Have you wondered how to help your students move from sounding out words letter by letter to actually reading them? Today, we’re demystifying blending! This is arguably one of the hardest skills to master in early literacy. But don’t worry, friends, I’ve got a few tricks and some brand new
Have you ever hit the last few weeks of kindergarten and thought, “Wait… have we covered everything they actually need for first grade?” You’re juggling field trips, testing, behavior, and kids who suddenly have all the summer energy. It’s a lot. The good news is you don’t need to review
Ahhh… spring in the primary classroom. The sunshine is calling, the energy is HIGH, and suddenly your students can’t seem to sit still for more than five minutes. Sound familiar? We have ALL been there! But what if, instead of fighting all that energy, you used it to your advantage?
When students master CVC words, it feels like a victory, but it also brings one of the trickiest decisions you might face in early reading instruction. Maybe this has been you: your students are reading CVC words like cat, dog, and map. They easily blend and segment multiple sounds. You’re
Have you ever watched your students enthusiastically hop, skip, or wiggle their way through the room only to then immediately melt into “I’m too tired…” when asked to complete a worksheet? Yep, been there! As primary teachers, we already know that early readers need both movement AND paper-pencil practice to
If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to combine phonics practice with an activity your students actually love doing, phonics word searches might just be your new favorite tool. Phonics word searches give students a fun way to connect spelling, reading, and word recognition, all while feeling like they’re
Blending is one of the most important early literacy skills students learn in kindergarten. Without it, they can’t smoothly move from recognizing individual sounds to reading whole words. For some kids, blending clicks quickly, but for others, it takes repeated practice and a variety of approaches before it finally sticks.
Mastering CVC words is something we spend a lot of time on in kindergarten. And, as with anything that requires a lot of practice, I’m always looking for ways to make it more fun! If you’ve been on the hunt for new ways to engage your students as you practice