By: Laura Sabido IMSE is fully invested in the rigor of its efforts to bring together and continually nurture an elite cohort of trainers that drive immediate and effective literacy results.
2023 will be another exciting year for literacy educators and their students. Dive into the five trends below to hear what’s in store for the year ahead
At the height of the pandemic, Kathleen Law took to Instagram to help parents engage their young readers at home at a time when they needed support the most.
This International Literacy Day, we would like to highlight that literacy is the key to your students’ success and, ultimately, the success of all individuals.
IMSE has 6 LIVE virtual training options that can be completed in as little as 5 days or spread out over the course of 10 weeks to meet your scheduling needs.
IMSE is proud to be an IDA Accredited Partner Program with its Comprehensive Orton-Gillingham+ and Morphology+ trainings. The IMSE Orton-Gillingham Practicum is also an IDA Accredited Plus Program and accredited through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction as an approved…
IMSE is here to help educators prepare their classrooms for the upcoming school year with recommendations spanning from preparing early all the way to classroom products to keep your students engaged!
To ensure educators have more time to focus on their students, IMSE now makes it easier than ever to find the support tools needed to bring IMSE Impact to the classroom.
Silvia Gonzalez-Powers, Boston Public Schools Educator and IMSE Level Five Master Instructor, discusses how Structured Literacy can improve literacy rates for ELs.
IMSE has gathered the most current information on Orton-Gillingham, Structured Literacy, and the Science of Reading into one go-to resource for educators and parents.
Finding a great book at the library is like a treasure hunt, and deciding what to read next can be an empowering experience for children and adults alike.
Last week’s second annual IMSE Literacy Summit, Making an Impact, captured the interest of more than 2,700 educators, administrators, and parents seeking to learn more about Structured Literacy.
“We receive positive feedback from our educators each time we do training, many of whom comment on the knowledge of IMSE trainers, the great amount of skills and knowledge they get out of the training and can implement immediately in…
“If your literacy program is not structured to get the most number of kids to the top, or to that level of society, or to proficiency, there is no equity. There can be no equity, no social justice, without literacy.”…
It’s Launch Day! Introducing Our New IMSE Impact Structured Literacy Programs. Based on the latest Science of Reading research, IMSE Impact Professional Development and Classroom Programs build upon IMSE’s 25+ year track record of success.
As you consider the year ahead and your goals for classroom instruction, we thought it would be helpful to draw your attention to our three most popular 2021 blog posts in case you missed them the first time.
See what IMSE literacy expert, Amy Gulley, M.Ed Literacy and Curriculum, Certified Academic Language Therapist C.A.L.T and an IDA Certified Dyslexia Specialist, predicts for literacy in 2022.
If teachers are equipped from day one to implement what they have learned, they can confidently teach students of all ages and reading levels, and most importantly, see near-immediate results in their classrooms.
Students fell behind in reading this past year, and schools are looking to make up the difference. But, they can also use it as an opportunity to reimagine the way they teach reading—specifically, through structured literacy.
Research shows lower achievement in reading this past year compared to a typical school year. What can schools do to help teachers and students regain lost ground in literacy?
Syllabication strategies are the keys to unlocking the orthographic code. Once syllable division patterns (ways to cut words apart) and syllable types (guides to pronunciation) are learned, it’s as if every reader has the map to discover reading longer phonetic…
Syllabication strategies are the keys to unlocking the orthographic code. Once syllable division patterns (ways to cut words apart) and syllable types (guides to pronunciation) are learned, it’s as if every reader has the map to discover reading longer phonetic…
Everyone is buzzing about the Science of Reading, as the evidence to support effective reading instruction becomes widespread news and is no longer an area of debate.
As caregivers of young children, we use our imaginations to build forts from bed sheets and bring characters from picture and chapter books to life with our voices.
Structured Literacy is an approach that provides a framework to include both the principles (how we should teach) and the elements (what we should teach).
While phonological awareness skills are addressed, assessment data should be continuously monitored to effectively inform instruction, track progress, differentiate lessons, and identify students who may be at risk for future reading challenges.
The widespread adoption of Structured Literacy can ensure that students are equally exposed to important foundational literacy skills in a sequential, systematic, and cumulative way.
