#Featured

Love, Family History, and Classroom Experience Fill the Pages of Sarah Moore’s New Dyslexia Book for Kids

Learn about a new children’s book that delivers an inspiring and unique approach to understanding dyslexia, helping struggling young readers feel seen.
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The 2022-2023 NAEP Reading Scores and What They Reveal About Literacy for 9- and 13-Year-Old Students

While many states are making strides toward literacy for all students, we still have a long way to go.
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Ten Essential Books on the Science of Reading

The science of reading is based on decades of research in developmental psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience to identify practical strategies for teaching kids to read.
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Teachers We Heard You: New IMSE Foundation Launches Scholarship to Help Remove Financial Barriers to Access Proven Literacy Training

Will you be the first to receive an IMSE Foundation Scholarship? Apply now to learn proven methods to teach reading.
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Guide to Professional Development

Ultimate Guide to Professional Development in the Science of Reading

Numerous states have mandated the use of evidence-based practices in schools, resulting in a greater incorporation of literacy instruction rooted in the science of reading.
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Manlius Pebble Hill Discovers Structured Literacy

Manlius Pebble Hill School (MPH) is an independent pre-K-12 school in Syracuse, New York, with a commitment to evidence-based teaching practices.
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Structured Literacy Implementation Best Practices

Structured Literacy, a term created by the International Dyslexia Association,  embraces evidence-based methods rooted in the Science of Reading. Aligned with Orton-Gillingham, this approach to instruction explicitly and systematically introduces oral and written language skills through a dedicated sequence of…
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Beyond Lucy Calkins: We Need Code-Based Learning to Help All Students Learn to Read

Last month, Teachers College at Columbia University made the controversial decision to dissolve the Lucy Calkins Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP).
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Michigan Education Leaders and Educators: Learn More About How You Can Make an Impact with MDE 35d Funding

IMSE is here to support Michigan education leaders and educators in learning how to utilize state 35d funding best.
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Why More Schools Are Embracing the Science of Reading

As we bid farewell to traditional reading methods, we welcome a new era in education marked by the science of reading.
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Nurturing Minds.
Empowering Lives.
Celebrating Literacy Month.

September is a time to encourage our youngest learners to become confident readers.
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IMSE Takes On The Big Sky Literacy Summit

The world of education is ever-evolving, with new ideas, strategies, and approaches continuously shaping the way we teach and learn.
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Optimizing Teacher Prep Programs: Enhancing Teacher Readiness for Success

Optimizing teacher prep programs is crucial for creating a cohort of highly effective educators who can make an impact on student learning.
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Raising Hands Tutoring Partners with IMSE to Certify Educators in Orton-Gillingham

Raising Hands Tutoring engages IMSE to offer free Orton-Gillingham certification to K-3 teachers in exchange for free tutoring services for children needing reading intervention.
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Thoughts on PlainTalk 2023: How Each of Us Can Step Up to Become SoR Champions

Earlier this month in New Orleans, leading literacy thought leaders and teachers attended PlainTalk 2023, hosted by the Center for Literacy and Learning. The Institute is considered a leader in the U.S. because of its clear focus on providing evidence-based…
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6 Ways to Celebrate National Reading Month with Your Students

It’s time to kick off Read Across America Day with some creative and fun activities that are designed to encourage reading long after today.
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Creating a Culture of Literacy: IMSE’s Elite ‘Train the Trainer’ Program

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.
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5 Trends in Literacy Education to Watch Out for This Year

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
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How One Teacher Used Instagram to Make Literacy Easier for Parents

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.
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The Nation’s Report Card Is Out, and Educators Must Act

NAEP scores indicate a devastating impact on young students — especially our most vulnerable.
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Your Students’ Key to Success: Literacy

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.
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Teacher PD and Student Achievement

The Effect a Teacher’s Professional Development Has on Student Achievement

Professional development can influence teachers’ classroom practices significantly and lead to improved student achievement.
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IMSE Virtual Training

IMSE Offers Support and Flexibility with Online Training!

