Is Independent Reading Time a Waste of Time?
There is a sad phenomenon going on in schools across the country today. Because of all of the push for mandated, foundational skill curriculum, little time is left for independent…
The Swiss Army Knife of Effective Literacy Instruction
Social media is FILLED with polarization regarding effective literacy instruction. It’s filled with shame and blame. It makes you feel terrible–and confused. And a lot of it is grounded in…
Want Students to Succeed in Reading? Build Background Knowledge!
We know that what readers bring to a text matters a lot. Louise Rosenblatt, way back in the 1930’s, told us about “reader response theory,” which basically means that the…
What’s the Best Way to Teach Vocabulary?
Vocabulary instruction is always at the top of mind for so many teachers. Vocabulary–or lack of it–has a tremendous impact on reading comprehension. Considering there are also tiers of…
How to Improve Your Guided Reading Lessons
Among many terms in the reading world, Guided Reading is another that’s misunderstood, and I’ve written about those misunderstandings here. If we’re being honest, it’s also a place where we’ve…