The Blog

My first experience learning Spanish was in high school. Like many students, I spent four years memorizing vocabulary lists, practicing choral repetition, and doing endless writing drills to master basic grammar rules. I thought I was prepared. But when I stepped off the plane in Madrid, confident in my ability to navigate the Spanish-speaking world, I quickly realized how unprepared I truly was.What I hadn’t yet learned was this: language is not just something you study—it’s

For multilingual families, language loss is a real and pressing concern. How do we create a bridge between languages instead of a barrier? 

If you want readers to better understand the text they are reading, vocabulary should be part of your plan. 

Most education professionals, regardless of whether they are on a year-round or a school-year contract, think of the summer as a time to rejuvenate and do all the things there wasn’t time for during the school year. For me, that means time to catch up on reading, personal and professional. It also means I have a little time to think about what I’m reading and explore some new things. I don’t want to get stuck in a rut and just keep reading the same author or type of book over

A proficient reader has thousands of words in their sight vocabulary. Words that we automatically recognize at a speed so fast we don’t even realize it is happening. Words that we can’t stop ourselves from reading. Words that are permanently stuck in our brains. How does this happen? How do words move from needing to be decoded, to permanent and instant recognition? It’s all about orthographic mapping.

Summer is both a time of relaxation and preparation for teachers. As educators, we are always looking for ways to improve our instruction. We put together a summer reading list for teachers that are perfect for poolside reading.

As educators begin to shift practice, it is important to build a common understanding among each other. Then when we partner with others we are speaking the same language and have the same understanding.    This month’s post is going to help you get started by answering three important questions: What is decodable text? Why is decodable text important? And Where can I find decodable readers?

August means only one thing, back to school. Teachers gear up by organizing, decorating, and creating a physical space that supports learning. This is the time when teachers decide which materials to pull out and what to have at the ready for instruction. If you are a new teacher or new to the primary grades you might be asking, what should I make sure I have.  

Picture books aren’t just for preschoolers and younger children, readers of all ages enjoy and learn from picture books. I LOVE picture books! They are full of rich language, beautiful illustrations and photographs, and bonus, you can typically read them in one sitting.