writing

Fun, Easy Classroom Time Fillers to Kickstart a New School Year

I got a new desk this year! The hugely obnoxious, impossible to move monstrosity that I inherited when I moved into my room is gone and I’m very excited to have a sleek new model. It’s even on wheels so I can rearrange on a whim, if I feel like it. When I cleaned… Continue reading

back to school, education, Resources

education, learning, literacy, reading, teaching, writing
10 Ways Wipebooks Transform Small-Group Work in Secondary ELA

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. But that comes at no additional cost to you. The Wipebook Reusable Flipchart is one of the most used supplies in my classroom! If you’ve heard of them or seen them in action, you know how cool they are…… Continue reading

education, Resources

education, literacy, reading, Science of Reading for Secondary, teaching, writing
The Reading & Writing Olympics: A 2-Week Secondary ELA Skills Training Unit

When students struggle with reading tasks, it’s easy for us as secondary ELA teachers to assume the issue is purely motivation. They just don’t want to read. But for many secondary students, the real barrier is that they are missing key foundational skills. They’re missing the reading and writing muscles they need in order to… Continue reading

#SoR Planning, education, Resources

reading, Science of Reading for Secondary, science-of-reading, writing
Bite-Sized PD for Secondary ELA

My department is tiny. There are only ten of us for grades 6-12. We meet pretty regularly though and I love it. Every time that we meet, we do a little bite-sized PD organized by one of us. This month is my turn to present and I’m really excited about. I’m leading a quick 15–20… Continue reading

Research

education, grammar, teaching, writing, writing-tips
Writing to Boost Reading Comprehension

When we think about the Science of Reading, writing doesn’t always come to mind first. But the truth is, writing plays a powerful role in strengthening students’ comprehension—especially when aligned to the same levels we address in Scarborough’s Reading Rope: word recognition and language comprehension. Scarborough’s Reading Rope reminds us that reading comprehension is a… Continue reading

#SoR Planning

reading, Science of Reading for Secondary, science-of-reading, teaching, writing
Top Paragraph Activities for Engaging Students and Building Comprehension

We’re almost at the end of this blog series! We’ve discussed word level comprehension, sentence level decoding and now we’re looking at whole paragraphs. Understanding how paragraphs, or small parts of a text, work together is essential for reading comprehension. Strong topic sentences, logical paragraph order, and effective transition words guide readers through an author’s… Continue reading

#SoR Planning

literacy, reading, Science of Reading for Secondary, science-of-reading, teaching, writing
Teaching Sentence-Level Decoding in the Context of Texts: Engaging Activities for Middle and High School Teachers

When teaching middle and high school students, one of the most crucial skills for reading comprehension… but one that gets eliminated or skimmed over waaaaaaay toooooooo often, is sentence-level decoding. Usually, when we hear the word decoding, we automatically think of decoding words and assume that it is an elementary level skill that we don’t… Continue reading

#SoR Planning, Research

literacy, Science of Reading for Secondary, science-of-reading, writing
Countdown to Kickoff – Ten Touchdown Worthy Football Lesson Plans

Are you ready to bring the excitement of football season into your ELA classroom? To capitalize on the hype with your students, check out these ten football lesson plans designed to engage them while building critical reading, writing, and analytical skills. These football lesson plans are perfect for ELA teachers looking to tap into the… Continue reading

Resources

education, learning, reading, teaching, technology, writing
Engage Deeper with Nonfiction Texts Using Notice and Note Signposts

The “Notice and Note” signposts for nonfiction, developed by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst, are a set of strategies designed to help students engage more deeply with the texts that they read. These signposts highlight key elements and moments in a text that can trigger deeper thinking and comprehension. By identifying and discussing these signposts,… Continue reading

education, Resources

books, reading-strategies, writing
Integrating Grammar with Literature: The Outsiders Guide

In order to fully comprehend any piece of literature, students need more than just an understanding of plot, characters, and themes—they must also have a solid grasp of grammar and syntax. Grammar is the foundation that allows students to analyze how sentences are structured, how ideas are connected, and how language works to create meaning.… Continue reading

Philosophy, Resources

education, english, english-grammar, grammar, writing

Welcome! I am a middle school English teacher and have been teaching since 2012. My blog is dedicated to bringing the Science of Reading research into the secondary classroom.

Since 2022, I have helped thousands of teachers integrate SoR in their secondary English classrooms by adding tiny tweaks to their every day lesson plans. If your striving secondary readers struggle to read on grade level, you’re in the right place. Don’t throw out your curriculum, try supplementing it with some explicit scaffolds.