Betty Davis, published author of How Jill Learned to Read Using Phonics and educator for more than ten years is offering resources and classes to children aged four through twelve in reading and writing. You may  check out her website at Funn with Phonics Tutoring.

She has designed this program that walk children through three main levels of reading mastery.

From her website
Level 1:

Students will clap , march, and sing as they learn the sounds of the alphabet. Art and other forms of media is used  to support the phonics concept that is being taught that  week.  Each week students’ are taught a new word family that is associated with a particular short vowel.

Level 2 and 3:

For students who are familiar with the word families associated with level one, level 2 focus on learning blends, while level three focuses on long vowels, digraphs, and diphthongs.

Based in McHenry County, Betty is available to meet at public libraries throughout the Northwest Suburbs.

For more information, feel free to contact her by email at: readingbooks52@comcast.net

Or see her website: http://www.funwithphonicstutoring.net/

The following is from the HSLDA website:

This year, Patrick Henry College invites aspiring writers to answer the call – more specifically, A Call to Pens. PHC’s first short story competition for students ages 12-18 was set in motion last year by PHC student, Peter Forbes (now an alumnus of PHC) who wanted to support the college and give young writers an opportunity to create original works of fiction that thoughtfully reflected a Christian worldview. Over 250 students nationwide responded to the “call” with mature, well-written stories, and we eagerly await the response of participants this year.

A Call to Pens is a contest with a broader mission than winning prizes. If we wish to shape the culture, we must first engage it – in all aspects of life. Quality Christian literature engages the culture in a less direct manner than other vocations, but it is no less important.

For those interested in entering the contest, please visit www.phc.edu/acalltopens.php. There will be two separate divisions, each with a separate theme, based on age. Several cash prizes will be awarded to the top writers in each division. All proceeds of the competition will be given to PHC’s Annual Scholarship Fund. The entry deadline is December 30th, 2009; winners will be announced in March, 2010.

Another great edition of Homeschool Showcase is up over at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. As we gear up for another school year, check out some of the great posts for ideas to get your school year off with a bang.

One post that I noted includes 100 links to sites where you can buy, sell, trade, and even write books. So, if you are looking to expand (or clear out) your book inventory, you’ll want to check that out.

There’s lots more to enjoy so be sure to meander through the links.

A Reminder…

Institute for Excellence in Writing
Announces events with Andrew Pudewa:

Elmhurst, IL (Chicago Area): August 4-6, 2009 – IEW Seminars
Hoffman Estates, IL (Chicago Area): 6, 2009 – Evening Event
Chicago, IL: August 7-8, 2009 – Chicago Homeschool Expo

Details and links below – Please forward this to friends and colleagues!

Elmhurst, IL (Chicago Area): August 4-6, 2009 – IEW Seminars
Details below, to register: http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/events
Tues., 8/4: High School Essay Intensive
Wed. & Thurs., 8/5-6: Teaching Writing: Structure & Style

Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church
155 W. Brush Hill Road
Elmhurst, IL 60126

Hoffman Estates, IL (Chicago Area): August 6, 2009 – Evening Event
6:00pm-8:30pm No Registration Necessary!
Andrew Pudewa: Conquering Corrupt Culture by Raising Christian Communicators
& Classical Conversations’ Kim Cromer:
Going Beyond the Books–Practical Application for Classical Education

Korean Church of Chicago
1500 W Algonquin Rd
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192

Chicago, IL: August 7-8, 2009 – Chicago Homeschool Expo
http://www.chicagohomeschoolexpo.com
Andrew’s Talks: ”Freedomship” Education Paradigm, Reaching the Reluctant Writer, Spelling and the Brain, Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Be Making Forts All Day, Instant Improvement in Writing
Seminar Descriptions:

Teaching Writing: Structure and Style
A Two-Day Seminar for Teachers, Parents, Tutors, College Students
Cost: $89.00/participant (2nd family member ½ price)

The structure and style syllabus teaches models and techniques for English composition which logically build upon each other, allowing students to become familiar and competent with a variety of writing formats and styles. As opposed to many “creative” writing approaches, this more classical system stresses modeling and builds a firm foundation of specific skills.

