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 […]
Do you have kids in your classroom (or at home) who are learning letter-sounds and segmenting their words, but once they try and attack an unknown word, things fall apart? Do you have kids who can’t get past the first or second sound of a word?If you’ve got kids with blending problems, you’re in the right […]
Do you ever stop and think…why do so many reading programs encourage us to teach reading sub-skills in isolated instruction? When you integrate early reading steps simultaneously into the context of words, it saves a lot of time and reduces your anxiety as the teacher. Because let’s be honest, teaching dozens of reading sub-skills to early […]
What if I told you there was a 3-part lesson plan that not only works for developing readers but works for first-graders straight through to struggling high school readers? How amazing would that be? Well, you can stop dreaming because, in this blog post, I share a 3-part lesson plan that moves the needle along for almost […]