Building Phonemic Awareness: Segmenting Sounds
Segmenting phonemes is an essential component of early literacy instruction. Segmenting phonemes refers to the process of breaking down spoken words into their individual sound units or phonemes. The science…
Building Phonemic Awareness: Blending Sounds
Blending phonemes is an essential component of early literacy instruction. Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in words, and blending phonemes is the process of combining those sounds to…
Building Phonemic Awareness: Isolating Sounds
In order to learn to read, students must have a balance between language comprehension and word recognition. Reading is about reading the word AND understanding its meaning. There is not…
Embracing the Future: ChatGPT is Here to Stay
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing technology that has the potential to revolutionize the way we learn and work. However, as with any new technology, it can also create…
Retain New Information Longer
Teaching for Understanding “If I had a nickel …” is the overused phrase I fight the temptation to say out loud when teachers tell me that they just taught something…
Finding Theme in Fictional Texts
Prerequisite Learning The first step to finding an implicit theme in a fictional text is for students to gain a solid understanding of story elements. The students should be able…
Guided Reading where Everyone Reads
Why every student should read their own book The number one reason that Guided Reading is a successful way to boost students’ independent reading levels is because each student is…
Activate Prior Learning with a RAN Chart
What is a RAN chart? For me, the RAN chart is the answer to “But the KWL chart doesn’t work in my class!” RAN stands for Reading and Analyzing Nonfiction…
How to Use Mentor Texts in Writing
Simply put, mentor texts are texts that serve as mentors, or guides, for reading and writing instructions. In writing, these texts will serve as an example of a strategy, craft,…