Saul is the 5 year old I tutor.  Most of what we do is read lists of words, and some of the conversations that arise from these words – well, they are classic Saul.   Nice to his Mama  “. . . speedy, salty, mushy, needy . . . what’s needy?” “Needy is when you need something, like people who are hungry need food, and people who are sick need to get well.” “When my mom is sick, I give her an apple, and a banana, and a sandwich, and a hot sopa, and a beeeeyooootiful colored painting.”   A Little Bit Paranoid “ . . . pig, sheep, bear…

From the kid I tutor, during yesterday’s session.  We are reading through word lists to practice reading, and sometimes his free association comments are true gems:   " . . . Slave. Save. Safe.  Hey, that’s like, Phew, I’m safe from the sharks." "Right." "Like, when I say I’m safe from the sharks, it’s just playing and it’s fun.  But when the squids say it, it’s for real and it’s scary."   " . . . Strike.  Like.  Lick.  That’s like, I could lick your face!" "Right, Saul, but that would be gross because my face might be dirty.  It’s more like, Hey, I could lick an ice cream cone!" "Yeah, ice…