Literacy in the Limelight is a series of videos focusing on the positive impact literacy has played in the lives of Reading Horizons employees. The video below is of Reading Horizons Marketing Manager, Erika Huff, discussing some of her favorite books:

Share this video on Facebook & Twitter (click on the "Share" button below). Also we would love to hear how literacy has influenced your life- feel welcome to share with us in the comment section of this post!

Today we started a new short video series for our Facebook page titled: “Literacy in the Limelight.” The series will highlight a different Reading Horizons employee each week. During the videos the featured employee will discuss what they have learned about literacy from working for Reading Horizons, as well as their thoughts on reading & literacy in general.

Here is the first video of the series featuring our Marketing Manager, Erika Huff:

Join Reading Horizons Facebook Page to get updates with new videos each Friday!

I was recently reminded of an experience I had with a wonderful kindergarten teacher who realized it was never too late to improve her ability to teach effective reading strategies to her students. My oldest son had just entered kindergarten and my wife was attending a parent teacher conference.

During the conference my wife asked if phonics played a role in the reading instruction in her classroom. The teachers confirmed that she had built a curriclum of her own over the past 35 years and that phonics instruction was integrated.

My wife applauded her and then volunteered that if our son ever applied any markings to his words that she shouldn't worry but that we were tutoring him at home with an intensive, systematic, phonics program.

She asked what it was called and then asked if it could help learning disabled children as well. My wife indicated that it was perfect for any child that needed to learn to read. Her reply epitomized good teachers everywhere "where can I learn more about it?" This was a teacher that had announced her retirement when the year began, this was to be her last class.

She subsequently registered for a workshop in intensive phonics instruction in December and brought her aid in hopes of finding something to aid one specific student who was repeating kindergarten and couldn't read or even spell her name. She attended a one day workshop and her reaction to the training in reading strategies that she received was remarkable. She left the training and asked "why didn't I know this earlier in my career?"

She was so affected by all that she had learned that she returned to her classroom (this is now January) and decided to take the whole class from the beginning of the methodology...knowing she had only a few months left in her career. If ever there was a time to say "that was great but it came too late" this was it. What she learned completely revolutionized her teaching mindset.

There are thousands of amazing teachers all across the world who have passion for teaching and helping students learn and blossom into their full potential. In many cases they have not been given the tools, such as effective reading strategies, to provide the instruction that their students need and that they desire to deliver. I find great satisfaction every time one of those teachers finds us and is able to rekindle her love for her profession and for reading strategies.

P.S.

If you are interested in teaching phonics, you should also read this blog post: “The Importance of Effective Kindergarten Phonics Instruction”

You may also want to learn more about teaching phonics through Reading Horizons FREE webinar: “The Importance of Foundational Phonics in Teaching Struggling Adolescent Readers”

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Learn how Reading Horizons can help you improve the way you teach reading through our Phonics Training for Savvy Teachers

Every 18 months Reading Horizons invites their distributors and trainers from across the country to join together at their headquarters, in Salt Lake City, Utah. During the conference we bond, receive training and share our vision of helping individuals improve their reading skills. The 2010 conference was enjoyed by all who attended.

The Reading Horizons staff provided training on various subjects including, what's new with Reading Horizons v5 curriculum, research supporting Reading Horizons v5, and the future of marketing, just to name a few.  The highlight of the conference was Dr. Neil J. Anderson, who presented, "Five reason why ELLs (English Language Learners) benefit from explicit phonics instruction."  Dr. Anderson is a Professor of Linguistics and English Language at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. He also serves as the Coordinator of the English Language Center. He teaches courses in the TESOL Master’s program as well as language classes to second language learners. In his presentation he pointed out that:

1. There are English decoding rules, so why not explicitly teach them?
2. Reading fluency increases as learners have strong decoding skills.
3. Oral reading improves when learners can correctly decode the words.
4. Spelling improves when learners have strong decoding skills.
5. Motivation and confidence increase when learners read well.

Not only were the conference sessions informative, but we, as a Reading Horizons team, were able to connect and bond.  We come from all over the world but we have a common goal: Imagine all the good we can do as we teach reading strategies to improve reading skills.
Special thanks to the Reading Horizons staff, distributors and trainers. 

Watch a video montage of the conference.

One ought only to write when one leaves a piece of one's own flesh in the inkpot, each time one dips one's pen. ~Leo Tolstoy

They often say that writing reveals more about the author than the subject. Such is the case with Randy Feldman’s movie script: “The Reading Room.” In our upcoming webinar Feldman will discuss how his own life inspired him to write this movie script, as well as motivating him to open his own nonprofit literacy center, P.O.R.T.A.L.

“The Reading Room” is a story about a wealthy widower who sets out to fulfill his wife’s dying wish for him to open a literacy center in an inner-city neighborhood. The widower, played by James Earl Jones, is confused by the request but finds himself learning from the experience and making new friendships. Because of the nature of the neighborhood he deals with opposition from local gang members and one of the town’s church leaders.

It will be interesting to hear about the personal experiences of Randy Feldman which inspired this script. It is exciting to find a movie that exposes the literacy problems that many face in their daily lives.

In the webinar, Feldman will also discuss how current storytelling trends in popular entertainment have evolved over the years. He will share how he believes these trends effect this generation of learners.

This will be an entertaining webinar that will provide an interesting take on current literacy issues. You won’t want to miss it!

The webinar is free and will be held August 12th, 2010, 2:00 PM MST.

Register for this Free Webinar today!