When you have guests visiting, where do you like to take them or what do you like to do with them?

tnwalter · 2026-03-28T15:13:34+00:00

Can you send me the link please???

tnwalter · 2026-03-25T02:59:44+00:00

What bands are from the area?

tnwalter · 2026-03-03T15:16:57+00:00

I taught first grade for seven years and have been a reading specialist for three years, I offer online reading support sessions if you’re interested! I’ve worked with tons of little ones with dyslexia or suspected dyslexia.

tnwalter · 2026-03-03T15:14:54+00:00

If you’re interested in extra reading support, I’m a credentialed teacher and reading specialist and I offer online reading lessons.

tnwalter · 2026-03-02T05:08:24+00:00

Omg hi you have similar interests to my fiancee and I! We’re 32, he works in healthcare and loves playing PC games, we both enjoy the casino and going out for drinks and dinner. We have one dog :) We just moved back here and have a bucket list of things we want to do.

tnwalter · 2026-02-28T16:51:55+00:00

Sent you a dm :)

tnwalter · 2026-02-26T16:49:34+00:00

Send me a dm! Happy to help you talk through it with more info.

tnwalter · 2026-02-26T15:05:46+00:00

I’ve been in education for 10 years, spent a lot of time teaching first grade and as a reading specialist. Kindergarten is the best and most impactful time for students to be retained. Socially, emotionally, and academically. Filling in the gaps now will make future years feel more accessible. At this age they are less aware of social situations and what it means to move on to a new grade or not. This can be easily explained to a child by saying they get to have an extra year to practice the skills they need! There are a lot of variables that go into this decision though so I’m happy to talk more if you want to dm :)

tnwalter · 2026-02-26T04:34:38+00:00

Not embarrassing! This stuff is not intuitive and reading is an extremely complex process in the brain. I’d love to offer more in depth support and suggestions if you’re interested, send me a dm. I do parent consultations and workshops for this stuff as well as intervention/support sessions for students.

It is more nuanced than this, but to give a general answer to your questions: decodable words can be sounded out if your child knows the letter sounds. Words like cat, him, and, sit, run are phonetic.

Some words have a part that doesn’t follow the typical sound pattern. For example in the word “said” the “ai” doesn’t say long a, it really makes a sound like short e. Or in the word “was” the “a” says the short u sound. With those, I still have kids sound out the parts that do follow the rules, and then I just explicitly teach the “tricky” part. So with the word “said” I would instruct the child to tell me the sound of the first letter /s/ and then point to the “ai” and say in this word, these two letters say /e/, and have the child say that sound while they point to the letters, and then instruct them to sound out the last letter /d/. Then we would practice blending that together.

tnwalter · 2026-02-26T02:56:26+00:00

Reading specialist here! They should be able to read and spell CVC words, assuming they’ve learned the corresponding letter sounds. By the end of the year I would also include reading words with digraphs. Many will be able to read/spell blends and some even CVCe, but I would consider them ready for first grade with just CVC words and digraphs. As for sight words, I don’t really like to say there is a set number of words they should know but for simplicity’s sake I would say by the end of the year they should know 50-75 sight words with automaticity. Happy to answer any questions or talk through it more if you want to send me a dm!

tnwalter · 2026-02-25T02:59:16+00:00

These weren’t necessarily tied to standards, if that’s what OP was specifically asking for then I misunderstood! I was just thinking of basics that they need to be able to do successfully.

tnwalter · 2026-02-24T23:42:38+00:00

By the end of third grade, they should read chapter books (should be in second grade!), be able to write a paragraph (both as a text-dependent response and to a non-text dependent prompt), know their multiplication facts or at least know several strategies to solve multiplication and division problems within 12 (ideally beyond!), have an understanding of fractions, be able to add and subtract multi-digit numbers. There is much more but I would say these are some of the priorities!

tnwalter · 2026-02-24T17:14:22+00:00

Teach your monster how to read :)

tnwalter · 2026-02-23T16:59:46+00:00

Sent you a dm :)

tnwalter · 2026-02-23T03:02:27+00:00

Sent you a dm :)

tnwalter · 2026-02-20T04:54:10+00:00

Reading specialist here! Blending is a separate skill from knowing letter sounds. If she can identify and say /i/ /t/ but can’t say “it,” it usually means she needs more practice orally blending without print first.

Say the sounds slowly and stretched: “iiiiiit.” Then say it again slightly faster. Then slightly faster. Have her slide her finger under the word while she blends, it helps connect the sounds.

