Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support with Dr. Brittney Bills
Dr. Brittney Bills explains what MTSS is and how it centers on prevention rather than intervention. She talks about the intersection of universal screening data and MTSS and provides advice on evidence-based strategies and techniques to make a positive impact in the classroom. Using examples from her own district, Dr. Bills discusses avoiding burnout, learning to use data, and the process of ongoing improvement.
Speaker: Brittney Bills
Publication Date: April 2022
Publisher: Science of Reading: The Podcast

Morphological Awareness: One Piece of the Literacy Pie
Identifying morphemes is a skill that helps students problem-solve words they do not know how to read and spell. This is especially important when students are reading textbooks with academic language so that they can gain the knowledge they need in the subject areas they study.
Publication Date: 2020
Publisher: International Dyslexia Association

Multimedia Text Sets: A How-To Guide
This article describes a multimedia text set as a collection of books, articles, videos, and images related to a topic of study and provides the basics on how to create classroom text sets that support content-area literacy and building background knowledge. A text set template and resources are included.
Author: Susan Thacker-Gwaltney
Publisher: Reading Rockets

Neuroscience and Early Literacy
Dr. Bruce McCandliss discusses combining neuroscience with education by answering: How does neuroscience help us understand the changes going on in the brain of a child learning to read? and Why do some children struggle so profoundly? He shares his research into focusing the student’s attention on letters and sounds versus on the word as a whole.
Speaker: Bruce McCandiss
Publication Date: March 2020
Publisher: Science of Reading: The Podcast

Phonics: What Is It and Why Is It Important?
This webpage explains phonics as reading instruction that helps children understand how letters and groups of letters link to sounds and form letter-sound relationships and spelling patterns to help children decode and encode words.
Publication Date: 2022
Publisher: National Center on Improving Literacy

Phonological Awareness: What Is It and How Does It Relate to Phonemic Awareness?
This webpage explains phonological awareness is like an umbrella. Rhyming, alliteration, sentence segmentation, syllables, onset and rime, and phonemic awareness all exist under this umbrella, with phonemic awareness being the most advanced skill of phonological awareness.
Publication Date: 2022
Publisher: National Center on Improving Literacy

Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9
This practice guide is designed for educators providing reading intervention or those who oversee MTSS in reading. It grounds four recommendations (multisyllabic word reading, fluency building, comprehension-building practices, and stretch texts) in high-quality evidence based on research studies focused on reading interventions. Each recommendation includes instructional practices and a short summary of the research evidence that supports the recommendation.
Authors: Sharon Vaughn, Michael Kieffer, Margaret McKeown, Deborah Reed, Michele Sanchez, Kimberly St. Martin, and Jade Wexler
Publication Date: March 2022
Publisher: Institute of Education Sciences

Rethinking How to Promote Reading Comprehension
This article discusses how reading comprehension is not a skill someone learns and can then apply in different reading contexts. It is one of the most complex activities that we engage in on a regular basis, and our ability to comprehend is dependent upon a wide range of knowledge and skills. It explores the idea that comprehension cannot be reduced to a single notion because it is not a single ability.
Author: Hugh Catts
Publication Date: Winter 2021-22
Publisher: American Federation of Teachers

Scaffolding Comprehension Strategies Using Graphic Organizers
In this lesson collaborative strategic reading is initially presented to students through modeling and whole-class instruction. To facilitate comprehension during and after reading, students apply four reading strategies: preview, click and clunk, get the gist, and wrap-up. Graphic organizers are used for scaffolding of these strategies while students work together in cooperative groups.
Author: Susan Ruckdeschel
Publisher: International Literacy Association

Science of Reading Essentials: Comprehension
This podcast covers a foundational introduction to the complexities of reading comprehension, an understanding of topics such as reframing comprehension as an outcome rather than a skill, choosing the right texts and asking the right questions, cultivating long term memory and knowledge recall, and understanding the real purpose of reading.
Authors: Susan Lambert, Hugh Catts, Sharon Vaughn, and Reid Smith
Publication Date: July 2025
Publisher: Amplify Education

Science of Reading (SOR): Part 1: Overview of the Science of Reading
This video is an interview with a panel of experts from Grand Canyon University's College of Education. The various faculty members answer frequently asked questions about The Science of Reading by providing research, experience, and resources for educators and parents.
Author: Leslie Foley
Publication Date: November 2022
Publisher: Grand Canyon University

