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January 2026
214.449.1406 ReadingRanch.com
Pre-k - 6th Grade
Literacy & Tutorial Centers
From Sounding Out to Soaring Building Confident Readers Through Decoding & Fluency at Reading Ranch
At The Reading Ranch, we believe strong readers are built, not rushed. One of the most important foundations of reading success is decoding, the ability to accurately connect letters and letter patterns with their sounds. When decoding is paired with explicit fluency instruction, students gain the confidence and efficiency they need to become lifelong readers. WHY DECODING MATTERS Decoding is more than sounding out words; it is the key that unlocks independent reading. When students lack strong decoding skills, reading becomes slow, laborious, and frustrating. Over time, this struggle can catch up with them, noticeably slowing academic progress across all subjects that rely on reading comprehension. Strong decoding skills allow students to: • Read unfamiliar words independently • Focus on meaning instead of guessing • Build accuracy and confidence • Transition smoothly into higher-level comprehension THE POWER OF FLUENCY LESSONS Even strong decoders need fluency practice. Fluency lessons help students read accurately, smoothly, and with appropriate expression. At The Reading Ranch, fluency instruction is
intentional and systematic, ensuring students do not simply read more, but read better. Our fluency lessons focus on:
• Repeated and guided reading • Proper pacing and phrasing • Tracking skills and attention to print • Building stamina and confidence
THE READING RANCH CONFIDENCE PACKET To support this critical skill set, The Reading Ranch uses a perfectly balanced decoding and fluency packet designed to meet students exactly where they are. Each lesson is structured, multisensory, and engaging, which helps students experience success at every step. Each packet includes:
• Explicit phonics and decoding practice • Controlled text for accuracy • Targeted fluency passages • Confidence-building repetition • Clear progress monitoring
This combination ensures that students are not just learning to read but also to trust their reading abilities.
BUILDING READERS FOR THE LONG TERM When decoding gaps are addressed early and reinforced through fluency, students move forward with confidence rather than hesitation. At The Reading Ranch, our goal is to prevent small gaps from becoming big obstacles and to equip every student with the tools they need to thrive. Strong decoding + fluent reading = confident readers. That’s The Reading Ranch difference.
Contact us today to learn more about The Reading Ranch’s programs and how we can help your little learner.
Reading Ranch founder Dr. Kim with one of our fabulous students
—Dr. Kim Southwell
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New Year, New Chapters Easy Resolutions for Young Readers
With a new year comes new goals, new experiences, and new opportunities to make reading fun for everyone in your family. As you create your resolutions for 2026, don’t forget to include literacy goals for both you as a parent and your little learner. Whether it’s making time daily to read aloud or completing a fun reading challenge together, setting reading goals can keep your child motivated and on track to improve their skills. MAKE THEM SMART SCHOLARS. One of the best ways to ensure you and your family accomplish your reading resolutions is to use the SMART method. Choose specific goals, like reading a chapter each week or visiting the library once a month. Find a way to measure your progress, like creating a sticker chart where every time your child completes a reading task, they get to put up a sticker for the day. Make sure goals are realistically achievable, considering your
child’s age, ability, and challenges. Keep the objectives relevant to your child’s interests to help them stay engaged. You should also set a time frame for each goal you want to accomplish together. READ MORE PAGES. “Reading more” is a great goal, but it may feel daunting for children struggling with words. Using the SMART method, you can make that target more manageable by resolving to “read more pages” or a certain number of pages in a set time. Page goals help break up books into smaller chunks, making it easier for your child to achieve small wins that may motivate them to keep going. EXPLORE LIFE THROUGH LITERACY. Books can help your child learn about every topic under the sun, and you can all aim to explore life through reading this year. Set goals to read a book by a local author, a nonfiction
book, a friend’s favorite read, or something about a different country. Challenge them to read materials that aren’t traditional books, like comic books, signs at a museum, or an age-appropriate magazine article. If building literacy skills and a love of reading is on your family’s New Year’s resolutions list this year, The Reading Ranch can help you achieve each of them. Contact us today.
Get to the Heart of Every Story Teaching Kids to Spot a Book’s Central Message
CAN THEY FIND REPEATED WORDS? While your little learner searches for the main idea, one of the clues is recurring words or phrases. The more a word or term appears in a story, the more likely it is to be related to the core theme. If, for example, your child spots the word “school” repeatedly, the main idea of the text is probably about education or the classroom. As you read together, prompt your child to write down any words or sentences they notice that keep coming up. Ask them if they can tell the main idea by looking at their list of repeated phrases. WHICH SENTENCES ARE IMPORTANT? Authors often use the first and last sentences of paragraphs to introduce or sum up the central themes of the text. First sentences,
For young readers, there’s a lot happening in a book, from multiple characters to more complex concepts. Each story has a main idea, and being able to identify it is a crucial aspect of reading comprehension. As children develop deeper literacy skills, they’ll need to learn how to find the central theme by looking at patterns and relationships within the text. It takes patience, focus, and the ability to distinguish between the main idea and a story’s many other supporting details. WHAT MAKES A MAIN IDEA? A story has two prevailing themes that kids must be able to differentiate: the subject and the main idea. The subject is the general topic, and the main idea represents the author’s point or specific message about the subject.
or topic sentences, are a way to clue the reader into what’s next and hint at the main message. Have your child pay extra attention to these sentences, asking them to reread each. Talk about any patterns or topics those sentences focus on to see if your child can determine what the author wants them to know most. Finding the main idea of a book is an essential use of reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. At The Reading Ranch, we know how to help children spot the central theme of a story, enabling them to engage with books even more meaningfully. Contact us to learn more about how we can help.
