5 Ways AI Can Go from Scary to Helpful

AI will not replace humans, but those who use AI will replace those who don’t.

-Ginni Rometti

The Digital Elephant in the Room

I realize that AI is a bit of a hot topic, and we all have mixed feelings about it. I would like to start by addressing the so-called “digital elephant in the room” and by sharing my own opinion on the inclusion of AI in the educational world.

First, I do want to admit that I am a bit biased, as I am one of my district’s Educational Technology Mentors, meaning it is my job to help teachers incorporate technology into the classroom, both with students and behind the scenes. Having said that, I whole-heartedly believe that any new piece of technology can and should be used for the benefit of teachers and students. Like it or not, technology is here to stay, and in my humble opinion, our main job as educators is to help prepare our students for their future careers, which will include some use of AI.

Now that you know a bit about my background, I can share how I believe AI can assist us in our day-to-day teacher life. There are about SO MANY platforms that you can use and multiple ways to incorporate AI, but today, we are going to specifically look at using AI to improve our literacy centers.

In a previous post, I examined how to combine phonics and fluency into one literacy lesson. Today, we are going to learn how to save our prep time using AI to generate resources that can literally be for any grade level!!!

The only downside? It does take some time to play around with the prompts and turn the passages into adorable worksheets. That’s where I come in! If you are looking for an even faster way to get these differentiated resources, check out these ready-to-print resources:

Decodable Books for ALL YEAR – Grade K and Intervention

October Differentiated Fluency Passages – Primary Grades

Phonics Fluency Passages for ALL YEAR – Primary Grades

Back to School Nonfiction Passages – Upper Grades

Halloween Nonfiction Passages – Upper Grades

Holidays Around the World Nonfiction Passages – Upper Grades

halloween nonfiction passage resource

So Many Options, So Little Time

Before we get into specific uses and prompts, let’s chat about our options. ChatGPT seems to be a fan favorite, but there are so many other choices! Admittedly, I use ChatGPT for my personal life, whether researching vacation spots, brainstorming recipes, or evaluating my diet and exercise routine.

However, in the educational world, there are a lot more options to consider. I have found two other contenders to be best suited to help assist teachers.

  • Gemini:
  • Notebook LM: With Notebook LM, you can actually create a “digital filing cabinet”. Spreadsheets, websites, and documents can be uploaded into this filing cabinet and then referred to in the prompts. This is incredibly helpful when analyzing test results, assessment data, and units of study. You can also use it to suggest next steps for intervention base don recent assessments.

Differentiated Passages

The first and most helpful way to use AI is to instantly differentiate your passages. You can create any text, based on any subject or topic, written in any language, and written at any reading level. I kid you not!

Now, they tricky part is to know how to ask AI for those passages. This is where the skill comes in…be specific and also, don’t be afraid to ask again! Take a look at the table below to see how I took basic requests for AI and improved them to get a better result.

OriginalImproved
Write me a text for my 4th graders.Write a nonfiction text at a 4th grade level about the effects on of the California Gold Rush on Native Americans.

BONUS: Specify how many words, the Lexile level, and/or what vocab words to include.
Create an interesting story about jelly fish.Create a story about a baby jellyfish who explores the ocean and learns the importance of perseverance. Include three rising actions where he encounters challenges navigating friendships and problem solving.
Write a text at both a 4th grade level and a 5th grade level.Write a nonfiction text about how animals adapt in the deep ocean. Write one version at a 4th grade level and another version at a 5th grade level. Make sure to make the 5th grade version longer and include more difficult vocabulary.

Leveled Comprehension Questions

Creating questions is a breeze with AI. The key here is to have AI generate a variety of questions, including multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and open-ended questions. Keep Depth of Knowledge in mind! You can either create different worksheets for different students, thus making differentiation easy, OR you can create one worksheet and gradually increase the difficulty.

TIP: If you have students who are struggling with the more difficult questions, have them only do the lower level questions independently and then the higher level questions when they get teacher support in a small group intervention lesson.

OriginalImproved
Write comprehension questions based on the passage.Based on the passage, write ten questions varying in difficulty: (Level 1) multiple choice questions based on explicit information, (Level 2) fill-in the blank questions using new vocabulary words, (Level 3) open-ended questions that require the reader to make inferences and give opinions.
Write comprehension questions with a variety of difficulty levels.Based on the passage, write six questions, two each from a different Depth of Knowledge level.

Kid-Friendly Vocabulary Lists

Sometimes is it difficult to anticipate which vocabulary words are going to be challenging for our students. The beauty of AI is that you ask! You can take any given passage and ask which vocabulary words will be difficult for a student who reads at a 2nd grade level or a 5th grade level, for instance. The benefit to this is that you can structure small group intervention lessons based on this information. You can also ask which words may be difficult for a student whose primary language is (fill in the blank). Honestly, the possibilities are endless!

Again, I have played around with ChatGPT and tested a few prompts:

OriginalImproved
Write a vocabulary list based on the passage.Based on the passage, create a list of key terms that would be challenging for a 2nd grade student.
Write a definition for each key term.Write a definition for each key term that a 2nd grade student would understand.
Write a list of words from the passage and their definitions.Create a list of key terms that would be challenging for a MLL (multi-language learner) whose primary language is _______. Translate those words and write definitions in both _______ and English.

Targeted Writing Prompts

Incorporating writing everyday is an absolute must! Although journal writing, or free writing, is a great way to incorporate student choice, sometimes students need a bit more guidance (especially when working at an independent writing center).

This is when easy to access writing prompts are incredibly helpful! The beauty of using AI to generate these prompts is that you differentiate them. You can create a writing prompt for each leveled passage, thus allowing students to access the assignment at their own individual levels.

Here is how to ask AI to create these leveled writing prompts:

OriginalImproved
Create four different writing prompts for the text.Based on the text, write four leveled writing prompts: (Basic) requires students to recall information, (Moderate) requires students to comprehend information from the text, (Difficult) requires students to interpret information or draw a conclusion, and (Enrichment) requires students to form an opinion based on the text.
Give me three narrative writing prompts.Give me three narrative writing prompts for my 5th grade students that will help them use sensory language.

Enriching Extension Activities

You can even differentiate your extension activities! I highly suggest turning these options into a choice board for early finishers. If turning them into a choice board, I recommend specifically asking AI to create a variety of extensions, including an art option, a writing option, and a game option.

Here are some example prompts:

OriginalImproved
Create three extension activities.Create three leveled extension activities: one for a grade 2 reading level, one for a grade 3 reading level, and one for a grade 4 reading level.
Create ideas for a choice board of extension activities.Create six ideas for a choice board of extension activities: two creative writing ideas, two art projects, and two research projects.

Although this blog post focused on writing AI prompts, that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the possibilities with AI. Next month, we are going to do a deep dive into some of my favorite online programs that use AI. Stay tuned, and get ready to have your minds blown!

Until then, I hope that you are feeling a bit more comfortable using AI to ease the burden of planning and prepping for your classroom. Thanks for reading, and remember to keep learning!