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.
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IMSE Is Now an IDA Accredited Plus and CERI Certified Program

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…
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Prepare Yourself and Your Peers for the New School Year!

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!
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Announcing IMSE’s New Digital Resource Center

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.
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How Parents and Tutors Can Make an Impact at Home This Summer

One of the most important things for parents and tutors over the summer is understanding what they can do to intercept ‘Summer Slide’.
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Achieving Long-Term Gains in EL Students’ Reading and Writing

Silvia Gonzalez-Powers, Boston Public Schools Educator and IMSE Level Five Master Instructor, discusses how Structured Literacy can improve literacy rates for ELs.
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Learn More About Orton-Gillingham

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.
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It’s National Library Week!

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.
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Attendees Share Their Feedback on Last Week’s Making an Impact Literacy Summit

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.
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What Does Making an Impact Look Like? 

“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…
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Equity in Literacy

Equity in Literacy: Tackling Socio-Economic Disadvantages with the Science of Reading

“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.”…
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Recovering Literacy After Disrupted Learning

Announcing IMSE’s New Guide to Recovering Literacy After Disrupted Learning
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Introducing IMSE Impact Structured Literacy Programs

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.
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2022 Literacy Predictions with Janice Kohler-Curtis

See what IMSE literacy expert, Janice Kohler-Curtis, IMSE’s Chief Academic Officer, predicts for literacy in 2022.
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IMSE’s Most Popular Blog Posts 2021

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.
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Top Free Teacher Tools of 2021

The year is coming to an end, so we compiled a list of IMSE’s most popular teacher tools of 2021!
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2022 Literacy Predictions with Amy Gulley

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.
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So, Why IMSE?

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.
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structured literacy school pandemic recovery plan

Add Structured Literacy to Your School’s Pandemic Recovery Plan

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.
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International Literacy Day 2021

Interrupted Instruction & Literacy: How to Regain Lost Ground After COVID-19

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?
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Digital Resources for Educators

Lessons From Our Time in the Digital Classroom

During the summer months, I do something that all effective educators do. 
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Phonics Activities

What Every Teacher Needs: A Good Science of Reading Curriculum

Studies have reported that nearly 40% of students are able to implicitly learn to read.
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Teaching Red Words

How to Teach Red Words

What is a Red Word?
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Phonics Activities for Young Students

What is a structured phonics program?
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Pencils in a Literacy Classroom

The Latest in Science of Reading Research

The Science of Reading (SoR) is a comprehensive body of research that encompasses years of scientific knowledge and spans across many languages.
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Phonics Activities

The Importance of Reading Assessments

Reading Assessments are the tools and methods used by educators to improve student learning.
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Summer Learning Loss

The idea of students experiencing a learning loss during the summer has been discussed for decades.
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Syllable Patterns: Part 2 of Syllabication and Word Breaks

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…
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Syllable Types: Part 1 of Syllabication and Word Breaks

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…
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Phonics Activities

How to Support Struggling Readers

Helping students overcome their apprehensions is key to promoting reading success.
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Virtual Conference

IMSE Presents….The 2021 Virtual Literacy Summit

April 7, 2021 | 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
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Literacy Policies and Laws

Essential Literacy Skills: What to Teach and When to Teach It

Learn more about what you should be teaching your K-2 students in order to build their foundational literacy skills.
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Michigan Introduces New Dyslexia Legislation

After decades of low reading scores, some Michigan legislators are making a push for structured literacy and the science of reading.
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Teachers in a professional development program.

What to Look for in an Effective Professional Development Program

Teachers are life-long learners.
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What is the Science of Reading?

Our Commitment to Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Aligning Instruction with the Science of Reading Using Structured Literacy
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It Was Time for a Change | New Website Announcement

We wanted a change. Our teachers and community deserved a change. 
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Student's using arm tapping.

