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Heart Word Magic - Read and Spell High Frequency Words | Really Great Reading

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Heart Word Magic - Help Students Learn to Read and Spell High-Frequency and Sight WordsHeart Word Magic is a complimentary teaching tool designed to help students learn to read and spell high-frequency words and sight words, particularly those that aren’t very decodable. Show your students the animations, then try these fun, hands-on free Student Practice

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Beginning Phonics and Spelling Continuum

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Beginning Phonics and Spelling Continuum

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Teaching vocabulary is complex. What words are important for a child to know and in what context? In this excerpt from Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction, the authors consider what principles might be used for selecting which words to explicitly teach.

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Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence

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Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence

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7 Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension

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7 Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension

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Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension

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Comprehension strategies are conscious plans — sets of steps that good readers use to make sense of text. Comprehension strategy instruction helps students become purposeful, active readers who are in control of their own reading comprehension. These seven strategies have research-based evidence for improving text comprehension.

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High-quality support and resources for the middle grades

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Word Connections is an intervention program to help upper elementary students read multisyllabic words. decodinginstructrdConnections_TeacherManual.pdf

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Free Sound Wall Resources. Create a free account. 

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Free Sound Wall Resources. Create a free account. 

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Empowering educators with the literacy resources and training to help every child achieve reading success.

Trust Tools 4 Reading for the resources you need for your elementary classroom.

We're proud to welcome to our team:

Nova Williams Assistant Director of Learning Services-Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Mercer Island School District, WA

"I love the Kid Lips cards, Kids Lips Instructional Guide with the user-friendly lessons, and the Phoneme/Grapheme cards. Our teachers love them, too."

Erika Gordon Kindergarten Teacher

Kalispell, MT

"This class was amazing. It was encouraging to me in reminding me that what I was doing with my kindergarten was the right thing to do, even if others weren't doing it. And it gave me so, so, so many new things to try this next year. I appreciate all the extra articles that were linked and have printed and read almost all of them so far. What an amazing class. Thank you!"

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Tools 4 Reading provides great resources for your classroom such as Phoneme/Grapheme Card and Kid Lips.

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Vocabulary/Knowledge rating is a before reading or learning strategy designed to evaluate students' prior or background knowledge of vocabualry or a topic or concept. Students are given a list of words related to the topic or concept and rate how well they know each term. Rating scales can help students to actively look at and be aware of new vocabulary and also help activate prior knowledge. By identifying terms students do not know well the teacher will be better able to prepare students for reading, viewing, listening and discussing the new topic or text.

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Vocabulary/Knowledge Rating - Vocabulary and Learning Strategy | NBSS

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Vocabulary/Knowledge rating is a before reading or learning strategy designed to evaluate students' prior or background knowledge of vocabualry or a topic or concept. Students are given a list of words related to the topic or concept and rate how well they know each term.

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Phonological Awareness Look Fors- handout.docx

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Hi everyone! Today I'm going to talk about a multi-sensory spelling strategy called S.O.S. The S.O.S. (Simultaneous Oral Spelling) strategy is a commonly used technique used as one way to help improve a dyslexic reader's ability to spell. It has been researched that by using a multi-sensory approach to practice spelling, the dyslexic learner would have build better phonological awareness, which is a huge weakness. S.O.S. uses visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning modalities all the same time in during spelling dictation. It takes a great deal of focus and concentration, but once children know the steps involved, they can move through the process easily. If you have struggling readers due to weak phonological awareness and are also poor spellers, this strategy may work very well for them.

These are the 6 steps:

The teacher dictates a word to the student(s). Total face contact is necessary so the child sees the formation of the word on the adult's lips.

The student repeats the word back out loud.

Starting with the thumb, the child sounds out the word out loud, holding up one finger for each sound. Make sure they are saying each sound out loud. Step 3 is a critical step. You'll be able to tell which sounds the student hears right away. If a child really struggles with this step, I use a sound slider technique. I have a row of blank Elkonin boxes typed up on a blank card. Then I hand them plastic counters to literally slide one counter up into each box for every sound they hear. Sometimes I see children that can't break beginning or final consonant blends apart, so they need this support.This may be just the thing needed if you have someone with weak phonemic awareness.

