Sound walls are a great change that many teachers are making in their literacy classrooms. Why? Sound walls are a great visual for students of how phonemes and letters or letter patterns are used to write words. Giving each student their own personal sound wall is a valuable tool in the classroom. Let’s dive into […]
Have you heard the chant “when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking”? It is commonly used to help teach vowel teams. I remember teaching my students this refrain during reading small groups. A few of my students were struggling with words like peach, read, and pie. I don’t remember where I […]
There are so many different tools and resources to use in your reading small groups that help your students with their reading skills. One of my favorite tools is using reading comprehension passages with questions to help my students work on their comprehension skills. Let’s chat about reading comprehension passages with questions and how to […]
An easy to follow guide for teaching open and closed syllables. Recently, my friend’s daughter was reading on the couch as she was prepping dinner in the kitchen. She came and asked, “Mommy, what does the word “cat er” mean?” I didn’t understand what she was asking so I asked her to repeat the word. […]
See my 4 must-have science of reading small group materials in the post below. Do you have favorite tools for baking? Or maybe favorite tools for a sport? I love to bake and have some that definitely make baking a lot easier. I love using my KitchenAid mixer when baking. It is so nice to […]
Read this post to get 7 must-try alphabet activities for kindergarten and 1st grade! I don’t think I realized how much learning occurs with the alphabet until after my third year of teaching. I don’t remember doing a lot of alphabet activities in my elementary years other than saying the alphabet. That was the knowledge […]
It’s September and school has settled in, your routines are becoming solidified, and it air starts to get cooler. I truly love to welcome September into the classroom because the pace of our day seems to find its rhythm, especially with fall read alouds. We are busy with centers as we get ready for reading […]
As a teacher, I know you’re dedicated to fostering strong reading skills in your students. As things have been shifting and changing with the science of reading small group instruction and research in mind for several years now, it can feel like we are throwing the baby out with the bathwater at times. Leveled Books? […]
Alphabet arcs…you’ve probably seen them if you are a primary teacher. But do you know how to use them? Do you know why so many people think they are a valuable tool? I remember during my first year of teaching, a had a small group set of alphabet arcs. But I really didn’t know how […]
When it comes to the science of reading research, many teachers are probably familiar with it and the gist of what it means. But what about what that looks like in your classroom? What does bringing the science of reading research to your classroom and applying it actually look like? If you have questions like […]
**Don’t forget to grab the FREE word work tool I have you in this post! When it comes to work work, how prepared do you feel? I don’t know about you, but I felt like when my students and I had everything we needed for word work time (whether it was a whole group lesson, […]
As dedicated teachers, we understand the importance of tailoring our teaching strategies to meet the needs of each student. When it comes to phonics lessons, finding ways to differentiate phonics instruction plays a crucial role. It helps us ensure that we are reaching all readers and they have a strong phonics foundation. Whether you’re working […]
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 understand syntax. They don’t know all the grammar rules yet […]
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 for […]
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 reading groups and structured literacy. But what do we need to include in our literacy block each day? Today on the […]
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 […]
