Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers

Have you ever felt a little possessive over a favorite classroom activity or picture book? You’re not alone! In this month’s Dear Stellar Teacher episode, Sara and Emily dive into a question many teachers can relate to: What do you do when a beloved book or activity has already been used by another grade level? Together, they explore how to shift your mindset from competition to collaboration, unlocking new opportunities for your students.Throughout this episode, Sara and Emily share practical strategies to make familiar books and routines feel fresh and engaging, even for students who’ve seen them before. From creating collaborative campus traditions to tailoring activities for different grade levels, they highlight how to maximize the learning potential of shared resources. Plus, they discuss the unexpected benefits of rereading books and repeating routines across multiple years.Whether you’ve encountered this scenario or are simply curious about fostering a collaborative teaching culture, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable advice. Don’t miss the chance to transform how you approach shared classroom materials and build a stronger sense of community on your campus. Let’s make teaching a true team sport!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Fill out the Dear Stellar Teacher form for a chance to be featured on a future episode.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode229.

Do your students struggle to turn their ideas into cohesive, organized writing? If so, you’re not alone. Outlining is an essential step in the writing process, yet it’s often rushed or overlooked in classrooms. In today’s episode, we’re diving into the art of teaching outlining—a skill that makes writing easier and more effective for students. By helping students create a roadmap for their writing, you’ll set them up for success and reduce the frustration of staring at a blank page.Drawing inspiration from The Writing Rope by Joan Sedita and The Writing Revolution by Judith Hochman and Natalie Wexler, we’ll explore why spending more time in the “think and plan” stage can transform your students’ writing. We’ll discuss how outlines reduce the cognitive load of drafting and make the writing process more efficient. Whether it’s brainstorming ideas, organizing details, or structuring a paragraph, outlining is the key to unlocking confident and skilled student writers.In this episode, I’m sharing three strategies to help your students master outlining. From teaching them to identify the task, audience, and purpose (TAP) to practicing paragraph deconstruction, you’ll walk away with practical tips to implement immediately. Plus, you’ll discover how to seamlessly integrate outlining into your literacy block and beyond, empowering your students to write with clarity and confidence.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode228.

If teaching topic sentences has ever felt like a struggle, you’re not alone. Many students find it challenging to start their paragraphs with a clear, engaging main idea, often jumping into details or relying on repetitive phrases. In today’s episode, we’re tackling this foundational writing skill with six practical strategies to help students craft topic sentences that truly enhance their paragraphs.Reflecting on my own classroom experiences, I remember how often students would freeze at the beginning of a paragraph or produce overly generic topic sentences. Now, with proven strategies in hand, I’m here to share exactly how you can guide your students to create topic sentences that set the right tone and direction for their writing. From structuring their ideas to experimenting with sentence frames, these approaches will make a noticeable difference.Join me as we explore hands-on activities and techniques, like identifying topic sentences in reading materials and practicing with prompts, that are sure to build your students’ confidence and skill. With a bit of guidance, you’ll see them move from hesitation to mastery in no time! Plus, these strategies will not only strengthen their topic sentences but also enhance their overall paragraph writing, helping them create clearer, more cohesive paragraphs with ease.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode227.

Sentence-level writing can be a skill that is often overlooked but absolutely essential for literacy success. Many teachers feel the pressure to focus on end-of-year essay skills, but without strong sentence foundations, even the best essay instruction can falter. I’ll be sharing why it’s crucial to prioritize sentence writing with your students and how this focus will strengthen all areas of their literacy—from writing coherence to reading comprehension.Why is sentence work so powerful? It all starts with structure. When students learn to craft clear, varied, and purposeful sentences, they unlock the ability to communicate their ideas effectively. This skill also boosts comprehension, as students who understand sentence structure can better interpret complex texts. By building sentence-level skills, we’re helping students develop clarity in both their writing and their reading—setting them up for academic success across subjects.You’ll leave this episode with practical strategies to bring sentence-level work into your classroom, even if you’re short on time. Whether through sentence deconstruction in small groups or fluency-building exercises, these approaches will transform how your students approach writing and understanding texts. Ready to make sentence writing a priority? Tune in to discover how focusing on sentences can be one of the most impactful shifts you make in your teaching practice.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode226.

