RN Bookmark

If there’s one book series my second grader is crazy about, it’s Dog Man. You might know a kid or two who shares this obsession. The books are graphic novels in which bathroom humor, slime fights, and a time-traveling hot dog stand feature prominently. How do I feel about my son’s literature choices? Initially, I’ll admit, I struggled. Read more

Students taking high-stakes tests must have the capacity to read for extended periods of time. Whether they’re reading a series of questions, or reading to comprehend a lengthy passage, endurance is crucial to their success. How can we help build reading stamina? Read more

Late last year, a teacher in need of a high-quality phonics program started using GATE+ with her students. She was so impressed with the quality and ease-of-use that she showed the program to her colleagues. They quickly realized they wanted GATE+ for their classrooms too. The teacher picked up the phone and ordered four more sets of GATE+! This is the kind of feedback we've been getting in the months since GATE+ started shipping. As soon as teachers realize how well this program works, they can't wait to spread the word. Read more

As a Curriculum Associate at Read Naturally, I have the privilege of working in reading labs at local schools we partner with. These experiences have been incredibly enlightening in so many ways, but one of my most significant takeaways is witnessing how deeply students yearn for success in reading. Read more

As another school year winds down, we’re taking a moment to look back at the blog posts that resonated most with our readers in the 2024–2025 school year. These top ten posts reflect your commitment to your students, your colleagues, and to literacy instruction in general. Whether you’re revisiting a favorite or catching up on one you missed, we hope you enjoy this roundup of the most-read and most-shared Read Naturally blog posts of the school year. Read more

In 1997, Congress asked the National Reading Panel to do the following four things:
1) Review all the research available (more than 100,000 reading studies) on how children learn to read.
2) Determine the most effective evidence-based methods for teaching children to read.
3) Describe which methods of reading instruction are ready for use in the classroom and recommend ways of getting this information into schools.
4) Suggest a plan for additional research in reading development and instruction (adapted from nichd.nih.gov). Read more

Signs for Sounds is a phonics-based spelling program that aligns with the Science of Reading. This program teaches phonics elements and builds mastery in encoding and decoding words with these elements. It also builds mastery in encoding and decoding high-frequency words that do not follow regular phonics patterns. Read more

Congratulations to Khloe, our June Star of the Month and the last star for the 2024-2025 school year! Khloe is a second grader at Pittsburgh Lincoln School in Pittsburgh, PA, who has made amazing growth using Read Naturally this year. Here is what her teacher, Ms. Shirey, wrote about her: Read more

For me, summer break means a break from the reading lab—but it doesn’t mean a break from teaching! I’ve been blessed with eleven grandchildren, six of whom are still in grade school and live very close to me. It’s great to work with them throughout the year on their reading and math, but I love the extra time I get to spend with them in the summer. As with many kids, it can be more difficult to motivate them over the break. Can any of you relate? Read more

Congrats on approaching the end of another school year! Your students have worked hard to accelerate their progress in reading this year, and avoiding the summer slide is more important than ever. Read more