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Image of teacher teaching in a small writing group with students. TExt: Teaching writing in small groups and what are the other students doing?

Teaching Writing in Small Groups (and What the Other Kids Are Doing While You Do It)

Let’s be honest: the idea of teaching writing in small groups sounds amazing. In theory. The kind of thing you jot down on a PD day with a hopeful little star next to it—right before the real-world questions start swirling. Like:“But how do I fit it in?”“What will the rest of the class be doing?”“Is it even possible to keep it quiet enough to focus?”And the kicker:“Will this actually help my students become better writers, or is it just another thing to manage?” Yep. I’ve had all of those thoughts. Probably more than once. But I’ve also seen—and created—some truly

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Image of a young girl writing. Text: You teach phonics, but are you missing a key step? Hint: It's encoding.

You Teach Phonics… But Are You Missing This Key Step? (Hint: It’s Encoding)

Let’s talk about something that doesn’t always get the spotlight in early literacy instruction—but totally should: encoding. It’s one of those terms that might sound a little technical at first, but once you understand it, it starts to pop up everywhere. And if you’re teaching young students how to read, write, and spell, it’s something worth paying attention to. So, what is it exactly? And why does it matter so much for things like sentence writing and decodable sentences? Let’s dig in. And I promise, no jargon overload. What Is Encoding? In the simplest terms, encoding is the process of

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Image of Narrative Writing Pass the Page. Text: Story Writing Games Make Narrative Writing Fun and Engaging!

Story Writing Games Make Narrative Writing Fun and Engaging!

Hey there! Story writing games can transform your students’ narrative writing experience, making it easier, more engaging, and a whole lot of fun. Do your students ever stare at a blank page, wondering how to start their stories? Or maybe they have amazing ideas but struggle to organize them into a clear beginning, middle, and end? It’s a common challenge, but it doesn’t have to be! Let’s explore how story writing games can help make narrative writing easier, more engaging, and a whole lot of fun for your young writers. Plus, I’ll share a resource that transforms storytelling into an

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Image of classroom screen with CUPS editing checklist. Text: Helpful Step-by-Step Writing Mini-Lessons for Teaching Editing Sentences

Helpful Step by Step Writing Mini-Lessons for Teaching Editing Sentences

Hey there, Teacher Friend! Is it time to teach editing sentences? When it comes to improving student writing, one of the most essential skills is editing. But what is editing, and why do students need to edit their own writing? Editing involves reviewing written work to correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure. While it sounds straightforward, many young writers struggle with this skill. Learning to edit not only helps improve the quality of their writing but also teaches students to be reflective and more thoughtful about their work. However, students often find it challenging to look at their own

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Image of an adorable little boy in glasses writing in a notebook. Text: Effective Writing Warm-Ups! Fun Pre-writing activities for students.

Effective Writing Warm-Ups: Fun Prewriting Activities For Students

Hey there, teacher friend! Do you struggle to find practical prewriting activities to do with your elementary school kiddos? Getting students to start writing can be a challenge. It often takes time and energy to get them focused and ready to put their ideas on paper. That’s where writing warm-ups come in. Writing warm-ups are short, focused activities designed to get students thinking, brainstorming, and preparing for more structured writing tasks. Whether you’re using them as part of your morning work, whole class writing lessons, or small group writing learning activities, these warm-ups can help students engage their minds and

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Image of a thinking teacher. Text: I set up and awesome classroom writing station. Now what?

I Set Up an Awesome Classroom Writing Station! Now What?

Hey there, teacher friend! You did it! Your classroom writing station is set up, and it looks magnificent! The supplies are organized, anchor charts are posted, and the space is inviting for your students. But now you might ask yourself, What do I do with this excellent writing space? Creating an engaging, dynamic classroom writing station is only the first step. The real challenge is maintaining its usefulness throughout the year, keeping students excited and productive during writing time. I Have a Great Writing Space, But Now What? A common frustration many teachers face is figuring out how to make

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Image of teacher teaching writing in small groups. Text: 5 More Fun Activities for Teaching Writing in Small Groups

5 More Fun Activities for Teaching Writing in Small Groups

Hey there! Welcome to part 2 of Fun Activities for Teaching Writing in Small Groups! Part 1 is here. Teaching Writing In Small Groups If…Then This post is organized by topics you may want to try in your small group writing instruction. Check them out for some super fun ideas for teaching writing in small groups! If students need practice with descriptive writing, Then try these fun writing activities for teaching in small groups: If students are learning to write narratives, Then: If students are working on sequencing and logical order in writing, Then try these fun small writing group

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Image of teacher working with a small writing group. Text: 5 Fun Small Group Writing Activities to Boost Elementary Students' Skills

5 Fun Small Group Writing Activities to Boost Elementary Students’ Skills

Why teach writing in small groups? We all know the benefits of teaching writing in small groups: more one-on-one time with the teacher, easier tailoring to students’ needs, increased engagement, building student confidence, and honestly, teaching in a small group is fun! Read on for fun small group writing activities to boost your students’ writing skills! This post does contain Amazon Affiliate Links. If you purchase something through these links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks so much! Small Group Writing Activities If…Then Scenarios: As a teacher, I loved teaching writing in small groups!

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Image of a complete sentences anchor chart teacher slide. Text: Super Sentence Writing Step-by-Step Mini-Lessons for Primary Students.

Super Sentence Writing: Step-by-Step Mini-lessons for Primary Students

What is sentence writing? How do you teach writing a sentence to your primary students? Hey there, teacher friend! Good questions. Read on for step-by-step mini-lessons you can use in your primary classroom to teach your students how to write a complete sentence! Sentence Writing Mini-Lesson 1: What is a complete sentence? (Monday) Now that your students are starting to write more, this is the time to teach writing a complete sentence. Start by defining a complete sentence: A complete sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Complete sentences have a subject (who the sentence is

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Image of a reluctant writer with a teacher. Text: 10 Easy and Effective Classroom Strategies to Engage Reluctant Writers.

10 Easy and Effective Classroom Strategies to Engage Reluctant Writers

What is a reluctant writer? It is a student who, for whatever reason, is hesitant to write. Every year, we all have had at least one student, if not more, who disliked or had trouble writing. Read on for some strategies to get even your most reluctant writer writing! This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. If you purchase anything through these links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you! Thanks. Are you more of a visual auditory learner? Check out the video of this post here: Reluctant Writer Strategy #1: Talk In my experience, reluctant writers

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Image of students writing. Text: 7+1 Fun Activities to Easily Improve Student Writing Fluency

7 + 1 Fun Activities to Easily Improve Student Writing Fluency

Hey there Teacher Friends! Welcome back! Have you heard the term “writing fluency” a lot lately? I have, and wanted to share some fun writing fluency activities with you. Writing fluency is the writer’s ability to quickly and easily write down their thoughts for someone else to read. There is a lot that goes into writing fluency. Knowing what you want to write, what letters you need, and how to make those letters, grammar, and punctuation…. is a LOT! But, you can help your students improve their writing fluency daily in just a short amount of time. Are you more

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Image of a child writing in a notebook under a tree. Text: Hot Ideas for Cool Learning: Summer Writing Ideas for Summer School or at Home

Hot Ideas for Cool Learning: Summer Writing Ideas for Summer School or at Home

Hey, there Teacher Friends! You did it! I knew you could, but now, it’s time for Summer School. What is a teacher to do? Here are some fun summer writing ideas that can be used for summer school or for at-home learning this summer! This post does contain Amazon Affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Summer Writing? Make it fun! Whether your student is in summer school or at home, writing daily is a great habit for your student to develop! There are so many benefits to writing every day,

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