Page 20 - How to teach reading with heart

Reading: The Most Difficult

Task for the Brain to Learn

Part III

How to work with children who struggle

to read? Antoinette Swaney shares her

techniques of teaching with heart.

As we begin to leave this stillness of the desperate for change. I listened to my
eye of the hurricane we have experienced heart.

as a planet to move to the other side
of fierce winds of change let me take a I met Sammy, (not his real name), at the
moment to salute parents and teachers. beginning of his third-grade year. This

Salute the amazing and creative ways was a young boy heavily wrapped in his
they have come together to continue protective armor to hide his low self-

educating children. esteem. Also, to protect his ego if anyone
pointed out his inability to read. After
It was the intention of my logical mind to attempting to put Sammy in a group,

use this final opportunity to elaborate on it quickly became apparent we needed
how the brain learns to read. Expand on to work one on one. In a group he shut

the fact that reading is a new skill for the down, became hostile. As we began
human brain. No cerebral pathways are working by ourselves, I took out my
in place at birth. They have to be created alphabet arc and plastic letters to begin at

with practice. I intended to give logical the beginning. Sammy was embarrassed,
steps in creating pathways from the ashamed. It quickly became our routine

time of birth. Then, my heart elbowed that he would touch each letter, name
its way through. No. Stop. It shouted. it and sound it. When his finger would
Anyone can make a list of causes and touch the letter “G” he would look at

remedies, techniques to practice. No, tell me, expecting help. If I did nothing he
of the children. Show their hearts and would name and sound the letter “J”

the effects of a system that is antiquated, or “Q.” Thus, making “J” and “Q” two

20 myindigosun.com