Time-saving Educational resources for K-2 Teachers
Your first small group reading session is going to set the tone for the whole school year. So, it’s important to keep a few things in mind as you plan it! If you’re wondering exactly what I do the first time I meet with my small groups for reading, get ready for a peek inside my classroom! P.S. If you… Read More
Whether you call it VCE, Magic E, or Silent E rule, it’s a phonics rule that makes a huge impact on decoding. It opens up SO many more words to decode for students used to reading simple CVC words. It’s also my favorite phonics rule to teach! In this post, I’ll explain what the Silent E rule is, an engaging… Read More
I love cheese and I love salsa both on their own. Yum, yum, yum. BUT… when you put them together and make queso, it’s a match made in heaven! The cheese and the salsa come together to make something even better together than they are on their own! That reminds me of digraphs! You take two things, put them together,… Read More
This is part 2 in a two-part series. To find the first seven activities, check out:14 FUN AND ENGAGING PHONICS ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS (PART 1)! In my last post, I shared with you seven fun and engaging phonics activities for young learners. Well, today, I’ve got seven more activities to share with you! We know phonics is one of… Read More
Ahhhh phonics. One of the keys to helping our young learners read is understanding phonics. The National Reading Panel lists five key concepts at the core of early literacy and reading instruction: And there’s phonics… right at the top! Since phonics is so important to learning to read, it’s also important to make phonics fun! When learning activities are fun,… Read More
The Science of Reading is like a recipe for success in literacy. And just like a recipe, it requires multiple ingredients to make it work. Phonics is an important ingredient, but it’s not the only one. We also need to make sure we are teaching our students comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and writing to help our students become proficient readers! One… Read More
If you’re anything like me and LOVE watching true crime documentaries, you may have noticed how far science and technology have come in the last 30 years. With DNA, GPS, and cameras everywhere, it’s amazing people still do some of the crazy stuff I see on TV! Just as the world of investigation has completely changed in the past 50 years, the… Read More
Using read-alouds to practice phonological awareness activities is a great way to motivate your little learners while exposing them to lots of important skills. Here are some great picture books for teaching phonological awareness and phonics. I also added ideas for activities to do with most books! *You can click on any title to purchase the books via Amazon. These… Read More
Did you know that phonemic awareness is one of the best predictors of reading success? And even though it can be “done in the dark,” that doesn’t mean it has to. It’s so important to make sure our students get enough practice with phonemic awareness along with phonics instruction. Here are some important things to know about phonemic and phonological awareness!
“C-a-t. . . . MAP!” Ever have students who do that? Even when students know letter sounds, they may still have trouble reading because they don’t blend the sounds correctly. The likely cause is a lack of phonological or phonemic awareness. Phonological, Phonemic: What’s the Difference? First things first, phonological awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate sounds… Read More