Blog

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National Novel Writing Month: Tips for Long-Form Writing

Wednesday, November 6, 2024
November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! Learn tips for staying motivated during long writing projects.
A graphic of a cartoon brain wearing a helmet and climbing gear, standing in front of a camper van and a mountain range.

Looping Back to Cursive Handwriting

Tuesday, October 29, 2024
While more research is needed on cursive handwriting instruction, here is what we know about when to teach cursive and what components can make cursive instruction particularly effective.
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Four Ways to Celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Month

Monday, October 7, 2024
We provide ideas of ways to be involved in Dyslexia Awareness Month this October.
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Reading Assessments and Their Purposes

Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Throughout the school year, your child’s teacher may use universal screeners, diagnostic assessments, progress monitoring, and more to gain a deeper understanding of how to best support your child’s literacy development.
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Research Article of the Month: September 2024

Thursday, September 12, 2024
We summarize the findings of January & Klingbeil (2020)—a study that examines the validity of early reading CBMs in identifying at-risk students in Grades K–2.
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How to Make the Most of Teacher Professional Development

Monday, August 26, 2024
Dr. Lisa Didion is an assistant professor of special education who studies data literacy and teacher professional development. In this Q&A, Didion provides research-based tips for planning professional development that is beneficial for teachers.
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Research Article of the Month: August 2024

Tuesday, August 13, 2024
In their meta-analysis, Didion et al. (2019) find that teacher PD generally has a positive effect on student reading achievement in Grades K–8.
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.
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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 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.