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In their daily lives, most adults read silently far more frequently than they read aloud. The same is true of older students. Silent reading comprehension is, after all, the skill needed to perform well on tests and in academics in general. Does this mean teachers of older students should stop spending time on oral reading fluency? Literacy expert Dr. Tim Shanahan addresses this question in his blog post, Fluency Instruction for Older Kids, Really? We completely agree with his response—and so does the research. Read more

Read Naturally founder Candyce Ihnot likes to tell the story of a little boy who went from struggling to fluent using the Read Naturally program. When Candyce asked the boy how he got to be such a good reader, he said with a smirk, “It was nothing you did.” Rather than be offended by his brutal honesty, Candyce was delighted. The boy was taking due credit for his own accomplishment. He had come to understand that he’d possessed the tools for success all along. Having found the confidence and fortitude to master a huge challenge, he could now draw on those qualities again and again—without his teacher’s help. Read more

Comprehension gives the act of reading a purpose and opens the door to enjoyment of reading. Indeed, deriving meaning from text is why we bother reading at all! Yet comprehension can be a struggle for any student, but often it’s especially challenging for multilingual students. What can we do to set them up for success in Read Naturally Live and Read Naturally Live—Español? Read more

What kind of learning can happen on the first day of school? Naturally, students will learn who you are, the rules of your classroom, and where to put their materials. Our hope is that they will do some effective work toward their literacy goals too. Is it realistic to expect this on day one? With One Minute Reader Live, it certainly is! Read more

Ready or not, school is starting soon. For many teachers, that means you’re just getting used to waking up later, feeling rested, and hopefully enjoying some travel. But in the back of your mind you’re also thinking about your classroom, your students, and your lesson plans. Read more

How will your students spend their last day in the reading lab this year? While this might not be their most productive day ever (we all know how the last few days of school can be!), there’s still an opportunity to make it count. A great goal for this day is to set students up for summer success. Consider the following ideas. Read more

Read Naturally stories capture students’ curiosity and keep them engaged. This is, of course, by design. Why would a reluctant reader want to read about a boring topic? Read more

As you prepare to assess students in reading this spring, take a moment to read these wise words from Read Naturally founder, Candyce Ihnot. Read more

In my fourth-grade classroom, I sometimes felt like a circus ringmaster, trying to manage multiple groups of students at different ability levels while making sure that all 24 students were engaged in a productive activity. Anyone who has stepped inside a classroom has seen the evidence of... Read more

In both Read Naturally Live, Word Warm-ups Live, and Read Naturally Live—Español, students can complete most steps independently, giving teachers the flexibility to support multiple students at once. This design is especially helpful for ensuring every student receives individualized support while working through the program at their own pace. However, there are specific moments built into the process to make sure students get essential one-on-one time with the teacher. If you’re new to Read Live, you may be wondering how this works in practice. Let’s explore some common questions. Read more