blog

Teacher making copies of a page for class

Filling the Gaps: Text Sets Build Background Knowledge and Improve Comprehension of Informational Texts

Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Consider the objective of the unit and what students already know, and then begin building a diverse set of texts for students to read.
Mother and daughter read on couch together

Caregiver Involvement When Reading Books to Children

Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Children’s literacy development benefits when they discuss four key elements of stories read by their caregivers.
Teacher using structured literacy to teach a small group using flash cards

An Explanation of Structured Literacy, and a Comparison to Balanced Literacy

Tuesday, April 9, 2019
An explicit or implicit approach to literacy learning? See why the former approach tends to work better for all learners.
Educators and family members meeting about an Individualized Education Program

Developing and Synchronizing the Various Aspects of the Individualized Education Program

Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Setting a goal, monitoring progress and deciding on specially designed instruction through an IEP can help students with reading disabilities achieve success.
teacher helps two students with flashcard

Keyword Mnemonics: A Strategy to Build Content-Specific Vocabulary and Unlock Informational Texts

Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Teach students to create keyword cards with mnemonics to help unlock and remember the definitions.
Couple filling out an IEP Form at a table

Family Preparation for an Individualized Education Program Meeting

Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Effectively advocate for your child with a disability’s literacy education by thinking through your hopes and concerns.
teacher works at table with two students

Repeated Reading with Goal Setting for Reading Fluency: Focusing on Reading Quality Rather Than Reading Speed

Tuesday, February 5, 2019
A reading fluency instructional approach involving practice with a partner and error correction.
teacher leans over student's desk

Using Mentor Texts to Learn From the Best and Improve Students’ Writing

Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Learn about selecting a good mentor text to teach students writing techniques and approaches through instruction and discussion.
Green graphic with IRRC and Green Hills Area Education Agency branding with the text "Green Hills Area Education Agency Literacy Team"

Through Professional Development and Comprehensive Support, Literacy Consultants Look to Boost Student Reading Achievement

Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Green Hills Area Education Agency enlists Iowa Reading Research Center help in looking at data to evaluate impact of its literacy professional development.
Emily Crandall teaching a book in a small group in a classroom

How My Reading Practicum Experience Prepared Me to Be a Teacher

Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Reflecting on her reading practicum experience, Student Assistant Emily Crandall discusses how it prepared her for student teaching
Girl writing in a classroom using a word box

Teaching Letter-Sound Correspondences and Syllable Types for Word Identification

Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Teach students to use a word box to practice letter-sound correspondences or syllables for decoding words.
A woman points to the board while giving a presentation.

Text Structure Mapping: A Strategy to Improve Reading Comprehension of Informational Texts

Tuesday, November 6, 2018
An overview of text structures, why they matter for students’ comprehension of informational text, and a deeper look at text structure mapping as an instructional tool.