Phonemes are the smallest units in our spoken language that distinguish one word from another. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate phonemes in a spoken word.
Phonemic awareness is the awareness that words are composed of sounds, and those sounds have distinct articulatory features. It is a critical skill and a strong predictor of future reading success in children.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our daily norms and prompted school closures across the globe, teachers have been required to augment their instructional techniques and convert to remote learning environments.
Explicit, systematic, cumulative, multi-sensory instruction in encoding and decoding phonetic and irregular words motivates and empowers readers and writers.
We have all encountered students who struggle to read a multisyllabic word at one time or another. As educators, we understand that long words can seem intimidating even for students who have had phonics instruction.
Early identification of dyslexia leads to essential prevention strategies and interventions that can give children the resources they need to understand dyslexia and become life-long readers.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began its outbreak in the United States, the educational landscape was thrown into a frenzy. Administrators, teachers, parents, and students all had to quickly acclimate to the new age of online learning.
IMSE has been lucky enough to partner with Carla Siravo, a children’s book author and K-5 literacy specialist. Carla has been creating unique video content and song covers that display the IMSE Orton-Gillingham methodology.
Teaching children to read is a complex task that requires insight into a child’s needs, personal learning styles, effective reinforcement, attention span, and access to resources and support.
Spelling is one of the most forgotten aspects of literacy development. In many classroom settings, it is looked at as an afterthought, and instruction is limited to rote spelling drills and memorization (Birsh, 2005).
Over the last few weeks, many parents have found themselves in the role of providing instruction to their children without the resources to feel successful.
As students acclimate to virtual classrooms, parents’ partnerships with teachers are more important than ever. Students benefit from structure and multi-sensory activities (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) in the classroom, but parents and caregivers can implement their own similar strategies.
Take advantage of the extra family time and up your game! Grab some of your favorite board games and dust off ones the kids think they’ve outgrown. And who really outgrows Connect4 or CandyLand? Tailor games from your shelf or…
While students are on break, it can be difficult to get children to practice reading skills. However, if you make it fun, they can improve their skills without realizing it! The following are activities and games that you can do…
Dear Educators, As we reach the end of the 2018-2019 school year, I’m inspired by the success I’ve seen in classrooms across the U.S. — and the great movement within our field.
For three days last summer, three Florida teachers sat down with sheets of butcher block paper to map out a fresh first-grade curriculum. Two of the women had just completed Orton-Gillingham training. “Going in, we didn’t really know how we…
For Lindsey Barrell, Orton-Gillingham is all about confidence. “The biggest thing I’ve seen in my kids this year is that they’re just confident in what they do,” said Barrell, who teaches 14 English language learners in rural Crossville, Alabama.
Laurie Gibbons knew she wanted to be trained in IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham the second she heard a colleague using it. “Her room was next to mine and I could overhear her doing multi-sensory three-part drills,” Gibbons said. “So after doing a…
When Bridget Cassidy started working with a group of first graders last fall, they didn’t know their letter sounds. Now, a year later, the kids are itching to read chapter books. “They’ve shown so many gains, and I attribute it…
At the Institute of Multi-Sensory Education, we’ve worked with some of the largest school districts in the nation — and some of the smallest charter schools. The goal is always the same: to train teachers in fun, engaging and proven…
Bridgeton Public Schools, which has now trained over 200 K-3 educators in all six of its elementary schools in the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education’s Orton-Gillingham methodology, has seen significant gains for students who have been taught reading via the new…
For nearly 25 years, Jeanne Jeup has helped children across the U.S. learn to read by empowering educators with innovative teaching techniques. Jeup co-founded the Institute of Multi-Sensory Education, which uses an Orton-Gillingham approach to help educators master the art…
When Jennifer Burgin went to college, she had no idea she would want to become a teacher. Trying to decide on a major, her mother suggested elementary education. “I met with the people from the College of Education and I…
Rachael Phillips is a first grade teacher for Richmond Community Schools at Fairview Elementary School in Richmond, Ind., on the border between Indiana and Ohio. She’s been teaching for 17 years, but it wasn’t until this summer that she learned…
For the last five years, Gina Walker has been a special education teacher at Deerfield Elementary School in Ridgeville, Ind. When she first took on the role, she said she, “didn’t even know where to begin.” “Until then, I had…
We know that literacy plays a critical role in a child’s future. From post-secondary education options, to career prospects, overall community prosperity and even the potential for interactions with the criminal justice system — literacy is at the core of…
The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education was recently selected as a professional development partner in Arkansas’ new Reading Initiative for Student Excellence (R.I.S.E) program: an initiative which seeks to strengthen teachers’ focus and instruction in literacy through prescribed proficiency pathways, and…
Corey Cramb has been an instructor at the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education for the last five years, using his expertise in English Language Learners and experience in the classroom to help empower educators across the country. As part of our…