5 Ways AI Can Go from Scary to Helpful

AI will not replace humans, but those who use AI will replace those who don’t. -Ginni Rometti The Digital Elephant in the Room I realize that AI is a bit of a hot topic, and we all have mixed feelings about it. I would like to start by addressing the so-called “digital elephant in the…

by Learning N Progress

How to Create a Digital Escape Room for Your Class Party

Teamwork makes the dream work. An oldie but a goodie… As teachers, we know that a huge part of our job is to teach our students life skills, such as teamwork, collaboration, compassion, perseverance, and so much more. In previous posts, I shared how to use picture books to teach these skills, as well as…

by Learning N Progress

Intervention 101: How to Teach in Small Groups

Intervention should be a bridge, not a destination. -Doug Fisher One common misconception about intervention is that students who require it will always require it. That is simply not true. It is a bridge to reach grade level, not in a subject, but a specific standard. I would encourage you to shift you mindset from…

by Learning N Progress

How to Create a Digital Escape Room for Your Class Party

Teamwork makes the dream work.

An oldie but a goodie…

As teachers, we know that a huge part of our job is to teach our students life skills, such as teamwork, collaboration, compassion, perseverance, and so much more. In previous posts, I shared how to use picture books to teach these skills, as well as how to run a Community Circle.

Those ideas are absolutely perfect for Back to School season, but what about the rest of the year? In order to successfully teach these skills, they really need to be practiced throughout the school year, not just at the beginning of the school year.

My solution…digital escape rooms!!!

In this blog post, we will dive into the benefits of incorporating digital escape rooms into your Fun Fridays and class parties, as well as explore three steps to create your own resource.

A graphic design showcasing a Halloween-themed digital escape room titled 'Secret Lab', featuring a computer screen with playful illustrations and text, indicating six puzzles included.

Why Digital Escape Rooms?

There are so many benefits to using digital escape rooms in your classroom. Trust me…once created, these are easy to implement, highly engaging, multi-purpose, and a real crowd pleaser. When my students walk in and see escape room written on our schedule, they get so excited!

To get more bang for your buck, I recommend teaching an SEL (social-emotional learning) mini-lesson beforehand. This is a great opportunity to tie in a read aloud, graphic organizer, and role play. After the lesson, I would suggest having some kind of incentive (i.e. points, awards, stickers, etc.) and awarding teams with them for demonstrating the skill from the mini-lesson. Here are some mini-lesson ideas that you can incorporate throughout the year:

  • Teamwork: Every year, this is the mini-lesson I teach before our first escape room. We discuss what makes a successful team. This topic covers a wide range of subtopics, such as how to compromise, delegate, and create a safe, inclusive space. We review how everyone has different strengths to bring to the table, and how as a team, it is important to figure out how to best utilize those strengths.
  • Collaboration: This mini-lesson is a great opportunity to discuss what collaboration is and more importantly, what it is not. I usually don’t emphasize the non-examples, but during this lesson, I do. In fact, I usually role play examples and non-examples and ask the students to identify the strengths and areas of growth for different scenarios. I have found that sometimes, students either solve the entire puzzle and simply give the answer to their teammates OR they wait for another student to solve the puzzles. Remember those group projects in school where you did all of the work? This lesson gives you the chance to address that.
  • Grit: I love teaching AND practicing grit in my classroom! So often, students have the mindset that if they do not get the correct answer quickly and on the first try, they are either incapable or the problem is impossible. We absolutely need our students to be comfortable being uncomfortable. What I mean is that we need to teach them how to persevere through difficult situations in search of a solution. This is a life lesson that applies to both academics and social situations.
  • Respect: Working in groups gives students the chance to practice communicating respectfully, which is such a difficult task (even for adults)! An important mini-lesson is how to respectfully disagree, which includes the ability to compromise. I typically teach this lesson by posing a scenario where two students have two very different ideas on how to solve a puzzle. I then ask the class to come up with a few different ways the students can come to ONE solution that would be both respectful and inclusive.
  • Time Management: It is incredibly difficult for students to manage their time. During group projects, I typically teach students how to backwards plan. We identify the goal for the project, consider the allotted time for the project, and then break the tasks into chunks. Escape rooms are a bit different, but they still require time management. For escape rooms, I teach my class how to figure out how much time to allot to each puzzle. (This is a very rough estimate.) If they do not finish a puzzle within that time, they may wat to revisit their problem solving strategy. Perhaps they can try a new technique or look at it from a different perspective.

How to Create a Digital Escape Room

Step 1: Identify Your Goals and Choose a Theme

First thing’s first…choose a theme. This could be related to a specific subject or topic, such as your current science or social studies unit. Another option is to create an escape room based on a specific holiday. Since I typically use these escape rooms during class parties, I create them based on holidays throughout the year.

Check out our Haunted House Escape Room and

our Holidays Around the World Escape Room Bundle!

Digital escape rooms can either have academic or SEL goals. The first step requires you to identify what you hope your students get out of the activity. Do you want them to prepare for a math test? Look for patterns and decipher codes? Assess their knowledge on a specific standard? Simply practice teamwork and grit?

For my escape rooms, I usually focus on teamwork and problem solving. I also use them as part of our holiday class parties. Therefore, I incorporate a variety of logic puzzles with both language and number puzzles.

Step 2: Create the Puzzles

That brings us to the main event…the puzzles! No matter what your goal, I encourage you to use a variety of puzzles in your escape room. This allows students to have several opportunities to be successful. Each student should bring their unique strengths to the team. (Also, I would recommend keeping students; strengths in mind when grouping students.) My go-to puzzles are the following:

  • Visual Puzzles: These puzzles can include visual patterns, hidden pictures, and spot-the-difference. Personally, I love to include some kind of puzzle using color (i.e. a certain color letter spells a secret word).
  • Logic Puzzles: This is by far my favorite type of puzzle. Students are given a series of clues and have to infer the solution. The key is not to give away too much information. These puzzles should require the process of elimination and inferencing. (See below for an example. The image is from our Self-Correcting Back to School Escape Room.)
  • Number Puzzles: This for all those math lovers out there! Sudoku and algebraic equations (even simple ones) are both great options! Include at least one puzzle where students have to solve basic math problems to find missing numbers. Perhaps you give the solution to two equations, one with multiplication and one with subtraction, and they have to find the missing numbers. Here is a basic example: A x B = 20 and AB – B = 40 The missing numbers are consecutive numbers. NOTE: If you are teaching elementary school, instead of using variables, just put empty boxes or blank spaces.
  • Language Puzzles: This is where anagrams, crossword puzzles, and coded messages come into play here. I usually include more than one language puzzle in my escape rooms since there are so many options!
A colorful digital activity sheet titled 'Snack' with a list of student names and spaces for their snack choices, accompanied by a menu of snacks available before school.

Step 3: Make a Self-Correcting Form

This is where you can make your life easier! I usually create the puzzles in Google Slides and then create a separate Google Form.

step by step

video

I hope you are feeling more equipped to create your own escape rooms that are sure to challenge and engage your students.

The only con…they take quite a bit of time to prep! Having said that, if you are short on time, let me do the work for you! Browse our escape rooms here. You’ll thank me later!!!

Next month, we are going to continue to explore ways to make learning fun, but this time, we will dive into both math and ELA activities! You are not going to want to miss this. I cannot wait to share ideas for dice games, card games, and digital games you can use in all subject areas. Until next time…remember to keep learning!

