News and reflections from experts and practitioners on the latest literacy research, events and daily practice
Welcome to Learning Ally's blog. You've come to the right place if you are an innovative teacher who wants to transform more struggling readers into grade-level achievers.
November 23, 2022 by User
For Immediate Release
November 23, 2022 -- Princeton, NJ – To increase reading preparedness in early learners, Learning Ally, a national education nonprofit known to double the rate of reading growth for struggling readers, is announcing its new Excite Reading™ Early Literacy Grant Program for eligible U.S. schools at no cost. Applications are now open until December 15, 2022.
Excite Reading™ is an award-winning early literacy supplement to support PreK-2 teachers who want to share engaging children’s literature, while developing emergent readers’ comprehension skills.
Research tells us that PreK-2 is a critical time for reading development. Lee Peters, Learning Ally’s Chief Operating Officer, says, “Children entering schools today have such diverse backgrounds and needs. Many come unprepared for learning, with much less exposure to words and books at home. Putting Excite Reading™ in their hands will play a pivotal role in helping more children learn to read successfully; especially, those struggling in schools located in disadvantaged communities.”
Districts may apply for the Excite Reading™ Grant Program from now until December 15, 2022. The program runs from January, 2022 to June, 2023. Educators in awarded schools will work with Learning Ally to implement the solution with fidelity and provide benchmark data and feedback. Implementation training, check-ins, and ongoing support are part of the Grant to ensure educator and student success.
Early reading success requires evidence-based instruction in both decoding and language comprehension, which includes exposure to text-based vocabulary and background knowledge. Excite Reading™ complements any core literacy instructional curriculum delivered in any MTSS or RTI program framework.
The visually stunning audiobook-eBook format includes access to more than two-hundred authentic human-narrated children’s audiobooks and resources. Children can listen as they follow along visually, exploring themes including gardens, insects, music and more, with intentional cross-discipline focus on art, social studies and science connections. Carefully designed language development lessons build vocabulary and background knowledge, with social-emotional components. Activities and discussion prompts create context to deepen comprehension. Corresponding teacher guides support a higher level of discourse, using relevant vocabulary to express questions, answers, and ideas to stimulate critical thinking. A school-to-home connection encourages family literacy.
More than 450,000 U.S. educators work with Learning Ally to improve reading outcomes. The organization’s PreK-12 Solutions are grounded in Whole Child Literacy™ – the best practices of the science of reading (brain-based learning), cognitive variables, and environmental and social emotional factors that influence each student’s learning ability.
Peters adds, “For a child who is not reading at proficiency by the end of third grade, the immediate and long term impact can be dire. Getting ahead of each student’s potential struggle through early screening, evidence-based instruction, and an approach that considers the child through a holistic lens, is necessary to ensure children are prepared to ‘learn to read’ and to ‘read to learn’ for their future success.”
In 2022, Excite Reading™ won the American Consortium for Equity in Education Excellence Award for Best Early Childhood Education Solution, Tech & Learning “Back to School” Award of Excellence in Primary Education, and Readers’ Choice Award in Early Literacy by SmartBrief on EdTech.
Learn more about the Excite Reading™ Early Literacy Grant Program. Call 800-221-1098.
About Learning Ally
Learning Ally is a leading education nonprofit dedicated to equipping educators with proven solutions that help new and struggling learners reach their potential. Our range of literacy-focused offerings for students in Pre-K to 12th grade and catalog of professional learning allows us to support more than two million students across the United States.
Categories: Curriculum & Access, Early Literacy, Education & Teaching, Funding & Awards, General, In the news, Press Releases, Whole Child Literacy
November 14, 2022 by User
Learning Ally Literacy Leaders, Dr. Terrie Noland and Dr. Molly Ness recently sat down to discuss their thoughts, interpretations, and perspectives in a Literacy Leadership podcast about the latest NAEP Report: What the data represents, and what it calls us to do.
What Can We Learn From NAEP?
The results of the latest Nation's Report Card (NAEP) aren’t as good as we would like, but aren’t “doom and gloom" either. NAEP results provide insight into K-12 education and student achievement. The data is meant to guide us to missed opportunities, and to fresh perspectives.