Students first make a “key word outline” and then rewrite from their notes, thus being freed from the problem of what to write about, so they are able to clearly focus on how to write well. As they master each structural model and stylistic technique, they develop great confidence, and consequently great creativity. The syllabus then gradually moves the student from dictated content toward “the blank page” using:

Eight different structural models, including:
* Note making and summarizing from notes; limiting skills.
* Summarizing narrative stories with the story sequence chart.
* Summarizing references (without copying the encyclopedia).
* Library research reports using multiple references and fused outlines.
* Topic – clincher paragraph format, techniques for titling.
* Creative writing, letters and writing from pictures.
* Formal essays and critique formats.

The Syllabus in Style introduces specific techniques to help students:
* “Dress-up” each paragraph with six different tools.
* Use a variety of sentence “openers.”
* Judiciously choose literary “decorations.”
* Learn English grammar in the context of USING it, rather than just memorizing terms and identifying parts of speech.
High School Essay Intensive
A One-Day Seminar for High School age students and teachers
Cost: $50.00/participant (parents $25 if attending with student*)

The High School Essay Prep class is an excellent way to get immediate experience and inside tips on how to do your best on the timed, 25 minute response to a prompt required on the new SAT test. Participants will actually write two full essays, carefully study and then apply the College Board evaluation criteria to sample essays, while receiving a detailed booklet of resources and suggestions for continued practice.

Additionally, students will learn special structure and style tools for use in composing the college application “personal essay”an entirely different type of writing task. The complete process will be presented: choosing the question, creating the outline, and polishing a final version. Participants will leave with a clear concept of the task, their own outline for an actual personal essay, and several new tricks and techniques to add to their repertoire.

Although this seminar is specifically designed for those who will be taking the SAT or submitting college applications within the next 1-2 years (and especially those teaching such students), it is also useful for general writing practice, tools and tips. It is open to all students, regardless of their experience with IEW courses or materials. A lot of actual writing is done during this six-hour class.

*Parents who wish only to observe are welcome to do so, space available. Paying participants will receive a space at a table and a handout.

Looking for help in teaching writing to your children? There are a number of workshops this summer that may be of interest to you.

A little about the teacher:

Linda Mikottis, a Special Education Consultant with the Institute for Excellence in Writing, offers writing workshops for students in grades 4-5, 6-8 and high school.  She also offers seminars for parents and teachers.   New classes are always being added.

Teaching Writing: Structure and Style

Parent/Teacher Seminar

The only writing method you will ever need to teach writing to students in grades one through twelve!

July 10-11, 2009 in St. John, IN

Registration Deadline: June 26th, 2009

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Where:

Harvest Ridge Church Office Building (upstairs meeting room)

9495 Keilman

St. John, IN 46373

Cost: $89.00 Materials fee: $27.00

July 17-18, 2009 in Monee, IL

Registration Deadline: July 3rd, 2009

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Where:

Family of Faith Church

6645 W. Steger Rd.

Monee, IL

Cost: $89.00 Materials fee: $27.00

The Teaching Writing: Structure and Style two day seminar, gives you, the teacher, the skills needed to confidently model for your students how to outline and summarize, generate cohesive paragraphs, create stories, produce reports and critiques, develop essays, and put into writing the information hidden in their brains.

Writing Workshops
Registration Deadline: June 8, 2009

Classes available for various grade levels that cover outlines, note taking, narratives, “dress-up” your writing, and other useful tools and tasks.

Class size: Minimum 8, Maximum 15 per workshop

Cost: $75.00 (discounts for additional students in same family)

June 22-26th, 2009 in St. John, IN

For more information or to register contact Linda at linda@excellenceinwriting.com or 630-244-5735