I recently was preparing for a talk I have to give on the complexities of teaching language to children with profound language problems. It is a field marked by enormous controversy, on the one hand and great promise, on the other. This led me, as I often do, to search for quotes that would capture the essence of the message I was trying to convey. Hoping that you will enjoy them as much as I have, here are some that captured my interest:

"Just don't give up on trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."
– Ella Fitzgerald

"A bad habit never disappears miraculously; it's an undo-it-yourself project."
– Abigail Van Buren

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
– Steve Jobs

Continue reading "Inspiring Words --That Touch the Heart and the Mind" »

Posted by Marion Blank at 10:37 PM
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In this troubled time, it's wonderful when the words of our elders light a way to a brighter path. That's what the poet Maya Angelou has done in an interview with Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.

And, her reply was that it was 'exciting.'

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

But she also said this: 'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

Continue reading "Some Words of Wisdom and Inspiration" »

Posted by Marion Blank at 11:28 AM
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"Some people there are who, being grown; forget the horrible task of learning to read. It is perhaps the greatest single effort that the human undertakes, and he must do it as a child." - John Steinbeck (1962 Nobel Prize Winner for Literature)

My comment: If you'd like to generate an interesting discussion with friends or family, simply pose the question, "Do you remember how you learned to read?" Typically, there is a pause, a bemused smile and then a statement to the effect, "I really don't know." The fact of the matter is that almost no one has a clear sense of how he or she learned this vital skill.

Continue reading "John Steinbeck on Learning to Read" »

Posted by Marion Blank at 12:25 AM
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"If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job." -- Donald D. Quinn

My comment: All parents and a few privileged professionals have a unique opportunity that classroom teachers can only dream of -- they can offer one-to-one interaction. But to get the most out of this interaction, it is vital to provide carefully structured activities that are matched to the child's abilities. Phonics Plus Five has been designed to give you those activities so that the valuable time you spend leads to steady, smooth progress.

Posted by Marion Blank at 12:21 AM
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