Meet the Upper Elementary ELA Teacher Behind LiteracyTales

Real resources, built by a real teacher, tested on real kids first.

I’m Mervat Tehfe, a current 5th-grade ELA and Social Studies teacher. After nine years teaching second grade, I moved up to fifth, and that jump taught me more about how reading and writing skills build than any PD ever did. Every LiteracyTales resource gets used in my own classroom before it ever reaches yours. If it doesn’t work with my students, you never see it.

Why I Created LiteracyTales

I was spending my evenings searching for materials that actually fit my standards and my students, and most of what I found was either cute with no substance or so complicated that it created more work than it saved. So I started building what I couldn’t find: rigorous resources that don’t overwhelm, are easy to prep and teach, and are meaningful for kids.

Everything I create follows a logical progression of skills. Concepts build week by week, so lessons connect rather than sit in isolation. My focus is on reading comprehension, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and low-prep activities that lead to true mastery, aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and the Common Core.

That’s how Literacy Tales was born. It’s now home to more than 300 classroom-tested resources for grades 3 to 5.

How I Help Grades 3–5 Teachers

I make the resources I wish someone had handed me: ready-to-go, standards-aligned, and built for a class full of mixed readers. My goal is simple. You open it, you teach it, and your students actually grow. You get your planning time back, and you get to watch a kid light up when a skill finally clicks.

A Little More About Me

I was born in Australia, raised in Colombia, and come from a Lebanese family, so different cultures and languages have always been part of my life. I speak three languages, and that shapes how I connect with students and how I think about learning.

It also taught me that kids don’t walk into our classrooms with the same background, experiences, or support. That’s why differentiation is built into my resources from the start, not added as an afterthought. Every learner deserves access to great ELA instruction, not just the kids already reading on grade level.

Start Exploring LiteracyTales

Browse the full collection of reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary resources in the LiteracyTales TpT Store.

Want something you can use on Monday? Grab a free ELA resource for grades 3-5; it’s ready to print.

Or come hang out on the blog, where I share the strategies and routines that work in my room, so they can work in yours.

Mervat Tehfe | 5th Grade ELA + Social Studies Teacher | LiteracyTales