Starting with the thumb, students will finger spell the word, holding up one finger for each letter. Make sure they are saying the letters out loud. Again, you'll be able to assess whether your student(s) is applying the phonics and spelling strategies you've taught them. I notice a lot of self talk and reflection during this step. You can really see those wheels turning in their minds! This step tells me whether they need more practice with a particular phonogram or spelling pattern in future lessons.

Now comes the writing part. The student will write the word out loud as they write it on their dictation paper. They see and hear the word as they write, which is one of the hallmarks of multi-sensory teaching.

Finally, the student reads the word out loud. This is an important time for them to do a quick self reflection on whether the word looks right to them. Always place that ownership on the child! One self checking strategy I have my kids use is C.O.P.S.

Here is a sample page that will be included in brand new product,

The Essential Set of Orton-Gillingham Materials.

You may be wondering after reading all these steps two things:

1. How many words do you give? Answer: I usually give anywhere from 8-12 words.

2. How long does this take? Typically, it will take about 10 minutes max.

You the teacher should always make a judgement call about a child's comfort level. If they are really struggling and frustrated, cut the dictation short. That tells you right away adjustments in pacing need to be made.

I am a real stickler for a child following these steps correctly EVERY time. I give gentle reminders, but the minute you let up on one step, I find they develop their own variations. Those habits can be hard to break.

If you enjoyed reading about this strategy and would like to try it out, I've created a set of task cards with the 6 steps written on them, as well as a recording sheet. This product is available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store:

Thank you so much for reading my post today! Have you used the S.O.S. strategy before? I've love to hear from you in the comments below.

The Orton-Gillingham Manual by Anna Gillingham and Bessie Stillman, 1997

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Using the S.O.S. Strategy - The Literacy Nest

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Hi everyone! Today I'm going to talk about a multi-sensory spelling strategy called S.O.S. The S.O.S. (Simultaneous Oral Spelling) strategy is a commonly used technique used as one way to help improve a dyslexic reader's ability to spell.

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Understanding Consonant and Vowel Phonemes in English

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Understanding Consonant and Vowel Phonemes in English

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The PAST can be downloaded above. Please also download and carefully read the instructions before using. Information can also be found in the manual “Equipped for Reading Success” by David A. Kilpatrick, Ph.D in chapter 11 on how to effectively use the test. Make sure to also practice using the test before using it with […]

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NOTE: If you participated in the MSM-PREP research study and are looking for the toolkit used during your participation, please email christymurray@austin.utexas.edu so you can obtain the private link.

QUESTION GENERATION is a reading comprehension practice that teaches students to write questions about important information or facts from a text while they are reading. This helps students pause, think about what is being communicated, and how informatin relates across paragraphs. Studies have shown that this practice can increase comprehension of content area text.
Download our New Infographic to Share with Teachers! Download our New Infographic! Students use a 3-step process:
Step 1) Read a text, either in small groups, pairs, or independently.

Step 2) Pause at regular intervals to generate questions and record them in a learning log or journal.

Step 3) Answer questions and indicate where the answer was found in the text.

Students are taught to write two different types of questions: specific questions and wide questions

PD Module-Secondary Reading Instruction: Teaching Vocabulary and Comprehension in the Content Areas (IRIS Center)

Research to Practice Article in Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy (Middle School Matters)

Generating Questions Video Page (Texas Adolescent Literacy Academy)

Modeling Specific Questions (Middle School Matters)

Modeling Wide Questions (Middle School Matters)

Student Cue Card (Middle School Matters)

Question Log (Middle School Matters)

Classroom Poster (Middle School Matters)
Sources for Other Reading Passages
Contact us at msmi-info@meadowscenter.org

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NOTE: If you participated in the MSM-PREP research study and are looking for the toolkit used during your participation, please email christymurray@austin.utexas.edu so you can obtain the private link. QUESTION GENERATION is a reading comprehension practice that teaches students to write questions about important information or facts from a text while they are reading.

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Council for Exceptional Children, the Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) and the Division for Research (DR). Fluency Instruction.

Dowhower, S. (1989) Repeated reading: Research into practice. The Reading Teacher, 42(7), 502-507.

Hudson, R.F., Lane, H.B., & Pullen, P.C. (2005). Reading Fluency Assessment and Instruction: What, Why, and How?. The Reading Teacher, 58(8), 702-714.