Embracing the Science of Reading: Making the Transition from the Three Cueing System

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.
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Learning Vocabulary

How To Teach Vocabulary Strategies

Vocabulary strategies are an essential component of mastering comprehension and writing.
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Tips for Parents of Struggling Readers

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.
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How to Teach Structured Literacy Part 4 of Structured Literacy vs. Balanced Literacy

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).
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The Power of Professional Development:  One School’s Experience

Science has shown that systematic, explicit phonics instruction is the necessary foundation for successful reading.
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The Importance of Phonological Awareness Assessment: Part 4 of How to Teach Phonemic Awareness

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.
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Phonics Activities

Breaking Down IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham Method

Linguistic awareness promotes the acquisition of reading. It occurs when a person gains a deeper understanding of both spoken and written language.
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Why Teach Structured Literacy Part 3 of Structured Literacy vs. Balanced Literacy

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.
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Classroom Activities to Facilitate Phonemic Awareness: Part 3 of How to Teach Phonemic Awareness

Learn how to make phonemic awareness activities a fun and exciting lesson plan for your students in our latest blog post.
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Literacy Program

What Is Balanced Literacy? Part 2 of Structured Literacy vs. Balanced Literacy

In the 1980s and 1990s, there existed a debate revolving around the question: What is the best approach to teaching reading?
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What Are Phonemes?: Part 2 of How to Teach Phonemic Awareness

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.
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What Is Phonemic Awareness?: Part 1 of How to Teach Phonemic Awareness

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.
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What Should We Read?: Part 4 of Encoding vs. Decoding

Decodable passages and books with illustrations serve as stepping stones toward chapter books.
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Digital Resources for Educators

Best Digital Resources for Teachers to Utilize in 2020

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.
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What Are Irregular Words?: Part 3 of Encoding vs. Decoding

Explicit, systematic, cumulative, multi-sensory instruction in encoding and decoding phonetic and irregular words motivates and empowers readers and writers.
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What Is Decoding?: Part 2 of Encoding vs. Decoding

Over time, the brain develops automaticity and fluency to decode and comprehend efficiently.
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Multi-Sensory Learning: Types of Instruction and Materials

Highlighting how multi-sensory learning looks in the classroom and different options for how to instruct.
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What Is Encoding?: Part 1 of Encoding vs. Decoding

Heads or tails, top or bottom, inside or outside… We are surrounded by examples that require an understanding of dualities, like a two-sided coin.
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How to achieve reading comprehension

How to Improve Reading Fluency: Part 2 of Reading Fluency & How to Improve It

For many students, fluency isn’t only the bridge to better reading comprehension; it is the key.
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Decoding

The Importance of Teaching Syllable Division & Decoding Strategies

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.
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Stack of Books

Early Signs of Dyslexia

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.
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How to achieve reading comprehension

What Is Fluency?: Part 1 of Reading Fluency & How to Improve It

Highlighting what reading fluency entails and how important it is to the end goal: reading comprehension.
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Online Learning

How IMSE is Going Virtual

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. 
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Carla Siravo Q&A

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.
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Using technology to teach reading

Using Technology to Complement Literacy Instruction

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.
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What Is Orthographic Mapping?

Orthographic Mapping is a term that sounds daunting, but it is fundamental for fluent reading.
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Spelling Blocks

How Spelling Affects Reading and Writing

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).
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A Thank You Letter to Our Teachers

To all our educators,
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Ways to Help Your Child Build Vocabulary

“What does the word ______ mean?” asks every child everywhere. “Look it up in the dictionary,” most parents reply!
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Digital Learning

Best Digital Tools for Reading Development

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.
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Humpty Dumpty

Importance of Poetry, Rhyming, and Music When Learning to Read

April is National Poetry Month!
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Ways to Keep Your Child Reading While Out of School

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.
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Activities to Help Reading

Great Board Games and Family Activities to Help Young Learners Build New Skills

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…
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Sand Tray for Literacy Skills

How to Help Your Child Build Reading Skills Over Break

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…
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A Letter From Our Founder at the End of the School Year

