The Literacy Dive Podcast: Reading and Writing Strategies for Upper Elementary Teachers and Parents

If you’ve been following along the last two weeks you know that this is the last episode of the three-part holiday series. I’ve provided you with six strategies thus far and today I’ll be giving you four more! The purpose of these strategies is not to add more onto your plate, but rather incorporate small changes into your current schedule. You’ll be working smarter, not harder!

There are multiple ways to increase student engagement, it just takes a little creativity. I’ve got you covered! We’re going to step back from paper and pencil tasks and broaden the ways students will be sharing what they know. The best part about these ideas is that you can use them after the holidays when your students return from break to ease them back into their routine.

In this episode I share: -4 literacy ideas for the holiday season -How to modify your lessons so they can be used at home -Creative ideas to ensure all students are participating -A no-prep literacy activity to work on growing sentences

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode61

Resources Mentioned:

Christmas Around the World Reading & Writing Activities: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-Around-the-World-Reading-and-Writing-Activities-7512578

Kwanzaa Reading & Writing Activities: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kwanzaa-Reading-and-Writing-Activities-7524902

Christmas Writing Choice Boards: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-Writing-Choice-Board-Activities-3527674

December Writing Prompts: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/December-Writing-Prompts-and-Journal-4212274

Writing Center Posters: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Center-Posters-and-Writing-Paper-Templates-3236844

Episode 9 on Quick Writes: https://theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode9/

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If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

Last week I started my three-part series about how to keep your students engaged during the holiday season. I decided to expand on those holiday literacy ideas by giving you three more ways to keep your students on task. As always, these ideas are simple and can be put into practice the very day you listen to this episode.

We all know one way to keep students interested in our lessons is to avoid standing in the front of the class and expecting them to listen. These ideas are far from that! My suggestions not only provide students with the opportunity to interact with peers, but also members of the community. There will be no lack of interest once you introduce your students to these interactive activities!

In this episode I share: -3 ideas for keeping students engaged during the holiday season -Different ways to have students share their perspectives -Suggestions for different ways to access holiday stories -Activities that will connect your students with members of the community

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode60

Resources Mentioned:

-Writing Center Posters and Writing Paper Templates

-Christmas Writing Choice Board Activities

-December Writing Prompts

Connect with me:

-Check out my TpT Store

-Subscribe to my E-mail list

-Instagram Posts

-Blog Posts

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If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

While the holiday season is exciting, it is also notoriously a time that students are distracted and energetic. There are so many extra activities that need to be added to the schedule which means ditching those daily academic lessons. In this episode, I will discuss how to get through the holiday season without abandoning teaching your literacy components.

This holiday season seems to be even more exhausting than usual with all the challenges we have been facing this year. It is more important than ever to embed activities that your students find fun and enjoy while making sure you are targeting those important reading skills simultaneously. This is your opportunity to be creative while focusing on literacy skills. This may seem impossible, which is why I have done the work for you and am sharing my favorite activities to keep student engagement during the holiday season!

In this episode I share: -3 low-prep ideas for teaching literacy while keeping students engaged during the holiday season -How to use holiday advertisements while working on reading skills -Ideas for homework over the holidays if parents make a request -Tips to incorporate creativity into your writing block

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode59

Resources Mentioned:

-Christmas Writing Choice Board Activities 

-December Writing Prompts and Journal

Connect with me:

-Check out my TpT Store

-Subscribe to my E-mail list

-Instagram Posts

-Blog Posts

-Facebook Posts

-Watch my YouTube channel 

If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

I have to admit that my episode last week with my guest and good friend, Aylin Claahsen, got me thinking more deeply about reading fluency. I realized that we can grow our student’s reading fluency with something that we’re already doing, which is read alouds. I’m not talking about those days when you pick a book off the shelf and decide to share an enjoyable literacy-driven experience with your students. I’m referring to lessons that are focused on specific skills and standards.

When you think of both of these literacy concepts it makes sense that they influence each other. Reading fluency actually refers to the accuracy, speed, and expression of a student’s reading rather than a quick scan of the words on the page. What better way to practice this than read alouds? We need to take advantage of the opportunity to model during read alouds because let’s face it, we know that students are always watching and listening to us. Let me know which of these strategies worked for you and your students!