Science of Reading (SOR): Part 2- Phonological Awareness and Phonemic Awareness
This video provides an overview of important literary terms, explicit practice of phoneme sounds, aligning instruction to the Science of Reading, assessments, and engaging phonemic awareness activities. Several guests model phonemic awareness lessons using explicit, multisensory teaching strategies.
Author: Amanda Errington
Publication Date: April 2023
Publisher: Grand Canyon University

Science of Reading (SoR) Part 3: An Explicit Phonics Lesson
This video follows the process of teaching explicit phonics. Learn how to introduce new sound-spelling patterns, apply phonics techniques to words through chaining and dictation, and incorporate multisensory strategies to enhance learning. Discover best practices for teaching high-frequency words and preparing your students to read decodable texts with accuracy and fluency.
Authors: Amanda Errington and Michelle Keso
Publication Date: January 2024
Publisher: Grand Canyon University

Science Literacy in the Digital Age: Navigating Informational Texts and Online Resources
Science literacy is crucial for students as it equips them with the skills to critically evaluate information, understand scientific concepts, and make informed decisions in a rapidly evolving world. This webinar discusses using strategies and resources with your students that will allow them to become thoughtful consumers of information and active participants in discussions about scientific and technological issues.
Publication Date: July 2024
Publisher: Van Andel Institute for Education

Semantic Mapping to Grow Vocabulary
This post provides details for how to use Semantic Mapping which is a well-researched activity that helps students draw on background knowledge of a topic and see connections between ideas and words related to that topic. It is highly interactive and offers opportunities for rich, collaborative discussion among students.
Author: Joan Sedita
Publication Date: December 2020
Publisher: Keys to Literacy

Summer '22 Rewind: Research, Comprehension, and Content-Rich Literacy Instruction: Sonia Cabell
Sonia Cabell shares findings from her research trials on content-rich literacy curricula and discusses whether activating students’ background knowledge alongside explicit phonics instruction is more effective than the traditional approaches. She describes what constitutes “compelling evidence” in the Science of Reading and explains why students need to interact with both written and spoken language while learning to read.
Speaker: Sonia Cabell
Publication Date: July 2022
Publisher: Science of Reading: The Podcast

Summer '22 Rewind: The Symbiotic Relationship Between Literacy and Science with Jacquey Barber
Jacquey Barber discusses her research on the symbiotic relationship between literacy and science and what educators should be looking for in high-quality, literacy-rich science curricula. She goes into strategies for engaging students, including the do, talk, read, write model, then ends the episode by highlighting the many ways science supports reading.
Speaker: Jacquey Barber
Publication Date: July 2022
Publisher: Science of Reading: The Podcast

Teacher Read-Aloud That Models Reading for Deep Understanding
This strategy guide offers the research basis, procedures, example lesson plans, and related resources for teachers to demonstrate to their students how to search for meaning and use strategies for understanding.
Author: Jan Miller Burkins
Publisher: International Literacy Association

Teaching Tuesday: Literacy in Content Area Instruction
This article discusses building foundational literacy skills to help students with formation of their self-efficacy in learning in all content areas. Topics include academic language and technology to assist with literacy across content areas.
Publication Date: October 2021
Publisher: Grand Canyon University

Teaching Vocabulary
Intentional vocabulary instruction is critical in every grade and in every content area. This webinar covers the latest research and best practices for effective vocabulary instruction in K-12 classrooms.
Authors: Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey
Publication Date: April 2023
Publisher: Corwin

The Importance of Decoding in Effective Phonics Instruction
Phonics is one of the five foundational reading skills, and it’s closely connected to decoding. Find out how the two work together to build skilled, confident readers.
Publication Date: July 2023
Publisher: Amplify Education

The Reading Rope: Breaking It All Down
The Science of Reading reveals the complexity of how the brain learns to read—and the Reading Rope simplifies it all, helping us visualize and understand that exceptional process. This post unravels and explains all the strands and show how they come together as students become readers.
Publication Date: June 2023
Publisher: Amplify Education

The Science of Reading Comprehension Instruction
Drawing on research, this article identifies some key understandings about reading comprehension processes and instruction including word-reading and bridging skills, text structures and features, vocabulary and knowledge building, engagement with text, and instructional practices that kindle reading motivation.
Authors: Nell Duke, Alessandra Ward, and P. David Pearson
Publication Date: May 2021
Publisher: Wiley Publications on behalf of International Reading Association

