Hi Friends!
Looking for literacy materials that are engaging for learners, enjoyable and simple for instructors, yet are based on a proven foundation for instruction?

---> After years of working as a literacy specialist in multiple settings, I launched "Word Play Letter Love" to start to share the many materials and methods that I have developed to meet the needs of my learners. In particular, materials emphasize dependable vowel patterns and handwriting families - making reading, spelling, and writing more fun and memorable for instructors and students. Materials incorporate structured literacy and word inquiry learning through songs, visuals, narratives, and interactive, multisensory activities.
---> LITERACY THAT WORKS: Word Play Letter Love (WPLL) materials use principles of structured literacy (eg. Orton Gillingham, Science of Reading, etc.) with multi-sensory components to engage a range of learning styles and memory techniques. Including all modalities embraces all learners for consistent progress.
---> STRESS-FREE LEARNING: Engagement and a sense of fun and success, with variety and practice over time, are key to well-being for literacy learning! Instructors and learners all do better when they enjoy the materials.
----> SPELL WELL SERIES: The Spell Well series teaches dependable spelling rules with song and verbalization strategies to better retain rules and put them to use when writing. Make your spelling instruction stick with catchy songs and fun images and games that allow for automaticity.
---> BEYOND LITERACY: Recognizing the value of executive function skill development by building curiosity, problem-solving, pattern recognition, and strategy tools while acquiring information leads to creating a solid foundation for being strong independent learners.

* The worksheets, characters, songs, sorts, and games were born out of necessity as my students are struggling learners, who weren't succeeding from other programs and curricula at school, at home, or with tutors. Emphasizing visual, narrative, structured, sequential, and dependable routines helps carry my struggling readers into success. These are materials that benefit and include all students in the joy of literacy learning.
--> WPLL packets start with instruction using multi-sensory approaches such as a song with visuals and verbalizations to launch learning and instruction, concepts are practiced in groups or independently with a sort to further encode the learning, then followed with engaging worksheets to provide as homework, review, to spiral over time or differentiate learning. Finally, a game or other fun activity is used to maintain and practice skills with a fun approach to bring down stress and allow learning to sink in. Materials are designed for a variety of uses and learning styles.

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My educational career started as a reading and spelling tutor and an after-school program leader to now working full-time at home as an Educational Therapist and Consultant. I have worked at both public schools, private schools, micro-schools, and after-school programs as well as with homeschooling families.

Other titles in the mix: Learning Specialist, Dyslexia Specialist, ADHD Specialist, Mindfulness coach, Executive Function coach. Trained in Orton Gillingham, Slingerland, Lindamood Bell, Wilson, and other structured literacy programs.

Have also earned:
Masters in Education
Educational Therapy Credential
Masters in French
Bachelors in English and French
Mindfulness teaching certificate.
Luna Dance Summer Institute Alumni to incorporate dance and movement developmentally.

I work one-on-one in private practice with students to teach reading, writing, spelling, and word study.

With my materials and plans, I look to respond to what engages learners - using humor, narrative, cute characters, silly voices, memorable songs, playful games, scavenger hunts, and movement to keep things moving forward.

Activities have to capture interest visually and hold attention by bringing ease, satisfaction, and success to their learning. Trying to "gamify" however possible is key for most of my learners!

Based on structured literacy and the science of reading, Word Play Letter Love materials provide direct instruction on the structure of English.

I also teach executive function with strategies, graphic organizers, color coding, and frameworks that can be integrated and grow with them throughout their learning career, such as the Handy Hand and CHOPS. They appear simple, but are eternally useful. I remind myself to use my own tools when I am stuck!

I hope to give my students caring support to foster points of real success for experience-based confidence and meaningful growth.

And I hope the frameworks and materials that I have used with them can help other instructors more easily reach their learners for gratifying results. If I can share any strategies, information, or approaches that have helped me, to now help one instructor have an easier time teaching one learner, so that one learner has an easier time learning - I am so gratified!

Hope I have the privilege to helping you with your students!

Holy Names College - Special Education M.Ed. with certificate in Educational Therapy
New York University - MA - French Language and Literature
Boston College - BA - Literature and French

Mindful Schools Certification
Luna Dance - Dance Educator Certification

Hi friends! I am a Bay-area-based Educational Therapist in private practice and an author-creator.

Having worked in private and public schools, I love to support teachers, families, and educational teams as well as my learners. My students range from pre-K to freshman in high school, and I love every age and phase.

Teaching literacy is my passion and vocation. Hoping to change the world one reader at a time! Everyone has a right to have access to being a reader and writer and have it open the doors of their curiosity and careers.

I feel privileged to have the trust and partnership with families and teachers, as well as the relationship with my learners, to help them turn around their learning struggle into a more confident experience of success.

Plus, I am on the parent's view of the educational journey with 2 wonderful teens of my own. I love to draw silly cute characters, try out watercolor, be in nature, travel with family, and care for my three rescue pups. Thanks for reading and considering my materials!