Johns, J. & Berglund, R. (2002). Fluency: Question, answers, evidence-based strategies. Dubuque, IO: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

Kuhn, M. (2004). Helping students become accurate, expressive readers: Fluency instruction for small groups. The Reading Teacher, 58(4), 338-344.

Lee, J., & Yoon, S. Y. (2017). The Effects of Repeated Reading on Reading Fluency for Students With Reading Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 50(2), 213-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219415605194

Murray, B. (1999). Two Methods for Developing Fluency.

Rasinski, T. (2003) The fluent reader: Oral reading strategies for building word recognition, fluency, and comprehension. New York, NY: Scholastic Professional Books.

Samuels, S. J. (2002). Reading fluency: It's development and assessment. In Farstrup, A. & Samuels, S. (Ed.). What research has to say about reading instruction (pp. 166-183). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association.

Samuels, S. J. (1997). The method of repeated readings. The Reading Teacher, 50(5), 376-381.

Therrien, W. J. (2004). Fluency and Comprehension Gains as a Result of Repeated Reading: A Meta-Analysis. Remedial and Special Education, 25(4), 252-261. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325040250040801

Vaca, R. & Vaca, J. (1999). Content area reading: Literacy and learning across the curriculum, 6th edition. New York, NY: Logman.

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Timed repeated readings are an instructional practice for monitoring students' fluency development. Repeated readings, under timed conditions, of familiar instructional level text can increase students' reading speed which can improve comprehension.

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Accelerated Learning of Multisyllabic word reading and morphology

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The Instructional Routines are provided for you to use during small group instruction. Choose the routines you will use with each small group based on individual student need. These routines require a variety of common classroom materials, and the specific items needed are listed at the beginning of each routine. All of the Instructional Routines are organized using a standard format so that you can substitute easier or more challenging words if you would like to. Select the reading component of interest below for grade specific Instructional Routines.

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The Instructional Routines are provided for you to use during small group instruction. Choose the routines you will use with each small group based on individual student need. These routines require a variety of common classroom materials, and the specific i…

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Overview of suggested restructuring

Teach 10-15 "sight words" before phonics instruction begins

Flash Words and Heart Words defined

Flash Words with advanced vowels to teach with early phonics instruction

Flash Words with two and three syllables

Implementing the new model

You are welcome to print copies for non-commercial use, or a limited number for educational purposes, as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact the author or publisher listed.

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A New Model for Teaching High-Frequency Words

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Integrating high-frequency words into phonics lessons allows students to make sense of spelling patterns for these words. To do this, high-frequency words need to be categorized according to whether they are spelled entirely regularly or not. This article describes how to "rethink" teaching of high-frequency words.

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Best for All: Sounds First Phonemic Awareness Program

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Best for All: Sounds First Phonemic Awareness Program

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These grade-specific, daily phonemic awareness lessons are designed to supplement existing foundational skills instruction, providing engaging, multi-sensory experiences for K-2 students. For use with both whole-class instruction or small groups, these 15-minute lessons can also be adapted to address unfinished learning for older students.

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Idaho Instructional Routines to Support Foundational Skills

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Idaho Instructional Routines to Support Foundational Skills

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Use according to the scope and sequence of current reading program to use for drill practices.

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Parents and children visiting the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library System will find new resources awaiting them thanks to Book Nook Bundles provided by the Florida Center for Reading Research.

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FreeReading is an open-source instructional program that helps educators teach early literacy. FreeReading contains a 40-week scope and sequence that can supplement an early literacy core or basal program.

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The Instructional Routines are provided for you to use during small group instruction. Choose the routines you will use with each small group based on individual student need. These routines require a variety of common classroom materials, and the specific items needed are listed at the beginning of each routine. All of the Instructional Routines are organized using a standard format so that you can substitute easier or more challenging words if you would like to. Select the reading component of interest below for grade specific Instructional Routines.