The Science of Reading Progresses: Communicating Advances Beyond the Simple View of Reading
This article presents a theory called the active view of reading that is an expansion of the simple view and can be used to convey these important advances to current and future educators. It discusses the need to lift updated theories and models to guide practitioners’ work in supporting students’ reading development in classrooms and interventions.
Authors: Nell Duke and Kelly Cartwright
Publication Date: March 2021
Publisher: Reading Research Quarterly

The UDL Guidelines
This new iteration, UDL Guidelines 3.0, addresses critical barriers rooted in biases and systems of exclusion for learners with and without disabilities. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.
Publication Date: July 2024
Publisher: CAST

Tier Two Vocabulary Words: A Coaching Conversation
This video demonstrates a one-to-one literacy instructional coaching session. The discussion shows how to choose tier 2 words from an instructional text. The teacher uses instructional level texts 2–3 grade levels higher for interactive read-alouds and identifies tier 2 words to teach explicitly.
Publisher: Learning Ally and Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Traveling Terrain: Comprehending Nonfiction Text on the Web
Strategic instruction and explicit teaching of targeted comprehension strategies can allow students to merge skills into their current competencies, thus improving their overall reading ability. This lesson identifies three skills of identifying text features of nonfiction text in a Web format, locating specific information, and generalizing information to be taught in strategic lessons that build upon each other and allow for scaffolding of skills when necessary.
Author: Sheila Seitz
Publisher: International Literacy Association

Understanding and Responding to Writing Prompts Guide
This guide is intended to assist with better understanding four kinds of writing prompts (creative, historical essay, argumentative essay, and literary analysis) and what they require students to do. It can be used by instructors as they plan lessons to teach these skills. The information is appropriate for Grades 3–12, but some of the more complex aspects of understanding and responding to writing prompts are only appropriate for students in higher grade levels or those with better developed skills.
Authors: Deborah Reed and Shalini Jasti
Publication Date: May 2023
Publisher: Iowa Reading Research Center

Using Strategies in Combination: The Jigsaw Method
This video showcases a teacher using a jigsaw method to practice comprehension strategies interactively through reading a nonfiction text connected to their current thematic unit. The students are supported with step-by-step instructions and graphic organizers and are guided in thinking, speaking, and writing in response to their reading.
Publisher: Learning Ally and Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Video Examples of the Prioritized Educator Competencies
These video resources show educator competencies in action. These competencies have the most leverage in transforming classroom practices to be personalized, and student-centered. Footage includes teachers demonstrating key techniques and strategies, experts and peers discussing practice, students reflecting on their experiences.
Publication Date: April 2021
Publisher: KnowledgeWorks Foundation

What Does it Take to Meet the Needs of Struggling Readers? Essential Practices Literacy Instruction
This webinar highlights key essential practices presented in Intensifying Literacy Instruction: Essential Practices Considerations and reflects on considerations for implementation. It focuses on ways to increase capacity to develop skilled readers and writers, identify critical dimensions for designing intervention platforms as the foundation for effective instruction, and adapt interventions to increase the instructional intensity.
Authors: Kim St. Martin and Sharon Vaughn
Publication Date: April 2021
Publisher: National Center on Intensive Intervention

What is Digital Literacy, Its Importance, and Challenges?
Digital literacy is essentially the discovery, evaluation, creation, and communication of information, but there is more to it. Many experts prefer to focus on specific technology and literacy skills and do not define the term. This article explores what digital literacy is, its importance, and challenges.
Publication Date: June 2023
Publisher: EDTechReview

What Is Disciplinary Literacy and Why Is It Important?
Teaching students to navigate literacy skills that differ by discipline is essential. This article explores disciplinary literacy, the research-proven benefits of teaching it, and how you can bring this to your classroom.
Author: Corey Humphrey
Publication Date: June 2024
Publisher: Carnegie Learning

What Is Scaffolding in Education and How Is It Applied?
This article explains scaffolding in education as a technique that establishes a firm framework of foundational knowledge before gradually building upon that framework. It describes the instructional scaffolding process and provides six specific strategies.
Publication Date: September 2023
Publisher: Grand Canyon University