In this episode I share:

-Goals teachers should consider during read alouds -2 things that will happen when students improve their fluency skills -Strategies for improving reading fluency with read alouds -Processes to teach your students when they come across unknown words -The benefits of pausing during read alouds

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode58

Check out episode 57, Understanding the Importance of Fluency and Incorporating it Into Your Busy Day with Aylin Claahsen.

Grab my Sentence Fluency Sight Word Task Cards!

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If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

I can not wait for you to listen to this episode with a special guest and friend of mine, Aylin Claahsen. Aylin is a certified reading specialist, literacy consultant, and curriculum designer who loves sharing literacy tips for teaching readers. Specializing in Kindergarten-5th Grade, she can be found sharing literacy tips on her blog, social media, or in her newsletter. She is sharing all kinds of incredible tips and tricks that will help you to engage your students while improving their fluency. 

If you’re an elementary teacher you may consider reading fluency as the child’s ability to read a story from start to finish. During this discussion with Aylin you’ll learn that fluency is really much more than that! It truly connects to so many different skills that will improve reading comprehension. By using these strategies, you can focus on fluency without recreating the wheel or disrupting what you’re already doing.

In this episode we discuss:

-What reading fluency really means -Reasons teachers should focus on fluency -How fluency corresponds to reading comprehension -Ways to incorporate fluency strategies into the day -The benefits of using centers during your reading block

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode57

Connect with Aylin: 

-Read her blog.

-Shop her TpT store.

-Follow her on Instagram and Facebook @literacywithaylinclaahsen.

-Check out her membership site.

-Grab her FREE fluency guide.

Connect with me:

-Check out my TpT Store

-Subscribe to my E-mail list

-Instagram Posts

-Blog Posts

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-Watch my YouTube channel 

If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

Last week I talked about writing prompts and this week I will continue the conversation by giving you tips to implement writing prompts. If you haven’t been using writing prompts regularly, I can imagine it may be intimidating to put it on your schedule every day of the week. What I can also tell you is that if writing prompts stress you out, then I’m about to change your mind.

Writing prompts are meant to be fun for both you and your students. By keeping this time of day positive and encouraging your students to share their thoughts on paper, your students will most likely share your enthusiasm. You may actually be surprised by the quality and quantity of writing you get while working on writing prompts compared to a writers workshop. I hope that this episode has decreased any stress or anxiety you may have had and that you are ready to make writing fun!

In this episode I share: -7 big ideas to implement writing prompts -The importance of getting time for writing prompts onto your schedule -What to do if a writing process is too difficult for a student -How to manage your expectations for writing prompts vs. writing workshops -Ways to motivate and differentiate for your students

PS: Don't forget to enter my giveaway to celebrate a full year of The Literacy Dive Podcast:

1. Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Before you submit, take a screenshot and send it to me on Instagram @theliteracydive or in an email at [email protected]

2. BONUS ENTRY: Screenshot a favorite episode, share it in your Instagram stories, and tag me @theliteracydive.

In this episode I share:

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode56

Resources mentioned:

-Monthly Writing Prompts

-Episode 55: Cultivating Engaged and Confident Writers Through the Use of Writing Prompts

Connect with me:

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If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

Guess what?! Today’s episode is my one year anniversary of The Literacy Dive Podcast. How exciting is that? Whether you’ve listened to one episode, every single one, or somewhere in between…thank you!

To add to the excitement, this episode is airing on November 1, 2021. The beginning of a new month is always a fun and refreshing time. I remember my students coming in at the beginning of a month eager to see what special days were planned and what the new writing prompts would be!

You may already know that I am a HUGE fan of writing prompts, and for good reason. Writing prompts offer students choice and opportunities to practice their writing skills, often times in a low impact non-stressful way. They are an engaging way to increase your students’ overall love of writing. I’m going to walk you through the details of why writing prompts are so useful and how I use them to cultivate excited writers. If you’re wondering how you’re supposed to fit writing prompts in, don’t worry…I’m covering that too!

