TIPS, UPDATES & RESEARCH
Short articles for families who want to help their child read at home — practical routines, what is new in the toolkit, and reading research in plain language.
Sound Boxes: A Two-Week Plan for Blending Sounds
How to use sound boxes (Elkonin boxes) at the kitchen table — which words to start with, how to correct errors, and when to drop the boxes.
September 15, 2026 · 4 min readTipsPartner Reading Without the Battles
Taking turns page-by-page lowers the pressure on a struggling reader. Here is how to keep it warm, fair, and genuinely helpful.
September 12, 2026 · 4 min readResearchThe Research on 'Word Consciousness' — and What It Means for Dinner Conversation
Children who notice and enjoy words learn more of them. Research on word consciousness explains why playful talk beats flashcard drills.
September 11, 2026 · 5 min readUpdatesSeptember Update: Family Guide and Fresh Worksheet Links
The Reading at Home family guide now bundles all four skill routines with a fill-in weekly plan, and every blog post now links straight to its matching worksheet.
September 10, 2026 · 2 min readUpdatesNew: Real Printable Worksheets for Every Skill Area
Each skill page now includes a fill-in worksheet — sound boxes, a timed passage tracker, a word map, and story summary frames.
September 9, 2026 · 2 min readUpdatesRegistration Is Open for the Dyslexia Dash 5K
Our annual Dyslexia Dash 5K is set for September 26, 2026 — run, walk, or cheer, and help fund reading intervention for local kids.
September 8, 2026 · 2 min readResearchWhat the Science of Reading Says About Guessing Words
Strong readers do not guess — they decode. Here is what the research says about three-cueing habits and how to gently retrain them at home.
September 5, 2026 · 5 min readTipsBuild a Ten-Minute Reading Routine That Actually Sticks
A simple three-part routine — warm up, read, talk — that fits into a busy evening and still moves your child's reading forward.
September 2, 2026 · 4 min readTipsHow to Choose Books at the Right Level
The five-finger check, when to pick a harder book anyway, and why the book you read aloud should be tougher than the one they read.
August 19, 2026 · 4 min readResearchWhat the Research Says About Repeated Reading
Guided repeated oral reading is one of the best-supported fluency practices for families — here is what it looks like at the kitchen table.
August 5, 2026 · 5 min readResearchWhy Reading Aloud Still Matters After Your Child Can Read
Books use richer language than conversation. Reading aloud keeps feeding vocabulary and knowledge long after decoding is solid.
July 22, 2026 · 4 min readTipsSigns Your Reader May Need More Support
Patterns worth watching for at home, and what to do next if several of them sound familiar.
July 8, 2026 · 3 min read© 2026 Fluency Fuel. Free for personal, non-commercial use.