Activities

Phonemic Awareness, Rhyming Words

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It’s important that beginning readers recognize the sounds in their speech. We have a code-based language. Before we draw kids’ awareness to the letters that represent sounds, it makes sense to ensure that kids can hear, identify, and even manipulate the sounds in words the words they will soon read and spell.

Alphabet

Your First Day Back in the Primary Classroom, 2021

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Since it’s usually crazy returning from a break and getting back into those classroom routines, this is the perfect time to try something new—something that can absolutely transform your students’ reading and spelling skills. Day 1, Back in the Classroom On the very day you arrive back in your classroom, please set aside 15 minutes […]

Book Bums

Day One, No More Playing Small

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1-1-21 I have a lot of friends and loved ones who are passionately chasing their dreams. Some sell cookies. (You go, girls!) One is making his mark on the fashion industry, while another is building his business in the world of golf. One is honing his computer skills to better serve within his place of […]

Phonemic Awareness

It Can Get Lonely When You’re Implementing Explicit, Systematic Phonics

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e time they reach third grade, sight words are not enough. Word Family associations are not sufficient to support the sophisticated demands of “at grade level” reading in third grade. There are no pictures. Word structures have become more complex. All of the tools provided by the typical greater Cincinnati early childhood classrooms have left many children ill-equipped.

Uncategorized

Tear Down the (Word) Walls!

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My husband and I had a flat tire, and both of our phones were dead. (Note to self: Next overnight camping excursion- Bring phone chargers!) And, we had no spare tire. When a police officer stopped to ask if we needed help, we were shocked and embarrassed because neither one of us could recall a […]

Books

22 Ways to Help Your Child Overachieve

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You can strengthen your children’s reading and writing by reading aloud with them. Okay. So that’s not ground-breaking news. You’ve heard it a thousand times, right? Let me say, here, that I bet you could do it so much better than you’ve been doing it. I have some teaching tips that I’d love for you […]