Phonemic awareness is the foundation of reading success, but for many Kindergarteners, it doesn’t come naturally. Listening for and manipulating sounds can feel abstract without something concrete to hold, touch, or move. That’s why hands-on phonemic awareness activities are such a game-changer in early literacy instruction. By combining sound play
Have you ever had a student mix up “cap” and “cape”? You’re not alone—long and short vowels can be tricky for little learners! But once kids hear the difference and practice it in fun, meaningful ways, everything starts to click. Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite ways to
As educators, we know that every minute counts in the classroom. Balancing the curriculum’s demands with our students’ needs can be challenging, especially when it comes to foundational skills like phonemic awareness. That’s why I’m excited to offer you a free week of phonemic awareness lessons that take less than
Finding time for educational activities can be challenging, especially when you’re constantly on the move. However, fostering phonemic awareness—the ability to recognize and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words—is crucial for developing strong literacy skills. Fortunately, there are plenty of on-the-go phonemic awareness activities that can seamlessly fit into your
One of the first phonological awareness skills that many Pre-K or Kindergarten educators teach is counting syllables. We say a multi-syllabic word and have our students clap it out, counting the syllables. But have you ever asked yourself, “Why are we teaching this skill?” Teaching children syllable awareness is an
Rhyming is not just a fun activity, but it is an essential skill that can help children develop their language and literacy skills. Research has shown that teaching rhyming can improve phonemic awareness, which is key for children to become better readers and writers. Plus, rhyming can be a fun
Phonics is a fundamental skill that plays a crucial role in children’s literacy development. It involves understanding the relationship between letters and their corresponding sounds, enabling children to decode words and read with fluency. As parents, you have the power to greatly support your child’s phonics skills at home. In
What is the Science of Reading? I’m sure you have heard about this “new reading movement sweeping the nation” and are wondering if it really is the right way to teach students how to read. Spoiler alert: It IS NOT just an education buzzword or trend, and it’s not new
Most Kindergarten teachers will teach or practice syllables with their students at some point in the year. Usually, a syllable activity just involves counting how many syllables are in the word. However, there is so much more that goes into teaching syllables than just counting the number of syllables. Here’s
