I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again – decodable texts matter! Decodable texts focus on a specific part of the phonic code. They teach kids to blend as they read, rather than merely throwing out a random guess to get the word right. Decodable texts are important because they help kids learn phonics within […]
Did you know that one of the key elements we need to provide our beginning or struggling readers is a strong text selection? What we use to read with our students makes a heap of difference, and yet the importance of decodable texts is often overlooked. In this blog post, we investigate why decodable texts matter and […]
Vocabulary is key when it comes to expressing yourself clearly and communicating with clarity. You need an extensive vocabulary to improve comprehension and all areas of communication from speaking to reading, listening and writing. Research has shown that kids need to know 50,000 word families by the end of 12th grade. To reach this milestone, they […]
Did you know that–after students become fluent in recognizing words–the main difference between a good reader and a poor reader is almost always their vocabulary knowledge? Teaching our kids to recognize how to read words is only the first hurdle. The next step is to get them to learn the meanings of hundreds, no thousands of […]
Do you focus so much on the weaker readers in your classroom that you’re not sure what you should be doing with the really strong readers? I have a simple answer to that question, and that is to READ WIDELY. If you’ve got gifted readers, you’ve got to nourish their love of reading to help them progress […]
Are you concerned that you’re spending so much time planning and teaching weaker readers that the higher-level readers aren’t getting enough from you? We’ve all been there. But there’s no need to feel guilty because in this blog post, I’m going to reveal the #1 goal for advanced readers. AND, how you can accomplish this goal! (To watch […]
We talk about beginners and struggling readers a lot here on Reading Simplified. But not all kids struggle to get the code. Some readers accelerate faster than other members of the classroom, and it’s important to support this rapid growth so that they can become even better readers. We need to think about our readers and the stage they’re currently […]
Researchers have noticed that teachers across the board (and the world) from pre-service teachers to highly experienced teachers lack knowledge in fundamental early reading skills about things like phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge. Most of these teachers don’t even realize they lack in this area. But if they were to get a little booster (say, around […]
I’m very excited to introduce you all to Kelli Wise, the mastermind behind the “Chalk Full of Life” podcast. Kelli is an inspiring woman who coaches teachers to live a more balanced life and regain peace, joy, and fulfillment as teachers. In my interview with her, we talk about how you can develop new after-school routines […]
Here’s a Treat for you, Dear Teacher!Can’t deliver candy to you on this Halloween, but I give you the next best thing…a Halloween activity page. AND, one that will help make your readers smarter.Now, that’s Sweet! Enjoy this 1-page Sort It worksheet (below). Sort It is our #1 streamlined tool for helping all beginning and struggling […]