Welcome to this month’s episode of Dear Stellar Teacher! We’re kicking things off with a heartwarming story straight from our Stellar Literacy Collective Facebook community, where fifth and sixth-grade teacher Rebecca shares an inspiring classroom win. At her new school, Rebecca has been using our whole group lessons, including a powerful poetry lesson on The Invisible Backpack, a lesson designed to help students understand that everyone carries unseen challenges or struggles. She had her students reflect on it through a thoughtful writing prompt—a moment that brought both empathy and comprehension to the forefront of learning and allowed her to make personal connections with her students.In today’s episode, we’re unpacking one of teaching’s biggest balancing acts: grading. Teachers often wonder how many grades to take, what to grade, and the type of feedback to offer. We’ll talk about balancing grading requirements with meaningful assessments, helping you reduce pressure while still providing valuable insights for your students. Our goal? To streamline your grading process so it’s not just about checking boxes but rather about fostering growth and understanding. One tip we discuss is how to use in-class grading for instant feedback—an approach that saves time and boosts student engagement.It's important to keep in mind that grades are more than just numbers in a grade book; they’re a way to communicate progress and provide feedback that supports student growth. By staying intentional about what and when we grade, we can shift our focus from merely fulfilling requirements to fostering a more meaningful learning experience. Instead of letting grading become a burdensome task, let’s remember that it’s an opportunity to guide, encourage, and celebrate each student’s journey.If you have ideas or topics you’d like us to cover in a future Dear Stellar Teacher episode, feel free to reach out—we’d love to hear from you!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Fill out the Dear Stellar Teacher form for a chance to be featured on a future episode.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode225.

In this episode, I’m thrilled to bring you the best insights and takeaways from the incredible Reading League Conference, where a few teammates and I learned from some of the brightest minds in literacy education. If you’re unfamiliar, the Reading League is a powerful organization dedicated to helping teachers implement effective literacy practices rooted in the science of reading. I absolutely love their mission: “We believe all children deserve to learn to read, and all teachers can learn to teach them.” That vision aligns so well with what we strive for here on the podcast—empowering teachers to provide the best instruction possible.Throughout the Reading League Conference, I attended several incredible sessions, each offering valuable insights into literacy instruction and how we can better support our students. From understanding the importance of balancing word recognition with comprehension skills, to grasping how the science of reading and the science of learning intersect, I walked away with a renewed sense of purpose. One major takeaway was the reminder that while research provides clear direction, the real challenge lies in effectively implementing these best practices in a way that supports each student's unique learning journey.I also left the Reading League Conference feeling energized by the discussions around how emotions, cognitive load, and productive struggle play a role in literacy learning. It’s not just about the programs or strategies we use, but how we create environments where students are challenged yet supported, and how we recognize their progress along the way. These insights have sparked new ideas for future podcast episodes and Stellar Teacher resources, and I can’t wait to dive deeper into these topics with you all!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode224.

Have you ever spent time teaching new vocabulary—defining words, providing examples, and guiding your students through practice—only to see them struggle to use those words in their own sentences? Frustrating, right? In this episode of the Stellar Teacher Podcast, we're here to change that! We’re sharing four simple yet powerful strategies that will help your students not only grasp new words but actually use them in meaningful ways, building a robust vocabulary that sticks. If you want to supercharge your vocabulary instruction, this episode is a must-listen!Why is building a robust vocabulary so crucial? Research shows that students need to understand 90-95% of the words in a text to truly comprehend it. Vocabulary mastery can account for up to 80% of reading comprehension scores! But teaching vocabulary is about more than just definitions—it’s about giving students repeated, meaningful practice using those words in context, creating a robust vocabulary that supports their reading comprehension and overall academic success.In this episode, you'll learn four actionable strategies designed to help your students build a more robust vocabulary, including "repeat after me", yes/no questions, partner discussions, and sentence stems. These methods give students the support they need to use new words confidently and correctly. Tune in to discover how you can make vocabulary instruction more engaging and effective, ensuring your students don’t just learn new words—they truly understand and use them!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode223.

