Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Crack the code to understand the components of structured literacy using Ladder of Reading & Writing. The PDF document shares information and an infographic demonstrating the interconnectedness of structured literacy's multiple components. Scroll down to the midway point of the page to download a Synopsis and an update for changes; here you will also fine The Ladder of Reading & Writng: Terms defined. Under resources find topics about Dyslexia, ADHD, Giftedness, and others. The author of this site is publishing a book further explaining the Ladder of Reading and Writing, however, this review is only for the free parts of this site.

tag(s): literacy (122), professional development (385), reading strategies (96), science of reading (34), writing (325)

Understand the complexity and many strands woven into becoming a skilled reader using this infographic created by Dr. Hollis Scarborough. The infographic demonstrates the many components required for reading fluency and comprehension by illustrating strands woven together to become a strong rope. The rope is broken into two pieces - comprehension and word recognition to demonstrate further the skills required to become successful readers.

tag(s): fluency (26), professional development (385), reading comprehension (149), science of reading (34)

What is the Science of Reading? Learn the fundamentals and history behind reading research and educational application with the three handbooks found on this site. Each user-friendly guide provides readers with background knowledge and educational applications using images, graphs, and relatable stories. Handbooks one and two are primers in reading research, while the third handbook focuses on making the shift to teaching in classrooms based upon the science of reading. In addition to the three printable directories, additional resources include links to articles, podcasts, and activities that support understanding how we learn to read.

tag(s): phonics (51), professional development (385), reading comprehension (149), reading strategies (96), science of reading (34), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (94), word study (59)

Find various resources for emergent readers and teachers provided by PBS Learning Media. Select content by topics that include fluency, phonics and word recognition, phonological awareness, and print concepts. Use filters to narrow information by grade, resource type, or relevance, including the newest additions or most popular items. Choose from various resources, including lesson plans, interactives, videos, and much more.

tag(s): literacy (122), parents (57), phonics (51), preK (271), professional development (385), reading comprehension (149), reading strategies (96), science of reading (34), writing (325)

This podcast includes a 22-minute conversation between Jessica Hamman, the founder of Glean Education, and Melanie Schuele, a leading literacy and speech-language pathology researcher. The discussion focuses on phonological awareness and methods for explicit phonological awareness instruction. Listen to this podcast online, download it to your device, or read and print the available transcript.

tag(s): literacy (122), phonics (51), preK (271), professional development (385), science of reading (34)

Do you know that we use four different areas of our brains to read? This interesting printable document provides visualization and short descriptions of each portion of the brain used in reading and the role each plays. For example, find the visual cortex to view the location in the brain and understand its role in orthographic processing (the ability to recognize and remember written words and parts of words visually). This document is shared as a PDF file and is ready to print and use for many different purposes.

tag(s): brain (56), literacy (122), professional development (385), reading comprehension (149), reading strategies (96), science of reading (34)

This helpful list provides various resources for learning about the Science of Reading. Categories divide the information making it easier to browse by type of resource. The categories include "Must See" resources, infographics, podcasts, and others. Find even more suggestions in the comments below the article.

tag(s): literacy (122), parents (57), phonics (51), preK (271), professional development (385), reading strategies (96), science of reading (34), writing (325)

Provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, this comprehensive site offers many resources for learning about and understanding the Science of Reading (SOR). Links include resources created by the Department of Public Instruction and many from outside resources. Choose from research articles, learning modules and webinars, and practice guides.

tag(s): literacy (122), phonics (51), preK (271), reading strategies (96), science of reading (34)

Education Week reporter Sara Schwartz provides an overview of significant research findings on teaching systemic phonics for early reading success in this YouTube video. The video is just under four minutes long, making it an excellent choice for use to begin discussions on teaching phonics and literacy.

tag(s): phonics (51), preK (271), reading strategies (96), Research (87), science of reading (34)

This recording of a Facebook Live conversation provides viewers with a discussion on what the reading research says, why there is an ongoing debate on teaching reading, and what teachers learn as part of their training in reading instruction. In addition to the informative 30-minute video, links in the comments guide viewers to more resources for learning about reading instruction.

