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.

A cartoon brain lifts a weight with the letter "a" on it

Literacy LIFTER

Literacy LIFTER is a free tool designed to empower educators and caregivers in supporting students’ handwriting and early reading skills.

Stephanie presenting a PowerPoint on how the brain learns to read

Become a School or District Partner

The Iowa Reading Research Center provides research and technical assistance services to schools and districts in Iowa at no cost.

Shawn Datchuk in front of bookshelf

New Director Selected for IRRC

Dr. Shawn Datchuk's leadership and expertise will help the IRRC advance its mission of improving children’s reading proficiency in Iowa.

Blog

Girl writes by hand with help from an adult

Handwriting: Beneficial to Reading and Often Misunderstood

Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Handwriting can support early reading skills. This post explains why and describes several techniques teachers can use to help their students acquire handwriting.
A girl traces and writes letters by hand

Research Article of the Month: June 2024

Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Through this breakdown of Ray et al. (2021), we explore the benefits of handwriting intervention on foundational reading skills.
A teacher in front of a board teaching grammar

Research Article of the Month: May 2024

Tuesday, May 28, 2024
We explore the findings of Silverman et al. (2020) as they examine the effects of explicit language comprehension on various language and literacy outcomes.

News

A cartoon hand writing the letter "s" and dotted lines where a student can practice writing

New Handwriting and Early Reading Tool Available for Teachers and Caregivers on IRRC Website

Monday, July 22, 2024
University of Iowa College of Education faculty and Iowa Reading Research Center staff have created a new online handwriting tool for early readers and writers.
A group of teachers sit in a classroom during a professional development presentation

A Tale of Three Districts

Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Districts in Iowa are making strides in adopting new English language arts materials and implementing structured literacy practices.
Shawn Datchuk in front of bookshelf

Iowa Department of Education, University of Iowa Announce New Iowa Reading Research Center Director

Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Dr. Shawn Datchuk's leadership and expertise will help the IRRC advance its mission of improving children’s reading proficiency in Iowa.