The purpose of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation’s Report Card, is to measure the educational achievement and progress of students at established grades and ages in relation to the content of NAEP frameworks.
NAEP results enable comparisons of what representative students know and can do among states and jurisdictions, among various demographic groups, and over time. The results help us respond accordingly to threats and challenges, such as literacy, low reading ability, and social injustices that impact vulnerable student populations, like those with learning disabilities, and those in BIPOC marginalized communities. (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)
Data Points for Improvement
Because assessment results are based on samples of students, there are factors to consider when drawing conclusions about NAEP data. In 2022, the average reading score at both fourth and eighth grade decreased by 3 points compared to 2019. At fourth grade, the average reading score was lower than all previous assessment years going back to 2005 and was not significantly different in comparison to 1992. At eighth grade, the average reading score was lower compared to all previous assessment years going back to 1998, and was not significantly different compared to 1992. Now in 2021, fourth and eighth grade reading scores declined for most states and jurisdictions compared to 2019.
Equity Gap Widens
First, let us shout out that the data collected for this NAEP Report represents the two-year period during the critical span of the COVID pandemic, and the era of virtual learning. Keeping those facts into perspective, it should tell us something about the state of education and learning during a national crisis.
Dr. Ness says, “It’s never okay to see our literacy rates falling, but we should be cautious not to use NAEP scores as a weapon against teachers or school leaders. Rather, it is a tool to understand challenges, find solutions, collaborate, change, lead, and resolve. NAEP is like taking the temperature of the ‘state of the nation,’ as a whole. It is beneficial in its capacity to drill down on aggregated data like grade level, gender, ethnicity, rural and urban, and much more. What we cannot assume is that the overarching national data applies evenly throughout the states -- because states set and measure goals differently. They deliver instruction differently. The big takeaway is that roughly 66% of our nation’s students are not reading well, and this number is growing. A vast majority of these students are in some way marginalized. The equity gap is widening."
Constrained vs. Unconstrained Skills
The NAEP Report reflects what skills children are missing on the proficiency assessments. The Report specifies 66% of fourth-grade students are not proficient readers, but that does not mean that all 66% are reading below grade level, or that a particular state has 66% of their student population not reading at proficiency.
Another important distinction is what skills NAEP measures well (constrained skills), and what skills it does not measure well (unconstrained skills).
Constrained abilities consist of a limited number of items and thus can be mastered within a relatively short time frame. Unconstrained abilities are learned across a lifetime, broad in scope, vary among people, and may influence many cognitive and academic skills.
“We can measure vocabulary at different grade levels,” said Dr. Ness. “And whether a student can decode beginning blends or ending digraphs, but it is much more difficult to assess and measure more complicated skills for reading preparedness. From a research perspective, we know that brain-based learning and the science of reading are the backbone of evidence-based instruction. If we are leaving out components such as teaching background knowledge and introducing text-based vocabulary – the crucial skill of reading comprehension will not be fully realized. If students are lacking in background or contextual knowledge, it could play a critical role in how well they do on NAEP or any other reading assessments. The more funds of knowledge students have will emphatically have an impact on literacy scores measured by NAEP.”
Temperature Check…Are We Doing All We Can?
Dr. Ness warns that “Blaming and accusation can have the opposite consequences for what we are trying to solve. What we can do is to change our mindset about the latest NAEP Report findings, and look at the data “not” as an enormous discouragement, but as a reflection that we have work still to do to understand and apply all of these necessary components to read successfully:
how our brain learns to read;
how well our teachers are prepared to teach reading based on evidence; around the science of reading;
how well our current curriculum aligns with that research;
how well we screen for early reading challenges;
how well we cover essential reading skills in early education;
how well we provide content-rich instruction using text-based vocabulary and background knowledge; and
how well we understand and apply Scarborough’s Reading Rope.
Extended Learning Abounds
There are resources to get educated on NAEP, what it measures, sample reading passages, and how skills are scored.