tag(s): literacy (122), preK (271), professional development (385), reading comprehension (149), reading strategies (96), Research (87), science of reading (34)

This special digital issue of Reading Research Quarterly takes an in-depth look at the topic of the Science of Reading. Over an hour and a half, two editors of the quarterly participate in a conversation that includes discussions of questions submitted by viewers and reviews of critical findings and editors' discoveries found in their research of the Science of Reading. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

tag(s): professional development (385), reading comprehension (149), reading strategies (96), Research (87), science of reading (34)

Find many ideas for student literacy center activities for grades pre-k through fifth-grade curated by a team of researchers and teachers from 2004 through 2010. In addition, the helpful Teacher Resource Guide provides explicit guidance to understanding the center activities and the terms used in each resource. View this information to learn how to implement and differentiate instruction through student centers. Use the provided grade level classifications to find and select activities by topics such as phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension. Each activity is described fully in a PDF document that includes teaching objectives, complete instructions, and student handouts when necessary.

tag(s): fluency (26), phonics (51), preK (271), reading comprehension (149), science of reading (34), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (94)

This Collection, currently growing, includes a few volumes of curated articles from the Virginia State Literacy Association. The articles are devoted to reading and offer some articles related to the Science of Reading approach to literary instruction. Topics include early literacy screening and answers to common questions about the Science of Reading. View and print the volume or articles of your choice, using the icons found on the preview screen.

tag(s): literacy (122), professional development (385), reading strategies (96), science of reading (34), writing (325)

Learn about and understand the fundamentals of the Science of Reading with this printable glossary. Follow the link found in the short article to access the ten-page PDF document that shares definitions of basic terms referenced in the Science of Reading approach to teaching reading and writing. Additional resources in this document include links to other references and research.

tag(s): fluency (26), phonics (51), preK (271), reading strategies (96), science of reading (34), vocabulary (238)

The Distance Learning Toolkit is a 44 page PDF document that provides strategies for meeting the instructional needs of all students in distance learning situations. The methods are inclusive for all students; however, they focus on key mindsets and teaching practices for students who learn differently and pose unique instructional challenges. Each section provides information on different teaching strategies such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), flexible grouping, and positive behavior strategies. View this document online or print individual copies.

tag(s): professional development (385), remote learning (54), teaching strategies (50)

Although tragic and difficult world events are challenging to discuss, it is important to understand that they are on students' minds as they come into the classroom. This article provides specific questions and discussion formats that help support students during difficult times and fosters a sense of community. The five basic questions offer students opportunities to share their feelings and reflect upon ways to address similar problems in the world and their community.

tag(s): differentiation (84), disasters (37), social and emotional learning (102)

Do you need background music for a multimedia project? This site is for you! Joystock provides royalty-free music downloads in a variety of different genres. Browse through the options ranging from corporate to hip hop to preview and select from the choices offered. Select download to add to your device. Although Joystick is royalty-free, they do require attribution to use it for free legally. Find all attribution information and faqs at the link describing how to use royalty-free music found at the top of every page.

tag(s): copyright (44), digital citizenship (85), multimedia (53)

Learning Heroes shares resources that help schools form strong partnerships with families that advance social, emotional, and academic development. Resources begin with building a plan to start the school year on a positive footing, evaluate and take steps to promote student progress, and provide tips and tools to support continued learning over the summer in the Summer Remix section (scroll down the main page and its on the right). Other tools include discussing racism, planning tools for teacher/parent communication, and interactive guides to grade-level expectations.

tag(s): back to school (55), parents (57), professional development (385)

Remote learning, home learning, distance learning - whatever you call it, it is a massive change in content delivery for many families. This infographic provides tips for parents to help students stay on track and engaged with learning. Tips include how to live with a new normal, how to limit distractions, and suggestions on how to collaborate remotely with peers. Also, this infographic suggests a few tips for learning based on math, reading, and science content.

tag(s): infographics (56), parents (57), remote learning (54)