In this episode, we’re exploring the benefits of writing about reading. Research shows that engaging students in writing about what they read can significantly improve their understanding and retention of the material. We’ll unpack what this research means for your classroom, why it’s particularly impactful for struggling readers and writers, and how you can make "writing stuff" a regular part of your literacy block.So why is writing about reading so powerful? It not only helps students clarify their thoughts and focus on the most important information from a text, but also encourages them to make connections and reflect on their reading. The process of transforming their ideas into their own words, whether by summarizing, sharing personal opinions, or writing reviews, pushes students to think critically and engage actively with the content. Throughout this episode, we’ll explore how you can incorporate these writing activities into your teaching practice, making it a seamless and effective way to boost student comprehension.Ready to get started? We’ll be sharing three simple and practical strategies for bringing more writing about reading into your literacy block. You’ll learn how to help students summarize texts, respond with personal reactions, and write reviews—all of which can be done with minimal prep work. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a range of ideas to implement immediately, so you can begin to see the benefits of this powerful practice in your classroom today. Tune in, take notes, and think about which of these writing tasks you can introduce to your students this week!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode222.

Welcome to the first episode of our brand-new podcast segment, Dear Stellar Teacher! We are so excited to launch this monthly segment, where we’ll be diving into listener questions, sharing stories from teachers, and having real, candid conversations about the joys and challenges of teaching. You can expect these episodes to hit your feed on the first Monday of every month, giving you that extra dose of inspiration and encouragement to kick off your month. For these episodes I will be joined by my amazing teammate, Emily Caudill, who is one of our curriculum creators at The Stellar Teacher Company, and a former elementary teacher.In today's episode, we tackle a question that so many teachers struggle with – how to fit everything into your literacy block when your time feels stretched and your schedule is chaotic. We’ll share tips for maximizing your literacy time, making transitions more efficient, and even doing a time audit to pinpoint where you can make small, impactful changes. We'll discuss how to get creative with your time by “double-dipping” parts of your literacy block and why routines can be the secret to maximizing both your instructional time and your planning efficiency.We also reflect on the importance of mindset, and the importance of focusing on what you can control, while letting go of what you can't. While it’s natural to want to fit everything in, remember that progress beats perfection. It’s perfectly fine to slow down or revisit a concept to ensure your students truly understand before moving on. We share an inspiring story from a teacher inside the Stellar Literacy Collective who did that, and how her students benefited. So, if you’re feeling pressed for time or just want to make your schedule work better for you, tune in for tips, mindset shifts, and solutions to help you take back control of your day!Do you have a burning question you want us to explore on the podcast? Or maybe you have an amazing story that deserves a shout-out? We’d be thrilled to feature your question or stellar story on the show! Just shoot us an email at [email protected]. We can’t wait to hear from you!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode221.

In this episode, we’re diving deep into a topic that many upper elementary teachers grapple with—how to help students with decoding multisyllabic words. I’m excited to be joined by Marnie Ginsberg, the founder of Reading Simplified, a research-based program that gives educators practical tools to support struggling readers. Marnie is here to share some incredibly simple yet powerful strategies that you can start implementing right away. Whether your students are stumbling over three-syllable words or longer, these tips will help them gain the skills they need to become confident readers.Decoding single-syllable words is tough enough, but when students are introduced to multisyllabic words, the challenge escalates. As Marnie explains, multisyllabic words build upon the decoding skills students develop early on, but with extra complexities. We’ll talk about how these multi-step processes can overwhelm students who haven’t mastered automaticity with one-syllable words and why addressing this gap is critical for their reading fluency and comprehension. Many teachers focus heavily on comprehension, but Marnie reminds us that if students struggle to decode, that’s where we need to begin.During our conversation, Marnie also introduces specific activities like "Switch It", "Read It,", and "Write It" which help refine students’ letter-sound knowledge and build the automaticity needed for decoding longer words. You’ll hear how you can incorporate these strategies into your classroom, even if you're not a phonics expert. Marnie’s practical tips will give you the tools to support students who are falling behind, empowering them to become fluent, confident readers capable of tackling multisyllabic words with ease.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode220.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into five key strategies to help you build a more effective literacy block in your classroom. As teachers, it can be tempting to compartmentalize every aspect of literacy instruction into separate chunks, but that often leads to time constraints and missed opportunities for students to apply their skills holistically. We’ll explore why it's crucial to avoid teaching everything in isolation and how we, at the Stellar Literacy Collective, have designed resources to make it easier for you to integrate different literacy components seamlessly into your schedule.Flexibility is key when planning your literacy block. While routines and schedules provide structure, being adaptable to your students' needs is just as important. Today, we’ll discuss how to balance the consistency of your literacy routines with the flexibility to adjust your pacing based on student responses. Remember, the goal isn’t to rigidly follow the schedule but to focus on the content and let your students' progress guide your instruction.We’ll also talk about setting realistic expectations for what you can accomplish in your literacy block. By auditing your time and building in buffer moments, you’ll become better at predicting how long activities will actually take. Along the way, we’ll touch on why focusing on mastery over mere completion leads to meaningful progress, and why the traditional five-day school week shouldn’t be the sole dictator of your schedule. So don’t be afraid to introduce new lessons or assessments on any day of the week!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode219.