Beth McGaw is the newest President of the Learning Disabilities Association of America’s Board of Directors — but her journey to empower educators, parents and students to better support students with learning and attention differences began long ago while working…
Bergen Valley and Bergen Meadows Schools in Evergreen, Colo. are two of the state’s most top-rated schools. But, as Principal Peggy Miller has learned, even high-achieving districts can benefit from ongoing improvements. Miller’s schools partnered with the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE)…
Bob Cunningham is the advisor-in-residence on learning and attention issues for Understood.org — an organization and online resource for parents and educators — and serves as the head of the Robert Louis Stevenson School, is a member of Purnell School’s…
As school districts across the country struggle with a nationwide literacy crisis, one Colorado school district has found that its investment in teacher training and reading intervention is paying off. For years, Colorado Springs School District 11 has offered to…
While many of the fundamentals of reading and learning have remained the same over the decades, increased implementation of various technologies and new research has brought fresh perspectives and information. In honor of March is Reading Month, the Journal took…
When educators decide to become certified in IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham, they are making a lifelong investment in students’ literacy education and adding a rich layer of expertise to their teaching skills. Heather Manley, IMSE’s Practicum Coordinator, helps break down exactly why…
The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education is celebrating March is Reading Month, and we want you to join us! We’ll be doling out craft ideas, reading recommendations, learning tools and special discounts on IMSE products all month long. Check out our…
After spending six months in Jordan as part of a graduate fellowship, American University student Lauren Jackson is back stateside — but the work she did there to promote literacy and a command of the English language using methods from the…
For over three decades, Susan Evans has dedicated her life to children’s education. A Speech Language Pathologist, mentor, trainer and teacher in Orlando’s Orange County Public Schools system, Evans not only provides specialized instruction during the day, she also provides…
When Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Carr isn’t intercepting passes and dominating plays, you might find him acting as “Principal for a Day” at one of his hometown elementary schools. That’s because in 2012 the NFL star founded the Carr Cares…
At the age of 92, former First Lady Barbara Bush has seen many things change throughout her life, but one thing has remained the same: her family’s commitment to literacy and education for all Americans. For nearly three decades, the Barbara…
Around the country, dedicated teaching professionals who are trained in Orton-Gillingham by the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education are helping their fellow educators become proficient in learning techniques that are unleashing the learning potential for thousands of students. IMSE’s trainers know…
The holidays are a time of reflection and gratitude, and we here at the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education sure have a lot to be thankful for. Each year we partner with schools to bring IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham training to thousands of…
The busy life of an educator seems to never stop. So why should a teacher carve out time to up their skills with the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education? Because IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham methodology works — and we care as much about your…
When educators in Virginia’s Loudoun County Public Schools system began realizing core instruction alone wasn’t meeting the reading needs of its dyslexic students, the district knew it needed a change, said Jennifer Sassano, the supervisor of instructional facilitators for specialized…
As a boy struggling with dyslexia, it was hard for Lawrence Schneider to imagine life past the third grade. Little did he know, by his twenties he would be thrust into the height of the space race as a research…
Without the proper support and education, dyslexia can often leave eager students feeling self-conscious and inadequate. Despite difficulties in reading, there seems to be a theme that those with dyslexia are often destined for greatness. In fact, many of the…
Dr. John Gabrieli is a professor and expert neuroscientist in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology. For over 20 years, Gabrieli has dedicated his work to learning about the science behind “how the…
Garret Jackson has seen the power of the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education’s OG training work with her students in Texas. She’s excited to witness how it will translate in Jordan with thousands of Syrian refugees. “IMSE’s OG is a very…
IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham training is a really big deal at Arlington (Va.) Public Schools. More than 300 teachers in the K-12 school system have been trained in IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham approach, according to Dr. Kelly Krug, Supervisor of Arlington Tiered System of…
Dear Educators, At the start of each new school year, I am energized by the possibility it offers you. At the same time, as a former teacher, I know the weight you may feel as you continue to prepare and…
Almost two decades later, the story of a boy and his dad still sticks in Janice Kohler’s mind. Kohler at the time was a special education teacher in Ohio and helped the sixth-grade boy student jump three reading grade levels…
Donna Cortright is currently Captain Candy. That’s how Cortright, a special education teacher for kindergartners through fifth-graders at Ossian (Indiana) Elementary, is teaching her students the letter C and how to sound it out after she received The Institute for Multi-Sensory…
The Journal asked Community Day School representatives to discuss how its teachers have benefited from Orton-Gillingham training.Their response was so inspiring, we decided to publish it exactly the way we received it.
