The app store. The app store.which approach to teaching r...
Students who are struggling in school can get help quickly if a school uses response to intervention (RTI). Read about the three tiers of support in RTI.
Use these great ideas as a project after reading novels. "These ideas will have your students think more complexly about the characters, themes, nuances, and connections of the books."
Download this FREE Help Your Child Learn to Read reading tips brochure for your students' parents to support their child in learning to read.
Take close reading to the next level in your classroom. Use the six Close Reading steps guide from Appletastic Learning for a deeper understanding of text.
Our teachers have been working diligently to work with our students in guided reading. Once they got started, they asked some questions! Th...
A literacy-rich environment not only supports the academic growth but also encourages conversation, empathy, and critical thinkink.
Using a task analysis is essential in the Special Education classroom. Get a quick overview on what a task analysis is and how to use them in this post.
Have you ever wondered when to refer to an ENT or a craniofacial team? Read six times SLPs should send a referral to ENT.
This one-page End of Year Buddy Class Activity includes the following topics: Favorite Subject The Best Day This Year Best Friend This Year Summer Bucket List Something I learned This Year Looking for more Buddy Class activities? Click here to see my Buddy Class Activity BUNDLE! Additional Info: My background includes a master’s degree in education and post-graduate coursework in scientifically-based reading instruction to earn a K-12 reading specialist endorsement. I am certified as a K-6 teacher, a K-12 Reading Specialist, a Licensed Dyslexia Practitioner, and an Academic Language Practitioner. I have taught grades K-3 and have worked as a Reading Specialist, Certified Academic Language Practitioner, and Instructional Coach. I have a passion for helping children develop a love of reading and I hope my products help other educators in their classrooms! Looking for more great products? Click here to check out more products in my store!
Are you tired of the same old hairstyle that you've been sporting for years? Are you looking for a fresh and exciting change to revitalize your look? Well, you're in luck! In this blog post, we'll...
The school year is almost over, and it’s time to start working on CVCE words and long vowels with my students. I love using themed centers during our reading and phonics time. These CVCE crab…
With my small group pull-out sessions limited to half-hour increments, I'm always looking for quick, engaging reading and writing activities to reinforce literacy skills. I used to think dice games were only for teaching math and probability, but I'm starting to discover that there are ENDLESS possibilities for using dice with literacy. Are you looking for a few ideas? Well... let's shake and roll! 3 Roll-a-Dice Activities for Reading & Writing My roll-a-dice resource collection continues to grow, but here are a few resources that I've added to my literacy toolbox that may be perfect for your students. 1. Roll-a-Story
Here are four steps to teach your middle school students how to find the central idea of informational text. It's a step by step method you can follow to determine the central idea.
This blog post contains a FREE compare and contrast reading activity! Materials are included so you can replicate the compare and contrast anchor chart and lesson for your own upper elementary and middle school students.
The schwa sound is the most commonly used sound in the English language and can be tricky to teach. The differentiated word work activities in this packet will make it easy to incorporate into your phonics lessons, and lots of fun for your students. Included in the Packet: *Suggestions for using the resources *Schwa Sound poster *4 headers for pocket chart/table top sorting (a, e, o, 2 different vowels) *Set 1: 26 flashcards (+6 blank) These cards include pictures and sentences to help students determine, or remember the word. *Set 2: 50 flashcards (+6 blank) *Set 1 Word Sort printable *Set 2 Word Sort printable *Schwa Write the Room printable *SchWhat Game directions *SchWhat Game cards ***************************************************************** Customer Tips: Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches: • Look for the green star next to my store logo and click it to become a follower. You will now receive email updates about this store. How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: • Please go to your My Purchases page (you may need to login). Beside each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you feedback credits that you use to lower the cost of your future purchases. I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your classroom so I can create more for you.
