One of the primary reasons we teach blends and digraphs is to help students become more fluent readers and writers. When students are able to recognize and decode blends and digraphs, they are better able to read words with accuracy and speed. This, in turn, helps them to comprehend what they are reading more effectively. By introducing blends and digraphs… View Post
Teaching decoding strategies to our students is crucial to their learning to read and finding success. Being able to decode quickly and accurately leads to improved fluency and comprehension too! Decoding strategies help readers to recognize words quickly and efficiently. But this doesn’t happen just by throwing out a bunch of strategies and expecting students to use them. We’ve got… View Post
Weekly phonics assessments are an important part of intervention and student progress. The right assessment evaluates student learning and progress. And just as important, assessments should guide a teacher to what steps to take next to help students succeed! The core phonics assessment system that you give should be quick and simple to use. 5 Ways Phonics Assessment Systems Can… View Post
We are rapidly coming up on the beginning of the school year and that means we need to get a game plan together! As a reading interventionist and specialist, I like to be prepped and prepared for that first day of school. If you are a classroom teacher or have just taken a job as a reading specialist or reading… View Post
Our 4 tips for using magnetic letter trays will hopefully remind you to get those cookie sheets back out and use them again if you haven’t been! And letter trays are NOT just for kindergarten and first grade. 😃 I have used different methods for teaching ABC letter recognition, phonics skills, word activities, etc… and for me letter trays are… View Post
Students rely on fine motor skills for so many activities in school and for everyday life. Some children develop them without problem. But some children for a variety of reasons need our intervention and help as they build and strengthen their fingers, hands and wrist. Having fine motor skills or dexterity means being able to make precise movements using the… View Post
Summer learning loss or as it is sometimes referred to – the dreaded summer slide! What is it and how are we going to prevent it? Summer learning loss is the loss of academic skills that can happen over long vacation times. This can be especially damaging to reading skills that have been gained over the school year. But you… View Post