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The Instructional Routines are provided for you to use during small group instruction. Choose the routines you will use with each small group based on individual student need. These routines require a variety of common classroom materials, and the specific i…

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Many children with literacy difficulties find it hard to blend phonemes together. Word Chains games allow a child to focus on sounds without the distraction of graphemes, as each sound is represented by a counter. A single phoneme is changed and the child 're-blends' to make a new word. The Word Chain lists progress from simple CVC words, like 'dog' and 'cat', to more complex words with initial and final blends, like 'stand' and 'crisp'. This allows targeted practice of a very specific skill in just a few minutes.

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Blending Phonemes - Word Chains - Dyslexic Logic

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Resources and word-chains (also called word ladders or word chains) to support teaching blending skills for children with poor phonological awareness, from basic CVC blends to CCVCC words with long and short medial vowels.

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From FreeReading

1. Prepare the mat or large piece of paper by drawing a circle and an arrow going from left to right on it.

2. Form a small group. Distribute the counters (each student should have three). In order to become aware of the sounds in words, we are going to play a game where we will use counters to separate sounds and then put them back together.

3. This mat (or paper) has a circle at the top where we keep the counters when we are not using them. There is an arrow which goes from left to right to remind us to put the sounds back together to say the word. Indicate these features by pointing.

4. I'll use the word mom. The first sound is /m/. The next sound is /o/. The last sound is /m/. /M/ /o/ /m/, mom. Move one counter to the arrow for each sound in the word; elongate the sounds as you slowly slide the counters from left to right. When you repeat the word, quickly slide your finger beneath the arrow.

5. Repeat and demonstrate again using the word miss.

6. Now it's your turn. The next word is red. Ask a student to mimic what you have done using the new word. If correct, try another word with another student. If not, model the activity again. When the task is understood, continue with words selected for specific student needs.

7. If you notice that any student has trouble with this activity, you may wish to make specific notes in an Activity Log.

Related activities

About this activity

Activity adapted from the mCLASS®:DIBELS® site by Pamela Tow, Garfield Primary School, Peoria, IL.

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Prepare the mat or large piece of paper by drawing a circle and an arrow going from left to right on it. Form a small group. Distribute the counters (each student should have three). In order to become aware of the sounds in words, we are going to play a game where we will use counters to separate sounds and then put them back together.

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New Course Offerings in the SAS PD Center

The PD Center offers a plethora of courses focused on content area subjects and PDE initiatives. All courses are self-paced and offer Act 48 credit (ranging from 2 -10 hours) upon successful completion. Most importantly, the courses are provided at no cost!

View Featured Content View All Featured Content

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The PD Center offers a plethora of courses focused on content area subjects and PDE initiatives. All courses are self-paced and offer Act 48 credit (ranging from 2 -10 hours) upon successful completion. Most importantly, the courses are provided at no cost! View Featured Content View All Featured Content

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The Reading League has compiled a list of options, not recommendations, of frequently requested decodable texts.

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For a downloadable PDF click here. Summer 2016
By Carolyn D. Cowen

IDA infographics help make complex information easy to digest, remember, and share and are made for a wide audience-those new to dyslexia and related literacy/learning issues as well as the experts. Please share our infographics as well as our Fact Sheets to raise awareness about dyslexia and to help support the policy and practice changes needed to bring effective instruction (particularly in reading) to every child with dyslexia in every classroom across the nation.
Author's Note: You may need to zoom in to read small text.
Carolyn D. Cowen, Ed.M., is the Social Media Editor/Strategist for the International Dyslexia Association's Examiner. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Newgrange School, Ann Robinowitz Education Center, and Laurel School and on the Board of Directors for the Research Institute for Learning and Development. Carolyn is especially interested in creative ways nonprofits and movements can "power the mission with the message." Follow her on Twitter .

More infographics!

Good News! Most Reading Difficulties Can Be Resolved or Greatly Diminished (April 2016)

How Widespread Is Dyslexia? (February 2016)
Copyright © 2016 International Dyslexia Association (IDA). We encourage sharing of Examiner articles. If portions are cited, please make appropriate reference. Articles may not be reprinted for the purpose of resale. Permission to republish this article is available from info@interdys.org.

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What Is Structured Literacy? - International Dyslexia Association

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Shift the mindset of phonics is just "drill and kill" to "drill and thrill" ( Archer & Hughes, 2011) Keep a perky pace, an upbeat attitute and your students will too!

