• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Courses
    • Teaching Every Reader
    • Teaching Every Writer
  • Subscriber Freebies
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Member Login

The Measured Mom

Education resources for parents and teachers

  • Alphabet
  • Reading
    • Structured literacy
    • Printable Books
    • Pre-Reading
    • Phonics
    • Sight Words
    • Comprehension
    • Fluency
    • Vocabulary
  • Writing
    • Grammar
    • Handwriting
    • Spelling
    • Writing in Pre-K
    • Writing in K-3
  • Math
    • Counting
    • Number Recognition
    • Addition & Subtraction
    • Colors, Shapes & Patterns
    • Visual Discrimination
    • Time, Money & Measurement
    • Place Value
    • Graphs
    • Multiplication & Division
    • Fractions
    • Problem Solving
  • Book Lists
    • Letter of the Week
    • Early Childhood Themes
    • Pre-Reading Skills
    • Math Concepts
    • Writing Mentor Texts
    • Versions of Familiar Tales
    • Holidays and Seasonal
    • History
    • Leveled Book Lists
  • Join Membership
Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • Alphabet
    • Reading
    • Writing
    • Math
    • Book Lists
  • Podcast
  • Courses
    • Teaching Every Reader
    • Teaching Every Writer
  • Subscriber Freebies
  • About
  • Membership
  • Contact

PSPKK12323 Comments

10 mistakes to avoid when teaching reading

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Are you making these common mistakes when teaching reading in K-2?

Let’s make sure we’re avoiding these ten common mistakes!

Mistake #1 – Neglecting phonemic awareness instruction

For years I thought a “hit or miss” approach to phonological and phonemic awareness was sufficient. Throw in some songs throughout the day, clap the syllables in our names, rhyme a bit, and play beginning sound games … that should cover it, right?

For some kids, yes. This may be enough. Likely, these children come from a language-rich background and have been read to since they were babies.

But explicit phonological and phonemic awareness instruction is helpful for everyone, and (as researchers are telling us) often the MISSING LINK for kids who struggle to read … even for struggling readers who do come from a literacy-rich background with parents who read to them every day.

Give a solid foundation right from the beginning with daily phonological and phonemic awareness instruction. It needn’t take more than ten minutes, and you’ll be amazed at how much your students learn! If you have the budget for it, Heggerty has a high quality and affordable phonemic awareness curriculum. You can also get a free, quality program at Reading Done Right.

 

Mistake #2 – Misunderstanding phonics

I’m sorry to say it, but I misunderstood the role of phonics for years.

Until very recently, in fact.

I saw phonics as just one tool kids could use as they approached words. I believed kids should also use picture clues and “what would make sense” to solve the words in their leveled readers.

Fast forward a number of months and LOTS of study of the science of reading, and now I believe differently.

Systematic, explicit phonics instruction is KEY for early readers. Not because we want reading to be boring, but because they absolutely must learn to focus on print as they attach sounds to letters (phonemes to graphemes) and decode words.

This is what kids need to do to map words into their permanent sight word vocabulary.

(It’s called orthographic mapping, but I’ll spare you details for now!)

Mistake #3 – Waiting to teach comprehension

Now I know that those simple decodable books that we give our beginning readers don’t offer much in the way of teaching comprehension. (And even if you’re using predictable leveled books, you have to admit that they’re not very deep either.)

But we still need to teach it.

A great way to focus on comprehension is through shared reading and quality, interactive read-alouds.

Mistake #4 – We spend too much time teaching the whole group.

Whole group teaching is important. It’s when we teach on-grade level material to the whole class.

We teach phonemic awareness explicitly, we teach phonics explicitly, and we teach reading comprehension through interactive read alouds.

But we accelerate our students’ learning by teaching them in small, needs-based groups.

Mistake #5 – Not giving our students time to read on their own

Too often we spend most of our reading time teaching students about reading instead of giving them time to read.

While early readers don’t need long lengths of time to do this (10-15 minutes may be sufficient), we must schedule the time.

Reading independently may get tiresome for brand-new readers, but we need to find fun ways to give them independent reading practice with their decodable texts. Consider making buddy reading part of your daily routine.

