Which words should I teach to a high school student with a small vocabulary?
With thanks to Averil Coxhead, Charles Browne, Nonie Lesaux, Sarah Spencer, Isabel Beck, and Laura Justice, here’s what I say to parents and teachers when…
Banter Quick Tips: Teach spelling patterns by using them in sentences – not memorising rules by heart!
Spelling is complex. But it’s not random. There are patterns, conventions, even what some people call rules. Lots of us learn them without being taught. But…
Banter Quick Tips: The Vowel-Spotting Trick for reading Long Words
Most words in English have more than one syllable, and I see lots of teachers and others talking about syllable types. Have you ever wondered…
Why should I learn to write when I can just use ChatGPT and Grammarly?
With thanks to Viktor Frankl, Anne Lamott, Julia Cameron, Steve Graham, Joan Didion, Paul Graham, Shane Parrish, Jeff Bezos, and Jorge Arango, here’s what I…
Banter Quick Tips – Short vowel confusion: 5 tips to help beginners sort them out!
a, e, i, o, u – the short vowels. Lots of beginners get them confused – especially children with a history of speech sound disorder,…