1. Create your own set of objectives and words for the books you are using in your class.

  • Take advantage of Vocabulary Companion’s™ ability to add a variety of graphic formats.
  • Collect jpeg’s and GIF’s from the internet that and use them to do topical story starters. There are thousands of sites that have pictures that will fit right in with your curriculum. Use your search engine to find them.
  • Scan in pictures right out of the books you are using in your class.
  • Use digital pictures of your students for autobiographical story starters.
  • Take advantage of the clipart you already have.

Make sure that you take advantage of the up and down arrows next to pictures. This feature allows you as the teacher to set up a folder with the pictures you have chosen for them. This gives them freedom of choice within the limits you have set.

2. Individualized instruction:

  • Finally, you can diagnose your students’ skills in phonics, spelling, word analysis, and vocabulary and have the materials you need to meet individual needs. Create individualized packets that teach exactly what your students need to learn.

3. Print rich environment:

  • Print out the study sheet in poster size and post it in your classroom.
  • Print out stories your students have written in poster size and have them put them up in their rooms at home.

4. Word games:

Laminate the color-ins and use them as a reusable center.