Phonics
Brain-Friendly Ways to Teach Sight Words
Did you know that there are 109 words in the English language that account for 50% of written English in
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Word Study
Phonics
Making Sense of the Science of Reading vs. Balanced Literacy Conversation
Not long after I started teaching in the late 1980s, literacy educators were involved in a “reading war”. For those too
Homemade I Spy Game: Fun With Phonics
Last week was exhausting. We are no longer knee-deep in a pandemic–it’s more like chest-deep with no end in sight.
Spelling
Developmental Spelling Stages
Children progress through spelling stages on their literacy journey. J. Richard Gentry lists these five stages of development: Stage 1
Spelling
Invented Spelling
Invented spelling has become a dirty word in many circles. For this reason I prefer the following terms to describe
Spelling
Developmental Spelling Inventory
J. Richard Gentry developed a developmental spelling inventory, sometimes called the “monster test”, which is an easy way to determine a child’s
Spelling
Personal Word Wall
Word walls are great tools for teaching vocabulary, high-frequency words, and word patterns. It is often a challenge to get
Phonological Awareness
Elkonin Sound Boxes
I have found this technique to be extremely effective with my young spellers who have not developed full phonemic awareness.
