#readingteachermom

How to Interest Even the Youngest Reader

Feb 16, 2021
6 min

How to Interest Even the Youngest Reader

My little Ele, from the time she was mobile (she was walking by ten months) never wanted to sit still long enough to read a book. She didn't even care to sit still for a movie, whereas her sister would close-out the world around her if she could just stare at a screen. Brielle would sit with me for hours to read book after book after book, but Ele was as opposite as they come. Working with reluctant readers taught me not to push her. Knowing that if I made her sit with Briell

List of Sight Word Practice & Word Play Resources

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

May 2, 2020
2 min

List of Sight Word Practice & Word Play Resources

This post is simply a list of places that offer opportunities for young readers to practice their sight words in a fun way and see the words

Countering Harvard's Attack on Homeschooling with Encouragement for Parents

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Apr 21, 2020
6 min

Countering Harvard's Attack on Homeschooling with Encouragement for Parents

I read Elizabeth Bartholet’s attack of homeschooling on Harvard Magazines website, a day after I began writing a four-part blog series...

3 Reasons Why I Stopped Using Flashcards for Word Identification Instruction

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Apr 17, 2020
2 min

3 Reasons Why I Stopped Using Flashcards for Word Identification Instruction

My job as a teacher who specializes in literacy is to provide learning opportunities that inspire a reader to enjoy the process of thinking

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Apr 16, 2020
2 min

Why are sight words important?

It is important to know words by sight because readers are able to spend less time on automatic word recognition and more time on understand

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Apr 15, 2020
2 min

Sight Words vs. High-Frequency Words

Sight words are the words that a reader should identify by sight. High-Frequency words are the words that appear most often in literature.

Qualities of a Quality Reading Teacher or Tutor

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Mar 31, 2020
4 min

Qualities of a Quality Reading Teacher or Tutor

Qualities of a quality reading teacher or tutor.

How can I best support you during this time of unrest?

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Mar 16, 2020
2 min

How can I best support you during this time of unrest?

I was speaking to one of my dearest teacher friends forced home due to the Coronavirus scare that we are currently facing as a world. She joked that she is going to go nuts being shut-in like this! YES! Aren't we all? We are used to visiting our local YMCA two to three times per week, attending a community potluck and Bible study with our church group once a week, library day, and church every Sunday. Life as we know it will continue within the four walls of our home. That mo

How to Incorporate Vocabulary Instruction into Daily Reading Time

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Mar 12, 2020
2 min

How to Incorporate Vocabulary Instruction into Daily Reading Time

During the month of February, we read about President Lincoln. It was his birthday month and Presidents Day month, so I pulled out our Who Was Abraham Lincoln? book by Janet B. Pascal and marveled at all that we learned about this amazing president. We learned that he was a dedicated learner who only had one year of schooling, yet thrived as a student. All that he did was self-taught. I think that's the part that amazed me most about Abe Lincoln. The other piece of his story

Do These 5 Things NOW to Boost Vocabulary Instruction

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Feb 15, 2020
4 min

Do These 5 Things NOW to Boost Vocabulary Instruction

Think about how you learn a new word and apply those same principles to your instruction. That is one way I think about instruction, the second (and more important) is through research (more on that later). When it comes to vocabulary, I learn best when I have a dictionary and thesaurus present, find the clues in the surrounding sentences and paragraphs, read an example given to me, break it down into different parts, and then have a variety of opportunities to use it in my d

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Feb 5, 2020
4 min

Rebecca, "What Curriculum Do You Use?"

I created a video about this topic on IGTV as well (you can watch it by clicking here) and I basically took said there and wrote it here. You can either watch the twelve-minute video that has some additional information, or you can take three minutes and read this post. Either way, I hope it helps you understand my answer to this popular question! I get asked all the time, "What curriculum do you use?" My answer usually produces a frowny face because, I don't. I don't use any

Comprehension Toolbox (For Teachers and Readers)

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Feb 1, 2020
2 min

Comprehension Toolbox (For Teachers and Readers)

Readers need a toolbox full of tools for them to use to enable them to understand whatever they read (assigned or not) to the best of their ability. That's where the teachers come in - it's our job to show them these tools so that they can be successful in their other classes, apply these principles to their higher education pursuits, be good Bereans as they read their Bible, learn well at whatever job they undertake, or simply share what they learn with others. A simple proc

Rebecca Lowery, M.Ed.

Jan 21, 2020
3 min

Monitoring Comprehension

An important aspect to teach readers is how to self-monitor their misunderstandings. Good readers have a few fix-it strategies in their toolbox that help them understand difficult text. The good news is that we all experience difficult text, the trick is to find a strategy that helps unlock the comprehension potential. I am always telling my struggling readers this truth, Everyone struggles. Even good readers struggle. The fact that you're struggling proves that you're a livi