How to structure learning stations with Google Classroom, docs, slides, and forms; 10 ways to use learning stations with online teaching and remote / distance learning
For the past two weeks, my class has been learning about figurative language and how to use it to enhance writing. We worked through 6 elements of figurative language: similes, metaphors, hyperboles, idioms, personification, and onomatopoeia. Here is a listing of picture books I used to teach figurative language and the activity we completed for each piece of language: My lovely student teacher started off with a T-Chart on the board with "like/as" in the center. She had a variety of pictures and words on magnets. Students came up and moved the pieces to create similes such as "busy as a bee" or "cool as a cucumber." She then read the class "Crazy like a Fox." Afterward, she brainstormed with the class characters and a plot to create a class simile story. Pairs of students were assigned a page and had to write a few sentences, including one .". They are currently working on finishing off the illustrations. This story is great to read to your class even if you aren't teaching figurative language! It's all about a boy who can't help but shout out and the strategy he learns to stop it from happening. I didn't do much beyond read the story as the students were able to easily understand having done similes first. Again, I LOVE this story! There are two sequels as well: "More Parts" and "Even More Parts." They are quite funny. The entire book is an exaggeration, but there's also some idioms in here as well. I started off this lesson by having students wash their hands. They were so intrigued just from that! When they returned to their desks, there was a bowl of Alpha-bits cereal on each table group. I gave them 5 minutes to make as many words as they could. After, I told them "Eat your words." :) I explained that in this situation, I actually meant "eat your words", but that's not what the saying really meant. Only one student has actually heard the saying before, so they explained it to the class. As I read "Amelia Bedelia's First Field Trip" (you could read any Amelia story, they are all full of idioms) the students munched their snack and were on the lookout for other things that sounded one way, but actually meant something else. They were able to find them all! I didn't use a book for this one. We talked about onomatopoeia earlier in the year when working on "great grabbers" for writing. A student did tell me that Batman comics would be really useful for teaching this though. I heard about this book on my favourite website - Pinterest. I ordered it off Chapters website and am very happy I did. The little red pen has a whole lot of marking to do, and none of the other school supplies want to help her. But, when she falls into the Pit of No Return (the garbage can) the supplies get together to help her out. I started off by making a chart with all the supplies as headings. I also had an actual red pen, stapler, eraser, push pin and green highlighter. I had the students describe the items. After reading the story, we added more to the chart based on how the books are in the story. I called a student up to circle any "alive" words. It was at this point I introduced the term personification. Students made their own chart that had the headings: noun, verb and adjective. The added at least 5 items under each. From there, they could create personification sentences such as "the wind tapped softly on my window" or "the car grunted as it slowly climbed the hill". What books do you use for teaching figurative language? Leave me your suggestions in the comments!
These free phonics reading passages have it all: phonics skills, fluency practice and comprehension questions. Plus, students love them!
We, as teachers, are always stopping while reading to ask students what is going to happen next. We want students to be able to stop and monitor their understanding of the text. This will, in turn, help with their comprehension of the story. I wanted to stop in today to share some new resources I am using in my classroom to help students with this strategy. I always like to start by introducing the strategy of the week with an anchor chart. Did you know you can print poster-size anchor charts from Adobe??!! This anchor chart is in my Making Predictions Pack, along with the directions on how to print posters from home or school. I also print mini-anchor charts for my students to put in their reading journals. We, together, create our anchor chart for the week. I usually use a read aloud as an example to add to our anchor chart so that I can model using the strategy. Students complete their own little anchor charts with me. This, my friends, is such a powerful tool for my students to anchor their thinking and take ownership of our anchor charts. :) I also have this little poster I hang as a reminder during read to self and partner for students. Students can be very apprehensive about making predictions. We know that they do not want to guess the wrong prediction, so it's important to have that conversation with them that it's okay to not always be right. We want them to feel comfortable using clues from the text to make their best predictions, along with their schema. Sometimes it's fun to be surprised by the author! I know that this book is perfect for encouraging students to make predictions in that safe environment. Enemy Pie by Derek Munson is a darling book that not only is perfect for practicing the strategy of making predictions, but it also teaches the importance of kindness. I like to stop during the reading and ask students what they think is in Enemy Pie? Do you think he's really going to give it to his enemy? I have students record their prediction on top of the pie in the craft below. You may want them to write their prediction with a pen, marker, or crayon, because they often want to change their prediction after finding out what actually happened. ;) After reading, they record what was actually in the pie underneath the flap. It's such a cute story and fun little craft that your students will love! At the end of the lesson, I showed this Pixar clip of Ormie the Pig. I stopped at 2:38 and asked students to predict whether or not Ormie was going to get the cookies this time. I gave them the option of a picture or words. They recorded their prediction on an exit ticket and placed it in the Prediction Pail. I found this idea at Kindergarten Boom Boom. It was just adorable and super fun! You can click the image below for this freebie label for you and your teammates. These are the exit tickets I used throughout the week. I switched it up each day and we threw them in the prediction pail or clipped on our round up clips. I also have students participate in a cooperative group activity. If time is an issue for you, you could have them do this during small group instruction or even during centers. It would also be a great early finisher activity students could easily grab and work on. I create 3 or 4 case files like the one below and fill each with graphic organizers and a book or passage. Students read the book or passage inside and complete the graphic organizer together. The first time I do this unit, I like to use all picture books. When I do this unit again, I might vary it with other books and passages. The great thing about my predictions pack is that you can use it over and over throughout the year. There are too many activities to fit in one week. I like to give them a page to stop at with a prediction question in the file. It gives them a purpose and keeps them focused. It's the "CASE" they have to solve! After reading, they record what actually happened. I also use this graphic organizer all throughout the week. I love to stick them in a Smart Pal to reuse again and again. Another day, just to switch it up, we used this interactive notebook template to record predictions about If You Took a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff. The following day, we read If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff focusing a little bit more on the clues students use from the text or illustrations to make predictions. These little mini-booklets are great to throw in a Read to Self tub for students to practice the strategy independently. And finally, my littles LOVE bookmarks! Like, can't get enough! These will help them remember to stop and predict while reading independently. You can check out this unit by clicking the images below. You can also check out my Interactive Anchor Charts below if you think that is something that might benefit you. It makes it much easier for me to have my anchor charts ready to print and go each week. Thanks for stopping by, friends! Have a great break!