Got Data? Now What?! The Pain Points of Intervention

We know as educators how important it is to reteach, yet intervention time seems to be the hardest time of day to plan. As a literacy and math coach, I have had several discussion with teachers on this very subject. Here are the common pain points surrounding intervention: If you find yourself asking any of…

by Learning N Progress

From Passive to Active: 3 Student Engagement Strategies You’ll Love

Engagement happens when students feel safe, valued, and challenged at the right level. -Carol Ann Tomlinson That’s a big ask…How can we make our classroom environment safe and welcoming all while differentiating? It starts with classroom setup and classroom management. In my last post, we tackled how to create such environment by considering traffic flow,…

by Learning N Progress

No way!!! Effective Classroom Setup Can Help Classroom Management?

Becoming is better than being. -Carol Dweck There is something very special about back-to-school season…Although it is exhausting (don’t get me wrong), it is pretty magical because it is the start of our journey with our new students. We get to teach them not just academics, but how to have a growth mindset, how to…

by Learning N Progress

Intervention 101: How to Teach in Small Groups

Intervention should be a bridge, not a destination.

-Doug Fisher

One common misconception about intervention is that students who require it will always require it. That is simply not true. It is a bridge to reach grade level, not in a subject, but a specific standard. I would encourage you to shift you mindset from ELA intervention or math intervention to intervention for a specific standard.

Another common misconception about intervention is that it should only start once a unit of study has concluded. However, I would argue that intervention should start as soon as any assessments are complete. That brings us to this post…

It is critical to give beginning of year assessments, and many school districts follow this practice. Once those assessments are complete, you’re ready to start intervention! For this reason, I usually begin my first round of intervention during the first month of school.

PRO TIP: If your students were at your school the year prior, use last year’s end of year assessments to guide your initial intervention groups.

Before: Preparation

Before actual small group instruction begins, you must first set up an intervention area, collect assessment data, and select intervention materials. This answers the who, what, and where of intervention.

  • The Where: One of the key pain points of intervention is doing it consistently, which includes where to have small group instruction in the classroom. It must be both efficient and convenient. Setting up an area to not just teach intervention groups but also house the necessary supplies is critical. Therefore, this step must be considered before intervention can begin. For me, I always set up a horseshoe table, a rolling cart with intervention materials, and a post-it note station.
  • The Who: I would strongly recommend giving beginning of year assessments in both math and ELA. In math, I assess the main domains for my given grade level, including place value, basic operations, and fractions. In ELA, I usually assess phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Once students have been assessed, identify which topics or standards need to be addressed first. I would tie this closely to your upcoming teaching targets. For example, if my first math unit is on place value and I notice that 1/3 of my class has not met the pre-requisite skills, I would start with an intervention group targeting that topic.
  • The What: Once your intervention group’s goals have been selected, it is time to choose intervention materials. My tip to you is don’t be afraid to combine goals! For instance, if you have two students who need phonics intervention and five that need fluency intervention, start with a phonics lesson for the two students and then have the rest of the group join them for fluency practice.

During: Implementation

Now that we have tackled the where, who, and what, it is time to address the how. How can we implement a successful intervention block?

  • Be Prepared: I recommend choosing a resource that is easy to prep ahead of time. For example, if you are going to use fluency passages to review phonics skills and apply them to reading, copy enough for a month. This will be one less thing to copy every week. Trust me, as silly as it sounds, it makes a HUGE difference!
  • Keep Students Engaged: There are so many options for the other students to do. In fact, I have a whole list of specific resources for your centers here. Whatever resources you choose, make sure they are challenging and something that will keep your students engaged. I have found learning games, book clubs, and online programs to be useful during this time. You can also have students finish any assignments or projects that need additional time.
  • Manage the Room: Although we have discussed the importance of setting up your intervention space, it is just as crucial to have an effective management plan in place. I have already discussed the post-it note station and hand signals, but let’s chat about classroom management for a moment. I would suggest implementing a whole class management system that will act as an incentive. In my class, I use Class Dojo. What I especially love about this platform during intervention time is the name picker. When selected, the class hears a ticking sound and the student whose name comes up earns a point if on task at the appropriate volume. (Side note: I do not project the names on the screen so as not to call out off-task students. Rather, I just make sure they can hear the sound. That usually does the trick! I also will sometimes tell the students ahead of time that it is almost time for “Random Dojo”. This announcement also helps.)

After: Evaluation and Reflection

Intervention should last 6-8 weeks, but that is not to say that assessments, even quick check-ins, should not be given throughout that time.

  • Progress Monitoring: Assuming that intervention takes place 4-5 times a week, which is best practice, some kind of formative assessment should be given every 2 weeks. It is important to remember that these formative assessments should be quick and efficient. It can even be the pre-assessment given before intervention began!
  • Flexible Groups: The purpose of intervention groups is to target specific learning gaps and fill them in, which means that students can and should exit the groups once those gaps have been filled. This may mean that some students will exit the intervention before the 6-8weeks are up. This is a good thing! What I recommend doing is exiting these students from the intervention group but have them “on watch”, meaning that you will continue to assess their progress every so often. If needed, they can always rejoin the next round of intervention. While “on watch”, I like to utilize online programs because they are often self-correcting and highly engaging. Nearpod and Boom Cards are great options!

Intervention does not have to be time-consuming or stressful. The importance is consistency, and I hope with the tips I gave you here and on my last blog post, you are feeling ready to implement small group intervention in your classroom.

Next month, we will explore ways to bring some spooky fun into your Halloween centers. Stay tuned and keep learning!

Got Data? Now What?! The Pain Points of Intervention

We know as educators how important it is to reteach, yet intervention time seems to be the hardest time of day to plan. As a literacy and math coach, I have had several discussion with teachers on this very subject. Here are the common pain points surrounding intervention:

  • I have all of this data…what do I do with it?
  • There is simply no time during the day for intervention. How do I fit in all of the things?
  • How do I make small group learning manageable? I don’t have time to prep every center.
  • How do I keep behaviors in check during this time?

If you find yourself asking any of these questions, you’re in the right place! In this blog post, we will address or maybe even eliminate these roadblocks to your intervention time.

Pain Point #1: Scheduling

Intervention needs a dedicated slot of time during the school day. This may see near impossible, but trust me…it is completely doable! The key is to not look at this time as “wasted time”. The students not receiving intervention should be working on assignments or projects where they need more time (i.e. PBL projects, writing assignments, challenge projects, etc.). I know what you are thinking…won’t my intervention students need time for those assignments too? Yes, but you can weave those assignments into your small group instruction or even have them work on them while you are meeting with another group.

I don’t call this block WIN time for nothing! For those of you not familiar, WIN stands for “What I Need”. For me, this is differentiation time. It can also be called RTI, or Response to Intervention/Instruction. Regardless, this is the time to meet with students who have not met the standards.

TimeBlock
8:00-8:20Morning Work or Reading Workshop
8:20-9:20Math
9:20-10:20ELA
10:20-10:40Recess
10:40-11:40Intervention / WIN
11:40-12:00Read Aloud
12:00-12:40Lunch
12:40-1:40Social Studies or Science
1:40-2:30Special (art, music, PE, etc.)

