This collection houses resources that support teachers in implementing research and evidence-based practices in the instruction of reading. This collection is being added to and developed and is a "work in progress!"  Please continue to check back as we add more resources and links!

By Amplify Education. A podcast that dives into different elements of the Science of Reading.

Susan Lambert is joined by Dr. Brittney Bills, educator and recent Science of Reading Star Award Winner to discuss MTSS. Dr. Bills began her journey as a school psychologist for six years before transitioning to the role of curriculum coordinator at Grand Island Public Schools. In this episode, Dr. Bills explains what MTSS is and how it centers on prevention rather than intervention. She talks about the intersection of universal screening data and MTSS and provides advice on evidence-based strategies and techniques to make a positive impact in your classroom. Using examples from her own district, Dr. Bills discusses avoiding burnout, learning to use data, and the process of ongoing improvement.

Check out this one-hour-long presentation for an overview of the Science of Reading. This was done for a virtual conference and is a great introduction to this important topic.  Click on the image below to watch the video.  

Really Great Reading offers free webinars to educators to learn about how to teach reading and vocabulary.

These valuable scope and sequence charts outline the reading and spelling skills that students require and the order in which they should be developed.

The charts cover skills for students from grade 1-grade 5/6.

The document below is quick access to important PD links that will support you with your use of Seesaw as an assessment tool. 

Preschool Games, Videos, & Coloring Pages to Help Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger & Kinder
With a mission to help kids meet critical early development needs — the program many of us grew up on is still going strong and providing online content and shows every weekday morning. Many parents will attest that “Sesame Street” is still one of the best resources for the pre-K and kindergarten set, as well as kids with special needs. You’ll find video, games and art projects online.

Shared Reading is an interactive reading experience that occurs when students join in or share the reading of a book or other text while guided and supported by a teacher. The teacher explicitly models the skills of proficient readers, including reading with fluency and expression. The shared reading model often uses oversized books (referred to as big books) with enlarged print and illustrations.

This short podcast (about 4 minutes) explores tips and suggestions for how to share a book at home with your child.  There isn't a wrong way to share a book - but we hope these tips help you have the best experience possible. 

The Dolch Sight Words list is the most commonly used set of sight words.

This site has lists of the Dolch Sight Words at each grade level, as well at Dolch Sight Word Lessons, Flash Cards and Word Games.

This podcast is highly recommended to anyone that teaches children of any age.

"There's an idea about how children learn to read that's held sway in schools for more than a generation — even though it was proven wrong by cognitive scientists decades ago. Teaching methods based on this idea can make it harder for children to learn how to read. In this podcast, host Emily Hanford investigates the influential authors who promote this idea and the company that sells their work. It's an exposé of how educators came to believe in something that isn't true and are now reckoning with the consequences — children harmed, money wasted, an education system upended."

Sounder & Friends is a resource that focuses on phonological awareness & the Science of Reading. It has engaging activities and characters and the Instagram page also does weekly posts that break down different elements of reading and explain them clearly. This could be a great resource for teachers and families!

You need to sign up with your email to receive access to the books.

"The ten Extended Code First Steps books:
*contain beautifully illustrated quirky stories that children will love
*are carefully written to match the Sounds-Write units
*are great for the classroom and for home reading too
Available as pdfs for you to download."

Titles include:
Extended Code Unit 1 /ae/ - Kate Bakes

Extended Code Unit 2 /ee/ - Lee Reads

Extended Code Unit 4 /oe/ - Flo Rows

Extended Code Unit 6 /er/ - Earl's Words

Extended Code Unit 7 /e/ - Ali's Chess Set

Extended Code Unit 8 /ow/ - Tao's Trek

Extended Code Unit 10 /oo/ as in moon - Charity's Flute

Extended Code Unit 11 /ie/ - Tess's Bike Race

Extended Code Unit 12 /oo/ as in book - Jack Camps in the Woods

Extended Code Unit 14 /u/ - Doug's Cousin

Early-childhood learning can help prepare students for better academic engagement. This Spotlight will help you discover how coding exercises can enhance preschooler’s academic skills; learn how to support young students’ language growth; understand the gaps in preschooler’s language development since the pandemic; examine the impact of early education programs on high school performance; investigate challenges facing school readiness; and evaluate Pre-K programs from multiple lenses.

Download the PDF file.

Nurture the Roots of Every Student with Sprig Language. Sprig Language uses a holistic approach to assessment and instruction that provides teachers and parents with personalized and curriculum aligned learning activities specific to each students’ strengths and abilities. Sign up for a free account.

Are you ready to help your preschooler begin their journey into reading? Visit the StoryPlace website where you can discover stories and activities designed just for them, organized by different themes. This website acts like a virtual library for kids. Besides all the fun stuff for children, parents can also find helpful information about teaching early reading skills.

Once a story is selected you can:
*listen to the story
*complete an online activity
*watch related videos
*find more suggestions on the reading list
*complete an at home activity

Storytelling/Story Acting (STSA) is a simple movement based on the work of Vivian Paley. STSA involves children dictating stories to adults, followed by a teacher-facilitated acting out of children’s stories at meeting times throughout the day. STSA develops narrative fluency, the concept of a story, and the opportunity to express emotions and experiences. There is no need for rehearsal or special props and stories can be acted out anywhere. It is however, important to designate a “stage” and develop a routine around STSA.

A great way to motivate kids to read.

The stories are read by celebrities.

After you watch the video of the book being read, the parent or teacher can download the teacher guide. It provides questions to ask your little reader, projects to go along with the book and websites to help kids further explore the topic. You can even purchase your favorite books directly from the site.

Cross-curricular connections are also made!