In upper elementary, students are exposed to more multisyllabic words in the texts they are reading. Coming across big words can feel intimidating and overwhelming. To help, I've created a simple strategy and visual that you can start using with your students immediately that will help them decode and understand multisyllabic words.In this episode, I’ll guide you through a 5-step process for decoding multisyllabic words, explaining the key foundational concepts students need beforehand. I’ll also show you how to implement this routine in your classroom and how to use it as a diagnostic tool to identify where students need extra support, leading to better reading success.Supporting students who struggle to read big words can be tough. My hope is that with this 5-step process, you’ll equip them with a tool that scaffolds learning until decoding multisyllabic words becomes automatic!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode218.

Writing instruction is crucial in every 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade classroom. But with limited time in an already packed literacy block, how do we cover everything students need to know? The solution is simple: integrate writing instruction into all content areas.In this episode, my goal is to inspire every teacher to see themselves as a writing teacher, no matter the subject they teach. Writing skills and an understanding of sentence structure are vital for student success across all subjects. By the time students reach upper elementary, they are doing more content writing, and with just a little bit of intention and a little extra time, you can seamlessly incorporate writing instruction into science, social studies, math, and more.After you listen to this episode, I have two challenges for you. The first is to pick one of the five ideas shared in this episode and implement it this week. The second challenge is to share this episode with a fellow educator. Embedding writing instruction throughout the day is essential, so spread the word to help increase student writing in every content area!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode217.

I remember back-to-school time being both exciting and exhausting. It's a new school year filled with fresh possibilities. It's also extremely busy with classroom setup, planning, organizing, and meeting students, parents, and new teachers. To lighten your load, I'm sharing 3 important literacy lessons to teach at the beginning of the year to set your students up for literacy success.As literacy teachers, we strive to build skilled readers who develop a love for reading. I've come up with 3 literacy lessons that are great to teach at the beginning of the year, and I've included various ideas for fun, engaging activities for students to participate in during each lesson. Plus I share picture books you can use to go along with each lesson.Focusing on literacy from the start emphasizes its importance. Therefore, implementing these 3 essential literacy lessons towards the beginning of the year will lead to more skilled readers in your classroom this school year!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode216.

We've discussed how challenging it is to fit all the necessary skills into your literacy block with limited time. But what if I told you that focusing on fluency doesn't have to take extra time? It can be seamlessly integrated throughout your day. Game changer, right? In today's episode, my special guest, Aylin Claahsen, shares practical reading fluency activities you can incorporate into your classroom today.Many believe that upper elementary students are already fluent readers, but that's not always true. Fluency involves five key aspects: accuracy, expression, pace, smoothness, and reading for meaning. While this may seem like a lot, Aylin offers five strategies to help you support fluency development in your students.Fluency is the thread that ties reading and comprehension together. Aylin's tips are easy to implement and require no extra time or prep. You can start using these reading fluency activities today to enhance students comprehension, fluency, and their love for reading.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode215.

I loved teaching genre when I was in the classroom, and now I love talking about it. I view teaching genre as the cornerstone of a literacy block. Genre is something that you can talk about in both reading and writing, so anytime you talk about genre, it can have an impact on all areas of your literacy block. Genre categorizes books and texts by specific attributes. When students understand genre, it gives them a roadmap to help them navigate the texts they read. By learning genre, students gain tools and clues to comprehend different types of texts.Teaching genre boosts academic performance, student engagement, and community building. It's a great topic to introduce at the start of the year. In this episode, I share three fun activities to introduce genre to your students.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode212.

Today, we're focusing on social and emotional learning (SEL) with Abby from Mrs. Mo's Modifications. Abby, a behavior specialist and former special education teacher, is passionate about helping teachers incorporate social and emotional learning into their classrooms. In our conversation, she explains what SEL is and its importance, emphasizing the need to explicitly teach and practice these skills with students.As the new school year approaches, I challenge you to embed social and emotional learning practices in your classroom. Consider incorporating welcoming activities to build rapport, engaging lessons that encourage participation, and teaching topics such as friendship, goal setting, dealing with failure, and coping skills. Model these practices and give students time to practice them.Teaching social and emotional learning is crucial for whole child development. When we are teaching academics, we are teaching human beings. We need to make sure that we're addressing the whole child and giving them support in all areas, not just our content specialist area. Tune in to learn how to make SEL a reality in your classroom this year.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode213.

