AVKO Mission Statement

Mission Statement

The AVKO Educational Research Foundation, founded in 1974, has as its mission the following, and is pursued by AVKO's research endeavors:

1. To determine what makes the learning of reading and spelling so difficult for some and so easy for others.
2. To determine what it is about our language that good readers learn without being taught that poor readers don't.
3. To determine whether or not that which poor readers don't learn is ever systematically taught and if it isn't, if it can be.
4. To devise techniques and materials to enable teachers (or parents) to systematically teach poor readers and/or poor spellers that which schools presently are not teaching.
5. To widely disseminate its discoveries of techniques and materials that enable dyslexics to learn to read and to spell.

Engaging Language Kits

Engaging Language Kits

AVKO is proud to announce that we have have introduced a new line of supplemental curriculum materials for language arts: Engaging Language Kits (by Brian McCabe). Each of these seven kits corresponds to one of the levels of Sequential Spelling to reinforce the word families learned in that level. Each kit has over 170 pages of activities for your students:

Exercises Using Proverbs

Exercises Using Proverbs

Along with reading mystery novels and funny one-liners, using proverbs is an excellent method of assessing comprehension. Though there are some proverbs that are not easily understood (perhaps by anyone), they will nonetheless start the thinking process and can be used as a springboard to other exercises. The reading and analysis of proverbs exposes the child/student to wisdom boiled down into a sound bite that may stick with them for their lifetime. Though perhaps less inspirational, they might just serve as a prompt for an analytical essay. Proverbs also provide a window into the mores and values of various cultures; one can compare the proverbs of one culture to others to see which maxims (or the sentiments they impart) are universal, and which are unique to specific cultures. Finally, since many proverbs have another proverb that contradicts the first, they can serve as a good starting point for thinking about morality and if folk wisdom is really wise in all instances.

English as a Second Language

English as a Second Language

AVKO's Speech to Spelling book is excellent for the student learning English.

Generally they learn as a child does - to speak first, then learn the letter and

sounds building small words in the beginning.

The older the student the faster they progress in the letter-sound recognition and speed on to vocabulary building. Often the English language learner recognizes phrases they have heard when others speak.

Repeating what they have heard they say and spell it the way they have heard it. So we often see, sentences like this: "I am s'posta meet the guys here" or "Dooya wanna go see a movie?" The Speech to Spelling book helps the student to recognize how we native English speakers talk. The fact is, even young

native English speakers can have the very same problems, hence our book, Speech to Spelling saves the day!

A Don McCabe Mini Lesson

A Don McCabe Mini Lesson

To make the learning easier, the readings are in paired sentences. The tutor reads a sentence (often a question) and then the student reads the next.

Set the kitchen timer for 15 minutes. Don't feel obligated to read the entire page. If you can, fine. If you read it twice in fifteen minutes, that's great. You can switch to having the student read the question and you read the answer. Model what you want the student to do: read with enthusiasm and punctuation. The voice drops down on periods and up on questions. Don't waste learning times by having your student sit and try to sound out a word. Count to two, if necessary, and then give them the word. Be sure to encourage and praise your student when they have accomplished today what they couldn't do yesterday. Give as much help as needed each time. They will learn.

Reading Tips

Reading Tips

from the National Center for Family Literacy

National Family Literacy Day was November 1. But every day is a good day to read with your family! Here are some tips to help improve reading skills from NCFL.

Reading is a skill that gets better with practice. Make reading fun. It is not all about drill.

Encourage reading everywhere! Have your child read street signs and T-shirts. Get him to help with cooking (reading recipes, labels and shopping lists). Have your child keep track of family activities on a calendar. Give your child choices in what he reads. Magazines are appealing. They have short articles with colorful pictures. Poems are another great way to motivate. They are short and give the child a sense of accomplishment when read.

Set reading goals. Reward reading with incentives of importance to your child. Learn what interests your child and connect that to reading. Is there a museum near your home
that would be of interest? Read about famous athletes in a favorite sport or a favorite movie.

Read everyday as a family. Make learning new words fun. The more words a reader knows, the more he comprehends what he reads or hears. Have conversations about interesting words. Give your child a "kid-friendly" definition and then use the word in conversation. Help your child write a letter to a grandparent, family friend or pen pal.

Show your child reading is important in your life. Be sure your child sees you enjoying reading for pleasure.