Pain Point #2: Planning Time

The key to a successful intervention block is making it manageable. Make sure that whatever activities you choose, they are easy to implement and do not require a lot of ongoing prep time. Here are some tips and tricks I have learned over the years:

  • Laminate, laminate, laminate! A laminator is your new best friend. I recommend prepping reading games or math games that can either be easily copied or laminated. This allows for easy prep or no prep at all. The best part about it is that once laminated, students can use dry erase markers to reuse the materials over and over again. The games will last you for years!
  • Use online programs. There are so many online programs that provide engaging lessons and activities. These programs are not “busy work” but rather allow students to continue progressing and learning even when you are with another group. Click here to learn about by top 5 programs.
  • Differentiate to meet the needs of ALL learners. Even if you teach whole group regularly, having this WIN/RTI time allows you to consistently meet with the students who need you the most. Your other students, however, should be working at their levels as well. Read more about differentiated instruction here. Perhaps students who are currently meeting ELA standards continue to practice those standards using Nearpod while those who need a challenge work in their Book Clubs.
  • Use this time as “extra work time” as needed. If your class needs to work on their PBL projects in social studies, use this block of time. If your class needs to revisit their narrative stories, use this block of time. Although I do not recommend only using this chunk of time as “independent work” time, I do think it is beneficial to have that option. Wiggle room in your day is always a good idea!

What would really save you time? Getting resources that are ready-to go! Browse the resources below. They are perfect for both math and literacy centers.

CVC Word Center Ideas

StationLevelActivityPrep
Small Group InstructionInterventionElkonin Word ListsLaminate
Group GameALL Levels

ALL Levels		BINGO

Board Game		Laminate

Laminate
Independent Practice or
Partner Work		ALL LevelsCVC WorksheetsCopy
Tech TimeGrade Level or InterventionNearpod: CVCShare Link
Kindergarten Center Ideas

Phonics Center Ideas

StationLevelActivityPrep
Small Group InstructionALL Levels



ALL Levels		Literacy Center Packets: Long Vowels

Literacy Center Packets: Consonant Digraphs		Copy



Copy
Group GameCOMING SOONCOMING SOONCOMING SOON
Independent Practice or
Partner Work		ALL LevelsFluency PassagesCopy
Tech TimeALL LevelsNearpod: Consonant Digraphs & Long Vowels

Nearpod: R-Controlled

BOOM: Diphthongs		Share Link
First Grade and Second Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Fluency & Comprehension Center Ideas

StationLevelActivityPrep
Small Group InstructionInterventionFluency Passages (up to 2nd grade level for perfect for upper grade intervention)Copy or Laminate
Independent Practice or
Partner Work		ALL Levels



Grade Level		Nonfiction Back to School Packet

Holidays Around the World Nonfiction Packet		Copy



Copy
Tech TimeCOMING SOONCOMING SOONCOMING SOON
Upper Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Fractions Center Ideas

StationLevelActivityPrep
Small Group InstructionCOMING SOONCOMING SOONCOMING SOON
Group GameCOMING SOONCOMING SOONCOMING SOON
Independent Practice or
Partner Work		ALL LevelsEquivalent Fractions WorksheetsCopy
Tech TimeAny Level
(depends on grade taught)


Any Level
(depends on grade taught)		Nearpod: Adding & Subtracting Fractions


Nearpod: Dividing Fractions		Share Link




Share Link
Upper Grade Math Center Ideas

Pain Point #3: Classroom Management

Small group learning, particularly intervention, can be difficult to manage. I get it! No matter what age group you are teaching, it can be challenging to work effectively with a group of students and keep the rest of the class engaged. The good news is that I have a few tricks I have learned over the years that will help make this intervention block a success. Many of these tips came from my favorite professional development books. Read more on the blog!

  • Task Board: I have a section in my room where I post their assignments during our intervention block. At the start of the year, I train the students to look to the board and complete the three tasks in order. Make sure that the last task is ongoing. An educational game or online program work great! Alternatively, you can use an “Extra Time Chart”, where you can list assignments and projects that students need to finish. Read more about this chart in the next bullet.
  • Extra Time Chart: This is often called a “must do, may do list”. In my classroom, we call it the E.T. Chart. Students work on the assignments listed on the E.T. Chart whenever they finish any given task., including the first two tasks of our intervention block. The chart is divided into three sections: red, yellow, and green. The red portion is for assignments that are mandatory. For us, they are also the assignments that are due by Friday. Students who finish all of their work by Friday, are invited to “Fun Friday”, which is 30 minutes of free time and/or game time. The yellow portion lists 2-3 ongoing practice assignments. It could be independent reading, journal writing, or a lesson from an online platform. The choice is yours! The green section is comprised of fun, educational games and activities. This is essentially free choice for students who have finished everything. (I highly recommend including educational items.) I have found that it is best to have some way to hold the students accountable. For example, they can move their student number on a chart to show which section (red/yellow/green) they are currently working on.
  • Post-it notes for small group learning: Imagine this…you have planned an engaging small group lesson. You have your materials ready and have finally set aside time for dedicated intervention. You call over your most at-risk students and begin teaching. As soon as you have their undivided attention, another student walks up and has a question. It turns out they just needed another pencil. Uugh! You begin teaching again, and a different student walks up because s/he needs to use the restroom. And so the cycle continues…Before you know it, your intervention time has ended and you never even taught the core part of the lesson. We’ve all been there. Two solutions: one is post-it notes. The other I will discuss next… First, post-it notes! During small group time, have a pad of post-its and pencils nearby. Students may write a question on the post-it, and place it next to you. They then return to their desks until you are ready to answer the questions. (They should be working during this time.) This is a life-saver! I know what you’re thinking…won’t students be constantly writing on post-its? There is a way to avoid this! Read on!!!
  • Hand gestures: This is an oldie but a goodie. Use hand gestures so students can quietly ask to use the restroom, drink water, ask a question, make a comment, etc. This way, you can silently excuse students by simply waving your hand, pointing, or nodding your head. This will prevent your teaching from being constantly interrupted. This is true for both whole group and small group learning.

Now that we have addressed some of the most common hurdles, I hope you feel ready to start your own intervention block. As always, I love collaborating and would be more than happy to work with you to help you get started. Join my email list, and email me your questions!

Next time, we will take a deeper dive into intervention, and discuss how to prep, implement, and assess small group instruction. Stay tuned and keep learning!

From Passive to Active: 3 Student Engagement Strategies You’ll Love

Engagement happens when students feel safe, valued, and challenged at the right level.

-Carol Ann Tomlinson

That’s a big ask…How can we make our classroom environment safe and welcoming all while differentiating? It starts with classroom setup and classroom management. In my last post, we tackled how to create such environment by considering traffic flow, visible expectations, and your individual teaching style. Today, we are going to add on by exploring ways to increase student engagement once that environment is achieved.

Science of Reading Warm-Up

I go over this entire warm-up in detail in a previous blog post, but for today, I am going to share some engagement tips that will help make this routine a success. (Make sure to download your vocabulary freebie in that post!)

Before I share tips and tricks, I want to review what I mean by the Science of Reading Warm-Up. When I plan a “Science of Reading Warm-Up”, I divide it into three parts: Vocabulary, Fluency, and Comprehension.