As a new school year approaches and you prepare your literacy lessons and schedule, I want to share some advice on teaching word study. In this episode, I'll discuss 5 things to do and 5 things to avoid in word study instruction.Expanding students' vocabularies is crucial in upper elementary, so incorporate a daily word study activity. This should be a shared goal across all subjects, not just ELA. Make your lessons fun and engaging for all students, and always connect word study instruction to students' reading and writing.Teaching word study can be intimidating, but you don't need to be an expert to start. You can do it! Reuse routines and activities throughout the year with new words. Keep instruction bite-sized, and teach word study concepts as generalizations, not rigid rules. The goal is not mastery but helping students apply what they learn to their reading and writing.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode212.

I’ve shared on the podcast before that it’s impossible to teach every single unknown word to your students. So, with that in mind, what can you do as a literacy teacher to help your students learn and understand the meaning of new words? You need to provide them with the tools to figure out word meanings, and one way to do that is through teaching morphology. In today’s episode, I’m explaining what morphology is and how you can teach it. Grab my free How to Read Big Words Strategy poster here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode211

As elementary teachers plan their small groups, they think about the lessons they’ll be teaching, activities for students to engage in, and the number of students in each group. And while those are important components of a successful small group, there’s one major aspect teachers don’t often think about: the rest of their class! This is such a challenge for teachers that the number one question I get asked pertaining to small groups is What do I do with the rest of my class so I can pull small groups? So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing five ways to plan your small group time that also engages the rest of your class. Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode210

As we conclude our Science of Reading Summer Series, I want to share some tips for planning your literacy block for next year. We know fitting everything into a literacy block can be challenging, so here are some key components to include: word study, reading comprehension, whole group lessons, writing, small group lessons, independent practice, and transitions.The good news is that these components don't have to be done in isolation. I encourage you to be creative and find ways to teach multiple concepts at once. Integrating different elements can make your literacy block more engaging and efficient, allowing you to cover more ground without overwhelming your students.Remember that while it's important to establish routines and structure in your literacy block, you want to also maintain flexibility to adjust as needed throughout the year. This adaptability ensures we can meet our students' needs and help them become successful readers and writers.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode207.

Being an upper elementary teacher means that we put a bigger focus on getting students to write a five-paragraph essay by the end of the year. And as we’ve talked about recently on the podcast, students need to have a foundation of good sentence writing first. Once students have that solid foundation, they then learn how to write strong paragraphs. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing five tips that will help students write better paragraphs in upper elementary. Grab our Sentence Writing Routine Free Sample here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode208

The Simple View of Reading highlights that reading comprehension requires proficiency in both decoding and language comprehension. If a student struggles with decoding, effective comprehension instruction won't help them understand the text because decoding is a crucial part of reading. In this episode, I share a straightforward process to help your students read and decode multisyllabic words.To decode multisyllabic words, students should circle any prefixes, put a box around any suffixes, look at the remaining part of the word, underline the vowels, and break the word into syllables. Then, they should say the word parts slowly, and then say the word, and see if it sounds like any words they already know. As a bonus step, they can read the word again more quickly and then read it in a sentence.To help students master decoding multisyllabic words, it's crucial to practice this routine until it becomes automatic. When students can read big words effortlessly, they can focus their mental energy on comprehension. In this episode, I share strategies to make this routine more second nature for your students.How to Read Big Words Strategy Poster: stellarteacher.com/bigwords.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode207.

A common misconception upper elementary teachers often make with sentence writing is that students don’t need to practice or develop this skill. Since teachers are so focused on the end result of a five-paragraph essay, sentence writing is often ignored or not prioritized. However, that’s not benefiting students and their academic success at all. Instead, this foundational skill needs to be incorporated daily into their literacy block. In today’s episode, I’m sharing 3 ways to improve student sentence writing and why it directly impacts academic success. Grab my Sentence Writing Routine Sample here! Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode206.

