there’s a writer in our house! strategies for supporting and encouraging young writers and readers at home

There’s a Writer in Our House! is an invitation to parents of children in first grade through fifth grade interested in actively participating in their children’s early literacy learning from the very first steps.

Founded upon well-researched literacy instructional methods that have been informed by the author’s clinical perspective as well as her years of experience with many kinds of learners, this book provides a valuable understanding of how both writing and reading contribute to child development in multiple areas. Chapters provide background concepts regarding grammar and specific critical thinking skills in both writing and reading as well as customizable, child-centered activities used to practice and build writing and reading comprehension skills.

You will learn how to advance and encourage your child’s learning and communication skills by highlighting important literacy areas such as vocabulary development, background knowledge, and critical thinking. You will also learn to recognize and track the significant developmental achievements of your child as you proceed from the early to the more complex At-Home activities, as well as receive strategies for how to respond and give feedback in specific situations, such as when a child writes something that makes sense to the child but not to the parent, how to offer feedback that identifies and labels a child’s strengths, and how to collaborate effectively with a child who is just developing new interests or a new willingness to try something that previously seemed ＂hard.＂

Practical, accessible, and most importantly, fun, this book is a must-read for all parents, regardless of background, seeking to support their children’s ongoing literacy development confidently and effectively.

Ann Parkinson Kaganoff, PhD and Board Certified Educational Therapist, has been active in the field of education for over six decades, at every level from pre-school to graduate school. She is a Board Certified Educational Therapist, and a Past President of the Association of Educational Therapists (AET). She has been a frequent presenter at conferences on topics related to literacy and the practice of educational therapy. She also serves as a mentor and trainer for new and veteran educational therapists. She is the author of Best Practices in Educational Therapy, Routledge 2019, a book dedicated to furthering the practice of educational therapy.