How are we doing with teaching children to read and write? Why do so many children struggle? What can we learn from research to improve classroom instruction? This section offers some background and context about the big picture.
Literacy is an incredibly well-studied field. Here's an overview of what we've learned over decades of research.Â
These in-depth videos explore critical topics in literacy instruction. Watch nationally recognized experts explain the science behind how children learn to read and offer advice for applying it in the classroom.
What is "structured literacy"? What is "orthographic mapping"? Learn about key concepts and terms related to research-based reading and writing instruction.
Reading Universe adviser Kareem Weaver believes that "literacy is the fundamental civil right of our time." He explains why every child needs explicit teaching when it comes to learning to read.
Over the last 50 years, there's been a vast outpouring of research about reading development. Dr. G. Reid Lyon, a research scientist and neuropsychologist who oversaw the reading research program at the National Institutes of Health, distills the most essential findings into 10 maxims all teachers should know.