Latest Reading Posts from the Blog

8 Reasons to Read Graphic Novels in Upper Elementary
For years, one of my goals as a teacher has been to transform reluctant readers into avid readers. But true confession…much of that time, there

Why You Should Be Using Reading Centers in Upper Elementary
Whether you call them reading centers, stations, rotations, or something else, literacy centers are so beneficial for kids in upper elementary classrooms. Here are 7

Using a Scavenger Hunt to Review Informational Text Structures
One of my favorite ways to review Informational Text Structures with upper elementary kids is to organize a text structure scavenger hunt! First, I teach

High Interest – Low Readability Books for Upper Elementary
When upper elementary kids struggle with reading, as teachers, we want to do everything possible to help these reluctant readers improve their reading skills and

Using Reader’s Theater to Increase Fluency in Upper Elementary
The National Reading Panel researched the essential components of reading in 2000 and came up with a list of five: Phonemic awareness Phonics Vocabulary Fluency

Using Read Alouds in the Upper Elementary Classroom
Read alouds are definitely not just for little kids! I have always loved doing read alouds in upper elementary and they’re an important part of

8 Reasons to Teach Poetry in the Upper Elementary Classroom
Whether you love poetry or are somewhat reluctant to dive into it regularly, there are so many reasons why poetry is important for upper elementary

Using Think Alouds to Increase Comprehension in Upper Elementary
The Think Aloud technique is a great way to increase reading comprehension in upper elementary students! Think alouds are particularly powerful because they help teach

Haiku Poetry for Upper Elementary
Teaching haiku poetry is so much fun in the upper elementary grades! Kids this age seem to enjoy the process and their creativity really shines

Motivating Reluctant Readers in Upper Elementary
One of the most important things about teaching reluctant readers in upper elementary is getting them to actually enjoy reading. While students need help building

The Best Reading Comprehension Strategies for Upper Elementary
The ultimate goal of any reading teacher is for students to have strong reading comprehension! Although reading comprehension encompasses lots of different reading skills, basically

Reading Comprehension Fix-Up Strategies for Upper Elementary
Comprehension difficulties happen to everyone… good readers, and struggling readers alike. They happen to adults too! Every time I read directions for a complicated IKEA