Researcher Chester Finn Jr. has numerous books and podcasts. Melissa and Lori Love Literacy podcast is well-respected, as are Natalie Wexler’s books on narrowing the academic gap. All of these resources will open our minds to try something new.
Dr. Ness says, “We want to be mindful of how to address instructional time and find innovative ways to give more of it based on the science of ‘how we learn to read,’ and how we ‘read to learn.’ We’ve got to think about extended school days, summer programs, and effective tutoring. These programs must be continuations of class instruction, and sequential. High-dosage tutoring is not the same as quality tutoring, and we cannot look at tutoring as a “one-off.'' It is important for us to get extended learning right.”
The results of the latest NAEP scores are not meant to discourage, but to inspire us to action. It is one tool to move us forward, to have a clearer vision of what reading instruction should be, and to lead us to collaborate and work together to prepare all children to be good readers and learners.
Valerie Chernek writes about educational best practices through the use of technology and the science of reading in support of children and adolescents who struggle with learning differences.
Categories: Curriculum & Access, Early Literacy, Education & Teaching, General, Reading Strategies for K-12, Student Centric Learning, Teacher Best Practices, The Digital Age, Whole Child Literacy
November 7, 2022 by User
Patrick Brennan serves as the Vice President of Government Relations at Learning Ally. In this interview, we highlight Patrick’s expertise and passion to ensure literacy for all children by advocating for early literacy and early detection of reading challenges, and by building partnerships in the states to solve the literacy crisis in our nation.
Growing Up as a Struggling Reader
Patrick grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and attended Bruns Avenue Elementary, a Title I school in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the time, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District was using the Whole Language approach to teach reading. Despite his teachers and parents’ best efforts, the lack of resources caused Patrick to struggle with dyslexia until he reached the 5th grade. Patrick’s grandmother, a teacher for over 30 years, eventually intervened and taught him by emphasizing the competencies of reading that are now included in Scarborough’s “Reading Rope,” including: phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition of familiar words.
Underfunded schools with struggling students are commonplace in the U.S. as one in four children grow up without ever learning how to read (The Literacy Project). Brennan has adopted a “last to first mentality” that drives the policy work done by Learning Ally’s Government Relations Team to advocate for underserved students. “We know that how you run the race is often impacted by how you start. We want to give our racerunners, our students, the best possible chance out of the starting blocks,” he says.
Proficiency or Lack Thereof in American Schools
Learning Ally aims to solve the nation’s literacy crisis by 2040. Patrick explains “Literacy doesn’t just affect individuals, it affects our society as a whole.” Illiteracy costs the U.S. economy $225 billion annually (Reading is Fundamental). This cost is associated with children who cannot read proficiently by the 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school. In addition, two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of 4th grade will end up in jail or on welfare (Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation). Literacy is foundational to the prosperity of our citizens and nation. “By focusing on prevention rather than intervention, we can drastically change the trajectory of so many more children who slip through the cracks in early education,” shares Brennan. “Through preventative measures, not only does the student benefit, but ALL of society benefits.
Government Relations Approach
Learning Ally’s Government Relations Team seeks to understand what’s happening in state governments’ surrounding education, funding, and literacy. His team identifies priorities and concerns through conversations with educators, parents, legislators, and students. Communication allows them to develop and contextualize funding initiatives that support solutions based on the unique challenges and needs in each state.
Whole Child Literacy Focus
Brennan says, “Our whole child approach to literacy encourages everyone to come to the table. We strive to develop a shared understanding of how to best serve students. We help people pursue a legislative strategy that brings forth constituents, education leaders, and legislators who are united to find the right funding solutions that will improve literacy for all. Applying a whole child literacy approach is crucial because simply focusing on the competencies of reading is not enough to support children. We have to ensure that every child has what they need so that when they sit down at their desk to learn, they’re ready and able.”
Early Literacy State Initiatives
Patrick and Governor Gavin Newsom (CA) bonded over their shared experience as struggling readers. They recounted the impact of reading parent-teacher conference reports which raised concerns about their ability to be successful in the classroom. Brennan and Newsom both agreed that being categorized as struggling students discouraged them; and, they may not have progressed through school and into their current roles if it had not been for the support of their loved ones.