Mistake #6 – We keep our students busy instead of having them do meaningful literacy activities.

It’s important to differentiate by teaching students in small, needs-based groups and one-on-one. But what’s the rest of the class doing?

Too often?

Busy work.

Do you know why I think this is?

I think it’s because we’re exhausted. Switching out learning centers day after day, week after week, month after month, is burning both us – and our laminators – out. What we really need is authentic, meaningful literacy activities that don’t require hours and hours of prep every weekend. (You can get started with these ideas!)

You’ll love our mega bundles!

  • Mega bundle of fluency centers
  • Mega bundle phonics centers

Mistake #7 – We don’t use assessment to inform our instruction.

Let’s talk traditional assessment: Read the story. Answer the questions. Take a test at the end of the unit. Get a report card grade.

Checking on understanding is important. But assessment is so much more.

I highly recommend Acadience Reading for benchmark assessment and progress monitoring.

Mistake #8 – We think we can find the perfect curriculum for teaching reading.

Teachers have been looking for the perfect reading curriculum – and publishers have been trying to create it – for decades.

But we haven’t found one because it doesn’t and won’t exist.

No matter how great your reading curriculum is, you will need to supplement. Keep your eyes open for where and when that might be.

Mistake #9 – We forget our ultimate goal.

In the past I was so overcome with the desire to help my students love reading that I was afraid to do explicit teaching. I thought it might bore them and turn them off to reading.

But as Anita Archer has said, “Success breeds motivation.”

It’s wonderful if our students learn to love reading … but our number one goal is to teach them to read.

Mistake #10 – We wear ourselves out.

I’m with you here – in fact, I can’t tell you how many late nights I spent at school (not to mention all those hours on the weekends) my first few years of teaching reading.

I knew I needed a different approach if I was going to meet the needs of all my first and second grade readers. But I felt like a hamster on a wheel – running, running, running … and getting nowhere.

Since I spent all my spare time trying to find the solution to meeting a group of diverse readers, I wore myself out. I couldn’t bring my best energy and self to the classroom because I wasn’t getting enough sleep!

I want better for you.

That’s why I teamed up with my colleague, Becky Spence of This Reading Mama, to create a comprehensive online course for K-2 reading teachers.

It’s called Teaching Every Reader.

When you join us, you will …

  • Gain a solid understanding of the science of reading and understand its practical application.
  • Improve your knowledge of phonemes, phonics, syllable types, and other essential understandings about the English language.
  • Discover simple assessments that will help you pinpoint exactly what your students need to learn next.
  • Get tried and tested tools for teaching phonemic awareness and phonics, building vocabulary, and improving comprehension.
  • Learn how to deliver a powerful and engaging whole group reading lesson.
  • Become a pro at planning and delivering small group lessons that accelerate student learning.
  • Save hours of time with a huge variety of practical, low-prep activities … so you can get back your time while doing the very best for your students.

Best of all … you’ll stop teaching to the middle, and start teaching everyone.

LEARN MORE HERE.

Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You'll get phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading comprehension resources ... all free!

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Reading Tagged With: first grade, second grade, kindergarten

You May Also Enjoy These Posts:

Reading game for ee words Teach synthesizing with fables Free Word Family Houses – short u
What is independent reading?
How to take a running record

Reader Interactions

23 Comments

  1. Cheryl T.

    March 17, 2019 at 2:10 pm

    Thank you for the great article. What if you are not a classroom teacher but more of an AIS teacher and your students are mostly ELL students more than 2 grade levels below. I feel guilty that I rely heavily on phonics the 2 days a week I see them. For example I am still working on basic pre primer sight words and short a family words with my 2nd graders. I do have them read short a paragraphs with a few comp questions, but unfortunately with only seeing them 2x a week for 30 minutes I do not feel like we are getting anywhere.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      March 17, 2019 at 2:31 pm

      Hi Cheryl! I’m experiencing something similar with a group of first graders I work with before school several days a week. I have chosen to focus on phonics as well, because I know that the intense phonics work they need is not something their classroom teacher can provide. I also understand feeling like you’re not making progress! I have found it helpful to mix things up but also have a set of core activities that we keep coming back to. I use these folders a lot, and I feel they’re helping: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/fast-fluent-games-cvc-words/

