Nonfiction Text Structures

colorful yarn tied around lightbulb shape to illustrate nonfiction text structure understanding an idea

Understanding the relationship of ideas in text Beginning Early Older students have been learning the underlying concepts necessary to understand nonfiction text structures for years. Take the hula-hoop sorting activities in kindergarten, preparing students to discuss compare / contrast relationships in later grades. Sequencing a story in primary grades with felt board characters prepare students […]

Plot Diagrams and Lines

the word plot typed on vintage typewriter in traditional font used as a header on a blog about different plot diagrams and lines

Why the hats, mountains, and roller coasters don’t tell the whole story Earliest Stories Our youngest children, from birth to kindergarten, often experience stories told as a sequence of related events. Think of titles like Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Goodnight Moon. These books are important for learning language, pattern, repetition, and sequence. If you […]

3 Must-Read Fluency Research Articles

close up of hand reading a book and pointing at words as he goes to head the blog on must-read fluency research articles

Support for Fluency Interventions in Secondary Reading Secondary teachers often assume older students have mastered early reading skills, including decoding and fluency. As a matter of fact, many secondary ELA teachers have trouble defining the role fluency plays in reading comprehension because it wasn’t included in any pre-service work. (Be sure to check out the […]

Fluency Skill Errors in Middle School

fluency quote in white on blue background to head the blog post fluency skill errors in middle school

What struggling readers are missing and how to help Fluency is a focus of instruction beginning in younger grades, but it is often associated solely with decoding or word recognition and speed. As students move past the primary grades, fluency becomes even a stronger bridge to comprehension. And by the time students enter middle and […]

Working with middle school struggling readers – fluency

red toy racecar with the word reading on it to head the blog on struggling readers and fluency

What are the components of fluency for middle school students? While the term fluency in elementary years often focuses on the rapid decoding of words in and out of context, the component is more complicated in older students. When we speak about fluency in the upper grades, we mean: How do you know what older […]

3 Must-Read Decoding Research Articles

dictionary stack to head blog on must read articles about decoding

Support for Syllable Instruction and Next Steps in Secondary Reading Interventions While primary teachers continue to struggle with the best way to teach young students how to read, crickets tend to echo in the middle and high school intervention classrooms around this topic. Decoding research for older students is much scarcer than for younger students. […]

Is Reading Motivation Really the Issue?

girl looking at cell phone holding up hand to refuse a stack of books to lead the blog about motivation issues in older readers

Facing the CAN’Ts and the WON’Ts There are so many ways we say it: She would be fine if she would just read… I’m sure he can read, he just doesn’t want to… We can’t make them read… Kids just hate to read… These would make more sense if we inserted the phrase “string beads” […]

Great Word Games for Middle School Reading Classrooms

word games for middle school

No matter the topic or age, research proves that having FUN improves the engagement and learning for students. This article suggests such things as rooftop meetings and even visiting a ball pit! While that’s a bit extreme, finding ways to incorporate laughter and fun is necessary in a secondary reading classroom, where student buy-in is […]

Decoding Skill Errors in Middle School

scrabble letters spelling out syllable to head blog post on decoding skill errors in middle school

Explore three common decoding skill errors in middle school, including using syllables to solve long words, scanning left to right, and stressing the correct syllables.

Five Ways to Help Middle School Readers

Upset boy sitting at the table, doing his homework among pile of books. Word Help is written on open notebook. Learning difficulties, school, education concept to head blog 5 ways to help middle school readers

Follow this path to move students forward! This phrase has been used for decades: K-3, Learn to read; 4-12, Read to learn. It is meant to imply that decoding skills happen in elementary grades, and content-heavy comprehension happens in the older grades. However, this mistruth has grossly simplified the reading process and instruction. Young children […]