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.
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‘It Just Makes Sense’: Florida Teachers Revamp 1st Grade Curriculum After Orton-Gillingham Training

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…
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This Multi-Sensory Approach is Key to Teaching Growing ELL Population to Read, Alabama Teachers Say

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.
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After 20 Years of Teaching, Maryland Educator Calls IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham a Game-Changer

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…
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IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham Approach Leads to a Jump in Reading Scores at this New Jersey School

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…
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Try These 5 Things to Supercharge Reading Success at Your School

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…
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Creating a School-wide IMSE OG Culture Takes Literacy to the Next Level at this New Jersey School

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…
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Meet Jeanne Jeup: IMSE Co-Founder, Mother, Entrepreneur and Global Literacy Advocate

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…
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Award-Winning Virginia Educator Shares Her Secret To Teaching Children To Read

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…
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Veteran Indiana Teacher Discovers ‘Game Changing’ Approach That Helps Her First Graders Learn To Read

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…
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Indiana Third-Grader Reads Nearly Four Times Faster After Teacher Uses IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham Method

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…
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Expert Interviews: What Role Does Literacy Play In A Child’s Positive Self-Confidence? Dr. Oscar Underwood Explains

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…
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Professional Development for Reading

IMSE Chosen As Literacy Instruction Partner For Arkansas’ New R.I.S.E. Literacy Initiative

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…
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Meet The Instructors: Corey Cramb

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…
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Beth McGaw, Mom And President Of The Learning Disabilities Association Of America’s Board Of Directors, Talks With The IMSE Journal

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…
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Secret To Top-Rated Colorado School’s Boost In Literacy Due To New Teaching Training Program, Officials Say

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)…
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5 Things We Learned From Understood.Org Education Expert Bob Cunningham

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…
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Colorado Springs Teachers Are Fighting The National Literacy Crisis—And Winning

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…
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From The Archives: 5 Must-Read IMSE Journal Articles

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…
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IMSE Certification Takes Literacy Education Commitment To The Next Level

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…
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Celebrate March is Reading Month With IMSE!

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…
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Here’s How Michigan Teachers Can Win A FREE WEEK of IMSE Training

Are you a teacher in Michigan interested in learning Orton-Gillingham from the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education? Now’s your chance!
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Hope Amid Crisis: Mom-Daughter Teaching Team Return From Using IMSE’s OG In Syrian Refugee Camps

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…
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After 35 Years Of Teaching In Orlando, Speech Pathologist Says IMSE Certification Was ‘The Missing Piece’

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…
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In Flint, Baltimore And Dallas, NFL Star Brandon Carr Is Tackling Literacy

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…
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It’s Time To Break ‘Stigma’ Around Literacy, A Basic ‘Civil Right,’ Barbara Bush Foundation Says

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…
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Meet The Instructors: Kim Collins

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…
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A Year In Review: 13 IMSE OG Stories That Made 2017 Extra Special

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…
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A Day Inside IMSE: Here’s What It’s Like To Spend A Day Training With Us

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…
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Over 500 Loudoun Co. Teachers Ready To Tackle Dyslexia With New IMSE Training

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…
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From Struggling With Dyslexia To Working For NASA, This Engineer Helped Pave The Way For Others

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…
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12 Famous People Who Struggled With Dyslexia Before Changing The World

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…
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5 Things We Learned About The Dyslexic Brain From An MIT Neuroscientist

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…
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IMSE OG Graduate Heading To Jordan To Work with Teachers at Syrian Refugee Camps

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…
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Arlington, VA Says IMSE’s OG is Integral to Helping Children with Dyslexia Read with Success

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…
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A Letter from the Co-Founder of IMSE as We Begin A New Year

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…
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Meet the Instructors: Janice Kohler, IMSE

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…
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Special Ed Teacher Says IMSE’s OG Training Changed Her Life

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…
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This Pittsburgh School Says Investing in Their Teachers’ English Language Core Knowledge Makes Big Impact

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.    
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Mom Learns Orton-Gillingham Teaching Approach to Help Her Child with Down Syndrome Read

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…
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North Carolina Passes House Bill 149: A Win For Early Intervention

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…
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IMSE Named a Preferred PD Training Program for Oregon

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…
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Orton-Gillingham and Technology Intersect at this Atlanta School

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…
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IMSE’s OG Helps English Make Sense For These Special Ed Students

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…
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More Amazing Photos And Videos Showing IMSE’s OG At Work

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…
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Second Graders Taught Using IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham Have Ah-Ha Moment

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…
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IMSE OG Instructor Stacey Kasoff Named Learning Ally’s Tutor of the Month

IMSE Orton-Gillingham instructor Stacey Kasoff was honored as Learning Ally’s tutor of the month for June 2017.
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IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham Training Leads To Huge Growth In Students’ Reading Ability

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…
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Ultrarunner Running 43 Miles To Raise Funds For Reading Center

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…
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Summer Reading Initiative Fights “Summer Slide” at this New Jersey School

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…
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For Some Students, Reading at Grade Level Isn’t Tapping Their Full Potential

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,…
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Super Bowl Champ Malcolm Mitchell Is A True Champion Of Youth Literacy

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…
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Conservation Educator Overcomes Learning Disability, Inspires Next Generation

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…
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Learning Specialist: ‘Helping These Kids Is What I Was Created To Do’

Pola Millard believes she’s found her true calling teaching the students at New Hope Christian Academy — and her daughter — the Orton-Gillingham methodology.  
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A New Teaching Approach Has Wyoming Inmates Reading With Success

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…
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You Sent These Awesome Photos And Videos Showing IMSE’s OG At Work

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…
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Every Student Succeeds Act

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…
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Our Favorite Children’s Books for Spring

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.
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IMSE Grows with Teachers

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…
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Q&A with Vera Blau-McCandliss of Square Panda

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…
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District Administrator

Q&A with Dr. Rob Glass, Michigan’s 2017 Superintendent of the Year

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…
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Parent Perspectives: Shannon Chamberlin

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.
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Profiles in Teaching: Stacey and Lillian

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.
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Working Together: The IMSE-Learning Ally Partnership

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. 
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Just My Luck Cover

Q&A with Author and Educator Jeff Anderson

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…
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IMSE and Mississippi schools

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.
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Michigan Governor to sign a bill holding back failing third graders

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.
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Orton-Gillingham in the General Education Classroom

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…
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Because You Can’t, You Won’t and You Don’t Stop: Hip-hop in the Classroom

Students and teachers are using Hip-hop as a dynamic, fun and innovative way to boost reading confidence and increase vocabulary.
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Guest Column: Books for a First Year Teacher

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…
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Literacy Expert explaining how to build better readers

Building Better Readers: Lori Oczkus and Reciprocal Teaching

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…
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Greenwood Elementary Hosts a ‘Wedding’ for /Q/ and /U/!

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!
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Winning with IMSE: Hamilton City Schools

The partnership between IMSE and Hamilton City Schools in Ohio has brought amazing results in reading for children in grades K-3!
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LDA Sounds Alarm for Children’s Futures in Flint Water Crisis

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…
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YA Book Vloggers

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…
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Q&A With Dr. Louisa Moats

The IMSE Journal talks to Dr. Louisa Moats, founder of LETRS and co-author of ‘Straight Talk About Reading,’ and ‘Parenting a Struggling Reader.’
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Q&A with Dr. Marcia Henry

The IMSE Journal talks to one of the country’s leading experts on reading instruction and dyslexia, Dr. Marcia Henry.
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Harnessing the Power of Latin and Greek for Early Readers

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…
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ELL Students Benefit from Orton-Gillingham Techniques

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…
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10 Literacy Tech Tools For the Classroom

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…
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Q&A With Sam Barclay Creator of “I Wonder What It’s Like To Be Dyslexic”

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…
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Q&A With Luis Macias Director of ‘Embracing Dyslexia’

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…
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