As adults, we all want to make good, quality literature available to kids, whether that's in our homes or in our classrooms. But if you are like me, you don't have an unlimited budget. Here are 10 easy ways to build your library on a budget. Thrift Store Check out your local thrift stores such… Continue reading 10 Easy Ways to Build Your Library on a Budget
Category: Reading Tips
Tips and Tricks to Build Reading Comprehension
Help your child build reading comprehension with these easy tips and tricks! A Wholistic Reading Approach In a wholistic reading approach model, comprehension is just as important as the decoding of words. Overall understanding of the text is the goal of reading, therefore comprehension skills must be learned and practiced. What should I look for… Continue reading Tips and Tricks to Build Reading Comprehension
Why Reading Fluency Matters
When teaching a child how to read, it's important to understand why reading fluency matters to the overall process. Let's start by understanding the wholistic approach to teaching reading. The Wholistic Reading Approach Learning to read is so much more than just decoding words. As parents and teachers, we need to help our children learn… Continue reading Why Reading Fluency Matters
How to Teach Decoding Skills to Kids
Teaching children to read is a monumental (and sometimes scary!) task. Let's start by learning how to teach decoding skills to kids. A Wholistic Reading Approach Reading is a foundational life skill that we teach our little ones in the early years of their life. The goal of reading is not simply to teach children… Continue reading How to Teach Decoding Skills to Kids
Constructing Background Knowledge
A Wholistic Reading Approach Constructing background knowledge is one of the foundational skills of the wholistic reading approach. Check out this post to read about how to teach reading in a wholistic, well-rounded way. What is background knowledge? Background knowledge is the information you already know about a topic that you can apply to a… Continue reading Constructing Background Knowledge
A Wholistic Reading Approach
As parents and educators, I believe we should have a wholistic approach to teaching our children how to read. There are so many facets to learning to read. Often when we think of "learning to read", we think about sounding out words, learning letters names, sounds, and blends. While decoding is a HUGE part of… Continue reading A Wholistic Reading Approach
10 Simple Ways to Have Engaged Summer Readers
Looking for ways to keep your kids reading throughout the summer? Check out these 10 simple ways to have engaged summer readers. Don't try to do all of them all of the time! You will get burnt out! But maybe pick one or two that you think might resonate with your children and give it… Continue reading 10 Simple Ways to Have Engaged Summer Readers
How To Run Simple and Successful Elementary Book Clubs
Are you looking to change things up in your next reading unit? Try book clubs! Here are a few simple ways to run successful book clubs in your elementary classroom! What are book clubs? Book clubs are small groups often divided up by reading level. Each group is given a novel that they read together… Continue reading How To Run Simple and Successful Elementary Book Clubs
How To Think Deeply While Reading
In my opinion, the hardest part about teaching reading isn't teaching students HOW to read, but rather, teaching students how to THINK while reading. Reading is most valuable if the reader can see past the words on the page and understand the deeper message the author is trying to teach them. The idea of "deep… Continue reading How To Think Deeply While Reading
The Essential Read-Aloud
I love to read out loud to my students! I enjoy introducing my students to interesting books they may not have chosen themselves or follow a tangent of discussion brought on by our current read-aloud. But with all of the standards we must meet, lessons we must plan, differentiation we must offer, and the general… Continue reading The Essential Read-Aloud