In this episode, we shift our focus from instructional strategies to an often overlooked yet crucial aspect of literacy instruction: the classroom environment, specifically the classroom library. While effective teaching practices are essential, how we organize our learning spaces can significantly impact our students' reading experiences and development. As the new school year approaches, I want to share ideas for organizing your classroom library in ways that align with the science of reading.I used to organize my library by reading levels, but now I understand that this limits students' reading choices and does not support their growth or love for reading. Instead of doing this in your classroom this year, try organizing it by genre, or topic/theme, or author/series, or a mix of these. These approaches not only help foster a love for reading but also align with how books are organized in real-world settings.No single organizational method fits all classrooms. However, avoiding reading levels and using a mix of genre, topic, and author organization can create a more engaging and effective classroom library. Tune in to learn the benefits and limitations of each method.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode205

One of the ways for students to be successful readers and have excellent reading comprehension is if they have a good understanding of words and their meanings. This is why vocabulary instruction is an important aspect of your literacy block, or really during any content area. However, vocabulary instruction is more than just introducing new words to your students. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing four ways to enhance vocabulary instruction and why you should focus on a variety of vocabulary concepts. Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode204

One major goal in upper elementary education is to help students become fluent readers. But what does that really mean? Fluency goes beyond speed; it encompasses the ability to read words, phrases, and entire sections of text quickly, accurately, and with understanding.Reading fluency serves as the bridge between decoding and comprehension. Strong fluency skills improve both decoding and comprehension because they introduce a level of automaticity. Fluent readers don't need to think about how to read or sound out individual words; they read smoothly and quickly, allowing them to focus more mental energy on comprehension, meaning, purpose, and building knowledge.So, how can we incorporate this knowledge into our classrooms? In this episode, I will share five strategies to build reading fluency with your students. These strategies are practical, fun, and easy to implement. I hope you'll choose one or two of them to implement in your classroom next year.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode203

When tackling a new approach to your instruction, it takes a lot of research, dedication, and implementation to find success with your students. After hearing about the science of reading, my guest, Meghan Hein, dove head first into learning all she could about it and has since made small changes to her literacy block to align with its practices just this past school year. So, in this episode, Meghan’s here to talk about her work with the science of reading practices, how she worked to align them with her curriculum, and the impacts they’ve had. Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode202

Scarborough's Reading Rope highlights the necessity of both word recognition and language comprehension for developing skilled readers. In this episode, I focus on effective vocabulary instruction, a crucial component of language comprehension. I will discuss both implicit and explicit vocabulary instruction methods and their role in enhancing students' vocabulary and reading comprehension.Explicit vocabulary instruction involves directly teaching new words to students, allowing teachers to be intentional about the vocabulary they introduce. In contrast, implicit vocabulary instruction occurs spontaneously during teachable moments and is less structured but natural. However, teaching vocabulary effectively goes beyond knowing word definitions; it requires a deep understanding of instructional strategies. Listen to this episode for ways to effectively teach both implicit and explicit vocabulary in your classroom.The importance of vocabulary instruction is underscored by the Matthew Effect, which suggests that students with a strong vocabulary foundation can accelerate their learning more quickly than their peers with limited vocabulary. A rich vocabulary makes it easier for students to comprehend complex texts, leading to further vocabulary acquisition and improved reading skills. Conversely, students with poor vocabulary face challenges in progressing and understanding new words from complex texts. Therefore, intentional teaching of both explicit and implicit vocabulary is essential to boost students' reading comprehension and overall literacy skills.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode201

Happy 200th episode, my friends! While I love reminiscing on milestone episodes, which I do at the beginning of this episode, I thought the best way to celebrate was to do what I started this podcast for. And that is to continue to support teachers in areas of struggle. After recently sending out a survey to my Stellar Teacher community, I once again saw the need for more support in the area of teaching writing. Struggling with this when I was a classroom teacher, I knew I needed to provide more support. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing how to make teaching writing easier and less stressful for you this next school year. Grab a copy of our free sentence writing routine: stellarteacher.com/sentences.Grab a copy of our free paragraph writing routine: stellarteacher.com/paragraph.Join us for our free summer book study here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode200

I often describe text structure as a roadmap for reading. Understanding how texts are organized is crucial for enhancing language comprehension, which plays a significant role in reading. Deciphering text structure aids in identifying key concepts and understanding the relationships among ideas, people, and events in a text. It also prepares students for what to expect and how information will unfold as they read.Grab a copy of our free sentence writing routine: stellarteacher.com/sentences.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode199

