Knowing how to teach open syllables is an important phonics skill for teachers. You also need simple, engaging, and effective strategies to practice open syllables with your students. Let’s take a look at the characteristics of an open syllable, where we find them, and how to teach the open syllable to your students. This is post 14 in my series…
What is a long vowel? When should you teach your students about long vowels? And what order should you teach long vowel spelling patterns? Let’s learn all about long vowels, why they’re important, and how to teach them to your students. This is post 13 in my series Phonics Rules for Teachers (and How the Heck to Teach ‘Em). If you’d…
How can you know when to use CK or K at the end of a word? There is a simple, easy to follow rule that you can teach your students. Help them feel confident when spelling works that end with the /k/ sound, and understand which one to choose every time. This is post 12 in my series Phonics Rules…
Closed syllables are the first syllable type you should teach your students. But, what exactly is a closed syllable, why should you teach closed syllables first, and how can you help your students understand them? This is post 10 in my series Phonics Rules for Teachers (and How the Heck to Teach ‘Em). If you’d like to see previous posts,…
Encoding and decoding are two connected but different skills. While both of these skills are important, understanding the difference between the two is crucial to good literacy instruction. If you can pinpoint whether a struggling student need to work on their encoding or decoding skills, you can better target your phonics, reading, and writing instruction. Let’s examine what encoding and…