Teaching your whole group reading lesson with interactive read alouds is not complicated! I promise! I swear by using this effective (and easy to plan) teaching method for nearly all of my daily whole group reading lessons. Below is my list of my suggested MUST-DO's that will make your lessons as powerful and effective as can be. (pssst... if you'd like to try out some … [Read more...]
Independent Reading Time EXPECTATIONS THAT WORK
Independent reading time can be incredibly powerful when you make it purposeful and accountable. It is an amazing chunk of time that gives the teacher an opportunity to meet with small groups or confer with individuals, while students are doing THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT IMPROVES READING ABILITIES, which is... READING. BUT, an effective independent reading time period … [Read more...]
Interactive Read Aloud Lessons For ANY Reading Skill
Teachers in grades 1-5 can use interactive read aloud lessons to teach ANY reading skill or strategy. And guess what...it's really easy! That's right. YOU can teach nearly all of your whole group reading lessons using this super simple lesson style. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - my teaching style is UNCOMPLICATED. Teaching my whole group reading lessons … [Read more...]
Yes, You Need to Talk About Race in Your Classroom: 22 Days of Anti-Racist Resources for Teachers
This post in one in a series dedicated to 22 days of anti-racism lessons that can be used in your classroom. Each of the 22 blog posts are dedicated to the 22 victims of them 2019 racially-motivated mass shooting in El Paso, Texas by a 21 year old male. This post is specifically dedicated to Leonardo Campos, Jr., a husband, father, brother, and son who was a tragic victim … [Read more...]
Interactive Read Aloud: Ten Rules
I get a lot of questions from teachers who are new to teaching reading with an interactive read aloud (IRA). A great place to start is, "What are the RULES of an interactive read aloud?". The truth is that there is A LOT of flexibility with using them to teach your lessons. However, there are some basics that are suggested starting points for making your most effective … [Read more...]
Teaching Reluctant Readers: 10 Tips
So many of our students love reading. It can show them a new world. Or it can give an outlet for relaxing. For others, it's a way to learn about science, life, or culture. However, us teachers know that not every student has such a positive relationship with reading. Sometimes a class has one or two reluctant readers. In other scenarios, sometimes the whole class dreads … [Read more...]
Reading Strategy Groups: Getting Started
Are you hearing all about reading strategy groups, but unsure of how to start them? Do you wonder if they are right for your classroom? Hint: they probably are. Keep reading to see how I run reading strategy groups in my classroom. Before we get into all of the details of HOW I lead strategy groups in my classroom, you should download the FOUR free strategy lessons that I’ve … [Read more...]
What is the Rest of the Class Doing During Small Groups?
I once had a student cut off HER PONY TAIL while I was leading a small group. If you are a teacher, you might know how this happened. I was leading a reading group and she was "independently" completing a {boring} worksheet at her desk. I learned a serious lesson that day - MAKE A PLAN FOR HOW TO HANDLE THE WHOLE CLASS WHILE LEADING A READING GROUP. Lesson learned. Here are … [Read more...]
5 Tips For Using a Word Wall Effectively
Word walls can do so much more than just be a nice display! This is a lesson I wish I could give my younger teaching self. Over my career I have struggled with word walls in general. But since I started teaching in a high ESL population, I've realized that a good word wall can be the most important visual cue in the classroom. After researching and delving into this task, I can … [Read more...]
3 Steps to Your Most Effective Reading Block
There are many ways to teach reading, which can be intimidating. I used to think that I needed to plan multiple centers and activities for every reading period. Nope. After many years in the classroom and as a reading specialist, I have figured out that this simple three-step plan is the best way to run a successful and effective reading block. The best part is that you can … [Read more...]
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