<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Willsen Learning]]></title><description><![CDATA[Access online literacy and language tutoring services offered by a certified teacher. ]]></description><link>https://www.willsenlearning.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 18:05:01 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.willsenlearning.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Five-Minute Friday: Same Word Showdown]]></title><description><![CDATA[One word. Multiple meanings. 5 minutes of laughter. This week's Five-Minute Friday turns vocabulary into a family game that works just about anywhere. Play it around the dinner table, on a road trip, while waiting at a restaurant, or during a rainy afternoon at home. As always, no prep required. Why Play? Strong readers don't memorize every word's definition. Instead, they use context to figure out which meaning makes sense. Think about the word right. "You're right!" means correct. "Turn...]]></description><link>https://www.willsenlearning.com/post/five-minute-friday-same-word-showdown</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a696affb324e194e0f40917</guid><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 23:00:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c58368_d597efee4c8441b185d9ef96068bc0e2~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_632,h_948,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Nicole Willsen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Six Screen-Free Road Trip Games That Build Literacy (Without Feeling Like School)]]></title><description><![CDATA[Summer road trips have a funny way of creating some of our favorite family memories. Somewhere between the snack wrappers, bathroom breaks, and “Are we there yet?” conversations, kids are doing something incredibly important: they’re talking. And that’s exactly where literacy grows. Reading doesn’t begin and end with books. Strong readers are also strong thinkers, storytellers, listeners, and communicators. The best part? You can build those skills without packing a single worksheet. Here are...]]></description><link>https://www.willsenlearning.com/post/six-screen-free-road-trip-games-that-build-literacy-without-feeling-like-school</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a5afb24e447e3bde5861c39</guid><pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 2026 04:11:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c58368_548fd7da39744c41881ef0f065ae2d23~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Nicole Willsen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Your Child Doesn't Hate Reading. They Haven't Found Their Genre Yet.]]></title><description><![CDATA[I've met very few students who truly hated reading. Most simply hadn't found the right book yet. They didn't hate reading. They hated what they had been asked to read. Imagine being handed a random novel and told, "If you don't enjoy this, you must not like reading."  Just like adults, kids have different tastes in books. The key is helping them discover stories or topics that genuinely spark their interest. Every Reader Is Different Reading isn't one-size-fits-all. Some kids love solving...]]></description><link>https://www.willsenlearning.com/post/your-child-doesn-t-hate-reading-they-haven-t-found-their-genre-yet</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a468a2e258f25aaabae3aed</guid><pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c58368_7bec9d96b97648b587add188da97d160~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Nicole Willsen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Five-Minute Literacy: 5 Questions That Build Reading Skills (Without Opening a Book)]]></title><description><![CDATA[What if one of the best reading lessons of the week happened on the couch instead of at the kitchen table? Family movie night isn't just entertainment. Every story gives children a chance to predict, analyze, make connections, and explain their thinking. Those are the same skills strong readers use every day. The difference? It doesn't feel like homework. As an English teacher, I ask my students these kinds of questions after we read a chapter. At home, they simply become conversations. One...]]></description><link>https://www.willsenlearning.com/post/five-minute-literacy-5-questions-that-build-reading-skills-without-opening-a-book</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a469146cf7a7df09d17f8a9</guid><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:44:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c58368_30592a7625f447bba9be9b2546ced778~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Nicole Willsen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Summer Reading Recommendations for Students]]></title><description><![CDATA[Looking for your next great read? I've put together a list of favorite books for middle school students, high school students, and adults, featuring mysteries, historical fiction, fantasy, memoirs, thrillers, and more.

Whether you're reading by the pool, at the beach, or on the couch with the AC blasting, there's something here for every reader.]]></description><link>https://www.willsenlearning.com/post/top-summer-reading-picks-to-enjoy-under-the-sun</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3ae3fb8955009f722a13f8</guid><pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2026 19:57:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c58368_49aea0e2e5b14d7a8002916fa69d7d47~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Nicole Willsen</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>