Phonics and phonological awareness are both essential for reading success, so it's important that students learn both. Although the terms are commonly mixed up, they are not not interchangeable. In this post, we'll dive into phonics vs phonological awareness to better understand the differences between the two and why both are essential in your literacy lessons. Phonics vs Phonological ... Read More about Phonics vs Phonological Awareness: What’s the Difference?
How to Teach Spelling Using 3 Powerful Multisensory Spelling Strategies
Okay friends, I'm about to let you in on the secret sauce of spelling. You ready? Multisensory spelling strategies are a GAME CHANGER! Spelling can be one of the most challenging skills to teach and learn as it requires students to effectively integrate multiple subskills simultaneously from segmenting sounds and syllables in words to representing individual sounds with printed letters to ... Read More about How to Teach Spelling Using 3 Powerful Multisensory Spelling Strategies
How to Teach Phonics Effectively in 4 Simple Steps
When I became a teacher, I didn't know how to teach phonics. Sure, I knew the big picture of teaching students to decode starting at the word-level. But I didn't know how to teach phonics in a systematic way. And I know I'm not alone in this. While the science of reading is finally reaching legislation in many states, it is slow to trickle into teacher preparation programs. Many teachers (myself ... Read More about How to Teach Phonics Effectively in 4 Simple Steps
3 Mistakes Teachers Make with Letter Sound Posters
Are you making one of these 3 mistakes with letter sound posters in your classroom? Letter sound posters can be valuable teaching tools in your classroom when used the right way. I'll tell you how to avoid the 3 most common mistakes I see teachers make when using letter sound posters in the classroom. But before we dive in, let's start with the basics. What are Letter Sound Posters? A letter ... Read More about 3 Mistakes Teachers Make with Letter Sound Posters
How to Assess Students’ Prior Knowledge in 4 Easy Steps
How do you know if your students are ready to learn a new concept or skill? How do you know if your students have the prerequisite skills and prior knowledge of the topic they need before starting a new unit? In the return to in-person instruction, getting to know your students' prior knowledge is more important than ever. Students may come to the classroom with gaps in their learning or poorly ... Read More about How to Assess Students’ Prior Knowledge in 4 Easy Steps
Top 10 Best Summer Picture Books
I've rounded-up the best summer picture books and created a Summer Reading Kit with popsicle story sticks to make reading a blast this summer! How many books on this list have you read? What are your favorite summer picture books? Would you add anything to this list? Top 10 Best Summer Picture Books #1: Flotsam by David Wiesner In this magical wordless story, a young boy finds an ... Read More about Top 10 Best Summer Picture Books