Wednesday, January 2, 2013

A New Year, New Teaching Challenges

It's 2013- and one of my New Year's Resolutions was to start a blog about teaching reading, to share some of the experience, ideas and resources I've gathered over the last 11 years of working as a Reading Intervention teacher (in an Australian primary school). 

So here it is, in fledgling form at the moment, but I'll add to and improve it as I get time... and as I learn to fly this thing!


During the term break, I need to take a look at the material I have and create some new activity sheets etc for the beginning of the school year. 

I have lots of resources from past years, but I always find new challenges and I know I'll have children with new needs and interests. 

I also need new material for those who have been in my program for a while, as I work with children from Grade 1-3.

One strategy I use is to send home reading games as well as books. This encourages the children to practise their reading skills at home and involves other family members in a relaxed, non-threatening activity. 



Here's a Printable Reading Board Game I've just developed for the New Year - it's a freebie, so you can download it and print it to try out. It's a simple board game (designed for A4 size - best printed on light card and laminated for durability). 

You'll need a die or spinner* and some word cards... so you can use it at any level for Sight Word practice. 

*You can download a free printable spinner design from my free-fun-n-games website: 


There's a colour-in version of Balloon Fun on Free-Fun-n-Games - Reading Games to Print  as well, 

and there are also some free eCards on the site, including the meerkat New Year picture above, plus eCards for birthdays, fun, friendship etc. 
Here's the link to the page: eCards - free, fun and easy to send!