  • Vocabulary: I always start my mini-lessons with a “Big Idea Question”. This question is the question the students need to be able to answer by the end of the lesson. It can also be the student objective. When I write these objectives/questions, I make sure to include as much vocabulary as possible. This is how I teach vocabulary in my classroom. When I introduce new vocabulary words, I make sure to include them in as many Big Idea Questions as possible. This includes questions and objectives in multiple subjects. Download a list of academic vocabulary here.
  • Fluency:  I include one of three strategies (scoop lines, color-coding, and mix-and-match) in my warm-up after identifying and defining key vocabulary in the Big Idea Question. Choral or partner reading can quickly be incorporated into every warm-up. This is an easy way to practice fluency with the whole class on a daily basis. It also allows you the opportunity to observe which students may need extra fluency support in a small group lesson.
  • Comprehension: I love graphic organizers, and I regularly use them to support vocabulary instruction. First, ask students to identify vocabulary in the objectives that may give a hint about which organizer to use. Then, allow students to volunteer different graphic organizers that would be appropriate for a given objective. (This is similar to a math talk if you have done that before.) Make sure to model each example on the board.) Finally, allow students to choose their graphic organizers. This final step should only be included in your lessons once the above steps have been practiced for several weeks. In upper grades, I usually aim to hit this last step by January or Trimester 2. For primary grades, my goal is to reach this last step by Trimester 3.

Now that we have reviewed the warm-up, I would love to share some engagement tips and tricks.

To Increase Participation

I regularly use strategies from Teach Like a Champion. One of them is called “100%”. When I ask a question, I wait for ALL students to raise their hands. If I see a group or table with 100% participation, I give that group a point. If we can get to 100% for the entire class, I drop in a star to our Star Jar. Trust me…this works!

Problem Solving: If you are not seeing the participation you expect, give the students some time to Think-Pair-Share. They may just need some peer support, especially for the more challenging questions.

To Differentiate Questions

I attended a fantastic PD on this topic a few years ago. Questioning can be an entire blog post in itself, but I would like to share my main takeaway on the subject.

For each warm-up, I recommend having a few varied levels of questions in the back of your mind. Also, have specific students in mind for each question. For example, if you have emerging readers, call on them for questions where you have to identify a vocab term or immediately after the class had Think-Pair-Share. For gifted students, call on them for questions that require connecting to previous lessons or that target Depth and Complexity Icons. This way, all students are given the opportunity to feel successful. The more opportunities they get, the more likely they will be to participate again.

To Include Student Voice and Choice

Allowing students to choose their graphic organizers increases student ownership. It gives them the opportunity to choose an organizer that best suits their strengths. I recommend giving them time to discuss these organizers with a partner or their group. Peer support will help them feel more capable and confident, which will in turn, increase engagement and participation.

Read more about how to incorporate the Science of Reading in your back to school plans!

Games Galore

Learning can and should be fun! The challenging part for a teacher is how to accomplish this without breaking the bank or causing chaos in the classroom. The key here is to use games that the students can run themselves and that do not require much prep on a day-to-day basis. I use two basic kinds of games: dice games and board games. (I also use online games, but we will go over those in the next section.)

  • Dice Games: Dice games can absolutely be used for both math and literacy! (This may come as a surprise, but allow me to explain.) First math games…I bought a container of a bunch of different sized dice from Amazon. This way, students can use different dice depending on their skill and level. For example, if my students are practicing their multiplication facts, they start by rolling a six-sided dice twice. They multiply those two numbers together. They then draw a rectangle with those dimensions to check their answers. Once they are confident with six-sided dice, they can move up to nine-sided dice and 12-sided dice. Literacy games can also use dice! I have a highly engaging Roll and Draw game where students roll a dice, read the word, and add that picture to their drawing. The first person to add on all six images wins!
  • Board Games: These take a bit of time to prep initially, especially if you are creating the game yourself. My tip to you is to laminate EVERYTHING and keep all supplies in folders. (The pieces can be stored in plastic bags that are inside the folder or even stapled to the folder.) I would recommend that you store several folders of the same game in a bin that is accessible to students. For example, if you have a game that can be played with three or four students, perhaps you might consider creating four folders of that game. This would allow up to 16 students to play at once. (I usually include games during centers, so I would never have more than maybe two groups playing at the same time.) Save time with this CVC Halloween Board Game.

Read about how to make phonics fun for your students!

My Favorite Online Programs

Technology, when used sparingly, is a very useful tool in the classroom. It is an easy way to differentiate instruction and increase student engagement. I would like to share my top 5 online programs that I use in my classroom:

  • Nearpod: Nearpod is highly engaging because students can interact with the activities on their own devices either in an independent lesson or during whole class instruction. The teacher can control the students’ screens, so everyone moves through the lesson together! Want to see a sample? Check out the video on my home page!
  • Boom Cards: BOOM Learning is highly interactive and the best part? They are self-correcting task cards! These are perfect for centers!!! I have a ton of phonics Boom cards available.
  • Snorkl: Snorkl may be my new favorite thing. Using AI, students record their responses to any given task and get immediate feedback on those responses. They can record their voice and screen, making this an effective way to assess and reassess student progress. (Students are allowed to resubmit their answers after receiving feedback. The teacher can see every attempt to help track their growth.)
  • Freckle: I have been using Freckle for years! I like that it is an easy way to differentiate, making it perfect for centers and small group learning.
  • Gimkit: Gimkit is a gamified way to check for understanding. You simply create a quiz and choose a game. Students earn points by answering questions and then get to play a game. There are so many games to choose from! They have Capture the Flag and a fishing game that my students really enjoy!

Student engagement not only keeps your students happy and eager to learn; it also makes the classroom easier to manage. I hope you find these strategies and tools as effective as I do, and as always, DM me on Instagram should you have any questions or need any additional resources.

Our next Hot Topic will be data and intervention. It is so important that after completing beginning of year assessments you start your first round of intervention right away. Don’t worry, I will help you get started! Until we meet again, remember to keep learning!

Classroom Setup on a Budget: 3 Hacks Save You Money

Listen to the podcast episode instead.

How do I create a warm, welcoming classroom environment on a budget?

Everyone loves a good classroom theme…myself included! For me, your classroom theme represents your personality as a teacher and creates a vibe that sets the tone of your room for the rest of the year. Whether you are a calm, peaceful teacher who values SEL (social-emotional learning) or a bright, energetic teacher who is passionate about art, your classroom theme will reflect it.

Whatever your style, your theme is an important decision and should not be taken lightly. However, you can literally spend a fortune decorating your room once you have selected said theme. So for those of you, like me, who are looking for ways to bring your personality to life without breaking the bank, this post is for you! This guide offers practical, budget-friendly teacher hacks to bring your unique style to life in your classroom.

Whether you are a brand new teacher setting up your first classroom or a veteran teacher looking to change things up, these teacher hacks will help you make your classroom a beautifully, inviting place all while staying in budget.

Teacher Hack #1: Brand Kits

The first step to decorating is to choose your theme and colors. Many teacher stores have themes you can choose from, and it is so fun perusing through them and narrowing them down. It is honestly one of my favorite things! But, it can add up real fast. Magnets, bulletin boards, stickers…there are endless ways to spend. So, unless you are planning to win the lottery, you may need some teacher hacks to save you money.

