A sound wall is a way to organize and display the different sounds (or phonemes) we hear in speech. In this post I’ll share explicit steps for how to begin using a sound wall in the classroom. You’ll also get details about my own phoneme sound wall resource with mouth articulation photos that has all the materials you’ll need to get… Read More
Sound Walls in the Classroom
This post is the first in a two part series on using sound walls in the classroom. Here I share general information about phoneme sound walls, discuss how a sound wall is different from a word wall and how sound walls help students learn to read, write and spell. Sound walls…. It’s likely your literacy coach has mentioned them, you’ve… Read More
My Weekly Word Study Routine
Struggling with how to teach students spelling words? Read our word study practice activities and download free spelling word practice worksheets! Let’s be honest, how many times in your own schooling did you find yourself cramming information for an exam only to forget all of it after the test was over?! I know I did it more times than I’d… Read More
Elkonin Boxes: My Favorite Word Study Intervention
Elkonin boxes are an excellent phonics intervention strategy. Use these free blank templates of elkonin boxes with students who are learning to segment & blend phonemes while building a relationship to spelling words. One of the biggest jobs we have as early elementary school teachers is teaching children how to read, but it is no easy task! Did you know… Read More
Why I Tore Down My Word Wall & What I’ve Done Instead
In this post I explain why I tore down my traditional word wall and replaced it with a phoneme sound wall. I share the benefits of a sound wall and finally, the Phoneme Sound Wall with Mouth Articulation Photos resource to help teachers create a sound wall in the classroom. Word walls. You know, the big bulletin boards that contain… Read More
Free Spelling Activities
Free spelling activities perfect for any word work or sight word center! These activities are engaging for Kindergarten, first, and second grade students. Hey Friends! I’m curious…. in your already crowded instruction schedule, does spelling have a place? Have you found a way to make it more than just giving a list of words on Monday and assessing on Friday? … Read More