It’s normal practice on social media to see a teacher asking colleagues for recommendations for a spelling program. A recent exchange on Facebook stuck with me though.

Before I became a reading specialist, before I spent my days teaching educators about dyslexia and the science of reading, I was an upper-elementary and middle school teacher.

I was officially diagnosed with dyslexia going into my senior year of high school by Dr. Nash. I graduated from New Trier High School reading at an elementary level, and I started in the Project Success summer program in 1996 at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Instructional coherence describes the strategic alignment of a student’s academic experience across every setting in the school day. It often is defined as instruction that shares the same content, skills, and language across core classroom instruction (Tier 1) and intervention instruction (Tiers 2 and 3).

For years, literacy reform has focused on policies, programs, and professional development—but one essential partner has often been left on the sidelines: parents.

For years, literacy reform has focused on policies, programs, and professional development—but one essential partner has often been left on the sidelines: parents.