But how on earth are you supposed to help your child learn all the spelling possibilities without teaching spelling rules and syllable types? Let me give you some tips for creating EBLI spelling word lists that you may find useful. 📥 To make it easier, I created a free Spelling & Writing Mini Tracker designed for EBLI-style instruction. It includes goal-setting, a writing tracker, and a sound-to-spelling reflection page—everything you need to start building spelling awareness through writing. 👉 Grab it below and use it right away: What's inside this post Toggle To Learn To Walk…Walk Make Writing A Habit Gather Words From Your Child Gather Words From Their Writing Listen To Their Speaking Pick Words From Their Reading Find Great Sentences And Dictate Them Become Word Curious And Look For Patterns Co-Create Spelling Word Lists With Your Child Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists From Commercial Programs Sequential Spelling Spelling Power Spelling Mastery Teach A Student To Spell 3 Phono-Graphix Workbooks And Reading Reflex Final Thoughts Want to help your child keep spelling and writing skills sharp this summer—without memorizing rules or lists? Read More Of My Tips And Thoughts On Spelling and Writing: To Learn To Walk…Walk The same thing is true for reading and writing. If you want to become a better reader, you have to read a lot. If you want to become a better writer and speller, you have to write a lot.  Unfortunately, kids are reading (and writing) less and less every year. And more and more of them don’t like to read or write. This is obviously because ipads, phones, and computers provide instant entertainment without much cognitive demand. Why read for entertainment and information when you can watch. But we can’t give up. We have to keep trying to get them hooked on reading and writing . And help them become better readers . Make Writing A Habit Most writers I know dedicate the same time of day for a set amount of time to writing. They put their butt in the chair and pick up the pen or touch the keypad.  The same can work with kids. Set the timer for 20 minutes and start writing. Start with stream of consciousness writing. You just start writing with no idea what you’re going to write. Once writing becomes a habit there will be time for learning to craft good sentences and paragraphs. But start with the habit of just writing. Once they are writing everyday, you will be able to start creating EBLI spelling word lists. Gather Words From Your Child EBLI and other speech-to-print methods don’t teach spelling rules or syllable types. However, every activity is a spelling activity. Spelling is the entrance to reading. You won’t find ready made spelling word lists to march through and check off rules. Instead, any word that comes up in speaking, writing, or reading is eligible for the EBLI spelling word list. Gather Words From Their Writing Spelling should be corrected immediately. You don’t want wrong spelling to be the thing they remember. I used to think that invented spelling was good because it got the kids writing right away. Now I know that was only the first half. The second half is to identify the misspelled words and correct them. After your child is done writing, have them read it to you. Ask them to underline words they think are misspelled. Create a list from these words and any others.  Then have your child say the word, count the sounds, and map the sounds to the spellings . Listen To Their Speaking Your child’s speaking will inform you on which words to put on their spelling lists. Listen for mispronounced words and add these.  And the amazing thing is, speech-to-print spelling and word reading techniques like EBLI will cure their mispronunciations!  Have intentional conversations with your child where you use interesting vocabulary and talk about the meanings. Then add these words to your lists too.  Pick Words From Their Reading Gathering words only from their writing and speaking won’t be enough since they have a limited supply of words they are willing to try using. But the texts they are reading will have many words to pick from that you can add to your spelling lists.  Open the books they are reading or textbooks from school and pick 3-5 multi-syllable words for their EBLI spelling word lists. Find Great Sentences And Dictate Them Open their books again and find great sentences with rich multi-syllable words and dictate sentences. Fix spelling right after using sound-spelling mapping methods. Encourage them to find great sentences too and to write them down in a notebook. Teach them how to be a sentence collector. Become Word Curious And Look For Patterns Speech-to-print approaches don’t teach spelling rules; instead they encourage you to look for patterns.  You can organize your EBLI spelling word lists around words that follow the same pattern. You can create spelling word lists that are all based on the same sound but have different spellings. Or, you can create lists that are based on the same graphemes (letters or letter strings) but represent different sounds. And you can create spelling lists of words that are connected by meaning through the base word but become words or different parts of speech (nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc.) as the prefixes and suffixes change. Co-Create Spelling Word Lists With Your Child Creating lists around patterns is a great way to involve your child. When they discover another word in their environment, they can add it to the list or word sort for that pattern. Again, the lists can be organized around: the same sound pattern,  the same grapheme pattern,  or around meaning with words sharing the same base word. Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists From Commercial Programs Many parents for a variety of reasons don’t want to create their own EBLI spelling words lists and would prefer purchasing ready made workbooks with a scope and sequence to master spelling. Be cautious when doing this because some of these programs will contradict speech first methods and will confuse your child. They might also contain misunderstandings of the English code. However, you could just get the program just for the word lists and not teach the rules.  Here are some programs that are recommended as being compatible with speech-to-print approaches to spelling. Sequential Spelling This program does not use rules. It is based on word families and is designed so that the students make their own connections on how words are put together. Students use the words on the list in their writing and get real time feedback and correction. Students learn by seeing, hearing, and writing the words in each lesson. They move on when they have mastered the spellings. Parents who use Sequential Spelling with their children say you only need the teacher’s guide . Spelling Power This program focuses on the top 5,000 most common and frequently misspelled words. Spelling Power teaches ru Reading Tutor near me, Child struggles with reading? Lafayette, CA Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Professional Reading Tutor for Your Child Is reading a struggle for your child? It doesn’t have to be. But the earliest intervention is vital. Get a FREE Assessment today . Get a Free Assessment My Tutoring Services Reading, Spelling, Writing, and Handwriting integrated in all lessons Speech-to-Print Approach Beginning and Remediation Instruction K-8th Grade Learn More My Home-Support Blog Reading Spelling Writing About Teacher Justine Hi! I’m Justine, a tutor, teacher, and mom, who loves teaching reading, spelling, and writing and wants to share the why’s and how’s with you. I started off as a Waldorf teacher believing a holistic natural approach to reading was the answer to everything. My first daughter easily learned to read with this method. But my second daughter showed signs of a struggling reading from preschool. I did not want to admit it and thought she just needed more time. By third grade, I finally had to admit that she was not learning to read. That is when I began learning about beginning, struggling, and reluctant readers and how they need a direct, systematic, and explicit approach. I can’t wait to share the best tips for helping your child in reading and spelling with you! Find Out What You Can’t Miss! My Favorite Posts 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring October 21, 2023 January 11, 2025 What Does a Reading Tutor Do? June 24, 2023 January 11, 2025 Latest Posts Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds Read the Whole Blog My Reviews Students who work with Justine – raise reading levels, – improve grades, – increase confidence, – have aha moments, – develop a love of reading Read My Reviews Get My Free Guide Get my free guide Send me the guide We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime. Built with Kit Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Teacher Justine contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLS Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra charge to you. See my disclosure policy for more information. Home / Reading / Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds By Justine Forelli November 21, 2024 November 21, 2025 November 21, 2025 Reading is Epic and the Holidays are coming! Do you wish your child loved to read as much as you do? Unfortunately, many kids do not love to read these days. There are many reasons why, but the best way to get them to love reading is to read a great book aloud to them. We are so focused on getting our kids to read on their own that we have forgotten how much pleasure they get from listening to a good story. But what book to read? Look no further than this list I curated from teachers’ and students’ favorite books for read alouds or for kids to read on their own. What's inside this post Toggle Shop My Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds The Secret Garden A Little Princess Heidi Ann of Green Gables The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking The Witch of Blackbird Pond Island of the Blue Dolphins Where the Red Fern Grows Matilda The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane Bridge to Terabithia The Wind in the Willows A Wrinkle in Time Flowers for Algernon Old Yeller Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Henry Huggins From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler The Dollhouse Murders The Pink Motel The Hoboken Chicken Emergency Black Beauty Half Magic Treasure Island The Watsons Go To Birmingham Poppy The Best Christmas Pageant Ever A Taste of Blackberries Charlotte’s Web The Westing Game The Cricket in Times Square Johnny Tremain Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Harry Potter series Peter Pan The Hobbit Julie of the Wolves Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Harriet the Spy The One and Only Ivan The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew Shiloh A Season of Gifts The Wild Robot Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry The Twenty-One Balloons The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Little House books Number the Stars Sounder Next Steps Shop My Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds #1 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1905 “If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden . My favorite book ever! Ages 8 and up. Check Price on Amazon #2 A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1911 From the author of The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett, comes another beloved children’s classic – now in its original edition with authentic illustrations, a fun character quiz, and more! So magical! Ages 9 and up. Check Price on Amazon #3 Heidi by Johanna Spyri, 1922 Simple yet captivating,  Heidi  is a beautiful tale of finding one’s way back home, of friendship, and of the majestic Alps. Discover the importance of kindness and the healing power of nature and the mountains in this nostalgic read for adults filled with sweet lessons for children. Uplifting! Ages 8 and up. Check Price on Amazon #4 Ann of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, 1908 Spirited orphan Anne charms her adoptive family and community despite initial troubles, excelling academically while navigating life’s tragedies. Meaningful! Ages 8 and up. Check Price on Amazon #5 The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, 1945 The escapades of the incomparable Pippi, the girl with upside-down braids and no parents to tell her what to do, have delighted boys and girls alike.  