An example of the Government Relations Team advocacy efforts is the California Dyslexia Initiative (CDI) which was created because of the growing call for early literacy screening. Schools that could afford screeners put their processes into motion, but many lacked basic funding and were left behind. The Government Relations Team worked with Governor Newsom, UCSF, UCLA, and Stanford Graduate School of Education to bring the early literacy screening to scale on a statewide basis. Governor Newsom’s inclusion of the CDI in his budget made this screening program available to all kindergarteners through third graders in California at no-cost. This Initiative is currently piloting. Learning Ally is identifying and recruiting students who may benefit from the screening process in the state. Brennan says, “Given the importance of early detection, we are replicating this process in other states so more children can have accessible and affordable screening available to them.” In addition to the CDI, the Learning Ally Government Relations team is piloting the Learning Ally/Reach Every Reader Screener in Florida and South Carolina.
Advocacy Advice to Educators
Brennan offers thoughts to educators who are interested in working with legislators to help them better understand how to create policies that support their work in the classroom. "We can build strength in numbers, because while legislators can ignore one person, it’s a lot harder to ignore many people. This advice stems from the United State’s motto, “E Pluribus Unum,” which translates to “One From Many”. If we can bring the many together and advocate for one approach, then that will help to motivate change in action. Don’t wait to get involved. Legislators need to hear from educators who are responsible for implementing new policies. Learning Ally connects educators to policymakers; however, we encourage educators to go directly to legislators to vocalize your priorities, concerns, and your students’ experiences and needs. Legislators have the power to amplify the voices of their constituency. They want and need to know how to best strengthen our education system with a “literacy for all” mentality.”
Article by Chloe Erickson, Government Relations Senior Advisor
Categories: Activities, General, In the news, Learning Disabilities, Whole Child Literacy
November 3, 2022 by User
There is no greater risk to our nation than illiteracy and low reading rates. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) estimates that 21% of adults in the United States (about 43 million) fall into the illiterate/functionally illiterate category. Low levels of literacy result in $225 billion in U.S. workforce productivity losses, and directly correlate to increased juvenile and federal crimes, welfare dependence, lack of workforce opportunity, and poor physical and mental health.
Dr. Terrie Noland and Dr. John Wyble, President & CEO of The Center for Literacy & Learning, Louisiana, recently released a literacy leadership podcast where they discussed literacy in America. Dr. Wyble described the Center’s work to bring cross-functional stakeholders together to “sit at the long table” with families, educators, business leaders, entrepreneurs, community activists, university leaders, and legislators, to find sustainable solutions to improve literacy rates.
Literacy Begins In Our Own Communities
“I feel our charge and responsibility to improve reading attainment for all people is to elevate the literacy conversation. It’s not just about the classroom model, but how it affects the broader community and our nation.”
Dr. Wyble believes there are many innovative approaches to learning, especially with involved parents and highly qualified educators at the helm. Yet, at the heart of literacy is the family unit, and to take into consideration external factors and influences happening outside the classroom that may impact learning potential such as race, generational poverty, trauma, and mental health.
Long table discussions address questions like these:
How do we have meaningful conversations about literacy and economic poverty?
What are the financial costs to our society? Health related costs? Emotional costs?
What factors keep American families marginalized and disconnected from the benefits of economic, workforce, and social opportunities?
How well do we connect literacy to participating in the democracy process?
How are we prioritizing credentials and training for educators?
What skills should we teach to prepare children for the 21st century?
How do we end generations of poverty that keep families at risk?
How well do we support, nurture, and grow highly qualified, highly motivated educators?
How do we prioritize putting a qualified educator in every classroom?
Family Engagement and Early Childhood
Dr. Wyble: “One of the most important parenting responsibilities is to discover what interests your child and encourage exploration of that topic through authentic literature and experiences. Early childhood is when learning development happens, or it doesn’t. To increase literacy, educators must have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of brain-based learning, or how we learn to read.”
Research tells us that it is critically important to stimulate brain development at the infancy stage with toddlers and emerging readers. Dr. Wyble asks, “Are we taking reading for granted? Children who struggle to read have far less opportunities for academic and economic prosperity. They endure more physical and mental health issues and feelings of failure.”