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Books to deepen content knowledge in English spelling and phonics

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Books to deepen content knowledge in English spelling and phonics

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Uncovering the Logic of English by Densise Eide

Unlocking Literacy by Marcia K. Henry

The ABC's and All Their Tricks by Margaret M. Bishop

Spelling for Life by Lyn Stone

Phonics from A to Z, Fourth Edition by Wiley Blevins

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Trostle Talk! Lots of Short episodes on activities and strategies.

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Trostle Talk! Lots of Short episodes on activities and strategies.

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Episode Guide Episode 1: What is Reading Comprehension? Episode 2: Subtypes of Readers Episode 3: How do I find the reading level of…

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Play Spin, Say, Write to practice irregular words. Start by writing six words on a pie chart template and then make photocopies for the class. With a partner, students take turns spinning a paper clip, using the pencil tip to anchor it on the pie chart, and seeing where it lands. They read the word that the paper clip lands on and then write the word while saying its sounds. It's a great way to review irregular high-frequency words, especially before reading a text that contains them.

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Podcast: Teacher Tested Vocabulary Strategies

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Podcast: Teacher Tested Vocabulary Strategies

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Melissa and Lori Love Literacy is a podcast for educators interested in learning more about the science of reading, knowledge building, and high-quality curriculum! Join Melissa and Lori as they tackle new ways of thinking about how to teach reading and writing. Guests include literacy researchers and experts, teachers and leaders, parents and advocates.

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Podcast: 10 Vocabulary Strategies backed by Research 

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Podcast: 10 Vocabulary Strategies backed by Research 

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You can find every episode of Melissa & Lori Love Literacy right here on this page starting with the most recent episodes. You can even search below for any guests or topics you are interested in to find all the episodes you want to listen to!

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Melissa and Lori Love Literacy is a podcast for educators interested in learning more about the science of reading, knowledge building, and high-quality curriculum! Join Melissa and Lori as they tackle new ways of thinking about how to teach reading and writing. Guests include literacy researchers and experts, teachers and leaders, parents and advocates.

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Explore reading resources for families and caregivers to help support your child’s literacy journey with confidence.

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Extensive List of Resources for Families and Caregivers about Literacy 

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Extensive List of Resources for Families and Caregivers about Literacy 

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What Should I Know About the Science of Reading?

The science of reading is a vast body of knowledge about how the brain learns to read, why it sometimes has difficulty doing so, and the kinds of instruction that most effectively help children learn to read. To learn more about the science of reading, download The Science of Reading: Defining Guide , available in English and Spanish.

Additional information on some of the findings from decades of scientific research on reading and issues related to reading and writing:

Developing Literacy: Language

Building language is one of the most powerful things you can do for your child before they enter school. When we read, we are reading language, so the more oral language ability children have, the more likely they are to understand texts once they learn to decode print. Building oral language ability involves immersing children in words through conversation, read-alouds of children's books, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, singing, and more. Such activities introduce them to rich, sophisticated words and more complex sentence structures than those that occur in typical, everyday conversations. Children learn to speak in complete sentences and begin using sophisticated words themselves as they converse with you. There are several ways to build oral language.

The L anguage En vironment A nalysis (LENA) describes the importance of having interactions and turn-taking conversations with your child and provides caregivers with an analysis. The LENA and other resources provide insight into the importance of oral language development in the home.

As mentioned earlier, many organizations support families and caregivers by ensuring they have access to books for read-alouds. Some even provide books tailored to your children's age levels in your mailbox every month at no cost to you.

Organizations that provide children's books for free:

If your child does not seem to be making progress in speaking and building language, each state has early intervention services to help. Here is a state-by-state guide to find services:

