Some nonfiction books are a little difficult to read aloud to students. Do you know what I mean? I’m talking about books that have text all over the place, lots of text features, and just don’t “read” smoothly. By no means do I avoid those texts altogether—some of my favorite books fall into that “difficult…… Continue Reading
Do you have a student (or several students) who struggle with poor reading comprehension? In this post, I share the step-by-step process that I use to improve my students’ reading comprehension! I wrote this post primarily for Kindergarten through 3rd grade teachers. However, if you are a Kindergarten teacher, some of these ideas may not apply…… Continue Reading
Do you wish you could spend less time planning for guided reading? Easily save your lesson plans for future reference? Have student data at your fingertips? If so, you are going to LOVE the GRō app!!What is GRō? GRō is an app designed just for teachers! It began as a guided reading app, but it…… Continue Reading
For a long time, I didn’t have a literacy center devoted entirely to reading response. I wanted to have my kids write about the books they read on their own AND the books that I read to them. But I wasn’t quite sure where it could fit into our day. Should it be part of…… Continue Reading
Looking for some great apps for literacy centers? In this post, I’ll share 10 apps that I love! These apps are great for kindergarten, first, or second grade, but they can probably be used at other grade levels too. You’ll notice that I’ve chosen apps that are not specific to a certain skill or skill…… Continue Reading
When it comes to literacy centers, have you ever wondered… How can I motivate students to consistently create high-quality work? How can I hold students accountable for tasks that don’t involve a recording sheet or paper-and-pencil work? How can I cut down on the amount of prep work that I have to do? How can I easily…… Continue Reading
I really like the beginning of the school year. It brings a new group of kiddos, fresh school supplies, and a clean slate! I actually enjoy teaching behavior, routines, and procedures…maybe that’s weird. 🙂 The one thing I do find a little overwhelming, however, is getting centers up and running. There’s so much to teach and…… Continue Reading
Does play have a place in literacy instruction? Absolutely! Jean Piaget said it best: “Play is the work of childhood.” If you know me, you know that I have high expectations for my students. I believe that young children can do AMAZING things when it comes to reading and writing. But I also believe that…… Continue Reading
Choice is an important motivator. When our kids have choices during literacy centers, they’re more engaged and more likely to stay on task! And there are many ways to provide choice during literacy centers. We might allow our students to select which centers they visit. Or we may let kids choose the order in which…… Continue Reading
Literacy centers can take a LOT of time to set up, right?! And if you differentiate your literacy centers, that takes even MORE time. However, it’s definitely worth it. Although some center activities can work for learners at all levels, other centers activities are much more valuable when they are differentiated (i.e. word work). So…… Continue Reading
