Brain Fried (in a good way!)

I have spent the last week in some very intense training--like really, really intense. My brain is fried. It's mush. It's cooked. It's baked with a side of potato!!! Brain=Done!

It has also been an amazing training. No, amazing is not the word. It has been a beneficial, necessary, where have you been all my life training. It has been an "I'm sorry former students, I just didn't know" training. It has been a validating training. It has been an overall thought provoking experience. 

I am a lover of words. I love to read them and write them and hear them and sometimes sing them. The training I attended is Orton Gillingham. Thanks to a local non-profit, REAP, myself and 30 or so other teachers received this training at no cost. Eek! That's big news because it is well, super expensive. So what is it?

Orton Gillingham (OG) is an approach to reading instruction that is language-based, multisensory (visual, auditory, kinesthetic,) structured, sequential, cumulative, cognitive and flexible. OG has proven to be quite effective with dyslexic students. It has also proven to be quite effective with not struggling students. It helps with reading and spelling and stresses the two be taught together. I love it. I just love it.

I'll be writing more about my experience soon, but would like to share at least one rule with you right this minute!

Yes, I knew how to spell these words before but I did not know why or why not. Now I do. Boom world! Boom!

Is there a word or spelling rule you are curious about? Leave it in a comment and I will absolutely NOT be able to explain it but I will find the answer in my binder and let you know!! Word Nerds Unite!