I have something truly exciting to share with you… We now know exactly how to teach children to read! Yes, you read that right. And today, I will show you how to do it, too! As a Teacher and Certified Reading Specialist, I am going to help you understand how reading develops for children. We…
The Best Decodable Readers for Kids
Earlier this week, I shared some tips on how your child can master reading—and let’s be honest, teaching your child to read can feel a little overwhelming! You want to feel confident and for your child to feel successful. If you’ve started exploring how kids learn to read, chances are you’ve come across something called…
Master Early Reading Skills with Decodable Readers
If you’re just beginning the adventure of teaching your child to read, you may have heard the term ‘decodable readers’ tossed around—but what exactly are they? Imagine handing your child a story and watching their eyes light up as they realize: “Hey… I can actually read this!” That’s the magic of decodable readers and mastering…
Letter Games with Free Printable Cards
Do you know how children learn best? Through play! And learning letters is no exception—these letter games are perfect for little learners beginning their literacy journey. The magic lies in the fact that when children are engrossed in play, they become active participants in their own learning process. Their curiosity is sparked, their imaginations ignited,…
How to Teach Children to Read: 4 Steps to Reading Success
Once upon a time, I taught Kindergarten. I loved teaching those little ones, and I really developed my skills for giving children the pre-reading skills they needed to thrive. I knew how to teach children to read. Then, I decided to mosey on into an Intensive Support Classroom for two years. These children were…
Teaching Letters and Sounds | Free Printable!
When it comes to teaching letters and sounds, I should really be saying ‘sounds then letters,’ because teaching sounds actually comes first! The ability to hear and manipulate sounds is called Phonological Awareness, and it is the first step in teaching a child to read. In fact, phonological awareness is even more important for…
What is Phonological Awareness? From Rhyming to Reading
As you likely know, I am a huge proponent of waiting until children are developmentally ready to learn skills. It is not developmentally appropriate to teach most 3-year-olds to read. But it is developmentally appropriate to teach most 3-year-olds to rhyme. And rhyming is the very first phonological awareness skill that little ones should learn!…
Phonological Awareness Games… with Building Blocks!
Are you ready to build some strong pre-reading skills? Well, block off some time in your schedule for play—because I’m going to show you how to use building blocks to play some fun phonological awareness games! Not unlike building a block tower, a strong foundation is also necessary when building a reader. Before we teach…
DIY Tactile Letters with Free Printable
Happy Wednesday, my friends! Today, I would like to share a neat little tactile letters activity with you. This activity is wonderful for children who are learning their letters and sounds, as it really reinforces the letter shapes and gets your child to think about the letters in a mindful, focused way. For the activity,…