This year Prime Day runs for 48 hours from October 8-9. It’s their second biggest sale of the year and I always take advantage. But you do have to be a Prime member to get these special prices so if you’re not, then sign up already! Click here to try it out free for 30 days…
Halloween books are popular during the month of October, and Halloween read-alouds are a great tool for teachers and parents. When I was teaching, Halloween was a favorite holiday for most of my students. Students would start talking about Halloween in September and it lasted all through October. And the week of Halloween was always…
One of the most comment questions or concerns I see is teachers and parents worrying about how to teach the 44 phonemes. After years of focusing on the 26 letters, what do we do with this info about 44 phonemes? And how does this fit into our literacy lessons? In this post, I explain what…
Creating an effective learning environment for struggling readers, especially those with dyslexia, can be challenging. One powerful strategy to support these learners is setting up a heart words center. This specialized area focuses on teaching high-frequency words that don’t follow regular phonetic patterns. These words are often referred to as heart words because students need…
Teaching cursive in the digital age might seem like a pointless task, but learning cursive writing can still prove to be a valuable skill. It also provides benefits supported by research that improve reading and writing. In this article, I share the benefits of teaching cursive, especially for those with dyslexia, some tips to help…
Whether it’s the beginning of the school year and you need to perform reading assessments, you’re working with a new student one-on-one, or you’re checking progress mid-year, there are a variety of reading assessments you can choose from to inform your instruction. In this post, I’m sharing my top picks for reading assessments that evaluate…
Before kids can learn to read, they need to understand how print works. Print concepts are the basic rules that show how books and written language function. These early skills help children make sense of text and build a strong foundation for reading success. As a parent or teacher, you play a big role in…
Do you remember using reading logs as a kid? I remember having them throughout elementary and middle school. And as a teacher, most schools have required me to assign reading logs to my students. But as I have learned more about reading and best practices (based on research), I have learned that they are not…
Summer is the perfect time for children to relax and take a break from the rigors of school. However, it’s also essential that they continue to engage in educational activities to prevent the “summer slide” – a decline in reading ability and academic skills during the summer months. One effective and enjoyable way to accomplish…