Exciting! Ages 5 and up. Check Price on Amazon #6 The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, 1958 A sixteen-year-old girl arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687, alone and desperate, and is forced to join a family she has never met. Inspiring! Ages 10 and up. Check Price on Amazon #7 Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell, 1960 A young girl survives alone on an island, battling wild animals and hunters, showcasing remarkable resilience and self-reliance. Captivating! Ages 10 and up. Check Price on Amazon #8 Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, 1961 A young boy and his two hunting dogs become the finest hunting team in the valley, but tragedy awaits these determined hunters-turned-friends. Powerful! Ages 8 and up. Check Price on Amazon #9 Matilda by Roald Dahl, 1988 A young girl with extraordinary powers faces a menacing headmistress and discovers her ability to fight back. Engaging! Ages 8 and up. Check Price on Amazon #10 The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, 2006 Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost… Miraculous! Ages 7 and up. Check Price on Amazon #11 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson, 1977 Heartwarming tale of two friends who create an imaginary world, until tragedy strikes, testing one’s resilience through grief. Touching! Ages 9 and up. Check Price on Amazon #12 The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, 1908 Mole and Ratty’s friendship is tested by Mr. Toad’s antics and the Wild Wood’s dangers in this classic children’s book, “The Wind in the Willows.” Whimsical! Ages 5 and up. Check Price on Amazon #13 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, 1962 Three otherworldly creatures appear and sweep Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe away on a mission to save Mr. Murray, who has gone missing while doing top-secret work for the government. Fantasy! Ages 9 and up. Check Price on Amazon #14 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, 1958 A man undergoes surgery to increase his intelligence, but his lab mouse companion deteriorates, raising concerns about his own fate. Fascinating! Ages 14 and up. Check Price on Amazon #15 Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, 1956 A timeless American classic and one of the most beloved children’s books ever written,  Old Yeller  is a Newbery Honor Book that explores the poignant and unforgettable bond between a boy and the stray dog who becomes his loyal friend. Deeply moving! Ages 9 and up. Check Price on Amazon #16 Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald, 1947 Meet Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle! She lives in an upside-down house with a kitchen that is always full of freshly baked cookies. She was even married to a pirate once! Best of all, she knows everything there is to know about children.  Hilarious! Ages 5 and up. Check Price on Amazon #17 Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary, 1950 Boys and girls alike will be charmed instantly by an average boy whose life is turned upside down when he meets a lovable puppy with a nose for mischief. Charming! Ages 6 and up. Check Price on Amazon #18 From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konisgsburg, 1967 A girl runs away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with her brother, and they discover a beautiful statue that baffles the experts. Mystery solving! Ages 8 and up. Check Price on Amazon #19 The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright, 1983 Sinister secrets unravel as Amy gets closer to revealing the mystery of the dolls in this haunting novel that combines complicated family relationships with a bone-chilling mystery.  Suspenseful! Ages 9 and up. Check Price on Amazon #20 The Pink Motel by Caorl Ryrie Brink, 1959 It isn’t long after the Mellens arrive at the motel that things go even more off kilter with regulars (and some irregulars) taking up residence in the cottages. 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Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Spelling Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Spelling How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child By Justine Forelli May 6, 2025 October 17, 2025 Read More How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child Continue How I Overcame EBLI Confusion With These 5 Subtle Changes By Justine Forelli November 17, 2024 January 11, 2025 Read More How I Overcame EBLI Confusion With These 5 Subtle Changes Continue Child Struggling With Spelling: How A Parent Can Help By Justine Forelli October 27, 2024 January 11, 2025 Read More Child Struggling With Spelling: How A Parent Can Help Continue Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Blog Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Blog Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me By Justine Forelli November 22, 2025 January 8, 2026 I love writing and wanted to teach structured writing in my tutoring sessions. Parents were asking for it too.  I’d  heard that thinkSRSD follows naturally after EBLI, so I took the training, and gave it a try.  But tutoring with thinkSRSD?  