Start Reading in Kindergarten--Fall Break Intensive (Special Price)

Build a strong foundation that will set your child up for academic success!

This Fall Break Reading Intensive is designed to jumpstart your child’s reading ability. Not all first-semester kindergarteners are developmentally ready to read books on their own. However, a good kindergarten reading program will prepare every child to read fluently and independently in first grade, if not sooner! This reading program will set your child up for academic success by systematically teaching the most essential early reading skills.

What makes this reading program unique?

Unlike other reading programs (i.e. Kumon), this program does not rely on a one-size-fits-all curriculum nor phonics worksheets administered by inexperienced teachers. Our 90-minute reading classes are engaging, strategic, evidence-based, and personalized to your child’s individual literacy needs. Each lesson is designed and taught by Elise DeBoard, MAT, MA, a certified Birth to 12^th Grade Literacy Specialist with training in Orton-Gillingham, The Wilson Reading System, and a Reading Specialist MA from Teachers College, Columbia University.

**Strategic Reading Instruction: 

If your child is learning a letter-a-week, memorizing sight words, or learning letters in the order of the alphabet song, then they NEED a more strategic and effective reading program. Our program uses an evidence-based “Science of Reading” approach. There is no need to wait until your child knows all the letters of the alphabet to start explicit instruction in decoding (sounding out words). Knowledge of the sound value of a few a consonants and vowels is enough to build phonemic awareness, and initial word reading skills. In this program, we will start teaching word reading as soon as your child can recognize the sound for some letters. We will begin by learning the letter sounds /m/, / a/, /t/, /s/, and /c/, and we will start reading and spelling words with those letters right away.

**Personalized and Assessment-Based: 

Learning to read is cumulative, meaning each step must be built on concepts previously learned. A short assessment is built into every lesson to ensure that lessons are tailored to each child’s individual strengths and weakness. For example, one child might need more practice distinguishing between the letters d and b, while another child might be ready to read a decodable text. Our teaching approach is systematic and individualized. To prevent later reading difficulties, we will ensure every child gets the right lesson at the right time.

**Music and Sound Play Incorporated into Each Lesson: 

This is the ONLY early literacy program that integrates music and literacy instruction to make each class fun and effective. Most kindergarteners can’t focus on reading for 90 minutes, so we will intersperse explicit reading work with rhymes, songs, and movement/rhythm activities that are proven to accelerate phonological awareness.

What your child will learn?

The two biggest predictors of reading success are alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness, so building these skills will be the focus of our 90-minute lessons.

**Alphabet Knowledge:

Mastering alphabet knowledge is more than reciting the ABCs and identifying each letter by name. Kindergarteners must learn to identify the name, sound, and shape of each letter. We will practice letter-sound correspondence and letter formation, and parents will be alerted to any gaps in each child’s alphabet knowledge.

**Word Reading:

Rather than memorizing lists of “sight words” (i.e. Fry or Dolch Word Lists), students will learn to decode words sound-by-sound. We will practice segmenting, blending, and writing single syllable words, such as dog, mat, can, rip. More advanced students will practice reading decodable sentences and short books.

**Phonological Awareness: 

Learning to read starts with the ears, not the eyes. Phonological awareness refers to the sound system of language—the spoken language, not the written language. Several research studies have documented that young children who receive specific training in phonological awareness are able to learn to read more quickly than children of similar backgrounds who don’t receive the same training. In this class we will spend time recognizing and playing with ALL the spoken parts of language—syllables, phonemes, alliteration, and rhymes. We will incorporate music and movement to strengthen phonological awareness.

What you, the parents, will learn?

Our goal is to partner with parents to boost each child’s reading achievement, so you can support and advocate for your child at the very start of their academic career. This class will give you clarity about your child’s literacy abilities, so you don’t need to wonder “is my child on track or behind in reading?” This class will give you clarity.

On the last day of class, parents will receive a summary of each child’s literacy skills; individual strengths and areas in need of improvement will be highlighted. Additionally, parents will have the opportunity to ask a certified reading specialist questions and learn more about the best way to teach reading.

Why is a kindergarten reading class a good investment?

1. Prevention is Cost-Effective: It's easier (and cheaper) to prevent reading difficulties at the start of a child's educational career than to repair reading delays in later grades. Once reading delays are entrenched, they often require intensive, costly interventions with a specialized reading specialist.
2. Developmental Window: During early childhood, the brain has critical periods when it is most receptive to learning language and literacy skills. If reading skills are not developed during these periods, it becomes harder to catch up later on. Early intervention maximizes the natural plasticity of the brain
3. A strong reading foundation leads to long-term academic success: Reading is foundational to all academic learning. Children who struggle to read early on tend to fall behind in other subjects as well, since reading is integral to understanding math, science, and social studies. Preventing reading difficulties ensures that students can keep pace with their peers across the curriculum.
4. Avoiding Compounded Difficulties: Once a child falls behind in reading, they often face a "Matthew Effect" in which the gap between proficient and struggling readers widens over time. Without early prevention, the difficulties tend to compound, making remediation later in life much harder and less effective.
5. Self-Esteem and Motivation: Struggling readers often experience frustration, anxiety, and a loss of confidence. This can lead to decreased motivation and a reluctance to engage with schoolwork. Preventing reading difficulties helps to avoid these emotional consequences, preserving a child's sense of self-worth and enthusiasm for learning.
6. Lifelong Benefits: Reading is not just an academic skill but a life skill. Preventing reading difficulties early on contributes to greater success in higher education, employment, and even social interactions. Literacy skills are linked to better health outcomes, higher earnings, and a higher quality of life overall.

CLASS DETAILS: 

Fall Break Special: Six 90-minute Intensive Reading Classes: $420

**9 Hours of Instruction with Two Teachers

**Small Classes: 6 students Maximum

Fall Break: October 7-14

• Monday (10/7): 8:30-10:00 a.m.
• Tuesday (10/8): 8:30-10:00 a.m.
• Wednesday (10/9): 8:30-10:00 a.m.
• Thursday (10/10): 8:30-10:00 a.m.
• Friday (10/11): 8:30-10:00 a.m.

Bonus Day! Indigenous People’s Day

• Monday (10/14): 12:30-2:00 p.m.

Location: 

HEARTS’ Hale behind the First Church of the Nazarene (408 Judd St, Honolulu, HI 96817)

Note: On the first day you be met at the front of the church and then led to the back of the house, so you know the way.

Materials: All materials are included in the prince of the course. 

What if my child is already reading books in kindergarten? 

It’s possible your child may be better suited for the 1^st Grade reading class. Call or email Elise DeBoard for a quick assessment to determine the appropriate placement for your child. 

CONTACT:

Elise DeBoard

Cell: (646) 467-4912

Email: elisedeboard@gmaill.com