Posts in Learning Strategies

  If you’ve ever been faced with teaching a child to read, you’ve probably found yourself asking “What is phonics and how the heck do I teach it?” Let’s explore how to effectively teach this crucial skill through transformative literacy routines that emphasize kinesthetic learning and engage students in the fascinating world of reading and […]

Handwriting practice remains significant in today’s modern world, where keyboards and touchscreens have become ubiquitous in our daily interactions. It might appear that the traditional art of handwriting is losing its importance, but as teachers, we must not underestimate its value. Handwriting practice goes beyond simply developing legible penmanship; it plays a pivotal role in […]

  Digraphs play a vital role in developing strong reading abilities. They are the key to expanding vocabulary, improving reading fluency, and mastering accurate spelling. However, digraphs can pose significant challenges for both students and teachers. For students, learning digraphs can be difficult due to the unique nature of these letter combinations. For teachers, the […]

Reading strategies are crucial to empower individuals to access information, explore new ideas, and engage with the world around them. To become proficient readers, students need more than just the ability to decode words; they require a range of strategies that help them navigate texts, comprehend meaning, and extract valuable information. In this article, we […]

Differentiated instruction is the key to helping students become successful readers and lifelong learners. Teaching literacy to young students is a crucial task that lays the foundation for their lifelong learning. However, not all students learn at the same pace or have the same strengths and weaknesses. This is where differentiation comes into play.  Differentiated […]

Phonics instruction is one of the crucial components of a child’s educational journey. Phonics teaches children the relationship between letters and sounds, enabling them to decode and comprehend written words. With numerous literacy curricula available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming.  When choosing a literacy, look for a defined scope & sequence, explicit teaching […]

Phonological awareness is an essential early literacy skill that children need to develop before they can learn to read. It involves the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of language, which includes recognizing and producing rhymes, breaking words into syllables, and identifying individual sounds within words.  Phonological awareness is critical for developing reading and […]

Reading strategies for struggling readers is a hot topic.One of the biggest questions we hear from teachers is “How do I help struggling readers in my class?” It is difficult to juggle a class full of students at varying literacy levels, and many literacy curricula aren’t developed with the flexibility to allow teachers to adjust. […]

Ever wonder what the missing ingredient is to your classroom management? As teachers, we all have our strengths and our growing edges. We all have the drive to improve and offer the best educational opportunities that we can to our students- otherwise, you wouldn’t be spending your precious time reading and thinking about your professional […]

When it comes to teaching reading, there are many different methods and approaches that educators can use. However, in recent years, there has been a growing recognition that structured literacy is the most effective way to teach reading to students of all ages and abilities. Let’s explore how to teach structured literacy through evidence-based, inclusive, […]