Sixty-five percent of fourth graders in the U.S. read below proficiency levels. These students are 400% more likely to drop out of high school. For the most vulnerable populations – Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), low income, multilingual learners, and students with learning disabilities – the crisis is even more acute and persists for decades.
Explicit Teaching of Decoding and Word Recognition
Dr. Noland and Dr. Wyble agree language and vocabulary development can happen anywhere and anytime and should begin at home. Literacy opportunities can be found everywhere, including playing peekaboo, cooking or baking, walking down the street, at the park, bath time, bedtime -- all these situations are rich learning environments for neuron growth.
“As a society, we can transform literacy by helping all children learn to read and write well, so they can be proud of their unique selves. We must do a better job of helping disadvantaged youth explore what they want to be and could be. What are their strengths and talents? What are their goals? How can we help them create a vision board and acquire the skills and knowledge they need for careers and jobs? There is a lot to say about giving all kids a vision to aspire to and the affirmation that they can do it!”
Do Something Good
Literacy influences our daily lives and livelihoods, and it affects our communities, our state, and our nation. Yes, literacy is about dollars and cents, but as fellow humans, we can do better. Literacy is for all people. Generation after generation of poverty correlates to lack of education attainment. Struggling readers are less likely to vote, to access good healthcare, to make important decisions about their personal wellness, their nutrition, their finances. Let’s keep the momentum going to tackle this challenging issue. Let’s bring more people to the literacy long table. We can help more children read and lift them out of poverty so they can enjoy academic success and equitable economic prosperity.
About Dr. John Wyble
Dr. John Wyble is an accomplished, nationally certified executive with 28 years of service as an advocate for education, healthcare, quality of life, and economic independence for all citizens. He has spent 30 years in community programming, enrichment programs and grassroots mobilization. He has engaged partners in multiple disciplines to take a deep dive into how we equip individuals, families, and communities to succeed academically and economically.
As President & CEO of The Center for Literacy & Learning, Dr. Wyble is bringing forward an aggressive vision where all students receive a foundation for lifelong learning through literacy comprehension and fluency, beginning in early childhood. His vision, leadership, and genuine regard for all people are core strengths that distinguish him as a consummate professional in literacy leadership and transformation.
In 2019, The Center for Literacy & Learning led an effort in partnership with the Louisiana legislature to create an early literacy commission and to develop a strong legislative agenda around literacy based on the science of reading. Every classroom teacher in grades kindergarten through third grade will go through the science of reading training in the next three to five years. The Center will deploy regional literacy specialists and coaches. Teachers will receive resources and tools. The Center also advocates for education majors at the university level to be certified in the science of reading.
Categories: Education & Teaching, Educators, General, Reading Strategies for K-12, The Digital Age
October 31, 2022 by User
Collaboration, networking, knowledge sharing, professional learning, literacy leadership – these are all definitions we use to describe Learning Ally’s Educator Community, now 5,300 educators strong with another 2,500 members on Instagram.
Members of Learning Ally’s Education Community have different titles, roles and responsibilities. They come from different towns and cities, from urban and rural schools, and from big and small districts. They come together as "one" with an unbreakable bond – the love of children, and a desire to hone their craft of teaching and leading.
In our community, there are new teachers, seasoned teachers, teacher leaders, and Teachers of the Year, like Leana Malinowsky, Middlesex, NJ County.
Elizabeth Zwerg, Learning Ally’s Educator Community Manager, says, “We think of our community as an ecosystem with many points of access. Staying true to our non-profit (501c3) roots, our Community is open to all educators - even teachers who do not use our solutions. Why? Because we want to ensure equitable access to all educators, so collectively they can enhance their teaching skills as literacy leaders."
Communicating and Connecting
When educators come together, they form professional and personal relationships. They draw support from each other. They collaborate and identify new ways to apply literacy leadership to transform their classes, their schools, and student outcomes. They become influencers, mentors, dreamers and doers. They model best practices, and inspire others to transform, wonder, and grow.
