Meaning Matters

Written by Kim Turgeon 

Technology continues to push its way into classrooms and homes and provides many new learning opportunities. I am constantly striving to enrich my classroom through its use. This year I was fortunate enough to receive five iPads for use in my kindergarten classroom. It has taken a significant amount of time to explore the possibilities in which this new technology can transform the way I teach.

There are many outstanding iPad ap...

Written By Kim Turgeon

Teaching children "sight words" may seem like a meaningless memory task. However there are significant benefits to the reader when they have developed a core of words that they know with automaticity. 

How Does Knowing Sights Words Help Readers?

• Lessens frustration because there are less words to decode
• Builds confidence because students feel as though they can read mor...

Written By Kim Turgeon

Often parents are surprised when their child reaches 5 years old and they struggle with learning their letters. "But they have been singing the alphabet since they were 2!" This is a common misconception, that singing the alphabet teaches children the alphabet. When children sing the alphabet there is very little connection to the letters themselves.

The alphabet song has very little meaning to children and can, in fact, be confusing. Last week I sat with a...