I’ve talked on this podcast before about the science of reading, the major components of it, and why it’s such a major topic in the field of education right now. And while I’ve researched and surrounded myself with all the information I can on it, there’s still so much to unpack and learn. Thankfully, my guest on today’s episode, Katie Egan Cunningham, is an expert on the topic. So, in this episode, Katie is sharing insights into the science of reading, the importance of evidence-based instruction, the idea of the science of happiness, and her new book, Shifting the Balance. Buy Katie's book, Shifting the Balance, Grades 3-5: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom, here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode198

I'm thrilled to launch our Science of Reading Summer Series by discussing how activating prior knowledge and building background knowledge enhances reading comprehension. Effective comprehension extends beyond decoding words to deeply understanding text through language comprehension. Our aim is not to teach a long list of standards, but to empower students to deeply understand the topic of the texts that they are reading.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode197.

I’ve always been fascinated with how students learn to read, so when I first heard about the science of reading, I couldn’t get enough. I read all the books and did countless hours of research, all to learn this knowledge and share it with my listeners. Starting this Thursday, we’re kicking off our Stellar Teacher Science of Reading Summer Series, where I address one aspect of the science of reading with practical tips and strategies. So, in order to prepare for this upcoming series, in this episode, I’m sharing a brief overview and explaining what the science of reading is and insight into the science of reading in upper elementary.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode196

I’ll be honest: when I was teaching in the classroom, I knew very little about the work Speech Language Pathologists, or SLPs, did in schools. I knew they pulled students to work on speech services, but not much beyond that. After my conversation with today’s guest, Hallie Sherman, I gained a deeper understanding of the role of an SLP and how they help students with their language, which affects their reading comprehension. In today’s episode with Hallie, you’ll learn how to effectively collaborate with SLPS, ways they support students, and practical strategies you can use in your own classroom.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode195

After talking with teachers and sending out surveys to the Stellar Teacher community, it’s clear that everyone is struggling with the same thing: how to teach writing. If I’m being honest, this was definitely a struggle for me when I was in the classroom. I wasn’t confident in my skills, therefore I didn’t know how to teach my students. But I don’t want that for you! So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing the essential writing skills for the start of school that will set your students up for writing success. Grab a free sample of the Sentence Writing Routine here and the Paragraph Writing Routine here! Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode194

Being a first year teacher, there are so many things on your mind and your to-do list before entering your classroom in the fall. But like most first year teachers, they don’t want to wait to get started on all things teaching and are so eager to get started now. Well, if you’re a first-year teacher, you’re in luck! In today’s episode, I have guest Dr. Lori Friesen, who is sharing five things teachers can do now before their first year of teaching.Grab a copy of Dr. Lori Friesen's book here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode193

If I’m being honest, there were a lot of things that I struggled with during my first few years of teaching, but nothing compared to knowing how to teach vocabulary effectively. In my first few years, I implemented several programs, but neither of them seemed to be the key to having my students know the word and use it correctly. Eventually, I figured out what I needed to do for vocabulary to finally stick for my students. So in today’s episode, I’m sharing my five easy steps for effective vocabulary instruction.Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode192

You all know how much I love bringing on other literacy experts to share their knowledge with you, but today, you’re getting double the knowledge! In my first-ever double-guest episode, I have Melissa and Lori on, and we are talking about all things literacy. They recently wrote a book, answering 50 literacy questions that keep them, and others, up at night. So, in today’s episode, we’re previewing a few of their literacy questions from the book, answering them, and providing you with practical tips to implement in your classroom.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode191

One of the reasons I love doing this podcast is because I get to share resources, information, and knowledge I’ve learned with you all. I know when I was a classroom teacher, I didn’t have the time to research and really dive into topics like I wanted to. But I get to do that now, and one of the topics I’ve learned so much about, and really one of my favorite topics, is syntax. So, in today’s episode, I’m giving you information for understanding syntax, why it’s important, and ideas to implement in your classroom.Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode190

When working with kids, part of the job is dealing with their behaviors. Just like adults, kids have good and bad days, experience emotions, get excited, and would rather partake in activities that interest them than do their school work. Learning to understand their behaviors and how to manage them in a productive way is the key to supporting them. To help with this, in today’s episode, I have guest Sara Cottrill-Carlo on to discuss understanding student behaviors and proactive intervention strategies to put in place. Grab Sara's Behavior Intervention Handouts here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode189

