Are you teaching reading in K-2? Then you've probably heard this advice: "Focus on phonics. Get those foundational skills solid. Comprehension can wait." I understand the pressure to prioritize decoding skills - and I fully support an initial focus on phonemic awareness and phonics. After all, if students can't read the words, how can they understand them? But here's the thing ... comprehension isn't something ... Read More
Do’s and don’ts for teaching reading fluency
Have you been following along with our series about the Big 5? So far we've tackled phonemic awareness and phonics. Now it's time to discuss the do's and dont's for teaching reading fluency. As I look back on my years as a balanced literacy teacher, I realize that I misunderstood fluency and its place in the big picture. I was opposed to decodable books because I thought that leveled books, with their ... Read More
Do’s and don’ts for phonics instruction
In today's post, the second in our 5-part series, we'll dive into do's and don'ts for teaching phonics. Another name for this post could be "Mistakes I've Made When Teaching Phonics ..." because I've made a lot. (Psst... I'm sharing a free phonics scope and sequence at the end of the post!) Let's start with a little backstory. When I first started teaching first grade, I had to use a very rigid ... Read More
Do’s and don’ts for teaching phonemic awareness
Looking for tips for teaching phonemic awareness? In this post I'll share do's and don'ts for teaching phonemic awareness ... sharing mistakes I've made in the past and new insights I've gained through my study of the science of reading. As we consider do's and don'ts for teaching phonemic awareness skills, let's start with the basics. I admit it ... I didn't understand the difference between phonological and ... Read More
Books to read on your science of reading journey
TRT Podcast#44: Books to read on your science of reading journey This concludes our official science of reading series, but there's a lot more to learn! Check out my top recommendations for books that will help you understand the science AND apply it to your classroom. Listen to the episode here Full episode transcript Related episodes What are the reading wars? My reaction to Emily Hanford’s article, ... Read More
Syntax and semantics in structured literacy
What is syntax within structured literacy? Syntax is the set of principles that dictate the sequence and function of words in a sentence in order to convey meaning. This includes grammar, sentence variation, and the mechanics of language. The International Dyslexia Association on readingrockets.org You likely have a grammar program that you follow. But syntax isn't just about identifying whether a word is a ... Read More
Three science of reading myths debunked
TRT Podcast#43: Three science of reading myths debunked I fought the idea of structured literacy for a long time, and it's because I believed these three myths about the science of reading. How about you? Listen to find out how we can debunk these three common misunderstandings. Listen to the episode here Full episode transcript Related episodes What are the reading wars? My reaction to Emily Hanford’s ... Read More
The difference between balanced and structured literacy
TRT Podcast#42: The difference between balanced and structured literacy It’s time to take a good look at what we’re doing when we teach children to read. I considered myself a “balanced literacy” teacher for many years. It’s the approach I learned in graduate school, the approach I used as a classroom teacher, and the approach I (used to) teach on my website and in my online course. However, after a great deal of ... Read More
What is sound-symbol association in a structured literacy classroom?
It's time for another post in my structured literacy series! Today we'll look at teaching sound-symbol association. What is sound-symbol association? We're teaching kids to associate sounds (phonemes) with symbols (graphemes). In other words? Phonics. Like it or not, phonics has been a hot button topic for decades. Let's tackle the "why" first. Why do we need to teach phonics? Don't ... Read More
Do’s and don’ts for using decodable texts with beginning readers
TRT Podcast#41: Do's and don'ts for using decodable books with beginning readers For years I thought that decodable texts were a necessary evil ... I thought they were boring, stilted, and nonsensical. Now I know that quality decodable books are vital for helping young learners build a strong foundation. The good news is that there are many wonderful decodable books, and more are being published all the ... Read More