Research tells us that better listeners are better readers. We’ve put together this list of 10 Great Podcasts for Kids to highlight some excellent podcasts that provide active listening practice. Why Listen to Podcasts? Reading is a function of two key components: decoding and language comprehension. Listening is a key part of language comprehension. In…
With the unpredictability of the current school season, we’ve put together a series of free Learn at Home activity packs. These free home learning packs will be a useful tool if you need to isolate, or if you have students who are off school. Many of the resources are able to be used both in…
In this blog post, I share with you how to use QR Codes as a Digital Reading Tool. I’ll also take you step-by-step through how to use a QR code and also explain how you can make your own. What are QR Codes? I am not going to attempt to explain that QR Codes are…
What is Reciprocal Reading? Have you heard about reciprocal reading (also known as reciprocal teaching)? I love the way this strategy enables independent readers to work together in a self-managing team to discuss a difficult text. They teach each other and take turns leading. Let me tell you more about it! The four comprehension strategies students…
Learner Agency (also known as student agency) is key to providing opportunities for the development of key competencies and the application of learning. In this guest blog post, Kate Friedwald explores resources to support learner agency. Ensuring learners have a choice in their learning not only raises engagement but also supports the learning of vital…
Enjoy this blog post sharing some New Zealand Election Activities for use in your classroom. Civics education is so underplayed in the New Zealand primary and intermediate school system. This is a pity as I think it can be a very interesting topic! Politics and the workings of parliament is also something that directly impacts…
What is Kiwiana? New Zealand has a unique Kiwiana culture that is not found anywhere else in the world. From L&P to Pavlova, Number 8 Wire to Hokey Pokey, the colourful and humorous ‘kiwi’ culture is well worth a look. This blog post provides many ways of Exploring Kiwiana in the Classroom. What is Kiwiana?…
Have you tried using Collaborative Posters in the Classroom? Collaborative posters are a fantastic way to build a culture of teamwork and unity in your classroom. They can also be used to promote kindness and gratefulness, as a formative assessment activity, and to get to know your students. Get To Know Your Students Using Collaborative…
With many of us thrown into an unexpected period of distance learning, I wanted to highlight how my digital reading comprehension activities can help your students maintain and improve their reading skills. I’ve put together a free activity so you can trial Digital Reading Comprehension for Distance Learning. Let me unpack this free resource for…
To help with any teachers dealing with school closures or the possibility of home and distance learning, I’ve put together these Home Learning Choice Boards. If your school doesn’t close, these would still make great activity sheets in the school holidays. Thank you to the many teachers who collaborated by sharing their incredible ideas. It…
For a myriad of reasons, it is possible that your school may need to close from time to time. It’s great to be able to use digital resources during school closures to provide options for at-home learning. With the Covid-19 pandemic, the reality of school closures is less possibility and more reality for many. But…
International Women’s Day, held every March 8, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. What a great opportunity to celebrate women leaders in your classroom. We have two great resources that celebrate awesome women who passionately fought for women to have the right to vote. Kate Sheppard –…
It is important that we give students choices in the classroom and the “Must Do, Choose Two” format is a great way to do this. Benefits of giving student choices Giving students choices: Ensures they do the activities you definitely want them to do while giving them choice on the other activities they complete. Gives…
Overcoming Teacher Imposter Syndrome I have been weighing up whether to write this post for a while now because it is a lot more personal than usual. But here I am, sitting down at the keyboard and its time to get started. From the day I stepped into my first classroom, I struggled with imposter…
5 Reasons to Use Primary Sources in the Classroom Primary sources carry a heavy reputation with them, conjuring ideas of dusty bookshelves, high school or university classes and translating from some ancient language. But primary sources are so much more than that – and can be a valuable tool for us to use in the…
As a child, I had an avid imagination. I see the same traits in my own children today; I think creativity just comes naturally to most kids. Using Creative Thinking Activities with students is a great way to encourage problem-solving, teamwork, outside of the box thinking and resilience. Creative thinking is important Creativity should not…
Early Finishers Activities are a must in your classroom. We have all heard the dreaded, “I’m Done, Now What?” Usually, it comes right when you are in the middle of working with a small group or testing a student – basically, right when you don’t need it. Read on to find the 5 must-haves of…
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