My solution? Make a brand kit!!!

Bumblebee Clip Art
Marine Animals Clip Art
Owl Clip Art
Use these images to help create your classroom theme and brand kit.
  • Choose your main and accent colors: These can be inspired by an image or design. Check out our clip art for inspiration!
  • Utilize free design tools: You can easily create your brand kit using Canva or Powerpoint. Simply upload an image and capture the colors you wish to use throughout your classroom.
  • Unlock endless possibilities: Once you have your brand kit, you can design custom bulletin board elements, personalized magnets, unique letterhead, and even digital decor for platforms like Google Classroom.

How to Create a Brand Kit Using Canva

How to Create a Brand Kit on Canva to Help with Classroom Decor

How to Create a Brand Kit Using Powerpoint

How to Create a Brand Kit on PowerPoint

Want to learn more tips and tricks? Follow me on Instagram!

Teacher Hack #2: Custom Magnets

Once you have a brand kit, you can literally make anything for your classroom. I have found that custom magnets will get you the most bang for your buck! Magnets, although adorable, are quite expensive. You can use either Canva or Powerpoint to design your own custom magnets using your brand kit colors, print them, laminate them, and the use magnetic tape.

  • Design using your brand kit colors: Use either Canva or Powerpoint to design your custom magnets. (see video tutorial above)
  • Print and laminate: Print your designs, then laminate them for durability.
  • Add magnetic backing: Apply magnetic tape to the back of your laminated designs.

The best part?! Once you design a basic template, you can reuse that same template for any magnet you need.

Want to learn more tips and tricks? Follow me on Instagram!

PRO TIP: Simply change the background of the design if you ever update your classroom theme.

Teacher Hack #3: Go Neutral

This may not mean what you think it does. For those of you who know me, you may be thinking…Melody is NOT a neutral kind of gal. You’re right! My classroom themes are often bright and vibrant, as those colors best represent me as a teacher. When I say to “go neutral”, I am not referring to neutral tones, though those can create a beautifully calming classroom.

  • Invest in neutral-colored items: When purchasing classroom staples like bins and caddies, select neutral colors that can be reused year after year, no matter the theme or grade level. For example, I use black bins for every classroom theme. I simply change the labels to match my decor.
  • Customize with your brand kit: Use your custom brand kit to create personalized labels and decor that match your current classroom theme, adhering them to your neutral bins.

Want to learn more tips and tricks? Follow me on Instagram!

New Teachers: I realize this tip does not save you money for your first classroom, but don’t worry, you will thank me later! Teachers always (at some point) change their themes. Rather than having to repurchase all of your bins EVERY time you change themes, choose a neutral color that can be used again and again.

PRO TIP: Use Velcro tape to adhere the labels to the bins. That way, you can easily replace the labels when you change themes or even just want to update the labels.

So, there you have it…With these low-cost, easy to implement ideas, you should be all set to tackle your classroom decor all while sticking to a teacher-friendly budget. Feel free to reach out to brainstorm ideas, ask questions, or even to share classroom photos. I love a good classroom tour!

Next time, we will continue our back to school prep together by setting up our classrooms with classroom management in mind! Stay tuned and keep learning!!!

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3 Ways to Make Phonics Fun and Manageable

Listen to the podcast episode.

Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play, children learn how to learn.

-O. Fred Donaldson

I am a firm believer that children learn through play. I also whole-heartedly believe that learning is and should be fun!!! Now, does this mean that I believe children need to be “entertained” at every second while they are in school? No. However, if possible, should we as educators try to incorporate opportunities for students to practice new skills AND have some fun doing it? Absolutely!

Phonics is no exception! Using manipulatives, incorporating movement, and singing songs are simple ways to add some fun to your phonics lessons, but what about during centers? Now, there is nothing wrong with the classic phonics printable activities, CVC worksheets, and fluency passages, but variety is the spice of life.

This post will focus on some ideas for how you can make literacy centers engaging, interactive, and fun!!! My three go-to activities are digital learning activities, easy to print learning games, and arts and crafts.

Digital Learning Activities

Centers can’t be complete without some kind of tech option. Technology is here to stay, and I think it’s important for students (and teachers) to be comfortable using it. The nice thing about using apps and online activities is that they are often highly engaging and self-correcting. My two favorite are Nearpod and Boom Learning.

Nearpod

Nearpod is an online platform designed to elevate your lesson plans by incorporating interactive elements, such as matching, drag and drop, drawing/writing, and self-graded assessment games.

You can create a free Nearpod account. It only takes 2 minutes to sign up.

The best part? Students can participate in a live lesson where the teacher can see student responses in REAL time or complete these activities independently during centers or for morning work. PLUS, all student work will be saved in your teacher’s account. This makes for a quick and easy way to assess student understanding.

Nearpod CVC Example Resource – Short O
Boom Learning

Boom Learning is an online platform that specializes in digital task cards. These resources are perfect for independent practice! They are self-correcting and easy to assign.

Boom Learning Example – OO Sound

Games, Games, and More Games

Learning games are super engaging, but they can cost way too much money (especially if you shop at teacher stores)!!! There are several types of learning games, including board games, BINGO, and card games. Plus, I even have some ideas that can be played on the fly with no prep at all!

Printable Board Games

Making your own board game can be cost-effective and once prepped, will last for years. All you need is a laminated game board, character pieces, and printable playing cards. (Dice can be fun too, but cards can be used instead.)

I recently created a new game that will have your students practicing their CVC words all while having fun! The objective is to collect letters and spell the words on a game board. The first player to reach the finish line and spell all the words on his/her student board wins!

How to Play:

On your turn, draw a card or roll the dice and move the correct number of spaces. If you land on a letter, try to use it on your student board. (Students can play as a team also. In this version, they will try to use the letter on any of the players’ student boards. They play until all words on all student boards have been spelled.) If you land on a star, draw another card. Play continues until a player has reached the end of the board. If that player has spelled all the words on the student board, s/he wins! If not, they go back to start and try again.

If you are looking for a ready-made, print-and-go game your students will love, check these out. They will save you so much time and money!

BINGO

BINGO is a classic game that can be played whole class or in small groups. This is also a fun and easy center for a parent volunteer to run.

You may be wondering…how are these BINGO games any different than the others…I made two different versions! One version is meant to help struggling readers and/or language learners. Students listen to the word and find the picture. In the other version, students must find the words instead. Each version includes 30 unique BINGO boards so that all you have to do is print and play!

Card Games

I don’t know about you, but I love card games. They encourage communication and are so easy to prep!!! I have recently started adding some basic card games to help students spell words and practice their phonics skills. Plus, each resource includes blank copies if you would like to make your own cards. If you are interested in being up to date on these resources (and more!), make sure to follow my TpT store and join my email list. My TpT followers and email list are often the first to know of any giveaways and upcoming sales.

COMING SOON: A brand new line of card games are headed your way. Join my email list and follow my TpT store for the latest updates.

On the Fly

Flying by the seat of your pants?…(said every teacher EVER)…No worries! For this game, all you need is a dice, pencil, and blank paper.

I call this game Roll and Draw. It is best if played in pairs or small groups but can be played individually, as well. Simply decide what students draw (or write) when they roll each number. I recommend having students label the pictures they draw. That way, they can practice spelling these words too! I listed a couple of example games below, but honestly you could play this game with any skill you happen to be learning in class.