With so many of my BIG KIDS struggling with fluency, I worked to make it a part of my daily work with students, a Tier 1 intervention that the majority of the class could benefit from. Reading fluency incorporates three main components: speed, accuracy, and prosody, which directly impact comprehension. While I have shared a great deal about incorporating 6-Minute Solutions, here are a few other ways I worked to make fluency fun for my 6th graders.
New Special Education Teachers- this manual will be invaluable when setting up your new special education program. Especially for the new Resource Specialist, this manual will save time and help you be a better special education teacher! Special Education Manual Update June 2018 **New-Editable forms! This Special Education manual has practical tips for behavior management and collaboration, tools for teaching and record-keeping, and strategies for being a successful Resource Specialist. I have worked in Special Education for 35 years, and in this manual I provide advice and techniques for collaborating with general education teachers, maintaining IEP's and data, communication, teaching strategies and suggestions, working with paraeducators, working advocates, and forms to streamline the job of special education resource specialist.This manual is designed to save new teachers years of trying to figure things out; it is my own philosophy and what I have found to be the most important qualities for being a successful special education teacher. The following areas are covered: 1.Why Are We Resource Specialists? Why We do What We Do Our Mission and Goal: Resource Students’ Success in General Education 2.IEP’s Individualized Education Plans, Meetings Checklist for IEP Meetings IEP Checklist, Instructional Minutes Disability Areas Sample Academic IEP Goals Sample Behavior, Social Skills, Work Completion IEP Goals Working with Advocates Family Relationships/Building Trust 3. Teaching Reading and Writing Informational Writing Common Core and Special Education Writing frames, graphic organizers, I Can Write a Sentence, Illustrate My Own Reader (included in zip file) Math Every Resource Specialist Needs Collaborate and Communicate Groups and grouping charts Scheduling Environment Accommodations 4. Behavior Challenging Students Managing Special Needs Behavior Behavior Notes Behavior Charts, First…..Then I Can Charts 5. How to Make it All Work Working with Paraeducators Inclusion Student Checklists Assessment Monitoring Forms Resource Binder Cover Samples of charts Take Care of Yourself Notes from Resource A Resource Specialist Is…. Much of the information is geared toward K-6, although I have taught K-12, and some of the basic special education techniques covered will help middle school teachers. You may also like: I Can Write a Sentence Bundle
Read for information and ideas on how you can enable parents to support reading at home through the Science of Reading.
: Understand the role of school-based occupational therapists in addressing sensory processing dysfunction (SPD) alongside ADHD for effective classroom support.
One of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had professionally was to work as a Literacy Coach in the upper elementary grades. The ...
A blog about reading and writing, and sharing ideas about literacy and RTI for your classroom/ reading, writing, & RTI resources
Orthographic mapping with sight words. It sounds like such a technical and confusing idea, right? I know it was the first time I saw the term. But after close study, I’ve come to see that it isn’t as complicated or intimidating as I first thought. And I’d actually been doing it with my struggling readers for ... Read More about Orthographic Mapping with Sight Words {How to}
Preparing for another year of reading level assessments? Do you always conference with parents about their child’s progress? Then this post is for you! The reading level letters cover all DRA Levels 1-70 along with covering Letter Levels A-Z. To be honest, if a parent does not have an education background or is not using […]
If you’re looking for a fresh way to promote reading in your middle school classroom, read on to see how I implemented the million word reading challenge to encourage my readers!