Developing Literacy: Decoding

Building language and reading books to your children is important, but it's not enough to develop skilled literacy. When students enter school, they will learn to turn the printed strings of letters on the page into language. This is easier for some children than others. Families and caregivers can prepare their children by developing their knowledge about speech sounds, letter names, letter sounds , and how letters blend together to make words. This can be done by learning songs, playing games, and asking children to read texts featuring "sound out" words containing letter sounds that they know (see decodable texts section).
Learning Games: Decodable Texts
Decodable texts are designed to provide beginning readers opportunities to practice applying what they have learned about letters and sounds to decoding words. Practicing these skills by reading decodable texts encourages them to attend to the letters and sounds instead of guessing based on pictures or other cues. Children become accurate and automatic when decoding . Decodable texts are not designed to be useful for read-alouds; children's fiction or nonfiction books featuring rich vocabulary are a better tool for this goal.
Practices to Avoid
Avoid using flashcards to memorize words. Also, do not ask your child to read early reader texts that heavily repeat common words and require looking at the picture to "read" the words. Both of these strategies reduce opportunities to apply letter sounds to print. Children come to rely on guessing based on pictures, the first letters in words, or the inefficient approach of memorizing words based on how they look rather than sounding them out. Practices such as these are NOT in alignment with findings from scientific research on how the brain learns to read.

Word recognition, letter sounds, phonics, and decoding are essential to teach and practice in a manner that aligns with the science of reading, but they not the only aspects of reading that must be assessed and taught. Developing vocabulary, oral language, sentence structure, writing, background knowledge, comprehension strategies, and many other aspects are important, too.

Reading Buddies is an early childhood show on YouTube and some PBS stations. Dott, Alphabott, and the Alphabotteers use the science of reading to help Dusty the dog learn to read.

The Reading League developed this open-access television show as an early literacy resource for learning phoneme awareness, letter names and sounds, letter formation, rich vocabulary, and how to blend sounds to read words. Characters on the show also develop language by making up stories, practicing social skills, and so much more.

What to Look for in Elementary Reading Instruction

When your child enters school, it can be difficult to know if the instruction they're receiving is aligned with the science of reading. Fortunately, many tools are available to help parents and caregivers understand what's happening in the classroom and how to talk with the school about it. The Reading League developed Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines , a reliable, evidence-based tool that intentionally highlights ineffective practices (red flag practices) within reading programs. This tool is mainly for educators; however, parents and caregivers can learn about effective and ineffective reading instruction and compare it with what children are learning and doing in the classroom.

The Reading League's Curriculum Navigation Reports, available on the Compass: Curriculum Decision Makers page, provide reviews of the nation's most widely used curricula for alignment with the science of reading, with more reports to come.

The Right to Read Project provides guidance answering the question: Is My Child's School Getting Reading Right?

The Colorado Department of Education developed a Literacy Dialogue Tool to guide families and caregivers in having conversations with their children's schools.

What to Look for in Reading Assessments

It is important for schools to use universal screener s for reading difficulties because they identify students who may be at risk early on. They provide a quick snapshot of where each student stands to ensure that no child falls behind . However, this initial screening is just the first step. D iagnostic assessments provide insights into the specific literacy skills each student needs to develop, such as phonemic awareness or decoding.

Assessments based on leveled readers, while commonly used, do not provide information about how well a student has learned the foundational skills required for reading. Instead of pinpointing the skills a student is struggling with, leveled reader assessments focus on matching students with texts of varying complexity, which ignores any existing gaps.

If a student is not making adequate progress while receiving evidence-aligned instruction, additional assessment is needed to identify a possible learning disability. Overall, it is essential for schools to use valid and reliable assessments to ensure that every student gets the targeted instruction they need to become a successful reader.

What Is the Three-Cueing Approach?

Much of the national conversation on the science of reading has centered on the debunked "three-cueing" approach to teaching decoding that has long been widely popular in schools. The three-cueing approach does not support the development of pathways in the brain that lead to accurate and automatic word recognition. Such neural circuitry needed for skillful reading is only built by attending to the sounds and spelling patterns in words. Three-cueing approaches encourage children to rely on cues outside of the word: pictures on the page, predictable and repeated sentences, the first letter of a word, and other practices by skipping a word or rereading a sentence. These practices are detrimental to students later on when they have learned habits, such as memorizing or guessing words, rather than how to accurately and automatically read words and know how to decode unknown words.

