When I go to an exercise class on a regular basis, I notice when I’m improving and getting stronger. This intrinsic reward is usually enough to motivate me to continue. However, I must admit, my motivation increases immensely when the teacher of the class recognizes my efforts too. The same is true for our students learning to read. They are inherently motivated by their own successes as they become more fluent. When their teachers acknowledge this success as well, it often gives them an extra push to work even harder. These little boosts can help them improve even more quickly.
Read more This winter, we’re traveling to reading and education conferences in all parts of the nation with one goal in mind: meeting you! Chances are high we’ll be coming to a city near you very soon. Check our schedule here to find out.
Read more Cole M's Hard work paid off earning himself the December Star of Month Award. He is a second grader at Olive B. Loss Elementary in Bear, DE.
Read more I recently worked with a second grader who showed me a paragraph he wrote about helping the “oshin.” His thoughtful ideas were right on the mark. His spelling, however, was not. When this boy reads books about the ocean, complete with pictures and context clues, he can read the word without hesitation. But when I later showed him the word “ocean” on its own, he had no idea what it said. What’s going on here?
Read more Winter break is a couple days away. It’s almost time to celebrate! Before you release your students to make mischief, merriment and hopefully lots of hot chocolate, we urge you to ask them just one question: “Who will read with you over break?”
Read more Alex V. is our Read Naturally Star of the Month. He is a fourth grader at George Brown Jr. Elementary in San Bernardino, CA. Alex was nominated and chosen for the commitment and progress he has shown in his reading with Read Naturally Live.
Read more “What is your favorite children’s book and why?” We recently asked this question to the entire Read Naturally staff. The reason was twofold. First, we wanted to mark this Season of Giving by donating the books—48 in total—to a local nonprofit called Read Indeed, which distributes books to children in need. Second, we wanted to compile a thoughtful booklist to share with all of you, our dear supporters.
Read more Research tells us that in order to become fluent, students need to learn to decode unknown words accurately and automatically. An understanding of phonics is what makes this possible. Earlier this year, we explained how our QPS diagnostic phonics assessment can quickly and easily alert you to students who need additional phonics support. Last month, we highlighted our popular GATE for phonics program, which is an ideal phonics intervention for small groups of early readers. But what if you’re looking for a phonics intervention that students of all ages can use mostly independently?
Read more Thanksgiving is a day to reflect on what we’re grateful for. Full bellies and full hearts leave people everywhere feeling thankful for what they have—and wanting for nothing more. So naturally, the day after Thanksgiving is a time to… make a wish list and go shopping? Have you ever noticed that the rapid progression from Thanksgiving to Black Friday to Christmas can quickly take many of us from grateful to greedy?
Read more When Candyce Ihnot developed the Read Naturally Strategy back in 1989, her students were the only ones using it. It might have stayed this way, had it not been for the dedicated teachers who saw promise in Candyce’s results and decided to give the strategy a try with their own students. Pleased with how well it worked, these teachers spread the word to other teachers. This is how, eventually, the Read Naturally Strategy came to help millions of struggling students read fluently.
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