The Blog

Background knowledge is critical to understanding new information. It helps us make connections, improves comprehension, and improves memory

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

Lately, there has been a big push for early foundational reading skills. I love all the attention the early grades are getting. Nothing is more important than setting kids up for success in the early grades. However, that doesn’t leave much time and attention for the next level. 

Teachers and students alike often name the time set aside for reading aloud as their favorite time of the school day! There are so many reasons why a powerful read-aloud is so important in classrooms of any age group. Reading aloud to students exposes readers to authentic text representing a diverse range of authors and text types while building students’ knowledge about a topic of study. Reading aloud builds language and vocabulary, sparks curiosity, and provides opportuniti

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?

Picture books are books that use illustrations, often accompanied by text, to tell a story or convey a message. They are typically aimed...

If you’ve spent any time in education lately, you’ve probably heard the phrase “science of reading.” But it’s more than a buzzword. The science of reading is a large body of research explaining how people learn to read, why some students struggle, and which instructional practices reliably lead to success. It’s not a single program or trend — it’s decades of evidence that can transform how we teach literacy.

Fluency is essential for skilled reading. It is often referred to as the bridge between decoding and comprehension. I’d add that it’s...

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.   

Helping readers acquire automaticity with a set of words frequently used in the English language, is a widely used practice. It is so...

The routines and rituals that put books in our hands are important. They aren’t just crucial for personal growth, they are critical...