Marjorie Guldan describes herself as “a dedicated mom who believes that with the right program her child can reach her reading potential.” Guldan’s 13-year-old daughter, Rebecca, has Down syndrome, and Guldan recently completed a one-week Institute for Multi-Sensory Education Orton-Gillingham…
North Carolina in July passed House Bill 149, which requires all kindergarten students to be screened for dyslexia. The bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Roy Cooper after being passed in the House 114-0 and Senate 47-0, also…
The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education in late June was approved as an official vendor by the Oregon Department of Education, opening up the potential for larger partnerships between IMSE and districts in Oregon. “Not only has IMSE been approved as…
A K-12 Orton-Gillingham school for 275 students with dyslexia and other language-based LDs in Atlanta is seeing big results using the latest technology to support their O-G instruction. The school believes in the introduction of assistive technology support like text…
Kathryn Nieves never tires of seeing her students smile in the classroom. Nieves, a special education teacher at Sparta Middle School in Sparta Township, N.J., said her students were beaming throughout this past school year, in great part due to…
At IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham Journal, we love the consistent feedback from our thousands of Twitter followers. Check out some of the great photography and videography our community shared with us through Twitter. And please continue to send photos and videos our…
Adrianna Love loves using Institute for Multi-Sensory Education’s Orton-Gillingham training with her 26 second-grade students at Neil Armstrong Elementary School in Bettendorf, Iowa. “I am a true believer in OG,” said Love, a St. Ambrose University graduate. “I know it…
At the start of the school year, most of Alyssa Bergman’s students didn’t think they’d be able to read words like “peanut,” “leaflet,” “toffee” and “rainbow.” But as the year wound down, the students celebrated by reading the words and…
Melissa Raguet-Schofield describes being a mother of a dyslexic child as “like running through the wilderness all by yourself.” Raguet-Schofield, an adjunct professor of anthropology at Colorado State University, will literally run through the wilderness in June to raise funds…
For the fourth straight year, the 200-plus students at Slackwood Elementary School, a pre-K-3 school in Lawrenceville, N.J., will send their students home with their choice of 12 books. As part of the school’s “Summer Reading Initiative,” students not only…
Victoria Jones, an instructor for the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education, knows first hand the power the Orton-Gillingham teaching method can have on children, at all reading levels, even those that aren’t technically struggling. But, when she started working with her niece,…
Wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell this year won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, but his biggest accomplishment has been leading the nonprofit Share the Magic Foundation, which transforms the lives of young students through literacy. Mitchell in 2016…
Dan Spencer said it took most of his educational life to realize he wasn’t “stupid.” Spencer, the Information & Education Specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services branch in Puget Sound/Olympia Peninsula (Wash.), for more than a decade struggled…
Pola Millard believes she’s found her true calling teaching the students at New Hope Christian Academy — and her daughter — the Orton-Gillingham methodology.
Learning Latin has become a breeze for some of the inmates in the Wyoming Department of Corrections, thanks to the Orton-Gillingham methodology the educational staff has implemented into the curriculum. Orton-Gillingham is a structured, phonics-based multi-sensory approach to teaching students to…
At the Journal, we love getting feedback from our thousands of Twitter followers. Check out some of the great photography and videography our community shared with us through Twitter. And please continue to send photos and videos our way to…
The Journal takes an in-depth look at ESSA—the Every Student Succeeds Act, signed into law by President Obama in 2015. The law, which goes into effect starting the 2017-18 school year, seeks to put more control over testing and teacher performance back…
As winter gives way to spring, it’s a time of wonder for everyone! With milder days ahead, we’ve gathered some of our favorite spring-themed books for your ‘budding’ readers.
