Teaching Fluency

    During the course of my teaching years, kids starting to learn how to read often struggle with identifying letters and letter sounds.

    Reading is quite a complicated task for young kids. If we look into phonemic awareness, or the ability to identify  the letter sounds and use these sounds to make words, it would take a lot of practice to be able to master each letter and its corresponding sound. Some kids would be able to do it quickly and quite well, while others would be struggling doing these tasks.

    As parents and or teachers, we need to help these kids practice, practice and practice and make reading fun. I have made a fluency helper accordion book to practice fluency on CVC A words, simple sentences and simple passages. At the end of each word or passage, the teacher, parent or guardian can check which have been read easily and independently.

    Here is an example of the accordion fluency helper for CVC A Word Families 
-am, -ag, -ab, -ad, -ar, -at, -ap, -an. You can find it in my store here.  Just print and cut!

     

    You can read more on the subject of fluency at the Reading Rockets website.
    
    Have fun reading!

My Mini Short Story Tab Books

``When I was creating stories for our little one so she can practice her fluency and comprehension, i wanted it to be different and interesting for her.

    The first story I made was about our little one Sam, Sam's jam. Finished the story, and I had to think of an interesting format. Sam loves to read books and flip so why not a mini tab book? I showed her the finished product and  asked me to immediately print it. I just had to print, cut and glue and voila I have a mini book! She read the story, answered the 2 sets of reading comprehension questions and still wanted more. So I added another story. 

   The only thing was when I added another story, i had a blank page at the back. And I was like, "What can I put in the last page?" Had to search for ideas and clipart and found it! Why not a Superhero Reader Award to motivate them to read more and make them feel they have accomplished something great! 

14 CVC A short story covers in colored and black and white

with the Superhero Reader Award

   Here is the link for the mini tab books. It has 14 stories, 2 sets of reading comprehension questions on every story. There are two covers available, one for a boy and one for a girl. Kids can even color the clipart in each story!

   Here are some samples of the mini tab books. 

  

Mag's Bag -- An -ag word family story

Matt's cat -- An -at word family reading comprehension

Question Set A

  Happy reading! Share to your teacher and parent friends!

   

Finally back!

    I'm finally back!

    It's been awhile since I have posted something online. I have been quite busy with sorting and packing stuff for moving on our new house next month.

    It is not an easy task sorting our 5 year old daughter's toys, art stuff and books!! Seriously, I had to ask her for every toy she has, "Sam, how about this one? Keep, sell or give away?" And with what other people call rubbish, pre loved or used stuff, I have actually sold loads, getting back a decent amount of money worth more than a month's utility bills!

    After the never ending packing and sorting still, I HAD to find time to upload and edit products online. The newest on the store is the CVC Word Family A short stories/reading comprehension passages. It has 14 stories and 2 sets of reading comprehension questions. Just print, cut and glue and voila! You have 7 new books! Your kiddos and or students can even color the pictures in each 
story!

    Look at the sample mini tab books!

    

   Check out the CVC Short Stories here . Happy reading!   

   

Mrs Graders is OPEN

       It's finally open! 
     
     It was in between coffees, mum errands and sleepless nights that finally I was able to finish my first product.

     I had so many ideas in my mind and every time I plan to upload it, it just wasn't enough! Sam, our 6 year old daughter is the one who tests each and every page. Everytime I tell her, "I'm done, wait for the printer!" Sam would rush and grab her markers, glue and scissors!

Sam having fun with CVC -at Build It worksheet

     If our Sam loves my worksheets, I hope your kids and or students will love it too.  This worksheet is available with the CVC -at bundle here.   

I am Mrs Graders

  What's in a name?

  Well my real second name is Lida, from my parents names Liwayway and Dante. Our 6 year old daughter's name second name is Tala, the Fiilipino term for a star. 
  
   As for Mrs Graders, the name started around 10 years ago, the Single Graders. It was my first few years of teaching in Manila and I was asked what my email was. I didn't have one so I thought of graders, which best describes the job that I had that time, teaching the early grades. 

   Fast forward a few years, I had to leave teaching, with a heavy heart, to start a family.  

   I have no regrets leaving my profession and degree. From the moment our little one, Samantha or Sam was born, I was (and still is) her teacher. 

   And that's how Mrs Graders was born.