I recently listened to a webinar by Dr Susan Brady and there some really important points I wanted to summarise for busy teachers. Focus what is supported by evidence to accelerate learning We are now racing against time to reverse […]
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When should children stop using decodable texts?
Decodable books have a very specific and limited purpose in the process of learning to read. They provide reading practice as children learn to use the sound/letter correspondences they have been taught, and the strategy of blending sounds throughout the […]
Read MoreHow to support children in reading complex texts
Here at Phonic Books we usually discuss how to help children to learn to decode and become fluent readers. But as The Reading Rope shows (see graphic below) – decoding, or word recognition is only the first part of the […]
Read MoreWhat if?
What if a young illiterate man had not travelled to New York from the Bahamas to find work? What if he hadn’t been rejected from the American Negro Theatre in Harlem because he couldn’t read? What if he hadn’t had […]
Read MoreHow to boost Tier 2 vocabulary
Teach Tier 2 words for reading comprehension We know that vocabulary is one of the five elements that make a fluent, confident reader. These five are: phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension, vocabulary and fluency. While phonics and phonemic awareness […]
Read MoreWhere do our stories come from?
On many occasions, especially at conferences, teachers have said to us, “You have gone ahead and done what I always dreamed of doing!” They describe how every lesson they write decodable stories for their pupils and thought what a good […]
Read MoreTeach high-frequency words like an incomplete puzzle
English is complex and we need to teach reading in a structured way from simple to complex. Unfortunately, there is no avoiding high-frequency words with spellings the children haven’t learned yet because they are present in even the simplest of […]
Read MoreSpelling helps reading more than reading helps spelling
In my previous blog post I mentioned I was lucky enough to listen in to a much sought after webinar given by the Reading Ape. Well, I came away with another rethink: “Spelling helps reading more than reading helps spelling,” […]
Read MoreWhy sorting words is an important activity
I recently listened to the much anticipated webinar given by the Reading Ape. (If you haven’t heard of the elusive Reading Ape, do check out the website which has fantastic research-based articles about reading.) Anyway, the Reading Ape discussed the […]
Read MoreBuild solid foundations for reading success
Now that kids are back in school, teachers must make sure that they have solid foundations for reading. These foundations will ensure reading success throughout their education and beyond. Who knows what exciting opportunities lay ahead for our young readers? […]
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