Where creativity & learning collide.
Teaching reading with a balanced literacy approach is the perfect combination between whole language and phonics. In a balanced literacy program, students see reading modeled, share in the reading with the teacher, are coached in reading, practice independently, and are actively engaged in word study. These blog posts are here to help you navigate your way through implementing a balanced literacy program in your classroom.
When things went bananas last year and we were thrown into distance learning, I was excited to figure out how to launch virtual guided reading groups. I had tons and tons of teachers just like you asking for my help in figuring how to do virtual guided reading to keep moving readers forward. Just likeMore
One of the reading comprehension strategies that I love teaching is making inferences. What I’ve learned from being in the classroom (and from my own kiddos) is that kids already make inferences all day long. We just have to bring this abstract idea into a more concrete concept that they can practice in reading. ForMore
Have you ever read a book, turned the page and saw the picture, and thought “That’s not at all what I was picturing in my mind?” This has happened to me so many times! That’s visualizing. When you use the words in a story or book to make a picture in your mind, you areMore
The third Monday of February marks Presidents’ Day. I always have good intentions to celebrate and teach my students about this national holiday, but if I’m not careful, it can slip by! Planning my Presidents’ Day activities and lesson plans ahead of time makes such a big difference! When I’m thoughtful and intentional, I canMore
One of my favorite times of the day in the classroom was when we had our interactive read aloud! I loved having my students close to me on the carpet, their eyes and minds focused on the book we were reading. I loved picking out a book with vivid pictures and characters I thought theyMore
When it comes to guided reading groups, the number one question most teachers have is, “What about the other kids?” As the classroom has changed drastically recently, teaching a guided reading lesson has become even trickier because oftentimes the other kids just log off and have no reading practice happening. As I reflected back onMore
With the holidays near, I always found myself enjoying read alouds in the classroom more than ever. Even now, I find myself enjoying Christmas read alouds with my kids at home more often. There is just something warm, cozy, and inviting about enjoying a book together. Not to mention, all of the benefits and powerMore
As the winter months are approaching, classroom instruction can feel crazier and crazier. The kids are always so excited during this season, and I think we could all use some winter magic this year. As you are continuing your guided reading instruction or any small group instruction, the need for engaging December center activities holdsMore
Have you ever found yourself using a system, but not really knowing why? Maybe you are using it because someone introduced you to it and you just rolled with it. Maybe you have found yourself using it because you knew there was a purpose but weren’t sure what it was. I know I have beenMore
One thing that is sure to bring a smile to a kid’s face is an enjoyable read aloud. No matter the season and topic there are always great books we can use to build background knowledge, set the stage, and model attributes of good readers. During the fall, I always pull out my favorite ThanksgivingMore
Think about one of your favorite books – what kept you engaged to keep reading? If you’re like me, it’s likely that you wanted to find out what was going to happen next. I get invested in the characters, come up with what’s going to happen, and keep reading to find out. Sometimes I can’tMore
When you finally have all of your data, your guided reading groups formed, and your materials gathered, you may think you are ready for guided reading. There is just one problem. You need activities for literacy centers. And you don’t just need any kind of literacy center activity. You need something that is meaningful, alignedMore
Virtual balanced literacy may look different than it did in your classroom, but it still has the same benefits for your students. Balanced literacy with all of its components can fit into the virtual classroom. From guided reading to shared reading to independent reading to interactive read alouds, they can all be done. I putMore
I search my students’ faces until I see it – that lightbulb moment when they’ve grasped another reading comprehension strategy. That moment when sweet “Jane” understood why making connections to our books help her grow as a reader. Simple making connections activities and strong read alouds helped her blossom as a reader. These are theMore
One aspect of in-person learning that is a little challenging to recreate while distance learning is small groups. For guided reading, this is critical. If your district won’t let you use Zoom, there is a way to create breakout rooms on Google Meet. You might be wondering, “Why do I need breakout rooms for smallMore
What do you think of when you think of emergent readers? Do you think of a bonus activity to just send home for students to have? An inside-recess coloring activity? Maybe even something you don’t have time for? Friends, if you fall into any of these categories, or are just unsure of how to useMore
One of my favorite parts of the day in the classroom was interactive read alouds. When it comes to interactive virtual read alouds during distance learning, the benefits will still be the same. Students get to experience an engaging, rich text that is age-appropriate on their listening level. You get to model how to thinkMore
One of the balanced literacy components my students always loved was shared reading. They loved getting to read fun poems, read big books, and sing songs. I loved the opportunity to model fluent reading and how to think like a reader. As distance learning for many is beginning this fall, I wanted to take aMore
