Over the last several years as the Science of Reading research has gotten louder and louder, we are learning more and more about how our brains actually learn to read. It’s not as simple as we my have thought. It actually is science. There is real brain work required to teach ourselves how to decode […]
Rhyming is one of the first building blocks of pre-reading because it helps children hear and play with sounds in words before they ever read them on a page. Practicing rhyming can be engaging and easy. Below are five simple and fun rhyming activities that teachers and parents can use to help develop strong early […]
Helping a child learn to read is one of the best gifts you can give them! Reading with your child helps build their language comprehension, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning. There are many simple ways you can help your child in their journey to becoming a strong reader! Let’s chat about some ideas […]
Thanksgiving season is one of the most exciting times of year in the classroom! Between the read alouds, feasts, and gratitude-themed lessons, there are plenty of opportunities to bring creativity and learning together. One of my favorite ways to do that is with this free turkey hat craft! Whether you’re looking for a last-minute Thanksgiving activity, a […]
If you teach early elementary readers, you already know the power of using a decodable text. It’s one of the best tools we have to help students connect phonics skills to real reading. But here’s the thing—decodable text can be used for so much more than just reading small groups (though you all know that’s my favorite)! […]
Once your growing readers have a strong grasp of short and long vowel patterns, the next big hurdle in phonics instruction is r controlled vowels. These tricky sounds can be confusing at first, but with the right teaching sequence and plenty of practice, your students can master them confidently. Let’s walk through what r controlled vowels […]
Literacy centers give students a chance to practice reading and writing skills in a meaningful, independent way. While you’re working with reading small groups, your other students are still engaged in purposeful practice — reading, writing, listening, and working with words. Well-designed literacy center activities help students build independence, reinforce key phonics and reading comprehension […]
You are there! You have finally trained your little learners well in literacy centers, you have gathered the best decodable readers, you know where your kids stand with their phonics skills, and you are *almost* ready to sit down at the small group table. Except one thing–how do you begin the precious time together? Every […]
My friend recently shared this story with me, and I couldn’t help but share it as we discuss background knowledge on the blog! “I was recently reading a book and asked me a question about the word operation. The book was talking about a student who needed to solve a math problem at school and […]
When it comes to creating a classroom where all readers thrive, your reading small group time is one of the most powerful tools in your day. It’s the perfect opportunity to deliver explicit, targeted instruction based on your students’ needs. But if managing this block feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. Between prepping materials, keeping the […]
Teaching phonics rules can sometimes feel like a tricky puzzle—especially when letters like G have more than one sound–hard g soft g. As teachers, we know that helping our students become strong, confident readers means having solid phonics instruction. But what about when we, ourselves, didn’t have a strong phonics foundation? Making sense of those […]
As elementary teachers, we know how hard our students work all year long to grow as readers. We celebrate their progress and feel proud of how far they’ve come. But then summer hits—and we’ve all seen how easily that progress can slide if students aren’t regularly engaging with engaging summer reading activities. Here’s the good […]
The end of the school year can feel like a roller coaster—fun, wild, and just a little chaotic. Excitement is high, schedules get weird, and students are feeling all the feelings. That’s why having solid end of year classroom management strategies in place is key to finishing strong without losing your sanity. Today the team and I are […]
Now that the dust has settled on those new reading curriculums, many teachers are starting to notice something. There are still reading gaps. After all the challenges of teaching through Covid—and now with a shiny new curriculum in many of your hands—it’s clear that some of our students still need more support. Even with great […]
Assessing reading comprehension in kindergarten through second grade is crucial for understanding student progress and guiding instruction. By using a mix of informal and formal assessments, teachers can gather valuable insights into students’ understanding while keeping the process engaging and stress-free. In this post, we’ll explore different types of reading comprehension assessments and how to use them […]
St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th every year! It’s the perfect time to grab a St. Patrick’s Day read aloud for your classroom. There are many read alouds that are great to help teach about the holiday and students are sure to be engaged as they listen to silly stories of leprechauns, non fiction books […]
Read aloud lessons with read aloud strategies are one of the most magical moments in a classroom. They allow teachers to model fluency, introduce new vocabulary, and model the pure joy of reading rich stories. However, keeping little learners engaged during read alouds can sometimes feel like herding cats, especially in this tech world with […]
There’s just something magical about snow activities for kids! The way it seems to just appear on the ground when we awake, the soft blanket we can jump in, and so many more aspects that make it seem magical! We don’t get a lot of snow in Texas, but when we do the kids’ faces […]
