Strong phonics instruction can mask deeper challenges when oral language development goes unseen. This first article in a three-part series examines how invisible language gaps impact comprehension and why intentional oral language instruction is essential for lasting literacy success.

As states push for evidence-based reading practices, educators need training that bridges research and real-world instruction. Discover how Structured Literacy aligned professional development equips teachers with the skills to make meaningful gains in reading outcomes.

Learn how oral language skills influence language comprehension and impact other key areas of literacy.

By following this educator guide for the phonological awareness continuum, teachers can build the foundation for early literacy success in their classrooms.

Phonics assessments help educators identify gaps in foundational reading skills and tailor instruction to meet student needs. Learn how these tools support early literacy, guide data-driven teaching, and play a crucial role in ensuring every child becomes a confident, capable…

Phonemic awareness, the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words, is an essential component of early reading success. Discover why this foundational skill is critical for all students and explore practical ways to strengthen phonemic…

Learn more about Structured Literacy and discover practical strategies for introducing an Orton-Gillingham curriculum in the classroom.

Understanding the science around how linguistically diverse students learn to read will allow literacy teachers to unearth practical strategies that optimize the student success rate.

Two-thirds of US students are unable to read at grade level, which is why state legislatures are now mandating that schools implement evidence-based alternatives to ineffective literacy approaches. IMSE’s newest edition of Decodable Readers sets out to equip teachers eagerly…

It’s no secret that the US is facing a literacy crisis, nearly 40% of first graders are significantly behind in developing literacy skills.

Our Commitment to Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Aligning Instruction with the Science of Reading Using Structured Literacy

Over decades, by examining factors such as phonological awareness, decoding skills, vocabulary acquisition, and comprehension strategies, interdisciplinary researchers have tried to identify exactly what separates proficient and struggling readers. The results of their efforts are collected in a body of…

Most educators are aware of the concept of morphology but do not receive adequate training to help their students recognize base words and patterns early on in literacy acquisition.

April 7, 2021 | 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

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.

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.

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

In the 1980s and 1990s, there existed a debate revolving around the question: What is the best approach to teaching reading?

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.

Decodable passages and books with illustrations serve as stepping stones toward chapter books.

Explicit, systematic, cumulative, multi-sensory instruction in encoding and decoding phonetic and irregular words motivates and empowers readers and writers.

Over time, the brain develops automaticity and fluency to decode and comprehend efficiently.

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.

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.

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…

We often hear that children learn to read differently, but that isn’t the case. Research has shown that in order to become a proficient reader, all children need to learn the same skills. To help achieve this, multi-sensory instruction can…

Early literacy development is vital to a child’s success in school and beyond. Even if you took to reading and writing naturally as a child, you shouldn’t assume that your children will as well.

Florinda Monje knows what it feels like not to understand English. The Peru native studied English before immigrating to the U.S. in 2004, but had a hard time understanding accents once she arrived in the country. The speed with which…

At the start of the school year, Florida second grader Mia Nunez couldn’t read. But after a dyslexia diagnosis and 10 months of IMSE’s Orton-Gillingham lessons, Mia now reads at a third-grade level and is itching to dive into her…

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…

Dear Teachers, As educators, each new school year brings a refreshed sense of excitement and a hunger to teach and inspire. A new school year also offers new opportunities to improve upon the many challenges we often face in the…

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…

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…

As the Internet, ebooks and digital reading materials have become more accessible, schools and libraries across the country have assumed that younger readers, having grown up in the digital age, simply prefer an online reading experience to traditional books. In…

They may be the smallest units of language, but the morpheme is a powerhouse. Understanding how morphemes work can help readers supercharge their vocabularies, help them unlock meaning in unfamiliar words and make for more confident readers.

Phonemic awareness is a crucial step on the path of learning to read. We examine how this skill came to be recognized, both in literacy research and in the classroom.