Let us know if you’d like to stay connected with updates, information, and notifications of new content.
Word Chains: More Than Meets the Eye
You've probably used word chains before. They look simple enough. A student writes pan. Then you say, “Change pan to pat.” Three letters. One tiny change. But...
How to Get More from Your Phonics Curriculum
Four ways to help phonics programs support reading, spelling, meaning, and language A Lot Has Changed in Phonics Instruction Chances are you’ve been working...
Which Science of Reading Book Is Right for You? A Guide for Elementary Teachers
Finding the Right Science of Reading Book If you've been searching for the best science of reading books for elementary teachers, you've probably discovered...
Explicit and Systematic Phonics Instruction is Essential. But Don’t Stop There.
Over the last several years, phonics instruction has received renewed attention in schools across the country. Curricula have been revised. Professional...
6 Research-Informed Strategies for Supporting Struggling Readers in Grades 3–5
There's no shortage of advice when you're looking for strategies to support readers with literacy gaps.Focus on phonics. Build fluency. Teach vocabulary. Find...
How to Improve Reading Comprehension: What Not to Do + 6 Things to Try Instead
In the last few years, much of the national conversation about reading has focused, appropriately, on word recognition: phonemic awareness, decoding, and...
Recognizing Reading Comprehension Difficulties: Challenges, Indicators, and Effective Teaching Moves
Much of the current conversation around the science of reading rightly emphasizes foundational skills—phonemic awareness, phonics, and decoding—but what about...
First Grade Heart Words: Finding and Teaching the Words That Matter Most
By first grade, most children are well on their way to becoming skilled “word learners.” With foundational phonics and blending under their belts, they’re...
Mental Models: Comprehension Under Construction
What Is Reading Comprehension, Really? Let’s try something.Read just this first word in a sentence: Sarah . . .With a single word,...
How to Teach High Frequency Words (Without All the Frustration)
We’ve all been there. We have kids chant, trace, and write a word. We think they’ve learned it, only to have them stare blankly at it...
Orthographic Mapping: Explanations, Examples, and Activities
If you've ever wondered how children transition from laboriously sounding out words to reading fluently and effortlessly, the answer lies in a powerful...
The Journey From Guided Reading to Other Models of Small Group Instruction
3 Things to Leave, 3 Things to Pack, and 6 Big Ideas for Making the Most of Your Trip We travel a lot. Over the years, we’ve packed and unpacked our fair...
Dialogic Reading Conversations: 5 Steps for Nurturing the Seeds of Language Comprehension
Chances are, you’ve had a dialogic conversation this week—and didn’t even realize it.Maybe you asked an open-ended question. “How was your trip to the...
What Fluency Is (and What It Isn’t!)
Think of a time when someone read aloud to you in a way that captured your imagination. Whether it was a caregiver...
Some Good News About “All This Foundational Skills Instruction” (And a Few Big Ol’ Red Flags)
In the 1987 film Babette’s Feast, two pious sisters take in a French refugee who works as their housemaid for fourteen years. When she wins the lottery, the...
Learning from the Science of Reading + Pitfalls on the Journey to Brain-friendly Instruction
You may be just starting to explore the body of research known as the science of reading, looking for practical ways to bring it into your classroom. Or,...
Cracking the Code on CVC Words (and Beyond!)
You don't have to dip your toe very far into the early literacy pond to encounter CVC words. From posters to games to phonics lessons—these short and SNAP-py...
The Text Structure Box: The 5 Basic Text Structures Are a Bit Too Basic
Text structure is widely accepted as something worth teaching because awareness of a text’s structure can enhance reading comprehension (See References...
Let us know if you’d like to stay connected with updates, information, and notifications of new content.