One of the questions my son asks me most often as he is writing is “Is ______ a compound word?”  I’m not exactly sure why compound words are so difficult to learn except that there doesn’t seem to be a hard and fast English rule about when to use them. Even word experts don’t agree [...]

Children with dyslexia are often at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to acquiring new vocabulary.  Those with reading challenges must rely, for the most part, on building their word bank by the spoken word, rather than the written word.  Even more frustrating, some children with dyslexia also struggle with auditory processing issues, so even [...]

Yesterday, my boys and I attended a homeschool program about nature journaling.  Nature journaling, we came to find out, involves taking paper, pencils/crayons/markers, and possibly a camera, binoculars, magnifying glass, and even a field guide outside to get up close and personal with the natural world. Doing this means paying attention to the details you [...]

If you have ever read a book and been transported temporarily to an entirely different realm, you have been a victim of a good writer.   Writers know that the choice of the right word at the right time can create an entirely unique mood, setting, or feeling. Being an effective writer means having a versatile [...]