One of the biggest misconceptions about teaching the alphabet is that children need a new "letter of the day."

They don't.

In fact, if we want students to build a strong foundation for reading, they need repeated exposure to letter names and sounds—not isolated practice with one letter every few weeks.

That's why I love teaching the alphabet using an explicit, systematic approach—and I like to call it an Alphabet Boot Camp because it's so much more than traditional alphabet instruction.

It's a simple, streamlined framework that helps you teach letter names and sounds explicitly while cycling through the alphabet multiple times throughout the school year. Better yet, you can easily use my Alphabet Curriculum Resources with this framework because the lesson stays the same each week—you simply switch out the target letters.

Struggling to fit everything into your literacy block? Learn how to simplify your literacy instruction with consistent routines that actually work.

A step-by-step guide to planning stronger small groups with better phonics instruction, assessment systems, intervention alignment, and repeatable routines.

Teaching High-Frequency Words: What Actually Helps Students Remember Them

Learn how to teach high-frequency words using orthographic mapping, simple routines, and structured practice that helps students actually retain words.

Boost reading fluency with simple, low-prep routines. Help students move from choppy decoding to smooth reading with word lists, sentences, and decodables.

Decodable texts are the training wheels our students need to become successful readers.

Reading intervention should be explicit and systematic.

Learn where letter formation fits in early writing instruction and how automatic handwriting strengthens phonics and written expression..

Discover how set for variability supports decoding and multisyllabic word reading within structured literacy instruction.

Learn why word chaining is a powerful phonics routine that builds phoneme manipulation, sound mapping, decoding, and spelling for early readers.

Dictation doesn’t have to be formal or overwhelming. Learn how purposeful dictation supports phonics, spelling, and early writing in K–3 classrooms.

Mid-year data gives teachers clarity. Learn how to regroup small groups, simplify instruction, and make confident literacy decisions using the data you already have.

January is the perfect time to refine routines, regroup students, and simplify instruction. learn how to reset your literacy block with clarity and purpose.

Make winter phonics practice simple with low-prep, high-impact literacy stations. These teacher-favorite activities keep students engaged while reinforcing decoding, spelling, and phonemic awareness—all winter long.

Classroom management feeling harder? Learn how Opportunities to Respond (OTR) can boost engagement, reduce behaviors, and make teaching feel easier.

Many are misreading the EdWeek article. Small-group instruction is essential when structured well. Here’s the research teachers need to know.

Discover a quick, evidence-based routine to boost fluency in K-2 readers using timed repeated reading. Track growth, build confidence, and link to the science.

Discover 6 common mistakes teachers make with decodable texts—and simple fixes to boost reading confidence, accuracy, and joy in your phonics lessons.

Looking for Halloween literacy activities? Explore 5 spook-tacular literacy stations—phoneme–grapheme mapping, phonics games, fluency practice, and more—all Science of Reading aligned and perfect for K–2.

Discover why K–2 is the perfect time to teach morphology. Learn playful, easy routines for teaching suffixes like -s, -ed, and -ing to young readers.