Teaching phonics has seen a resurgence in importance over the last few years. From the Sold a Story podcast by Emily Hanford to The Right To Read movie to Lexia LETRS Training and professional development sessions all over the country…
Flex the Sound is a decoding plan for helping students with visually similar words. As early readers encounter unfamiliar words, they need flexible decoding strategies to problem-solve tricky spellings. In English, which has many irregular spellings, kids will come across words that don’t follow the usual rules. Research shows that to read these tricky words successfully, children need to recognize when a word doesn’t sound right and adjust their pronunciation. This skill, called “set for variability,” helps them match what they decode to the correct word they know. How easy this is depends on how clearly the word’s spelling connects to its pronunciation.
Phonics Games are the ticket for engagement and involvement. As primary educators, we know that young learners thrive when they’re actively engaged, especially when play is involved. Integrating games into phonics instruction not only reinforces foundational literacy skills but also…
Syllable Types are easier than you know and more important than you realize. As we guide our young learners through the wonderful world of reading, it’s essential to understand the foundational skills that support their literacy journey. One of the…
This interactive approach not only makes learning fun but also reinforces the skill of finding the known in the unknown. By regularly practicing with these cards, students become more proficient at decoding words on their own, fostering greater independence. Find…
Silent e is a familiar lesson in first and second grade classrooms all over. I’ve even taught it in kindergarten. We LOVE the magic e, silent e, bossy e, and any other kind of e we can think of…but that…
Vowel diphthongs, specifically ou and ow, can be tricky for early learners. BUT, breaking down words into phonemes and focusing on the diphthong can prove meaningful. Our guide for this adventure is the mentor text, "Cowboy Sam and those Confounded…
An Interactive Notebook can combine independence, phonics, and word building in a fun creative way. Phonics instruction plays a crucial role in developing early reading skills among kindergarten students. It provides them with the foundation needed to decode words, recognize…
Magic Squares combines word building and fun. AND I have to say: I think these are fun! Magic Squares Word Building Activities Word Building isn't new...we all know students who can manipulate letters and sounds are building a solid foundation…
This silly r-controlled poem is one for the turkeys. Students will giggle as they discover r-controlled vowels throughout this poem. Control at Thanksgiving? Thank goodness I'm not talking about Thanksgiving dinner...or pumpkin pie. There simply isn't much control when it…
I love a sound chart I have used a sound chart for years as an integral part of my kindergarten classroom. Originally, I used the sound chart provided by Fountas and Pinnell, but eventually I made my own. It is…
