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Some Schools Bucked the Trend on NAEP Reading Scores: What Can We Learn from Their Success?

Following the recent release of dismal NAEP scores in reading what can literacy leaders learn from schools and districts where reading scores have been improving during the same time period?

Nov 28, 2022 | By Lenora Forsythe

The Impact of Executive Function Skills on Literacy Learning: An Introduction

In this new series, we’ll explore the “Big Ten” executive function skills and investigate how students’ difficulties with these skills impact their literacy learning. The series will also discuss specific supports that can assist teachers and students with executive function strategies.

Nov 28, 2022 | By Mandy Ubele

Deepening the Classroom Writing Community Through Collaborative Writing

Collaborative writing is a practice that supports both student engagement and growth in writing skills. In this post we will highlight how we built collaboration when teaching a specific writing strategy, sentence combining.

Nov 23, 2022 | By Troy Hicks & Jeremy Hyler

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Reading Comprehension: What Does the Research Say?

All about reading comprehension, its synergistic relationship with word recognition instruction, and effective practices for building a body of knowledge.

Nov 15, 2022 | By Lenora Forsythe & Marisa Ramirez Stukey

How the Read2Succeed Tutoring Program Supports Its Youngest Readers with SIPPS

Learn how the Read2Succeed (R2S) tutoring program uses SIPPS to support kindergarteners and their R2S tutors in providing reading instruction.

Nov 14, 2022 | By Tricia Bennett

Establishing a Classroom Writing Community: Three Essential Elements

For decades, teachers of writing have understood that intentionally building a classroom writing community is far more than just a way to help students work well with classmates and stay engaged, though these are worthwhile outcomes, too. In fact we know—both through our own action research and from empirical studies of numerous classrooms—that learning to write within a writing community is what ultimately leads to the success of individual writers.

Nov 1, 2022 | By Jeremy Hyler & Troy Hicks

Independent School Spotlight: The Bolles School, Florida

We interview first grade teachers Brittany Hetland and Sara Heninger of The Bolles School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida about their Being a Reader implementation.

Sep 27, 2022 | By Tricia Bennett

Collaborative Coach Educator Spotlight: Casey Estabrooks, Livonia, NY

In this spotlight, second grade teacher Casey Estabrooks of Livonia, NY shares about his journey with SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words) and how Collaborative Coach has impacted him as an educator.

Sep 13, 2022

SIPPS Spotlight: An Interview with Laura Mayer, Arizona MOWR Specialist

We’re delighted to feature an interview with Arizona MOWR (Move on When Reading) Specialist Laura Mayer, who uses SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words) for intervention in grades 1–4 in the Cartwright School District in Phoenix, AZ.

Sep 8, 2022

How a Teacher Scholarship for SIPPS Helped Accelerate a Striving Reader

How a Teacher Scholarship of SIPPS materials made a big difference for a struggling 5th grade reader.

Aug 30, 2022 | By Tamara Williams

Independent School Spotlight: Brookstone School on How Collaborative Literacy Supports Teachers and Engages Students

"We saw incredible reading growth this year," say teachers at independent college prep Brookstone School in Columbus, GA, describing their K–5 Collaborative Literacy implementation.

Aug 22, 2022 | By Katharine Bonasera

Author’s Chair: An Interview with Nadine Kaadan

Nadine Kaadan is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator from Syria currently living in London. In this interview she describes her creative process and personal journey as a writer and artist.

Aug 19, 2022 | By Jennie McDonald

Best Practices in Professional Learning: Surrounding Educators with a System of Support

What does powerful, effective professional learning look like for educators? In this blog post, we explore the best practices and support structures create the ideal conditions for teacher learning.

Aug 6, 2022 | By Susan Vincent

The Power of Individualized Coaching: An Interview with ELA Instructional Leadership Specialist Lynanne Lamothe

Engaging in individualized coaching strengthened this literacy coach's work supporting teachers implementing SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words).

Aug 2, 2022 | By Katie Fuchs

What is Orthographic Mapping and How Does It Link to Comprehension?

What exactly is orthographic mapping and how does it relate to comprehension? We explore this topic in our Structured Literacy blog series.

Aug 2, 2022 | By Marisa Ramirez Stukey & Susan Vincent

Aligning Tiers of Instruction with Being a Reader and SIPPS: An Interview with Reading Specialist Kendra Reiley

Aligning tiers of instruction between Being a Reader and SIPPS has accelerated the reading development of students at Middlesex Elementary.

Jul 21, 2022 | By Maria Arnett

Why Carteret Public Schools Adopted SIPPS: An Interview with Dr. Melissa Jones, Assistant Superintendent

Dr. Jones helped identify her district’s need for high-quality foundational skills instruction. Carteret Public School District piloted and then adopted SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words.)

Jun 23, 2022 | By Katy Cortelyou

Investing in Collaborative Coach at Scale: How Springfield Public Schools Built Their Capacity for SIPPS

What happens when a district invests in asynchronous, personalized, curriculum-specific coaching at scale? Massachusetts-based Springfield Public Schools made this investment, enrolling 50 educators to participate in the Winter…

Jun 10, 2022 | By Katie Fuchs

Why Bonita Unified Adopted SIPPS for Foundational Skills: An Interview with Chris Ann Horsley

Under Chris Ann’s leadership, SIPPS has become Bonita Unified School District's foundational skills program. During this time, the district been recognized for its excellence in reading comprehension and its commitment to reach all readers, receiving the number-one ranking on the California Reading Report Card.

May 31, 2022 | By Rachel Solis

Teaching in the Belly of the Whale: Remembering Mr. Fells

To be a third grade student in Mr. Fells’ classroom at Manzanita Elementary School was to be one of the luckiest kids ever. He called our classroom the white whale because it was a blindingly white, single wide trailer.

May 25, 2022 | By Alicia McCauley

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