Helping Students Read Better and Learn More
The Iowa Reading Research Center strives to improve the literacy skills of all students through research with students, professional learning for educators, and technical assistance for school districts.
Handwriting Hub
Access training, interactive tools, instructional materials, and more for print and cursive handwriting instruction.
Morpheme Lab
Learning morphemes can help students break down the meaning of unfamiliar words. Access free resources to support implementing explicit morphology instruction in our Morpheme Lab!
Spark Early Literacy Hub
Through everyday activities, caregivers play an important role in helping children build early reading skills.
Blog
How Do I Score My Students’ Handwriting Fluency Assessments?
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Handwriting assessments are most informative when teachers consider the identifiability of letters out of context and apply scoring guidelines consistently.
Cumulative Review Resource for Handwriting Instruction
Monday, July 13, 2026
Cumulative Review provides students with the opportunity to review previously taught letters within the context of word-level writing practice.
Supporting Student Reading Motivation With Dr. Daisy Pelletier
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Researcher Daisy Pelletier discusses her recent study on the role of motivation and reading frequency in elementary and secondary school students.
Supporting Early Literacy Through Everyday Interactions With Dr. Ece Demir-Lira
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Dr. Ece Demir-Lira, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa, shares how caregivers can support their children's early literacy development.
Morphological Transparency: Why Some Word Parts Are Easier to “See” Than Others
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Transparency and opacity describe the relationship between a word and the word parts that make it up—that is, how easy it is to identify the word parts within the larger word.
How to Implement Cognate Instruction
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Teaching with cognates can help multilingual learners draw on prior knowledge to understand new vocabulary.
Supporting Multilingual Learners Using Related Words Across Languages
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Using shared words between languages, or cognates, can improve reading skills for multilingual learners.
Making Meaning With Morphemes
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Morphemes are the smallest unit of meaning in language. Morphological ability—using morphemes to produce and understand language—supports both word recognition and language comprehension processes.
Two Buckets, Same Well? The Relationship Between Reading and Writing Automaticity
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Research shows that reading and writing automaticity are associated in upper-elementary grades, especially among the highest performing writers.
Does Spelling Practice Improve Reading for Students With Dyslexia?
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Allocating more opportunities to read words with feedback may be more efficient than spelling practice to support multisyllabic word reading for upper-elementary students with dyslexia.
News
New Spark Early Literacy Hub Supports Early Literacy Skills at Home
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Through the Spark Early Literacy Hub, caregivers can access the tools they need to support their children’s early literacy skills.
To Recognized for Her Work at the Iowa Reading Research Center
Friday, April 17, 2026
Kristin To has been recognized as a University of Iowa Student Employee of the Year award winner for her work as a graphic storyteller and computer programmer at the Iowa Reading Research Center.
New Morpheme Lab Supports Literacy Across Content Areas
Monday, April 13, 2026
The new Morpheme Lab includes resources for educators interested in implementing explicit morphology instruction.
New eLearning Module Supports Explicit Instruction Observation Practices
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
The new module provides teachers and administrators with tools that support the implementation of explicit instruction in their schools.
Staff Picks: Cozy Thanksgiving Reads
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Staff members at the Iowa Reading Research Center share some of their favorite books with themes of gratitude to celebrate Thanksgiving.
New Training Grant Prepares Professionals to Support Students With Diverse Needs
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Project I-CORE will provide 14 education professionals with comprehensive training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to support students with disabilities.
New LIFTER Assessments Aim to Improve Student Handwriting Fluency
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
The Iowa Reading Research Center’s LIFTER (Letter Identification and Formation for Transcription and Early Reading) eLearning module and application now include handwriting assessments.
New Practice Assessment Strengthens Teacher Knowledge of the Science of Reading
Monday, August 18, 2025
The Iowa Reading Research Center's new practice assessment provides teachers with an opportunity to apply critical concepts from the science of reading.
New Tier 1.5 Calculator Supports Data-Based Decision-Making for Core Instruction
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
The IRRC's new online tool for assessing student instructional needs is now available.
New Fidelity Monitoring Tool for Tracking OTRs in Literacy Instruction
Monday, June 23, 2025
Monitoring opportunities to respond allows administrators to more accurately assess intervention fidelity and effectiveness.