Nancy Broz and Erica Blust are veteran educators from Ohio who took the IMSE Comprehensive Training in 2009. That sparked a deep passion for multi-sensory education and the duo has gone on to develop a complementary set of teaching materials for…
Vera Blau-McCandliss is a cognitive scientist with a strong interest in education. It was this drive that led her to take IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham training during her post-doctoral work. Now, Vera is using all of that experience working with a new…
In late December, Dr. Rob Glass, the superintendent of Michigan’s Bloomfield Hills Schools, was awarded with the state’s top prize for school administrators. The Journal recently caught up with Dr. Glass to learn more about his experiences and insights as…
Chase Chamberlin has reaped the benefits of IMSE’s OG. The Journal talks to his mother, Shannon, to learn more about his progress and the great work of his tutor, Susan Lindahl.
OG isn’t just for children! Adult ESL learners like Lillian Faranso with the help of her tutor, Stacey Peper, are unlocking the power of structured, multi-sensory reading techniques.
Together, IMSE and Learning Ally bring qualified Orton-Gillingham instruction to educators and their students across the country. Learn more about this dynamic partnership and upcoming programs.
Jeff Anderson is a veteran educator, speaker and the author of several books about teaching writing in a fun, productive way. The IMSE Journal recently caught up with Jeff, coinciding with the release of his second children’s fiction book “Just…
IMSE routinely offers in-school and off-site trainings at locations around the U.S. throughout the year. The Journal recently caught up with instructor Michele Wenger about her training with teachers of the Pontotoc County School District in northeastern Mississippi.
Michigan is expected this week to join at least 16 other states that have passed bills into laws calling for public schools to hold back students who fail literacy proficiency testing.
Many school districts are unlocking the power of Orton-Gillingham reading instruction—and not just in remedial or one-on-one settings, but in their general education classrooms. The Journal takes an in-depth look at one public school system in Ridgefield, New Jersey, that is reaping…
IMSE’s own Allison Pajor knows what it’s like to be a first year teacher—the excitement, the pressure. She led classrooms for five years at Michigan’s Wayne-Westland Community School District in 5th grade and special education. In her Journal Guest Column, Allison shares three…
Reciprocal Teaching is a powerful reading strategy that supercharges students’ comprehension and engagement with their reading. Watch our interview with Lori Oczkus, author of “Reciprocal Teaching At Work,” as she explains this interactive discussion technique and the rich benefits to be had…
Kindergarten students at Greenwood Elementary in Toledo, Ohio recently participated in a great multi-sensory activity to learn that when it comes to the bonds between letters—the one between /Q/ and /U/ is especially strong!
In the wake of Flint, Michigan’s water crisis endangering the lives and health of thousands of children, the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) has issued a strong warning and a call to action for public officials. The long-term health effects of…
If you think YouTube is just for random cat videos with nothing to offer readers, think again! Here are a few of our favorite book vloggers who talk about the books they’re reading, feature interviews with authors and cover all things happening in the…
A generation ago, the study of Latin or Greek was viewed as subject matter mostly for high school or college students—if it appeared on the curriculum at all. Canadian high schools ceased making the study of Latin mandatory in the…
Many parents and teachers are well aware of the benefits the Orton-Gillingham method has for students struggling with dyslexia. But public school teachers in New Jersey have found that OG techniques can also work for students learning to read who…
No matter whether you’re teaching in a Special Education, ESL or General Ed environment, there’s a large number of apps and web sites out there that can help reinforce and expand vocabulary, strengthen reading comprehension and provide assistance to learning…
After years of training in school to work with his dyslexia, UK-based graphic artist Sam Barclay began to ponder one question: did other people really understand what it was like to be dyslexic? Using his formidable design skills, he created…
When Luis Macias’ son Alejandro was in first grade, he began to experience difficulties in reading. He repeated first grade, but over several months, the problems only grew worse, leaving both Luis and his son anxious and frustrated. Luis’ mother…
