The Story of the Reading Treehouse

Imagine that a child's developing language is like a growing tree--a Language Tree. The Language Tree represents the child's growing understanding of words, and growing ability to use them.

The Language Tree

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Now imagine that you are helping the child to build a Treehouse up there in the branches of this amazing tree. As the child learns the skills of reading, the Treehouse is built.

The Reading Treehouse is made of natural materials, but it is not natural. It must be built on purpose, with some effort--and usually with some help from grown-ups.

The FLOOR: A Sound Foundation
Imagine that the Floor of the Reading Treehouse is made of the sounds of the child's language.

Even when the Language Tree was just a sapling, the baby was babbling and playing with these sounds.

A bit later, the child loved silly rhymes, and nonsense word play, and songs.

When the child can play with the sounds of speech the way he plays with blocks--selecting one here, putting these together there, building and taking apart--this sound play becomess solid planks for the Floor of the Reading Treehouse.

WALLS of Writing
The Language Tree frames the walls of the Reading Treehouse with its trunk and its branches. The child adds to the Walls a bit at a time.

Tacked firmly between the branches are the words the child already knows how to read: his own name, 'McDonald's,' and many others.

And the Walls on the other side are made of alphabet letters whose spoken sounds he has learned so far.

These start-up Walls stay together because they are firmly connected to the Language Tree.

Open At the Top
The Treehouse is sheltered by the growing leafy canopy which represents the child's mastery of language and knowledge about the world.

And the bigger and more beautiful the Language Tree grows, the better the child's experience inside the Reading Treehouse becomes.

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Welcome to

This is a website about teaching kids to read!

There are many ways to be smart. But in today’s world, all children need to learn to read, even if this is not their special talent. In today’s world, reading is not optional.

Children with strong language and strong ‘Mind’s Ear’ skills will probably learn to read no matter how they are taught. But for many children, learning to read turns out to be very difficult. Why does this happen? And how can we help?

Come and explore The Reading Treehouse!

Experience reading in action.

Learn about the skills that are needed, and how weak skills may be strengthened. You will find lots of useful information, encouragement, and loads of free materials inside!

The Treehouse is built of Language materials, and language is complex.

When reading problems come up it’s important to get specific, so that weak areas may be strengthened, and the building can continue.

So there is a lot of information here at the Treehouse.

Want to take a short cut?

You can get the big picture quickly and then, if you want, return for the details.

Short Cut Through the Treehouse ~ The Whole Treehouse

“Great site! This is the first time I have seen specific questions answered. For instance, the was/saw reversal. No one has ever given me information to help my son [practice correctly].” --S.W.

“I came across your site this morning as I was searching for drill materials re: rapid naming. It’s truly wonderful. Your concrete explanation and examples are excellent. I am currently working to set up early identification and intervention for high risk readers at our school with the goal of expanding district-wide. I will be speaking to district kindergarten teachers. I would very much like to use your “tree” analogy and especially your explanation for ‘reversals.’ “-- C.C.

Dear Readers,

Welcome to AdvanceAbility, home of The Reading Treehouse. I am Ruth Alice Jurey, a practicing Speech and Language Pathologist, and your guide to positive principles in speech, language and learning.

Language and reading are really one continuous process. And the skills that we use when we learn language are the same skills that we rely on when we learn to read. In fact, they are the same skills that we use to learn all academic subjects.

Language is complex, and so reading problems can seem confusing. I hope that the down-to-earth explanations and experiences here will help to clarify the way to success for all students.

Parents, please know that the ideas I share here are no substitute for the guidance of an appropriate professional who can learn about and respond to your unique situation. So before you explore, be sure to read and understand the disclaimer, below.

Thank you for visiting. I value your comments. And I hope that you will share this site with others who may be interested.

Best Wishes,
Ruth Alice Jurey, M.S., C.C.C.
Speech & Language Pathologist

DISCLAIMER: The causes and motives of human behavior are complex. Teaching and therapy are artistic as well as scientific endeavors. Individuals respond differently for different reasons. One solution does not fit all.

Naturally we tend to seek out and hold on to information which is agreeable to our biases. We comprehend in terms of what already makes sense to us. This is not all bad. How else are we to separate the useful from the nonsensical? It is up to each of us to make judgments, to absorb what we personally can use, and to apply it as well as we can.

The interpretations and opinions expressed here are my own. Other qualified professionals may hold different views. I expect readers to use their own judgment and common sense in interpreting, accepting or rejecting this information. I do not assume responsibility for any actions based on the information at this web site, and reserve the right to make corrections or modifications without notice. If you want help with a specific need or concern, seek the advice of an appropriate professional who can learn about and respond to your unique situation.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I am indebted to numerous researchers, teachers, clinicians, clients and parents who have influenced my thinking over the decades. I am sure that I cannot remember who all of these people are, but there is probably not one original idea here. Anyway, I hope not!

I recognise in particular the foundations laid by Maria Montessori, Jean Piaget, William Glasser; Paula Tallal and Michael Merzenich and their ‘brain plasticity’ teams; Frank Vellutino, Denis Waitley, and the professor who taught me a framework for clinical analysis and creativity, Susan Sordon.

My thanks to my brother, Mark Jurey, whose multifaceted creative talents, web-program expertise and willingness to help were instrumental in making this internet site a reality in 1997. Without his calm, clear and patient responses to calls for information, advice and HELP over the years, this clinician would not have had the opportunity to share these ideas in this way with you.

Finally, I am grateful to my son, Adam Morales, for his consistent willingness, time after time and year after year, to step in and help me out in all things digital. He has been troubleshooting, advising, informing, teaching, encouraging, creating and tweaking for me, from a very early age, and through multiple versions of this web site--not to mention throughout all the real life in between. Thank you, Adam.

Short Cut Through the Treehouse ~ The Whole Treehouse

        © 1997-2013 Ruth Alice Jurey, M.S., C.C.C., Speech & Language Pathologist        Last Updated 11/2/13       Contact Me