Griffin Reading

10/12/2026

“Phonemic awareness” sounds complicated, but here’s an example:

Say “map.” Now change the first sound, /m/, to /t/. What word do you have?

“Tap!”

That’s phonemic awareness: noticing and working with individual sounds in spoken words. Blending sounds together and breaking a spoken word into its sounds are other examples.

You can do these tasks aloud without showing any letters. Phonics connects those speech sounds to written letters and letter combinations.

10/09/2026

Wrap, wring, wrist, wrench… see the connection?

You wrap something around, wring a wet cloth, turn your wrist, and twist with a wrench.

Many WR words share a connection to turning, bending, or twisting. Their history reaches back to an ancient root, wer, meaning “to turn or bend.”

And just like the K in KN, the W in WR wasn’t always silent!

Follow Griffin Reading for more clues hiding inside English words. 💙

Source: Colin Williams, SL Is for Sleaze, but SN Is for Sneeze: The Meaning Behind English Consonant Clusters.

10/08/2026

English gives us plenty of opportunities! What word has your child said in a way that made you smile?

10/07/2026

Knees, knots, knuckles, knobs… notice a connection?

Think “knobbly”: things that stick up or out!

And that K wasn’t always silent. In Middle English, people pronounced both the K and N, so knight and night didn’t sound alike.

English spelling holds clues to meaning and history. Follow Griffin Reading for more word discoveries! 💙

Source: Colin Williams, SL Is for Sleaze, but SN Is for Sneeze: The Meaning Behind English Consonant Clusters.

10/06/2026

When a teacher says your child is working on “decoding,” they mean using letter–sound relationships to read written words.

Take ship: sh represents one sound, followed by short i and p. Blend those three sounds together, and you get ship.

That’s why “sound it out” involves knowing how letters work together, not just knowing each letter’s name.

10/05/2026

“But they’re so smart!”

A child can understand complicated ideas and still struggle to read or spell words.

Dyslexia is not caused by low intelligence, and a child’s strengths don’t cancel out their need for reading support.

10/03/2026

Read Along for Classroom????

I hadn’t seen this yet! I’ll be testing that out soon!

One of the reasons I like Google Workspace for Education is it gives me all of the core tools that I need to be successful as a teacher. I don’t have to constantly be looking for the next great thing…I have pretty much everything that I need.

Each year I like to highlight five helpful and interesting things that you should try. This year, all of my recommendations are built into the tools that you use every day. There’s nothing new to purchase, sign up for or configure…you already have it!

Not all of these recommendations will work for you, but I think there will be 1-2 that might be useful! Here are my five things to try during the 2026-27 school year

Read the full breakdown here: https://www.chrmbook.com/5-cool-things-for-2026-27/

10/02/2026

A school dyslexia screening provides useful information about possible risk, but it isn’t a final yes-or-no answer.

A child can be flagged without having dyslexia, and a child with dyslexia can go unflagged.

School screening, a private practitioner’s screening, and a comprehensive evaluation aren’t interchangeable: ask what skills were assessed, what the results mean, and what follow-up is recommended.

If reading or spelling concerns continue, a “not at risk” result shouldn’t end the conversation.

10/01/2026

“How can I help my child study spelling words?”

I get this question often, and sometimes it’s hard to explain without showing an example. One of my babes came in today wanting to study for her school spelling test next week, and with Mom’s permission, I get to share what we did! 💙

Her list focused on the long E sound. Instead of practicing the words in list order, we sorted them by spelling patterns she already knew:

• Open syllables
• Magic E
• Vowel teams: ea, ee, ie, and ey

We connected the words to what she has already learned in our lessons, giving her familiar patterns to use as she studies.

“Family” got its own spot because we hadn’t learned about final Y yet. Then we looked at how Y represents the long E sound in family, squeaky, and weary.

Different schools and grade levels use different spelling programs and lists. This is simply an example using the words she’ll be tested on next week. Your child’s list may not have one clear focus or group together as neatly, and that’s okay!

You don’t have to know all the phonics terminology to try this at home. Look together for similarities: “Which words have the same sound spelled the same way?” Group those words, and give words that don’t fit their own spot.

The goal is to help your child notice patterns and connect new words to what they already know.

10/01/2026

Yesterday, we changed our profile pictures. Today, let’s start the conversation.

Maybe you’ve wondered about your child’s reading. Maybe someone at school mentioned dyslexia. Maybe you’ve heard the word for years but still have questions.

Throughout October, I’ll explain terms, tackle misconceptions, and talk through screening, assessment, and support.

What’s one thing you’d like me to explain?