Some basics are exciting and motivational to young students!

Future Ready includes students learning foundational reading skills.

Some basic reading skills like how to decode larger words by identifing syllable patterns, breaking words apart while sounding out and thinking through words are not as exciting for teachers, but it's not for the teacher! It's exciting for 7 and 8 year olds to learn about words. They rejoice in being word detectives and take pride in learning to decode and encode larger words. Basic skills instruction is not as flashy as supporting students as they create a video production, but it's exciting for students to learn literacy skills and experience success. Primary teachers and educators must remember that young students are thrilled by learning about words. Just don't make it a competition. Rewards for reading and spelling simply reward readers and good spellers who already feel successful while at the same time make those learning to read feel like failures or inadequate at reading.

Reading is not magic... It is taught... The magic recides in the teacher who remembers the basics are FUN for students even when the instruction seems mundane or ordinary. 

The light of excitement on a child's face as they learn a simple decoding skill is anything but mundane... extraordinary!