My two-year-old son asked me in the store, “Mommy, has I this new toy?” I responded, “Can you have this new toy?” “Yes,” he said. This is a funny story that happened to me, but it happens all the time with young children. They don’t know all the grammar rules yet or how to correctly […]
Teachers play a vital role in setting a strong foundation for their academic success. One of the key areas that significantly impacts a student’s reading journey is vocabulary development. By understanding the science of reading, we can use effective vocabulary activities and strategies to enhance vocabulary instruction in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade classrooms. […]
When I was in the classroom, I always wanted to help meet each student where they were and move them forward in reading and writing. We all do, right? But there is so much to get done in one school day. It often feels like there’s too much to do and not enough time. I […]
We know things are changing with our small group instruction, just as they have changed with our literacy instruction. And it’s a good thing, friends! There is so much good information out there about structured literacy. But what do we need to include in our literacy block each day? Today on the blog we are […]
It seems like the word Structured Literacy is everywhere. But what does it actually mean? If you’re a balanced literacy teacher and want to start making the switch, but aren’t sure how, you’re in the right place! Structured Literacy can be a powerful approach to teaching reading and writing. Here’s the thing…it is true that […]
When you hear the words “differentiating literacy centers”, how do you feel? Do you start thinking about how overwhelming the idea is? Do you think of how daunting the task may seem? Or maybe you’re not really sure what that looks like in the classroom and how to get started. Literacy centers are a valuable […]
One area lots of teachers across America have been focusing on is implementing a science-based approach to reading. But what about the importance of spelling and writing? How exactly do reading and writing and spelling all tie together? Teacher friend, if you’ve been starting to wonder about what we can gather from our students’ spelling […]
While the month of April may not feel as packed with fun holidays as some months, there are still a lot of holidays and themes we can bring into the classroom to integrate into science and social studies. There’s spring, Earth Day, and Easter (even if it’s in the form of bunnies and chicks). One […]
Learn how to use a science-based approach to teaching high-frequency words called “heart words”. Early in my teaching career, I can remember telling parents to practice high-frequency words at home. I told them to make flashcards and practice, practice, practice. I often explained that these words had “tricky parts” in them and that some of […]
Have you ever had students who struggle to read words with blends or complete activities for blends? Maybe they read “bet” for best or “cab” for crab? This is very common for beginning readers! If you have students who know their letters and sounds and can blend and segment CVC words, they may be ready […]
No matter what grade you teach in elementary, helping students develop strong social-emotional skills is always a part of your unspoken curriculum. Helping our young students grow into confident, kind adults can be done in so many different ways. One of my favorite ways to do this is to use books to teach social skills. […]
When it comes to teaching students to learn how to read, there are so many different resources and tools for teachers. One of my favorite tools is a reading passage. You can pack so much teaching and practice into such a short amount of text with reading passages. But which kind should you use – […]
February sure has lots of fun holidays and events to celebrate – Groundhog Day, President’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. The list goes on. But do you know what we can celebrate on February 1st? World Read Aloud Day! World Read Aloud Day is a day to celebrate the power of reading aloud and sharing stories. […]
Interactive read aloud lessons were always one of my favorite times of the day. Not only do you get to gather your students together and help them develop a love for reading and expose them to a variety of books, but you get to help them strengthen their reading skills and strategies to build a […]
If you’re letting go of running records or wondering if they’re the best thing for your readers, but aren’t sure where to start, you are not alone, friend! Many of us have used running records and the MSV three-cueing system in our reading small groups. If you’re like me, I took many running records on […]
Are you looking for books for your January read alouds to help your students develop strong reading comprehension skills? If so, then you’re in luck! The good news is that the month of January easily lends itself to books with great themes. Some of them include winter, the new year, and Martin Luther King, Jr. […]
Use these making predictions activities and lesson plan ideas to help your students develop stronger reading comprehension. When you’re sitting and reading a book aloud to your students, how do you know they’re engaged and listening? How can you tell students are listening to learn and comprehend? One easy way is to find out if […]
If you hang around here often, you know that I love read alouds! Not only do you get to connect with your students and model reading with fluency, you can introduce and reinforce important concepts across all subjects. This includes math! I love using math read alouds to help introduce tricky topics to my students. […]
