In this post, I discuss the importance of offering blending practice to beginning readers. I explain the difference between successive (also known as additive sound-by-sound blending)and whole word blending (also known as final blending) practice and explain when to use each. I share best practices for blending instruction and suggest resources you can use to give your students meaningful blending… Read More
Guided Reading vs. Small Group Instruction
In this post, I explain the differences between guided reading and small group instruction. I dive into some of the problems with guided reading and discuss why small group instruction is a more effective way to teach our beginning readers. Then I offer you decodable books you can use to replace your leveled guided reading books and offer you 5… Read More
Teaching Language Comprehension in the 90-Min Literacy Block
This is the final post in a blog series on the SoR 90-Minute Literacy Block. It focuses on whole group language comprehension instruction for kindergarten, first and second-grade students. In it, I identify which skills you should teach during your language comprehension instruction and offer suggestions for activities you can do to teach those skills. If you teach K-2 students,… Read More
Decodable Texts vs. Leveled Readers
In this post, I discuss the difference between decodable texts and early leveled readers. I explain when students should move from decodable to leveled texts and share information about my decodable passages and decodable books with comprehension questions Finally, I leave you with FREE decodable passages and 5 FREE decodable books you can use for small group instruction or literacy… Read More
How to Use Decodable Texts
In this post I’m sharing an instructional routine for using decodable texts. You’ll also get details about my decodable passages and my decodable books with comprehension questions. Finally, I’ll leave you with FREE decodable passages and books that are perfect for your kindergarten and first grade classroom! For many years, I used leveled readers to teach my beginning readers. When… Read More
Tips for Teaching Heart Words
In this post, I share 5 tips for teaching Heart Words in the classroom, a high-frequency words scope and sequence to guide you, and my Heart Words resource and activities to help kindergarten, first and second grade students learn sight words. Well guys, it turns out you actually CAN teach an old dog new tricks! Lately, I’ve been learning all… Read More