I have used this game as an incentive for the end of the day. If were earn “game time”, we clean up 10-15 minutes early and play this game before going home. It’s fast, fun, and easy! It also makes a fun “extra time” activity for early finishers.

If you are looking for some pre-made seasonal options, check these out! I have them printed in a folder in the corner of the room. Students know that if they finish early, this game will always be on the “may do” list.

When you roll a…draw a …
1ends with -ab
2ends with -an
3ends with -ap
4ends with -ad
5ends with -at
6ends with -ag
When you roll a…draw a …
1word that has the long A sound
2word that has the long E sound
3word that has the long I sound
4word that has the long O sound
5word that has the long U sound
6word that has the magic e

Arts and Crafts

Finding ways to incorporate arts and craft into your phonics centers does not need to require a ton of prep! For me, I really like to make my centers seasonal. It makes kids excited to learn! Even upper graders light up when an activity is holiday-themed or seasonally inspired.

Take word families, for instance. Instead of having students simply practice changing out letters in words, have them create words on spider legs and turn it into a spooky art project! It is way more engaging than a basic worksheet. The best part is all you need is paper, scissors, and coloring supplies. I change out the project for each season! An apple tree for back to school, a pumpkin patch for fall, a spider for Halloween, a turkey for Thanksgiving…the possibilities are endless! (SPOILER…New Thanksgiving product coming soon!)

These same ideas can be incorporated into math centers too! Instead of word families, include math facts. This same idea can literally be used for any grade level, any subject, and practically any skill.

Phonics can be fun AND manageable! I hope that you found this post helpful and inspiring. I absolutely love my phonics centers, and I hope it quickly becomes the best part of your day too!

As always, reach out if you have any questions or want to brainstorm any ideas together. My next blog post will focus on adding some holiday cheer to your literacy centers. Stay tuned because in just a couple of weeks…let the holidays (around the world) begin…

Until next time, keep learning!

Classroom Setup on a Budget: 3 Hacks Save You Money

Listen to the podcast episode instead. How do I create a warm, welcoming classroom environment on a budget? Everyone loves a good classroom theme…myself included! For me, your classroom theme represents your personality as a teacher and creates a vibe that sets the tone of your room for the rest of the year. Whether you…

by Learning N Progress

3 Ways to Make Phonics Fun and Manageable

Listen to the podcast episode. Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play, children learn how to learn. -O. Fred Donaldson I am a firm believer that children learn through play. I also whole-heartedly believe that learning is and should be fun!!! Now, does this mean that I believe children need to be “entertained”…

by Learning N Progress

Phonics 101: How to Teach Phonics in 5 Steps

Equity in education begins with good phonics instruction in the early grades; it doesn’t end there, but it begins there. Emily Hanford I cannot stress enough the importance of phonics instruction. This should be the bread and butter of education in the primary grades. Without a solid foundation of both phonological awareness and phonics, students…

by Learning N Progress

Phonics 101: How to Teach Phonics in 5 Steps

Equity in education begins with good phonics instruction in the early grades; it doesn’t end there, but it begins there.

Emily Hanford

I cannot stress enough the importance of phonics instruction. This should be the bread and butter of education in the primary grades. Without a solid foundation of both phonological awareness and phonics, students will not be able to decode or become fluent readers.

As is emphasized in the Science of Reading, there are so many facets to reading, and comprehension simply can’t happen without being able to read the words on the page. Before any meaning can be made from words, students must be able to decode them.

Cue this post…

Today, we will review the order in which phonics should be taught and explore some easy-to-implement center ideas for your primary grade classroom. From differentiated printables to seasonal activities to small group instruction, you will leave with all the activity/lesson ideas you need and more!

An Introduction to Phonics Instruction

You may be wondering…who is this blog for? Honestly, it is for every teacher! If you are a primary grade teacher, you are probably all over this!!!

You upper grade and middle school teachers…don’t you fret! This post is also for you!!! The difficult part about teaching upper grades and beyond is that your curriculum depends on students being able to decode independently. But what if they can’t?

The strategies covered in this post can be used for any text, not just decodables. If you teach upper grades, for step number 5, choose a text from your grade level material. With support, students can practice their phonics skills in those texts, as well.

1) TPR: Total Physical Response

Whenever introducing a new phonics skill, I always start by assigning a motion to that new sound. We then brainstorm words that include that sound and every time we say a word with that sound, we make the motion while emphasizing the new phonics sound.

TPR, or total physical response, was developed by Dr. James J. Asher, and it was created for vocabulary instruction, especially with language learners. However, this engaging teaching strategy does not need to be limited to vocabulary instruction. Its benefits are many, including the fact that it is engaging and allows for natural “brain breaks” or “movement breaks” in your lessons, reaches kinaesthetic learners, and involves both sides of the brain when learning. For these reasons, students are better able to remember new phonics skills when they can associate a movement with these new sounds.

TEACHER TIP: Introduce this teaching strategy during the first two weeks of school. You’ll thank me later!

Differentiation Idea: Have your students, especially your advanced learners, help you create the motions. Try to choose a motion that will help students remember either a word with the sound or the sound itself.

2) Elkonin Boxes and Spelling

After practicing with the new sound in single-syllable words, it is time to use Elkonin boxes! These sound boxes are not just beneficial when building phonemic awareness, they are also helpful when teaching phonics and spelling.

It is important to note that each box should represent one SOUND rather than one LETTER. For example, the word sheep (pictured below) has 3 boxes since SH makes one sound and EE makes one sound.

TEACHER TIP: Introduce this strategy in small groups. Start by counting the number of sounds. Then, practice writing the sounds in the boxes. Last, spell the word independently. Learn how to teach using Elkonin boxes here.

3) Challenge Time: Multi-Syllable Words

This may be a bit of a shocker, especially to you primary grade teachers out there, but I whole-heartedly believe that multi-syllable words should be taught right away! (The exception is for Kindergarten, unless your students are advanced.)

One thing that I learned from my time as an intervention teacher for grades K-2 was that students can learn to read multi-syllable words quickly once a phonics skill has been explicitly taught and practiced. This leads students to be able to read actual books faster since most books have both single and multi-syllable words in them.

After practicing decoding single syllable words with a specific phonics skill, teach students how to break apart a multi-syllable word (as shown below).

To learn more, make sure to follow me on Instagram. I use my stories and reels to give teaching tips!

4) Real Words in Real Text: Decodables

Once your students have practiced, they are ready to start reading! Notice that I DID NOT say they need to master the phonics skill before beginning to read. We want our students practicing these skills in actual decodable text as soon as possible!

I would recommend having students highlight the sound in the text on the first read. Then, I would teach them to draw scoop lines under multi-syllable words during their second read. Finally, if they have trouble with any words in the text, you may want to have them circle those words as a reminder.

The most difficult part?! Prepping the passages takes a very long time! The important thing to remember is that the passage should mainly target the phonics skill you just practiced. The good news is that I have made decodables for every phonics skill!!! Save your teacher time. There is a resource for every month of the year, and each resource includes a passage for each phonics skill. The passages are themed for the season, including various holidays.

