Creating effective reading fluency centers can be a game-changer for improving students’ reading skills. These centers provide engaging, targeted practice that builds speed, accuracy, and expression while fostering independence. From fluency grids and partner reading to timed repeated readings and fun activities like Reader’s Theater, there are countless options to support your students. Reading fluency…
Setting up effective reading groups can transform your classroom by providing targeted instruction that meets your students’ unique needs. However, getting started can feel overwhelming. This guide will walk you through each step, from assessing your students’ skills to planning engaging lessons and monitoring progress. By focusing on skill-based grouping aligned with the science of…
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…