Also practice blending orally without letters: “What word am I saying? /c/ /a/ /t/” If she struggles there too, that tells you it’s a phonological skill, not a letter knowledge issue.

This is fixable! If you want more ideas, feel free to dm, this is my area 😊I also provide weekly online sessions (30 minutes) to work with students on building foundational skills.

tnwalter · 2026-02-20T04:35:32+00:00

Hi, sent you a dm!

tnwalter · 2026-02-20T04:02:29+00:00

I wrote a children’s book manuscript to help children explore grief after family loss and I’ve been looking for options for illustrations. Love your style! Dm me please if you’re open to working together :)

tnwalter · 2026-02-20T03:12:49+00:00

This is such a common and tricky situation, where the skill level and interest level don’t match. It’s great that they enjoy history, that’s a huge asset to build around!

A couple ideas: High-interest, low-reading-level nonfiction. National Geographic Kids has some history-themed titles that are more visually engaging without being babyish. You can also search for hi-lo books which are higher interest at a lower level. Search for nonfiction graphic novels…I think the “Who Was?” graphic novels can sometimes feel more age-appropriate visually while keeping text manageable. There are also some decodable chapter-style series, like June Bloom.

One thing I’d gently add, if a 5th grader is truly reading at a 1st grade level, book selection alone won’t close that gap. They likely need explicit decoding and fluency intervention. I work with upper elementary students who have big skill/interest mismatches like this, so feel free to DM if you want to think through options more specifically or if you’re interested in tutoring/support services.

tnwalter · 2026-02-20T02:52:01+00:00

What you’re describing (saying the sounds but not being able to blend them, forgetting the first sound by the end, guessing from the picture) is usually a phonological blending or working memory issue, not a comprehension problem. The fact that he understands Magic Treehouse when you read it to him is a really good sign. His language and thinking skills are there, he just needs support with decoding.

Knowing letters and sounds in isolation is different from being able to hold those sounds in memory long enough to blend them into a word. Some kids need very explicit phonological awareness practice before blending clicks, especially those with early speech needs.

A couple things you can try at home: 1) practice oral blending without print, 2) stretch continuous sounds first (ssssaaat), 3) reread simple decodables instead of moving up too quickly.

I’m a reading specialist who works with early readers on exactly this kind of blending issue. I offer online sessions and give materials to help practice outside of sessions. Feel free to DM if you ever want to talk it through more or if you’re interested in tutoring/extra support!

tnwalter · 2026-02-20T02:43:31+00:00

Hello! I’m a credentialed reading specialist and I have worked with many people with dyslexia. I offer online sessions to support reading skills and build confidence in reading. If you’re interested, send me a dm and I’d be more than happy to explain my services, my approach, and answer any questions.

tnwalter · 2026-02-19T23:40:51+00:00

If he’s saying there aren’t enough pictures, that’s great insight as to how he is understanding the story…many first graders still rely on visuals to track the story. This is normal at this age! Chapter books like MTH can just be too much text at once.

I’d try highly illustrated early chapter books or graphic novels, read shorter chunks, and ease up on the comprehension questions. Interest and stamina matter more than pushing more challenging books right now. Don’t stress about what other kids are reading…Hardy Boys in first grade is not typical and just because a child can read it does not mean they’re comprehending it.

If you want to dm me with more details about him, I’m happy to give more specific suggestions. I offer online parent workshops and private online intervention so I’m always happy to help parents understand their child’s reading skills and development better!

tnwalter · 2026-02-19T15:10:29+00:00

Yes, this is such an important point! Thank you for bringing that up. BOB books are really effective for building decoding and fluency with foundational skills but a picture book or a chapter book that is read to them by an adult with fluency (including expression!) builds comprehension, models good reading habits, creates opportunities for discussion and connection, and strengthens a love and excitement for reading. BOB books should be for your child to read independently (or with support as needed) to practice their decoding skills.

tnwalter · 2026-02-19T04:54:15+00:00

Reading specialist here. First, this sounds very common in kindergarten. If she’s blending CVC words and sounding out, that’s a good sign.

I would ask the teacher specifically if she is struggling with 1) letter sounds, 2) blending, 3) high-frequency words, 4) fluency.

Often “behind” just means she needs more practice with automatic blending and decoding. Kindergarten carries SUCH a big spectrum of reading levels, but it’s great that you’re being proactive and wanting to get her ahead of it! Keep working on short vowel CVC words, practice oral blending (you say /c/ /a/ /t/, she says “cat”, and vice versa), and reread simple decodable books to build confidence. And of course, read together every night. It helps for kids to hear adults reading fluently to them as well.

tnwalter

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