When I work with young learners on their reading journey, one of my favorite skills to teach is syllable manipulation—specifically, how to add and delete syllables in words. It might sound simple, but it’s a powerful tool that helps children build stronger phonological awareness, which is key to becoming confident readers and writers. 🧠 What Is Syllable Manipulation? Syllables are the natural “beats” in words. For example, the word banana has three syllables: ba-na-na. When

By Simone Dahkoul | Simone’s Tutoring Watching a child learn to read is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do—but I also know it can feel overwhelming for many young learners. That’s why I use a method called synthetic phonics, supported by colour-coded graphemes, to help children build reading skills faster and with more confidence. 🧠 What is Synthetic Phonics? Synthetic phonics is all about teaching children how to decode words by breaking them into sounds (phonemes

Teaching young learners to read fluently in English isn’t always straightforward. Even students who know their letter sounds often get stuck when encountering tricky digraphs, sight words, or unfamiliar blends. The key to helping them gain confidence? Structured, decodable reading practice that aligns with their current phonics level. For many early readers, standard books feel overwhelming. Words like through, laugh, or school show up before students are ready to tackle them