WAIT!!! There’s more!!! Every passage includes 4 levels so that you can meet the needs of every learner in your classroom. How’s that for differentiation made easy?

5) Fluency Practice

Now, last but not least…fluency practice! Gone are the days when fluency simply meant how fast you can read. It is more about phrasing and reading with expression than mere speed.

For this reason, I would highly recommend that your students read in front of you in during small group instruction. Although the differentiated passages can be used for morning work, homework, and independent work, it is critical that you hear each of your students read out loud so they may receive feedback from you.

Another option is to have students record themselves reading. This allows them to not only hear themselves read after recording but it allows for you to track their progress over time! Need ideas on which programs to use to record your students? Ask me how!

Differentiation Idea: For your intervention students or students who are below grade level, start them with a shorter passage and work their way up. For example, in this resource, start them with the red passages and then have them work on the orange, and so on. The more they read out loud, the better!

Phonics in a nutshell…We could talk on and on about phonics instruction. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to cover it all in one post! Have no fear…we are going to continue to dive into phonics centers later in November.

If you are feeling overwhelmed or simply want to brainstorm some ideas together, DM me on Instagram or feel free to email me! Until next time, always remember to keep learning!!!

Three Literacy Assessments You Need to Target the Science of Reading

The start of the school year is both exciting and chaotic…when it comes to the back to school season, there is never a shortage of skills to teach. SEL (social-emotional learning), character traits, literacy skills, and the science of reading…the list goes on and on.

One task that must not be forgotten during these first two or three weeks of school is assessment. Those of you that know me know that differentiated instruction is kind of my thing. I am a huge advocate for not only teaching in small groups but also targeting specifically planning instruction that meets each group’s needs. In order to do that, you must first learn what each individual student needs the most.

When it comes to students reading below grade level, the following areas must be taught in the following order: phonics, fluency, and comprehension. (I would not assess them in that order, but more on that later.)

I know what you are thinking…yes, there are two other components in the Science of Reading: phonemic awareness and vocabulary. Those two are very important but may not necessarily need to be assessed. They can be addressed with the others.

In this post, we are going to get the most “bang for our buck” and only assess the skills that are most necessary. After all, the beginning of the school year is a busy time! Depending on your grade level, you can either assess all of your students or just assess the students who are reading below grade level.

How do you know WHO to assess?

Great question! First, definitely review your district’s guidelines. I have found that each district goes about assessing their students in a slightly different manner. What I have found that primary grade teachers should assess all of their students since the majority of their students are still learning how to read. Upper grade teachers may benefit from only assessing the students who are reading below grade level. (The purpose of this is to learn why they are reading below grade level.)

PLEASE NOTE: This is assuming that you are assessing all of your upper grade students’ reading levels separately. There should be some way of identifying which students are below grade level. The purpose of this post is to then further assess the students who have already been identified as reading below grade level.

How do you know WHEN to assess?

The first round of assessments should definitely be at the start of the school year! This will act as a baseline for the school year and will help you assign small groups for both your instruction and your intervention. (You should be doing both all year!)

After that, I would recommend giving the same assessments again after each round of intervention. Intervention typically lasts between 6-8 weeks, but again, check in with your school/district to make sure this fits in with their expectations. The point of all these assessments is to monitor growth, regroup students, and adjust instruction.

First, these assessment are used to track student progress. Without them, how do we know if students have met standards or not? Once a student reaches grade level, that student’s goals and instruction should be changed accordingly. These assessments can also be used as evidence (if needed) during parent-teacher conferences and/or future SST meetings should the student continue to not make progress.

Second, these assessments can be used to rearrange your small groups. Your groups should be flexible groups, meaning they change regularly throughout the school year. They should at least change after each round of intervention, which is again about every 6-8 weeks.

Last, these assessments should be informing us if our instruction is effective. This is not personal! As teachers, we have a whole plethora of instructional tools in the toolbelt. We need help selecting which ones to use. These assessments will inform us whether a student is making progress towards their goals. If not, we know it’s time to try a different teaching strategy.

How do you know WHAT to assess?

Here is the bread-and-butter of this blog post: what should we assess when it comes to literacy? First of all, these assessments should be administered one-on-one by the classroom teacher. It is imperative that the person responsible for delivering instruction actually sees the students read.

In terms of types of assessments, each student should be assessed in this order: comprehension, fluency, and then phonics. (Primary grade teachers, especially grades K-1, you may want to assess in the opposite order if you are assessing your entire class.) This doesn’t mean each student needs to be given three assessments though. If a student is struggling to answer questions about a reading passage, for example, stop the assessment and assess their fluency. They may be struggling to comprehend the text because they are not reading fluidly. If a student has to stop every other word when reading, it is nearly impossible to understand the overall message of the text. The same goes for phonics. If a student is then struggling to read fluently, stop the test and assess their phonics skills instead. If a student is not reading fluently, it may be because they do not have their phonics skills committed to memory. Automaticity may not be there yet.

The good news…all of these issues are fixable! This is true no matter the grade level. Let’s take a closer look at each type of assessment and which skills to look for when planning your small group instruction.

Comprehension Assessment

In terms of comprehension, there are several ways to assess this. Even a simple conversation with a student would suffice. What I would recommend is asking a variety of questions, including those that assess explicit information (identifying the main character or setting), those that assess the main idea or theme, and those that assess higher-order thinking skills, such as inferencing.

The exciting news is that I have just created a brand new product line of nonfiction passages. The first product in this line is themed for back to school. Coming soon!

Fluency Assessment

Fluency can be assessed with any running record. It is not just about how fast a student can read. Rather, pay close attention to the type of mistakes they make when reading.

Do they read phrases together or are they reading one word at a time?

Are they dropping endings of words?

Are they consistently missing certain phonics skills, such as the magic e or r-controlled vowels?

Use a tracker like the one on the left to keep track of the mistakes they are making.

Looking for fluency passages for the entire year? These passages are themed according to the season and even include four levels for each text! Each text also targets a specific phonics skill, so the resource can be used for small group instruction.

Follow me on Instagram for more tips like the one below.

Discover how to address both fluency and phonics in the same lesson!

Phonics Assessment

This assessment starts with short vowel words and goes all the way up to diphthongs. The best part?! The lists are arranged in the order they should be taught. There is even a scoring guide!

Similar to the fluency assessment, it is important to note the type of mistakes students are making. Make sure to jot down the mistakes on your teacher copy. (Both a student copy and a teacher copy is included in the download.)

Download this free resource!

TIP: Teach students to read multi-syllable words at the same time as single-syllable words. If students have mastered reading short vowels, for instance, they will master reading words like picnic fairly quickly. The exception is of course in Kindergarten. That may be a bit overwhelming for them (unless they are gifted)!

There you have it…assessments to jump start your differentiated instruction. You may be asking yourself, “Now what?” Well, you’re in luck because next month, we are going to focus on planning your small group instruction around phonics and phonemic awareness. We will take these assessment results and plan lessons and activities that target your students’ goals.

The next blog post will go live on September 7, and the podcast episode will air on September 8. Until then, read up on ways to differentiate your Science of Reading centers. (Spoiler alert: You do not only have to group your students around their reading levels.) I can’t wait to chat with you again, and as always, feel free to email me should you have any questions or simply want to brainstorm some ideas. Happy back to school!