Short vowel digraphs are a phonics skill that takes practice and exposure for students to master. Surely your students have come up with the question, "What's the difference between the words read and read? " The words look the same, but sound different given the...
Teaching Long Vowels
Your students are growing as readers and writers. Introducing long vowel rules and spelling patterns is a natural next step in their reading journey. Keep reading for lessons, activities, and tips to teach long vowels in the second grade classroom. What are long...
Tips for Teaching Inflectional Endings
Inflectional endings may sound like a complex concept, but it's as easy as adding a few letters to the end of the word. When inflectional endings are added to the end of a word, they change the meaning or quality of the word. Let's take a look at how to teach...
Teaching Kids About Consonant Blends and Digraphs
For young readers, blends and digraphs can trip them up while reading. What's up with that jumble of letters at the beginning of a word, anyway? In this post, we will take a closer look at consonant blends and digraphs, and how to teach them to second grade learners....
Tips and Tricks for Teaching Short Vowels
Teaching short vowels is a fundamental early literacy skill that students will continue to build on in second grade. Keep reading for lessons, activities, and tips to teach short vowels in the second grade classroom. What are short vowels? The short vowel sound of...
Science of Reading: Easy At Home Phonics Practice
The Science of Reading (SoR) is THE hot topic in literacy. SoR is not another one of those educational fads that will come in and out. It is years of extensive research that proves which pedagogical methods and practices are effective in teaching students to read. Now...
How to Teach Silent Letters
Do your students know how to read and write silent letter words? There's no doubt that your students will master this fascinating fact of the English Language with these silent letter teaching tips and highlights! This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. What is a...
How to Teach an Explicit Phonics Lesson
New and experienced teachers alike are diving deep into explicit phonics instruction. According to one of our Lucky 2nd grade teachers, "I am learning that explicit phonics instruction is important but it's SO much - it's going to take me hours to plan and prepare -...
Teaching Diphthongs
There are few phonics words that will elicit more giggles in the classroom than diphthongs. But what exactly is a diphthong, and why is it important for students to learn? Keep reading for resources and strategies to teach this essential phonics skill. What are...
Using Phonics Ladders in the Classroom
Looking for a new way to introduce or reinforce phonics skills in the classroom? Look no further than our Phonics Ladders. This activity will have students climbing their way to phonics success! What are Phonics Ladders? Also known as word chains or word ladders, they...