What Members Say
“I am your number one fan,” says Andrea Spradling, a Reading Specialist in Florida, when it comes to the Educator Community for teachers, and Learning Ally Audiobooks for students!”
Sheree Koppel, a retired educator from Kentucky, says, “We have talked a lot about how we, as educators, were not prepared, nor grounded, in the strategies supported by the Science of Reading when we entered the classroom. As educators, we shoulder the responsibility of teaching our students. As we repeatedly hear, and discuss, it takes everyone: parents, families, teachers, education institutions, nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, and businesses, to address literacy needs accurately.”
Ms. Koppel goes on to say, “The concept of community and relationships within a community intrigues me. While we can work to influence and inspire others, it goes both ways. We inspire and hopefully influence, but we are also influenced by the actions of others. This is what makes a community so vital. I love the support and safety that exists as we strive to straighten each other’s crowns. Learning Ally’s community is always supportive, interactive, encouraging and engaging. I have learned so much from my fellow colleagues.”
Christine Hirsch, a Reading Specialist from Minnesota, says, “Building relationships is key and when you build relationships, you also build trust with both you, and the student. It is important to take it slow when building relationships. My school uses the slogan, ‘go slow to go fast.’ I think this pillar is important.”
No More Silos
Ms. Zwerg adds, “Establishing a safe space to exchange ideas, talk about challenges, find a friend or a friendly ear, is important for teachers. The ironic part about teaching is that many educators feel lonely in their classroom, or in leadership positions when implementing evidence-based literacy best practices in reading instruction. In our community, members expand their sphere of influence beyond the classroom, share ideas and goals, acquire new teaching strategies and know they are not alone.”
Power in Professional Learning and Networking
There are three types of teacher professional development: periodic workshops, in-class observation, and single-session seminars. Keeping this in mind, we believe participating in a strong educator community can also broaden leadership skills.
Listening to our Literacy Leadership podcasts is another benefit of networking where educators and literacy experts can share knowledge.
Join the Learning Ally Educator Community
Form friendships to improve mental health and social relationships.
Find purpose and meaning, and a safe space to learn and grow.
Influence others about the latest research.
Strengthen instructional practices and apply innovative approaches in class instruction.
Partner with like minded educators to share collective intelligence.
Learn new literacy leadership skills.
Have fun!
Ms. Zwerg says, “Building community is essential for teachers to feel connected. Community boosts morale, heightens engagement, and brings more satisfaction to teaching. When teachers feel supported, valued, and recognized, they are more satisfied with their career, which benefits our children and our society.”
When you join the Learning Ally Educator Community, you are saying “yes” to connecting with other educators, strengthening your pedagogy and instructional practices, and learning and growing with others who share a common passion for making our country and our world a better place through the education of our children.
Research About Teacher Community
What does the research say about vibrant teacher communities? Here are some research studies and citations:
Professional learning communities are an environment that fosters mutual cooperation, emotional support, and personal growth as they work together to achieve what they cannot accomplish alone.” (DuFour. R. (2004).
Challenges in daily instructional practice encourages teachers to learn spontaneously, in an informal manner: by consulting colleagues or experts (Billett 2004).
The process of informal learning consists of social interaction and gaining experience from colleagues and peers, and leads to a strengthening of informal relationships (Eraut 2004).
Professional and social changes, together with ongoing technological developments, require teachers to develop themselves continuously and to keep content knowledge and pedagogical skills up to date (Liebermann 2000).
Access to networks resulting from informal relationships has become an important aspect of continued professional learning (Chapman and Hadfield 2010; Doppenberg, Bakx, and Brok 2012; Lieberman and Pointer Mace 2010).
Teachers Thrive
Learning Ally has made a commitment to give teachers a flexible forum, and protective environment to network with colleagues, share meaningful ideas, and become empowered by joining a literacy community where “all” really does mean all. Join us.
A message from Leana Malinowsky, Teacher of the Year, Middlesex, NJ.
Categories: Education & Teaching, Educators, General, Learning Ally “How-To Use”, Reading Strategies for K-12, Student Centric Learning, The Digital Age
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