What is dyslexia? Learn the signs, causes, and how you can help. Dyslexia is a learning disabiltiy that makes it difficult to read and spell.
What do you do when you learn that your child has dyslexia? Should you hide this diagnosis to protect them from labels and misunderstandings, or should you tell them? If you do decide to tell them, how do you do this? Can you help them to overcome any potential fears or misunderstandings? These are the questions that I will answer in this blog that includes kid-friendly graphics. What are the Benefits of Telling Your Child That He or She Has Dyslexia? Educating your child with dyslexia about the common signs and misconceptions can help them to: understand that they learn in a different way than other kids that don’t have dyslexia. shed negative labels such as stupid, careless, unmotivated and lazy. correct any misunderstandings. identify with other successful people that have or had dyslexia. acquire the needed intervention and instruction in school. learn that many people with dyslexia have strengths that others do not have. Individuals with dyslexia are often: great at communicating their ideas aloud. creative, critical thinkers. good at seeing the big picture. excellent at solving puzzles and building things. If you want to learn more about dyslexia consider reading: The Dyslexic Advantage Overcoming dyslexia Help your Child Understand Dyslexia by Reviewing the Eleven Common Signs Show your child the image below and read the list out loud. Ask them to identify which symptoms describe their difficulties. You have or had trouble with letter reversals (b and d) and words reversals (was and saw). You have or had troubles with reading aloud. You have or had trouble with words problems in math. You have or had trouble understanding jokes, punchlines, sarcasm and inferences. You have or had trouble following a series of written or aural directions. You have or had trouble mispronouncing words. You have or had trouble rhyming words. You have or had trouble telling directions. You have or had trouble recalling names or words. You have or had trouble with spelling You have or had trouble learning how to read. What are Four Myths and Truths about Dyslexia? Show your child the graphic below and read the list of myths and truths out loud. Ask them to respond to each of the myths - "Have you ever felt this way?" Then read the truth and address any questions. Myth #1: People with dyslexia are not smart. Truth #1: Many dyslexic individuals are extremely bright and creative. In fact, many kids with dyslexia are gifted. Watch a video on famous people with dyslexia: Click Here Myth #2: People with dyslexia cannot learn to read or write. Truth #2: With the right intervention and instruction people with dyslexia can become excellent readers and writers. Myth #3: People with dyslexia see things backwards. Truth #3: Dyslexia is not a vision problem. It has to do with how the brain make sense of what is seen. Myth #4: People with dyslexia are lazy and should try harder. Truth #4: Kids with dyslexia learn differently. When they are asked to learn in a way that does not work well for them, it can take more time. Finding Multisensory Remedial Tools for Kids with Dyslexia: If you are looking for fun, creative and multisensory remedial materials, lessons and games created for learners with dyslexia, CLICK HERE. If you would like a free copy of these images CLICK HERE. Cheers, Dr. Erica Warren Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses. · Blog: https://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/ · YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/warrenerica1 · Podcast: https://godyslexia.com/ · Store: http://www.Goodsensorylearning.com/ & www.dyslexiamaterials.com · Courses: http://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/ · Newsletter Sign-up: https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/69400
Padlet is one of my "go to" applications for beginning or end of class activities. Since it is device agnostic, it is perfect for a BYOD classroom. In situations where tech is not 1:1, which is my usual day, I have students use the BYOD as small groups. To make things easier to incorporate Padlet, I've created templates for Padlets. Now when I want students to work on a KWL, Venn Diagram, or similar graphic organizer I have them already set up and ready to go. I just make a copy of the original for my class and share out with QR code or shortened URL (I prefer Bit.ly solely because I love having a puffer fish up on my task bar!) How to create Padlet Templates to Facilitate Do Now. Closure Activities: Step 1: Create Template I use PowerPoint because I like the SmartArt Feature, but you can use anything that will save as a JPEG. Step 2: Save as a JPEG Step 3: Create a Padlet. Click on the clog in the upper right hand corner to modify. Scroll down to Wallpaper and select "MORE" Step 4: Select your JPEG by clicking on "ADD YOUR OWN", "UPLOAD", and then either drop your image in or "CHOOSE FILE" and confirm. Step 5: After saving changes you should be able to see if you need to adjust your original image to fit the screen how you want. Repeat steps 1-4 until you have the desired look. Then each time you want to use the chart, Venn Diagram, or similar template, just make a copy and rename with the specifics of the lesson. For example, KWL's copy becomes "KWL - Holocaust".
This is an article about dyslexia and how to be proud of it.
