Why can’t my students blend sounds into words? This was a question that I asked myself very often. You see, I had a student stuck in what I call the Blending Black Hole. Every. Single. Word. Took. An. Eternity. C… a… t… She’d look at me, eyes pleading, “Can I
If you’ve ever listened to a student carefully say each sound in a word, only to guess the word anyway, you already know the following information……decoding isn’t about exposure. It’s about structure. Short vowel word chains are one of the best ways to help students move from knowing sounds to
Blending is one of the most important early reading skills—and one that many young learners struggle to master. In this post, you’ll discover
research-backed strategies for teaching blending with confidence. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, interventionist, or parent, these tips will help your students move from choppy, sound-by-sound reading to fluent, confident decoding.
Learning to read is a puzzle with many pieces. When it comes to the science of reading, Scarborough’s Reading Rope acts as a map, helping us navigate through the different aspects of reading and how they connect. Scarborough’s model helps teachers understand how reading development occurs when decoding words or
The journey to becoming a confident reader starts well before children can sound out their first word. Print awareness, the foundation of literacy development, lays the groundwork for a lifetime of exploration through written language. The stronger a child’s grasp of concepts of print, the smoother their transition into reading
I graduated from college and prepared myself to storm the gates of the teaching world. Once the door to my classroom closed behind me, I faced a classroom filled with diverse learners, each with unique learning needs. I had a few struggling readers, and that number has grown exponentially over
Phonics is the key that unlocks the door to reading proficiency, making it an essential element in literacy education. In this post, we’ll dive into the science-backed principles of phonics, the power of explicit instruction, and the strategic planning needed to build a strong foundation. Plus, we’ll share practical tips
Our thoughts about teaching sight words have shifted from how things used to be. The infamous word walls are out, and the Science of Reading and its role in understanding sight words are in. In teaching young minds to read and write, understanding the science behind it is paramount. We’ll
“The Science of Reading” isn’t just a trendy phrase in education; it’s the key to unlocking the doors to proficient reading. It’s not a curriculum or just an educational philosophy but a collection of meticulously researched insights into how reading works. In a world where reading skills are critical, understanding
If you’ve ever felt a bit overwhelmed by all the different terms and ideas related to teaching reading, you’re definitely not alone. Today, we will explore two important terms: phonemes and graphemes. Reading can sometimes be tricky, and words like “phoneme” and “grapheme” might seem similar at first, but they
Learn how to create positive literacy experiences right from the start!