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214.449.1406
No matter what station of life someone is in, they deserve to feel safe. Of course, physical safety is always paramount, but what about emotional safety? In our often busy and complex lives, ensuring our loved ones feel safe on the inside can be overlooked. This is especially true if you’re a working parent, juggling obligations to your young ones and your own sense of stability and peace of mind. Here are two quick but valuable tips for making the journey emotionally safer for you and them. NOT EVERY PROBLEM REQUIRES A SOLUTION. We’ve all had days when we need to vent to someone close to us. While the recipient of our woes may immediately start suggesting ways to solve the problem, all we really want is for someone to hear and understand us. It’s the same with children, who sometimes just crave the security of someone who listens to them. In these instances, saying, “Wow, you’ve had a tough day,” may be more helpful than proclaiming, “Here’s what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it.” Of course, adding something that elicits a smile or chuckle from a stressed child never hurts. Above all, be sure to validate their emotions. Even if their negative situation seems minuscule by adult standards, acknowledging it may still mean the world to them in that moment. CALM CAN BE FOUND IN CHAOS. It’s a Monday morning. Everyone is running late, the toast is burnt, a glass of orange juice has just spilled all over the kitchen table, and your little ones are talking a mile a minute. While these moments may make you want to shout on the inside, keeping a calm, gentle demeanor outside will help reduce tension for your kids before they head off to school and set a strong example of how to react under pressure. Frustrating situations are inevitable, but how we respond to them is our choice. The Power of Hearing in Healing How to Model Confident Care for Kids
This delicious dish will help make your home the go-to destination for Taco Tuesday! Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
INGREDIENTS • 3 dried guajillo chiles • 2 dried ancho chiles • 1 medium onion, chopped • 4 garlic cloves • 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes • 3 lbs beef chuck roast • 2 cups beef broth • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp dried oregano • 2 tsp ground cumin • 2 bay leaves • 1 tsp salt • Pepper, to taste • Corn tortillas • Fresh cilantro and diced onion for garnish
DIRECTIONS 1. Soak dried chiles in hot water for 15 minutes. 2. Process chiles, onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a blender until smooth. 3. Place beef in a slow cooker and pour the chili mixture over it. 4. Add beef broth, vinegar, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. 5. Cook on low for 8–10 hours or until the beef is tender. 6. Shred the beef using forks, then mix back into the sauce. 7. Fry tortillas in oil until crispy, then assemble tacos as desired.
Inspired by SimpleWhisk.com
By remaining calm and showing compassion even in challenging times, we comfort our children as much as we show them how to comfort themselves.
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6991 Pecan St., Suite 200 Frisco, TX 75034
214.449.1406
Pre-k - 6th Grade
Literacy & Tutorial Centers
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Locations 9705 Tehama Ridge Pkwy. Suite 151 Fort Worth, TX 76177 771 East Southlake Blvd. Suites 99 & 102
6851 Warren Pkwy. Suite 203 Frisco, TX 75034 101 West McDermott Dr. Allen, TX 75013 5881 Virginia Pkwy. Suite 450 McKinney, TX 75071 670 N Preston Rd. Prosper, TX 75078 701 N Preston Rd. #200 Celina, TX 75009 3115 West Parker Rd. Suite 210 Plano, TX 75023
Southlake, TX 76092 580 S Denton Tap Rd. Suite 220 Coppell, TX 75019 5925 Forest Ln. Suite 130 Dallas, TX 75230 111 Dallas St. Argyle, TX 76226 6991 Pecan St. Suite 200 Frisco, TX 75034
Turn Your Children Into Vacation Planners Junior Jetsetters
Have you ever wondered what your family vacation would look like if you let your kids be the travel agents? If you let your children plan the itinerary, your next trip could be filled with whimsical detours, playful stops, and unexpected destinations. Getting your little adventurers in on the fun not only takes tasks off your to-do list, but it also ensures everyone gets to leave their mark on these cherished memories. From assigning them vacation jobs to letting each child run the show for a day, you have many fun ways to give your kiddos an active role on your next big trip. BON VOYAGE TO BOREDOM When your kids plan portions of your trips, it ensures you visit unique places you may not have ever thought of as an adult. Not only does it keep your adventure interesting, but it also gives everyone in your family a chance to feel seen and valued. Parents and teen children
usually have the bulk of responsibilities and decision-making on a trip, and this is a way to get the little ones involved. Everyone gets a say and an equal chance to do the activities they want to. Beyond the trip, it will help your children learn to travel in a group, compromise, prioritize, and make hard decisions. DESTINATION DETECTIVES Obviously, your 4-year-old can’t run the entire trip on their own, and the adults should also have some fun. So, get the kids involved in planning age-appropriate activities, and keep things equal in several ways. Let them play destination detective by researching where you’re going through books, videos, and kid-friendly websites. This will help them pick places they want to see and encourage them to learn about new destinations. If they are younger or have too many ideas, help them narrow the options. You could also assign
everyone a vacation job, like having one child responsible for choosing restaurants and another for picking out photo ops. Before you hit the road for your next family vacation, let your kids make the map and set a course for giggles and magical memories.
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