Science

DEAR time, or “Drop Everything and Read,” has been a familiar part of many literacy blocks for years. The idea behind it is sound: students need time during the school day to read independently. The question is not whether students should read independently. They absolutely should. The question is whether simply providing time to read is enough to improve reading achievement. Research offers mixed answers. Some studies point to benefits related to reading volume, motivation,

When we teach reading, the goal is not for students to follow a routine. The goal is to develop readers who think, make meaning, and build knowledge from text. Understanding the Goal of Reading Instruction That starts with a shift: Start with the understanding you want students to reach. Then ask: What kind of thinking will get them there—and what do I already know that I can draw on to support that thinking? This one shift changes everything. Repetition Matters—but Not in Is

Reading is foundational to everything we do as educators—it shapes how students learn, think, and ultimately succeed. Yet one of the most important questions we must continually ask is this: What actually makes reading effective? Why do some students navigate complex text with ease while others struggle to access meaning? The answer lies in understanding the science of reading —and more importantly, applying it with intention. In this post, I want to walk you through the key

Screen time in the classroom is neither inherently good nor inherently harmful. What matters most is how technology is used, for what purpose , and for how long —and, critically, what it may be replacing in students’ learning experiences (Hooft Graafland, 2025; Tamim et al., 2021). When discussions about screen time move beyond simple minute-counting and instead focus on instructional design, student thinking, and well-being, schools are better positioned to make informed de

“Effective Universal Instruction” provides classroom teachers with a toolkit of actionable, research-based strategies for making Tier 1 instruction inclusive and effective for every student (Gibbons et al., 2018). The book, authored by Kimberly Gibbons, Sarah Brown, and Bradley Niebling, is praised for its clarity and real-world examples, making it highly practical for day-to-day classroom use (Gibbons et al., 2018; Baum & Beaulieu, 2025; The Reading League, 2023; ISEA, 2024)

Teachers often hear plenty about how the brain works and what helps kids learn best. But not all popular ideas are true—and some common misconceptions, called neuromyths, can actually mislead us and hurt our teaching efforts. Here’s a clear, friendly guide to the most widespread neuromyths and what research really says, so teaching can be smarter and simpler for everyone. 1. Learning Styles “Some kids learn best by seeing, others by hearing, and some by moving. Teaching to ea

As teachers, we’ve all had students who work hard but still struggle to make sense of print. It can be frustrating to know they’re putting in the effort yet not making the progress we hope for. David Kilpatrick’s Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties speaks directly to this challenge. As an Amazon Associate, earnings are made from qualifying purchases, which helps support the work of EA Literacy & Learning. Why It Matters for the Classroom

“Without knowledge, even the strongest reading skills can’t help students understand what they read.” Natalie Wexler Closing The Knowledge Gap : A Call for Knowledge-Rich Instruction As an Amazon Associate, earnings are made from qualifying purchases, which helps support the work of EA Literacy & Learning. Natalie Wexler’s The Knowledge Gap offers a compelling examination of one of the most pressing challenges in education today: the persistent gap in reading comprehension a