I’m not going to lie — it was hard.  Once a week sessions and… Read More Tutoring with thinkSRSD: What Finally Worked for Me Continue Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? By Justine Forelli November 10, 2025 January 10, 2026 “ThinkSRSD pairs well with EBLI.” If you’ve spent time in EBLI Facebook groups, you’ve probably seen this phrase — maybe more than once. But why do so many people say that? After “finishing” EBLI or seeing progress in reading, parents notice their child still struggles with spelling. The advice they often hear? “Have them write… Read More Why Do Parents Think thinkSRSD Pairs Well With EBLI? Continue What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? By Justine Forelli October 14, 2025 November 22, 2025 As an EBLI tutor, parents often say to me, “my child is reading pretty well, but needs help in writing.” “My child needs help in writing” can mean very different things, so the first question I ask parents is what do you mean by writing? If the child is very young like K-1st, they usually… Read More What Do Parents Mean By “My Child Needs Help In Writing”? Continue How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child By Justine Forelli May 6, 2025 October 17, 2025 You keep hearing spelling lags behind reading, right? That spelling is harder than reading because it requires retrieval memory whereas reading only needs recognition skills. But you want to help your child close their spelling gap. You want to see her smile when people can read and understand her writing. But how on earth are… Read More How To Create EBLI Spelling Word Lists With Your Child Continue Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading By Justine Forelli January 19, 2025 January 21, 2025 Did you know that the development of oral language is the most important skill for helping your child become a confident reader? Oral language lays the foundation not just for decoding but also for comprehending text. As an EBLI-certified reading tutor, I’ve seen firsthand how vital oral language skills are in reading and spelling.  I’ve… Read More Development of Oral Language At Home Is The Key To Reading Continue Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds By Justine Forelli November 21, 2024 November 21, 2025 Reading is Epic and the Holidays are coming! Do you wish your child loved to read as much as you do? Unfortunately, many kids do not love to read these days. There are many reasons why, but the best way to get them to love reading is to read a great book aloud to them…. Read More Shop My 50 Favorite Books For Family Read Alouds Continue How I Overcame EBLI Confusion With These 5 Subtle Changes By Justine Forelli November 17, 2024 January 11, 2025 Are you just beginning to use EBLI in your reading and spelling practice and have questions, or have you been using it for a while and loving it, only to stumble, and suddenly become confused again? Don’t worry, you are not alone. This just happened to me. I have been using EBLI in my tutoring… Read More How I Overcame EBLI Confusion With These 5 Subtle Changes Continue Child Struggling With Spelling: How A Parent Can Help By Justine Forelli October 27, 2024 January 11, 2025 Are you wondering why spelling is so difficult for your child? Whether they are spelling with dyslexia or other reading difficulties, keep reading! If you want to help your child improve their spelling and overcome their frustration, then knowing some things about the English spelling system is for you! I have helped 100’s of students… Read More Child Struggling With Spelling: How A Parent Can Help Continue Becoming a Certified EBLI Instructor Has Made Me the Best Tutor Ever By Justine Forelli May 27, 2024 January 11, 2025 Becoming a certified EBLI instructor has made my reading tutoring practice diagnostic and prescriptive. I help students set individualized goals in reading and writing. Read More Becoming a Certified EBLI Instructor Has Made Me the Best Tutor Ever Continue 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring By Justine Forelli October 21, 2023 January 11, 2025 Discover how EBLI is different and why kids love reading tutoring with an EBLI tutor 1. An EBLI tutor starts with speech The number one reason kids love tutoring with an EBLI tutor (Evidenced-Based Literacy Instruction) is because it is different from what they have already done in the past. Many kids who are struggling in reading… Read More 5 Reasons Kids Love EBLI Tutoring Continue Page navigation 1 2 3 Next Page Next Search Search About Justine Facebook Instagram You might be worried your child will never learn to read and spell, but I'm on a mission to prove that's not true! Hi! I'm Justine! As a tutor, teacher, and mom, unlocking the keys to reading and spelling for beginning and struggling readers has become my passion. I want to share that with you! Find out what you can't miss! Enter Giveaway Win a free thinkSRSD eLearning Course. Giveaway closes January 31, 2026 at 12 PM PST. Enter here . 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Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy Registration for Tutoring Skip to content Home About Expand Contact Tutoring Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Search Toggle Menu Student Registration Form Registration for tutoring begins with a conversation or a Free Consultation . Then complete this student registration form to hold your spot on the calendar and begin tutoring. Home About Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Contact Me justine [at] teacherjustine.com Search Search Facebook Instagram Privacy Policy © 2026 Teacher Justine - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP Home About Toggle child menu Expand Contact Tutoring Toggle child menu Expand Program and Prices Course Description Frequently Asked Questions Registration for Tutoring Reading Spelling Writing Shop Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search Privacy Policy