Click play below to listen!
Do phonemic awareness activities and phonics still matter in upper elementary?
The answer is yes.
Many teachers assume phonemic awareness and phonics instruction belong exclusively in the primary grades, but struggling readers in third, fourth, and fifth grade often have foundational skill gaps that continue to impact their reading success. In this episode, we’re exploring why phonemic awareness activities and explicit phonics instruction remain essential in upper elementary classrooms and how teachers can address these gaps without sacrificing valuable instructional time.
We’ll break down the difference between phonemic awareness and phonics, explain how both skills contribute to word recognition, and discuss their role within Scarborough’s Reading Rope. You’ll also learn why weaknesses in foundational reading skills can affect fluency, spelling, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension long after students leave the primary grades.
Most importantly, you’ll walk away with practical phonemic awareness activities and phonics strategies that can easily be incorporated into your literacy block, intervention groups, or small-group instruction.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- The difference between phonemic awareness and phonics
- Why phonemic awareness activities are still important in upper elementary
- How foundational reading skill gaps impact fluency and comprehension
- The connection between word recognition and Scarborough’s Reading Rope
- Simple phonemic awareness activities for struggling readers
- Effective phonics instruction strategies for grades 3–5
- Ways to strengthen literacy skills through targeted intervention
If you teach grades 3–5 and want practical word study strategies that actually support comprehension, this episode will give you simple, research-backed ideas you can use right away.
Inside the Stellar Literacy Collective, we also provide:
- Morphology lessons
- Word sums
- Reading big words routines
- Vocabulary instruction supports
- Whole group literacy lessons with embedded word study opportunities
If you’re looking for practical phonemic awareness activities and effective phonics instruction strategies for upper elementary students, this episode will help you identify foundational skill gaps and support struggling readers with confidence.
Resources to Support A Research-Backed Word Study Routine in Your Classroom:
- Join The Stellar Literacy Collective – If you are looking for a research-backed word study routine, look here!
- If you’re enjoying this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts!
Related Episodes and Blog Posts:
- Episode 222, The Write Stuff: How Writing Can Enhance Reading Success
- Episode 182, What We Need to Understand About Reading Comprehension (And 8 Instructional Strategies)
- Blog Post: The Ultimate Framework for Teaching Comprehension Effectively
Connect with me:
- Join my newsletter
- Shop my TPT store here
- Instagram: @thestellarteachercompany
- Facebook: The Stellar Teacher Company
The Stellar Literacy Collective (SLC) is a membership designed for upper elementary teachers who want strong, effective literacy instruction… without spending hours planning every week.
Inside SLC, you’ll find ready-to-use, research-aligned lessons for reading, writing, and word study that work together to create a research-backed framework. From whole group comprehension lessons and vocabulary routines to small group supports and writing instruction, everything is built around consistent systems that support real classroom implementation.
If you’re tired of piecing lessons together or feeling like every week requires a brand-new strategy, SLC offers structure and clarity. It helps you simplify your literacy block, teach with intention, and create meaningful growth for your students!
Click HERE to learn more!
When you are looking for phonemic awareness activities for your upper elementary students, The Stellar Teacher Podcast is here to support you. Each episode is designed to empower upper elementary teachers to simplify lesson planning, strengthen classroom routines, and build confident, capable readers without burnout. Every episode is full of teacher tips! Teaching doesn’t have to feel overwhelming to be effective. With practical strategies, honest conversations, and systems that work in real classrooms, you can protect your energy while still delivering meaningful instruction. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode filled with encouragement and actionable ideas to support your literacy block all year long.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.