Unfortunately, the three-cueing approach continues to be taught to pre-service teachers in their educator preparation programs. Today, some programs are realigning course content (and some state education departments are prohibiting programs that feature three cueing) so that future educators use approaches that are grounded in scientific evidence when teaching students how to read.
Learn more about three cueing approaches:
Dyslexia and Developmental Language Disorder

When students are having difficulty learning to read, they need additional instruction and practice to develop accuracy and automaticity . If they continue to have difficulty despite the additional support, assessments to determine if they have a language-based learning difference such as dyslexia or developmental language disorder (DLD) should be given.
Resources on understanding dyslexia:
Resources from the Dyslexia Alliance for Black Children:

The Dyslexia Alliance for Black Children (DABC) is 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization that has a mission to eliminate the amplified inequities for Black children experiencing unaddressed Dyslexia and related learning disabilities. Founded in 2020, DABC started as a board composed of parents, educators, and advocates mobilized to address the urgent issues facing Black children with dyslexia, language-based reading disorders, and reading difficulties. DABC has since become an established thought leader and catalyst for change. Through impactful workshops, family literacy programs, and partnerships with educators, DABC has reached hundreds of families and professionals, creating a powerful alliance that advocates for equity in literacy.

Dyslexia Roadmap : This interactive Dyslexia Roadmap provides a step-by-step video guide for effectively advocating for dyslexia intervention and resources. This is your companion for a journey towards eliminating the inequities for children experiencing unaddressed dyslexia.

Sometimes students can read the words on the page without issue, but they cannot comprehend what they mean. They may also have a hard time expressing themselves when they speak. Assessments can determine if they have a learning difference called developmental language disorder (DLD).

Sometimes, students struggle with both decoding and language. The Quadrant Model helps explain this in greater detail.

Resources to Support English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students

Learning to read can be more challenging for students who are also learning the language of instruction. This does not mean that they should stop speaking their home language. Their home language is an asset that should be built upon.

English learners/emergent bilingual (EL/EB) students require additional support in English language development (ELD) through their core classroom instruction and/or during specialized instruction offered outside of their core classroom, sometimes referred to as intervention.
Resources providing information about supporting the needs of EL/EB students:
What if My Child Is Not Making Adequate Progress?

If your child is not making adequate progress in reading, there are resources pertaining to your rights as a parent or caregiver. These are recommended reading and should not be considered legal advice.

Partnering With Pediatricians

Pediatricians have knowledge of language development and other childhood milestones. Many pediatricians also partner with organizations like Reach Out and Read to provide families with access to children's books to help reinforce the importance of caregivers reading aloud to children for social-emotional benefits and literacy development. However, the milestones for decoding development and the research on how children reach these milestones through evidence-aligned reading instruction are traditionally outside of the scope of pediatrician training. Providing pediatricians with information on educational practices aligned with the vast body of research on how students learn to read, along with information on "red flag" practices that can prevent the development of skilled reading, could benefit their understanding of how to support their patients who struggle with reading. Pointing pediatricians to signs of and screeners for dyslexia and developmental language disorder, two of the most common reasons for reading difficulties, could also help them to better serve the families in their care. Share this page with your pediatrician, and tell them to stay tuned in 2025 for a Compass page dedicated to pediatricians.

Partnering With Libraries
Special thanks to Marion Waldman of Teach My Kid to Read for providing the following information. We welcome parents and families to share this section with their local library.
Public libraries can serve as valuable resources for families, caregivers, and educators seeking materials to support reading instruction at home and in the classroom. By providing selections of decodable books, libraries can assist educators in implementing effective phonics-based instruction within the classroom and support families and caregivers in reinforcing reading outside of the classroom.

Teach My Kid to Read has provided education and support to hundreds of libraries serving as literacy hubs for their communities. Learn more about engaging with your public library at Teach My Kid to Read.
To show your librarian how other libraries are implementing collections of decodable books, visit the following libraries:
The National Center on Improving Literacy

The National Center on Improving Literacy (NCIL), provides resources for parents and families , for family and community-based organizations, and targeted technical assistance developed the for caregivers. Literacy Skill Checklist

Parents for Reading Justice

Parents for Reading Justice (PFRJ) empowers parent advocates to push for evidence-aligned reading instruction in school districts, with the goal of improving nationwide K-12 literacy achievement. PFRJ addresses the gap between research and classroom practices and facilitates parental involvement at the district level. Strategies include raising parent awareness, empowering them to use their vast influence, shifting perceptions about teachers' training needs, providing advocacy support, and influencing teacher preparation at institutions of higher education.

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Explore reading resources for families and caregivers to help support your child's literacy journey with confidence.

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