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A new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics shows that students with dyslexia are underperforming their peers at an earlier age than previously thought. The study asserts that the achievement gap between typical readers and students with dyslexia is evident as early as first grade. Read more

Does your school use a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework for intervention? Are you seeing the results you anticipated? The findings from a new study may provide some helpful guidance. Read more

“I’m not smart enough.” “I’m not good at this.” Has a student ever said these things to you? How do you respond? Pinched for time, it may be tempting to flippantly disagree (“Sure you are!”) or brush the comments off. But taking the time to help the student change his mindset may be one of the most effective interventions you can make. Read more

What kinds of texts do you give your students to help them build fluency? Do you offer texts that are easy for them to read and comprehend independently? Or do you push them to work at a more challenging level? Literacy expert Tim Shanahan addresses this important question in his article What Texts to Use to Teach Fluency? We’ve summarized his research-based findings here, some of which may surprise you. Read more

When you’re looking for information about an educational product or program, what’s your first step? Often, you’ll look online. You’ll find the company’s website; you’ll search for user testimonials; you may even seek data from independent organizations that review educational products. Depending on the reviewer, this last step can be helpful. Unfortunately, not all reviewers offer reliable information. One in particular, What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), is notorious for misleading educators. The National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) recently released a report that outlines numerous reasons why educators should not trust WWC’s reviews. Read more

Over the past couple years, our blog has featured several posts on the ways Read Naturally programs align with the CCSS. In case you missed them, here are the highlights... Read more

What happens to a third-grade student who fails a standardized reading test in the spring? In some states, that student may be required to repeat the third grade. Fourteen states enacted policies in 2012 that either require or strongly recommend that schools hold back third-grade students who fail standardized reading tests. How do such policies impact our students and schools? Read more

I’m in book club with a group of friends. When the book club began, everyone was eager to read again. “I haven’t read an actual book in so long!” many of the members confessed. So we got together and had rich discussions about wonderful books… for a few months. Then we started discussing TED Talks. Now we mostly just get together and chat. I’ve done a little investigating and have come to realize that this trajectory is strikingly common among book clubs. Why don’t we read books anymore? Read more

​In the next two weeks, five major education conferences will take place in cities across the country. Read Naturally will be presenting and/or exhibiting at all five events. If you’re attending one of these shows, please stop at our booth and visit with us. Read more

This week, young readers from coast to coast will unite in celebrating the longest-running literacy initiative in the nation: Children’s Book Week. For the first time ever, official events are being held in all 50 states! In addition, classrooms, libraries, and booksellers across the nation will commemorate this important literary holiday with readings and activities. Read more