How to Teach and Learn Precise Vocabulary
Despite all of our educational focus these days on higher order critical thinking skills, such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Bloom, Costa, etc.), the bulk of our teaching and learning at all...
View ArticleSpelling Rules
My last post, “How to Teach Spelling Part II,” discussed why teachers should teach the sound-spelling system as part of a balanced spelling program. I provided links for free downloadable Animal...
View ArticleTop 40 Pronunciation Pet Peeves
President George Bush, well known for his pronunciation gaffes, once said, “I have been known to mangle a syllable or two myself.” Despite laughing at the plethora of Bushisms over the last eight...
View ArticleTop 40 Vocabulary Pet Peeves
Everyone misuses a word now and then. Correct word choice is determined not only by denotation (Websters says…), but also by connotation. Connotation refers to common usage which influences degree,...
View ArticleEffective Spelling Practice
My last post, “How to Teach Spelling Part IV,” discussed the role of the diagnostic pre-test as part of a balanced spelling program. I provided links for spelling word lists, including Vowel...
View ArticleHow to Teach Syllabication: The Syllable Rules
As beginning readers begin to recognize the connection between speech sounds and letters (phonemic awareness), use the alphabetic code to begin sounding out and blending letter sounds (phonics), and...
View Article20 Embarrassing Mispronunciations
In a previous article I shared my Top 40 Pronunciation Pet Peeves. As I am currently hard at work writing a comprehensive 4-8th grade spelling program, I have been constantly reminded about how...
View ArticleTen English Accent Rules
The Ten English Accent Rules are important to understand and apply to be able to correctly pronounce and spell English words. Accent Rule #1: Each word with two or more syllables has one syllable whose...
View ArticleFree Structural Analysis, Syllabication & Oral Language Resources
Word study is crucial to effective reading and spelling instruction. Knowing the structural components of words, including roots, affixes, and grammatical inflections will help your students read with...
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How to Teach English Accent Rules
There no doubt will be yuge and bigly changes in Ginah under President Trump. And let’s just say that Alec Baldwin will have job security impersonating him if he so chooses. Of course, Donald is not...
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Six Simple Steps to Teaching Spelling
Grades 4-8 spelling instruction was once relegated to editing stage of the writing process by some Writers Workshop purists. The Common Core authors would seem to concur. From grade 5 on up, the only...
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Don’t Teach Reading Comprehension
Don’t Teach Reading Comprehension Okay, I’ll admit it; the article title is a bit of an attention grabber. However, as an MA reading specialist and author of plenty of reading programs over the years,...
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How to Practice Reading Comprehension
Don’t Teach Reading Comprehension Well, I stirred up somewhat of a ruckus with my companion article titled “Don’t Teach Reading Comprehension” and I think I understand why. Admittedly, the hook is...
View ArticleCommon Core Vocabulary
One quick glance at the Vocabulary Standards (see below) will convince most teachers that the traditional method of vocabulary instruction in our schools: pre-teaching a few challenging words before...
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How to Teach Greek and Latin Word Parts Vocabulary
How to Teach Greek and Latin Word Parts Earlier in my teaching career I taught SAT/ACT preparation courses on the side. No, not the math. In checking out all of the SAT prep books I found page after...
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How to Teach Academic Language Vocabulary
How to Teach Academic Language It’s been a while (2009) since I’ve read the carefully-crafted Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards. Not light bedtime reading, but reading is the subject of...
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How to Teach Word Relationships Vocabulary
How to Teach Word Relationships In Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards, the authors discuss the importance of learning new vocabulary in the context of word relationships. To deeply...
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How to Teach Connotations: Shades of Meaning Vocabulary
How to Teach Connotations Shades of Meaning Some of our English words are quite imprecise. Whereas the Greeks have at least four words for love, we only have one. How crazy is it that we can say, “I...
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How to Teach Figures of Speech Vocabulary
How to Teach Figures of Speech “Walk through the door and into my room. Chill in your seat until I can take care of this business. I swear I feel like I’m casting all my pearls before swine,” said the...
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How to Teach Multiple Meaning Words Vocabulary
How to Teach Multiple Meaning Words From an old vaudeville act: “You drove me to drink!” her husband shouted. “No, you walked there yourself every night,” his wife responded. This mildly humorous...
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