Here is what I'm using for my Kindergarten intervention lessons this week! The focus is on segmenting and blending, letter naming and sound fluency. We warm up with this Chipper Chat -this is an oldie but goodie. It is a great way to practice phonemic awareness. Students respond to the task (segmenting or blending) and then get to put a magnetic chip, or I have used colored puff balls before as well. It covers all of the phonemic awareness skills, and I have been using it for years. See...

Getting kids to want to read can sometimes feel harder than actually teaching them how to read. We can have the best phonics lessons, engaging small groups, and structured routines… but if the motivation isn’t there, it’s an uphill climb. That’s where reading incentives come in. They give students a reason to practice. They build momentum. They create excitement. And for many of our struggling or reluctant readers, that little spark of motivation is exactly what gets them over the hump. More...

I love to see what other teachers are planning. I thought I would share some of the activities we were doing this week to practice vowel teams ee and ea. If you have not figured out by now, I strongly believe in making reading practice fun. The students I work with need a TON of repetitions to master a skill. I have found MANY ways to successfully give them these repetitions, while also have fun! This keeps them engaged and is highly effective. This week we are working on ee and ea. It is so...