Class discussions are a major part of our classrooms. We want our students engaged, talking, sharing, and interacting with their peers. In an ideal world, all of our students would willingly participate, they’d know exactly what they want to say, and conversations would be flowing throughout the day. However, we know that’s not the case. Many students are reluctant to share, are worried they’re going to have the wrong answer, and so many other worries. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing five quick and easy ways for you to enhance class discussions and create more meaningful and productive conversations.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode188

If you’ve been teaching literacy for a while, you know all about the balanced literacy approach to teaching reading. However, you also know that the approach is outdated and not effective in teaching students how to read. And no one knows this more than my guest, Anna Geiger. A former balanced literacy teacher herself, Anna eventually found her way to the science of reading. In today’s episode, she is sharing her journey and why she believes in a structured literacy approach to reading. Pre-order Anna's book, Reach All Readers, here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode187

I’m always reminded how much teachers struggle with this certain writing concept every time I do a workshop or talk with teachers about the struggles they’re facing in their classrooms. I shouldn’t be surprised, for I, too, never felt confident in my ability to teach this concept and, after doing my own research, realized I didn’t teach this to my students in the most effective way. If you haven’t caught on by now, I’m talking about grammar instruction. I used to spend way too much time teaching grammar in all the wrong ways, but thinking if students knew grammar knowledge, it was going to create strong independent writers. Instead, it did the exact opposite. I finally learned the most effective ways to teach grammar and want to share them with you. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing a few grammar mindset shifts and a simple strategy to help you embed more intentional grammar instruction into your writing block.Grab my Sentence Writing Reference Sheets here! Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode186

We’ve made it to that time of year again when we begin to trickle in test prep throughout our instructional day in order to prepare our students for the end-of-year standardized test. Even though this test is inevitable, it doesn't mean the way we structure preparing for it has to be boring or monotonous. Instead, we want to provide our students with high energy and excitement revolving around test prep. So in today’s episode, I’m sharing four ways you can make test prep more engaging and fun for your students.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode185

Being literacy teachers, we know the importance of having good literacy skills and how they can positively impact our student’s learning and communication. And those teachers who don’t teach literacy tend not to make writing a focus in their classroom. However, according to my guest, Katie Novak, that’s the wrong attitude to have. In today’s episode, she shares her philosophy on literacy and how incorporating a Universal Design for Learning approach in your classroom helps create authentic writing experiences for your students.Buy Katie's Book, Shift Writing Into the ClassroomWant to learn more about Universal Design for Learning? Enjoy 20% off Katie's course, UDL Now!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode184

Even though you’re almost three-quarters of the way done with school, it doesn't mean you can’t teach your students new skills or try new things in your classroom. One thing you’ve probably been doing all year is pulling small groups. And even though you’ve done this all year, it’s still important to implement new strategies or have your students work on new skills. I get a lot of questions involving small groups, and an underrated skill students need is independence. So in today’s episode, I’m sharing four steps in helping your students become independent when pulling small groups. Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode183

Well, my friends, we’ve made it to the last pillar of reading, which is reading comprehension. While most would argue that reading comprehension is the most important pillar in a student’s success in reading, it’s actually the last one you should focus on. This is because students need a solid foundation in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and vocabulary in order to focus on comprehension. To finish out the series, I’m sharing eight reading comprehension strategies to help students become successful readers.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode182

Everything that a literacy teacher does is to try and help their students be successful readers and writers, which is why, over the last month, we've been focusing on the five pillars of reading. And one of the big factors that contributes to reading is a strong vocabulary. It's no surprise that the way most of us were taught vocabulary when we were younger is not the most effective vocabulary instruction anymore. Instead, there is a new way. So, in today's episode, my guest, Michelle Sullivan, is sharing some evidence-based strategies for building student vocabulary.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode181

We’ve really taken a deep dive into the five pillars of reading over the last few weeks. My goal is to provide you with accurate information and practical tips that you can apply in your classroom to improve your students’ reading. With each pillar, I’ve brought in guests who are experts in their field, and today is no different. Aylin Claahsen not only is a fluency expert, but she is also a close friend of mine. So in today’s episode, Aylin is sharing ways to improve accuracy in fluency that you can use this week in your classroom.Download Aylin's Free Fluency Resources here (Phonics Focused Reading Passages) and here (Fluency Passage Samples)!Grab The Fluency Files here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode180