...because every child deserves reading success.
Once students are proficient and automatic at reading one-syllable, closed-syllable words it is time to teach them how to read multisyllabic words. While it’s important to ensure that your students are adept at reading the various types of closed syllables such as closed syllables with consonant digraphs, bonus letters, and consonant blends, don’t wait until…
The first step in how to strengthen decoding skills is to connect phonemic awareness to print. In our previous post we discussed strengthening phonological awareness by incorporating targeted scaffolds (temporary assists). In that post, we focused on the oral aspect of phonemic awareness. However, it’s important to emphasize that research supports bridging the gap between…
For many beginning and struggling readers who need to strengthen phonological awareness, instructional scaffolds are a necessity. In our previous post, we answered a lot of questions about instructional scaffolds. In this post, we delve more deeply into specific scaffolds used to strengthen phonological awareness. What is Phonological Awareness? Phonological Awareness is an auditory skill….
What are instructional scaffolds? Instructional scaffolds are temporary tools that help students move from what they already know to what they cannot yet do on their own. Think of them as you would training wheels. A child may be able to ride a tricycle, but just doesn’t have the balance yet to ride a bicycle….
We are often asked, “At what skill or mastery level should I stop using decodable texts?” The answer varies based on each student. Before we jump into the answer, there are some basic understandings that must be addressed as to WHY the use of decodable texts in beginning and struggling readers is non-negotiable. Six Basic…
The best way to use decodable running records, or any progress monitoring tool for that matter, is to use the results to inform instruction. We urge educators to move beyond the pass/fail mentality. Educators are diagnosticians. We must approach every assessment through that lens, and ask ourselves, “What does this tell me about what this…