      Reply to this comment
    • mavis zwane

      January 29, 2023 at 12:58 am

      You simply the best. ever since I joined your blog years ago. My teaching has changed a lot and I have confident readers and happy learners. Teaching multi language and ethnicity in South Africa is not easy as most of these leaners come from different backgrounds with different languages. English either becomes their second or third language language. But I can proudly say it has been easy ever since I followed you…

      Reply to this comment
  2. Suzanne Westom

    December 15, 2017 at 1:44 pm

    Excellent ideas. I’d add retelling as an important skill for comprehension. Even when the story lacks Newberry/Caldicott flair, we can still assess the child’s ability to pay attention to detail. Bonus points to you for mentioning quality read aloud as the starting point for comprehension!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      December 15, 2017 at 4:29 pm

      Thanks for adding that, Suzanne! Definitely in agreement!

      Reply to this comment
  3. Karen Trott

    October 25, 2017 at 6:10 pm

    You are absolutely correct when you say we over work ourselves. We are constantly bringing work home and it never ends. This is my 27th year of teaching and I still enjoy everyday in the classroom. I am currently taking the online course and I recommend all teachers to do it and feel refreshed. YES! we are doing the things that have been outlined in the course, but there is always something that needs a little work. THE INDEPENDENT READING AND CONFERENCING has a whole new meaning for me. Watch out Monday!!!
    THANKS A LOT!!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      October 26, 2017 at 5:17 pm

      I am SO happy to hear this, Karen! Hurray!

      Reply to this comment
  4. Melissa

    October 6, 2017 at 12:43 am

    Hi Anna, just wondering if you have a list of recommended order to teach all the different things associated with reading. We are good with letter recognition and sounds. But not sure what order to teach the rest e.g syllables, phonemes, vowels, long, short, blends. What order is best to teach these in? And then what order in each category? e.g. so with the blends do I teach cr first or sh first or does it not matter? thankyou

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      October 6, 2017 at 6:22 am

      This should help with phonics skills, Melissa. I don’t have a post up yet about phonemic awareness, but I’m working on that.

      https://thisreadingmama.com/k-2-phonics-skills-list-printable/

      Reply to this comment
      • Melissa

        October 6, 2017 at 7:53 pm

        Thankyou so much

        Reply to this comment
        • Anna G

          October 7, 2017 at 6:08 pm

          You’re very welcome, Melissa!

          Reply to this comment
  5. Sarah

    September 28, 2017 at 8:21 pm

    Could this be used for homeschoolers?

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      September 28, 2017 at 8:54 pm

      Hi Sarah! I would say that a good percentage of the course (about 40%) really would not apply to homeschoolers, as it’s focused on managing a large classroom of diverse readers. That said, it is extremely helpful in teaching the fundamentals of good reading instruction as well as providing a HUGE variety of printable resources. Overall, though, I think it’s MORE than what a homeschooler would need in terms of materials, and LESS in terms of “how-to.” It is definitely written with teachers in mind.

      Reply to this comment
  6. Janelle

    September 26, 2017 at 6:31 am

    i enjoyed your live broadcast last night. i fell asleep though.
    Can you please send me the link to download your new e book.

    Thanks in advance

    PS When is the next class

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      September 27, 2017 at 10:51 am

      I sent you an email, Janelle! 🙂

      Reply to this comment
  7. Liz

    September 24, 2017 at 7:25 pm

    I love this post, Anna! Sometimes we get so caught up in the teaching details that we can forget the importance of instilling a love of reading – that’s more important than stressing kids by following a plan that says where the kids aught to be, instead of teaching from where the child actually is. Thank you!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      September 27, 2017 at 12:36 pm

      Thanks so much for your feedback, Liz! I always love when you weigh in.

      Reply to this comment
  8. Vanaja Sathiskumar

    September 24, 2017 at 11:23 am

    I think making the kids say the story in their own words,after the story is read is a good idea to develop their vocabulary and check their comprehension.Thank you for the lovely phonics cards and just cant wait to get ti use it for my granchild,she `s only 8 months.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      September 27, 2017 at 12:35 pm

      Yes, definitely!

      Reply to this comment
  9. Marybeth Song

    September 24, 2017 at 9:25 am

    I would like to see a strong emphasis placed on writing to teach reading. Actually, writing for pleasure, writing to communicate with others, writing, writing, writing. If a teacher is uncertain about her/his workload being ridiculously increased if writing is emphasized, join the National Writing Project and see how doing writing as well as reading with students to sharpen literacy works well for all learners, students and teachers alike.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      September 27, 2017 at 12:34 pm

      I definitely agree with this, Marybeth! Beginning writers learn so much about reading when they have plenty of time to write independently.

      Reply to this comment
  10. Kathy Morrison

    September 24, 2017 at 9:15 am

    I would add another one: Overlooking Srorytelling. It’s especially important in these days of staring at those small screens instead of interacting with each other. Children need time to read pictures and create a story on their own. Teachers need to tell stories, rather than always reading. It helps with reading comprehension and children’s writing development.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      September 27, 2017 at 12:34 pm

      Thanks for this, Kathy! Excellent point!

      Reply to this comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Grade Level Key

  • PS Preschool (ages 2-3 years)
  • PK Pre-K (ages 4-5 years)
  • K Kindergarten
  • 1 1st grade
  • 2 2nd grade
  • 3 3rd grade

Hello, I’m Anna!

Welcome to The Measured Mom. I’m so glad you’re here!

Meet Our Team

Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You'll get phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading comprehension resources ... all free!

Shop these popular reading resources!

Editable Reading Games for Every Season – MEGA PACK!

$24.00

Phonics Books & Games – Complete Set

$49.00

Reading response sheets & Early chapter book lists

$18.00

Shop All Resources

Members get more!

The Measured Mom Plus is the perfect online membership for Pre-K to third grade educators.

Learn More

Love Freebies?

Subscribing to our email newsletter is completely free. And when you do, you'll get access to our library of subscriber freebies! Sign up below to get access to a wonderful variety of math and literacy resources.

Join our online courses and get the tools you need to teach every learner in K-2!

Confidently teach every reader in your classroom. Still have time to live your life.

Learn More

Get everything you need to teach writing well, including over 200 ready-to-use lessons.

Learn More

Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher

Check out these recent podcast episodes:

  • 6 Things to remember about the science of reading
  • What order should we teach the letters of the alphabet?
  • Should we teach letter names or sounds first?
More Episodes

Check out these FREE email courses...

Get strategies and tools to teach a particular topic with a free 5-day email series! Just click an image to sign up. We recommend signing up for just one at a time.

For Pre-K Educators

How to teach letters and sounds to preschoolers

How to teach letters and sounds to preschoolers

Learn my must-follow tips for teaching the alphabet in this free 5-day email series!

How to teach phonological & phonemic awareness

How to teach phonological & phonemic awareness

Learn how to develop this important pre-reading skill with a free 5-day email series!

How to teach preschool math

How to teach preschool math

Learn exactly what to teach your preschoolers in this free 5-day series!

For Kinder & 1st Grade Educators

How to teach kids to sound out words

How to teach kids to sound out words

Learn my top strategies for teaching kids to "sound it out"

How to teach sight words

How to teach sight words

Get strategies and tools for teaching sight words to young learners!

Tips for teaching phonics

Tips for teaching phonics

Sign up for our free 5-day email series to learn what phonics skills to teach and how to structure your phonics lessons!

For 2nd & 3rd Grade Educators

How to build reading fluency

How to build reading fluency

Learn smart strategies for helping your learners become fluent readers with this free 5-day series!

How to teach writing in 2nd & 3rd grade

How to teach writing in 2nd & 3rd grade

Learn the most important writing skills to teach to 2nd & 3rd graders in this free 5-day series!

How to build reading comprehension

How to build reading comprehension

Discover the essential reading comprehension strategies for 2nd & 3rd grade and how to teach them!

“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” –Matthew 6:33

Copyright © 2023 The Measured Mom •  All rights reserved  •  Privacy & Disclosure Statement  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs