This study presents results from a project to develop and pilot a new type of performance assessment of the skills used when teaching reading and writing. To provide context for this new approach, we begin by identifying the different types of knowledge that have historically been the focus of teacher assessment. Next we describe the newly…

We sought to identify the extent to which an innovative educational technology called ELCII (Early Language Comprehension Individualized Instruction) improved inference making for various populations of kindergarten students. Analyses examined student performance based on individual-level demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity,…

How students learn to read and how reading is best taught are often the focus of media, public, and political criticism. The contemporary reading reform movement is the latest chapter of a long history of controversies, dating from at least the early 20th century. Throughout the decades, attention has focused on how teachers teach reading…

Despite 3 years of implementation, educators at McKinnley Elementary School (pseudonym) did not know teachers' perceptions about whether the Wilson Reading Fundations Program (WRFP) was helping K-3rd grade teachers assist struggling readers with becoming proficient in reading in the elementary grades. The purpose of this qualitative single case…

This study focused on the effect of fifteen minutes of direct phonics instruction three days per week on student achievement, of Winter MAP goals, during the Response to Intervention block, during English language arts class. The literature suggests the use of both systematic and word-based strategies for instructional strategies, more scientific…

In 2015, a small school district in a mid-Atlantic state implemented Letterland, a phonics-based early reading program, to increase early reading levels. The problem investigated in this study was that, despite district implementation of the Letterland phonics program, early childhood students continued to struggle with mastery of phonics and…

Students across Pennsylvania are demonstrating an inability to meet proficiency expectations in reading. Emphasis has been on schools of education as one originating source of difficulty with reading instruction. Five universities and colleges in Pennsylvania were analyzed utilizing document analysis of undergraduate course syllabi, schedules, and…

The task of college admissions officers is to identify applicants who are likely prepared to succeed at their institution. While student preparation is the domain of the continually changing K-12 educational landscape, it is left to college admission officers to evaluate the extent of that preparation on a student-by-student basis. In the effort…

A book introduction during small-group instruction may seem like a simple task, but it actually involves multiple layers of decision making. The authors examine the why, how, and what of book introductions as a means of supporting students' growth as readers.

EPS contracted with LXD Research, a third-party research company, to examine the relationship between progress in S.P.I.R.E. and student reading outcomes at Martin County School District in Florida. LXD Research analyzed 192 students from grades 3-5 in 13 elementary schools who use S.P.I.R.E./i.S.P.I.R.E. reading intervention that uses an…

Content literacy is a crucial skill that enables students to read, comprehend, and use subject-specific information across various academic disciplines. This Spotlight will help readers explore how one district is integrating writing with rich content; analyze research on content-focused instruction; learn tips for combining screen and printed…

The process of learning to read is more difficult for English language learners (ELLs) because they are often learning a new language as they are trying to learn to read. Learning irregular/high-frequency words (sight words) may be especially challenging for ELL students. Limited research exists on the effects of interventions designed to help ELL…

Many students with learning disabilities find it difficult to acquire basic reading skills. This is even more of a challenge for students who are non-vocal. The purpose of the present study was to pilot the use of Headsprout Early Reading© (HER©), an online reading programme, with four non-vocal students with a severe learning disability (SLD),…

We know that teacher support during independent reading can greatly impact the growth and development of beginning readers. However, the rapid conversion to online learning in the 2020-2021 school year required teachers to rethink and retool traditional strategies to meet the needs of their online learners. This teaching and learning guide…

Motivated by earlier research highlighting Swedish teachers' beliefs that the setting of homework compromises deep-seated principles of educational equity, this paper presents an exploratory study of Swedish parents' perspectives on homework in their year-one children's learning. Twenty-five parents, drawn from three demographically different…