PS: Don't forget to enter my giveaway to celebrate a full year of The Literacy Dive Podcast:

1. Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Before you submit, take a screenshot and send it to me on Instagram @theliteracydive or in an email at [email protected]

2. BONUS ENTRY: Screenshot a favorite episode, share it in your Instagram stories, and tag me @theliteracydive.

In this episode I share:

-My definition of a writing prompt

-Why writing prompts are such a useful tool

-Tips on choosing writing prompts that will spark creativity and engagement

-How writing prompts can direct student writing

-Specific questions I like to model with my students

-When and where to implement the writing prompt style of writing

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode55

Resources mentioned:

-Monthly Writing Prompts

-Episode 9: Using Quick Writes to Strengthen Student Writing

Connect with me:

-Check out my TpT Store

-Subscribe to my E-mail list

-Instagram Posts

-Blog Posts

-Facebook Posts

-Watch my YouTube channel 

If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

Last week I talked about context clues strategies, but I’m sure many of you are wondering how to apply them and when. I got you! This episode is going to cover how to use the different strategies I shared and really give you a framework for implementing them.

Just like all the great activities in literacy, you can start teaching context clues by using highlighters and anchor charts. As you listen you’ll realize that the strategies I’ve provided can seamlessly be woven into your current lessons. Before you know it your students will be internalizing and utilizing these strategies all on their own!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway to celebrate a full year of The Literacy Dive Podcast:

1. Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Before you submit, take a screenshot and send it to me on Instagram @theliteracydive.

2. BONUS ENTRY: Screenshot a favorite episode, share it in your Instagram stories, and tag me @theliteracydive.

In this episode I share: -How to introduce context clues to your students -Steps for implementing context clue strategies -4 words that will remind students how to find the meaning of unknown words -When to apply strategies unknown words throughout your reading block -Tips for differentiating instruction

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode54

Resources mentioned:

-Context Clues FREEBIE

-Context Clues Mini Unit

-Episode 53, 7 Context Clues Strategies Every Student Should Know

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If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

There’s a good chance that your students have heard the term “context clues” before. But do they actually know what it means? Are they really able to apply strategies to figure out the meaning of unknown words? In my experience, using context clues is one of those skills that students are aware of, but struggle to implement independently.

Today I’m sharing several different types of context clues strategies that you can intentionally teach to your students. My best advice is to not only teach these strategies in your lessons, but to also find other opportunities throughout your day where you can decipher unknown words. This could be during read alouds, while watching a video, or in everyday conversation.

Practice these strategies with your students whenever possible, so that when they come across tricky words during independent reading they will not only have strategies in place, but be able to use them effectively and independently!

In this episode I share:

-Examples of how to teach the various context clues strategies

-The importance of background knowledge in relation to context clues

-The “why” behind using pictures and other visuals to help with meaning

-How to embed and model context clues strategies throughout your day

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode53

Resources mentioned:

-Context Clues FREEBIE

-Context Clues Mini-Lesson

Connect with me:

-Check out my TpT Store

-Subscribe to my E-mail list

-Instagram Posts

-Blog Posts

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If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!

How do your students become successful and descriptive writers? I get this question all the time. Do you want to know my secret? The one thing that plays the greatest role in helping young learners improve their writing skills is the art of storytelling.

The power of storytelling became clear to me when I was teaching kindergarten. Telling personal stories is how my kindergartners learned how to write a story. I continued to practice storytelling with all of my students, even in upper elementary grades.

You may not realize it, but we are all storytellers. We typically think about events in terms of beginning, middle, and end. Every part of our day is a story! Giving opportunities to storytell in your classroom is a great way to teach your students important skills that will transfer to their writing. If storytelling seems intimidating for you, don’t worry! I’m going to give you actionable strategies that you can implement as soon as TODAY.

In this episode I share:

-The many benefits of storytelling

-Steps to take to get this practice up and running in your classroom

-Simple ways to make storytelling interactive

-The importance of asking questions and how it translates into more descriptive writing

-Suggestions on what to do if you feel like you aren’t a natural storyteller

-What a prop box is and how I use it

SHOW NOTES: theliteracydive.com/podcast-episode52

Resources mentioned:

-Free Writing and Conversation Prompts

-Creative Writing Picture Cards

-Monthly Writing Prompt and Journal Bundle

Connect with me:

-Check out my TpT Store

-Subscribe to my E-mail list

-Instagram Posts

-Blog Posts

-Facebook Posts

-Watch my YouTube channel 

If you are enjoying The Literacy Dive Podcast, please follow, leave a rating, and a helpful review! It is much appreciated and thank you for listening!