Reading is Essential for All People

In just a few weeks REAP will kick off a new Structured Literacy training program with two Newton County Schools. When schools seek out REAP training, we know they're serious about making literacy a top priority for all their students. Thanks to Newton Education Foundation for funding this important work. We can't wait to get started!

Literacy Pilot Takes off this Fall at Two Newton County Schools - Newton Education Foundation The 2024-2025 academic year brings a partnership with REAP – Reading is Essential for all People.

Yep, it's hard to believe that many teachers and even reading specialists have not been trained to teach children with dyslexia or other reading difficulties.

Did you know?

The fabulous Donna & Ashlea represent the REAP team in accepting the Deana Burgess Award for Teacher Preparation from the John H. Lounsbury College of Education. In the past 5 years, REAP has provided Structured Literacy training for hundreds of future teachers at Georgia College & State University.

There are many reasons kids struggle with learning to read. They ALL need Structured Literacy to get a solid reading foundation.

A big THANK YOU goes out to the AES Foundation for supporting REAP Structured Literacy training of teachers at Avondale Elementary School. These teachers have learned that reading is not automatic...they understand HOW kids learn to read, and HOW to teach reading in a way that works for ALL students. Every child who passes through these teachers' classrooms—year after year—will benefit from this training!

The AES Foundation would like to say a big thank you to all of our families, teachers, staff members, and community members for helping us have another successful year! We raised over $50,000 and were able to fund several important projects which helped us work toward our mission of developing resources that remove barriers and create opportunities for student achievement. We could not do it without your continued support!

If you are interested in learning how you can get involved in the Foundation, please email [email protected].

REAP's awesome Literacy Leaders earned the Deanna Burgess Award for Teacher Preparation from the John H. Lounsbury College of Education. REAP has trained hundreds of GCSU pre-service teachers in Structured Literacy over the past 5 years at Georgia College & State University.

Faith Harmeyer brought REAP on board when she made literacy a top priority as the new principal at Nicholson Elementary. Nicholson has a large population of special education students, ELLs, and economically disadvantaged students.

REAP has worked with Nicholson for several years, providing intensive, in-person Structured Literacy training, implementation support, and Acadience reading assessment. Principal Harmeyer reports that reading scores have improved on assessments, and she notes that the school is attracting positive attention because of students' reading performance.

How many families wouldn't be asking for an IEP if their child had received effective reading instruction in Tier 1?

Early identification and intervention for those of us that struggle to read is essential.
Tier 1 Reading programs that are structured, evidence-based and underpinned by the science of reading, are our greatest weapon in ensuring every child learns to read.
A robust reading program also reduces the need for less Intensive Tier 3 intervention.
So the best Tier 3, really is a great Tier 1!

Dontae Andrews is excited about "tremendous growth" after REAP training at Avondale Elementary. He reached out to REAP because his team wanted more for their students. The Title I school has a significant population of struggling readers, ESS students, and English language learners. The team wanted to learn how to help each student become the best possible reader, and to create a strong learning foundation, especially for the school's disadvantaged students.

REAP provided intensive Structured Literacy training and showed teachers how to implement the lessons in the classroom, including how to differentiate reading instruction for students at different levels.

Teachers love how REAP Structured Literacy training is already helping their students before the training is even finished.

"It is mind blowing how much my students have learned so far this year."

This REAP Structured Literacy participant contemplates her own struggles as a reader. She reports, "I have seen such a huge improvement in my students this year" as she implements her REAP training in her classroom.

Black Literacy Matters would not exist if our black students were in the same boat with their racial counterparts on proficiency in reading.

They are not in the same boat 🚤 nor in close proximity to their boat. The urgency is to level and create literary change that gives ALL children access to structured literacy that will create a strong literate nation!

Founder
Clarice Jackson
Black Literacy Matters

Teacher feedback is making us do the happy dance!

"After completing OG as well as LTRS training, REAP training has made me feel the most confident in speaking all things literacy."

"This REAP training has been the highlight of my year."

REAP Structured Literacy training can bring out strong emotions in teachers who have watched their kids, or their students—or even themselves—struggle with reading.

This teacher learned how to make "students feel successful and confident in their ability to read and write."

More reasons teachers ❤️ REAP Structured Literacy training...

"I have seen so much growth in ALL of my students"

"One of the best trainings in my 29 years of teaching"

This teacher thought REAP's Structured Literacy training was FUN. And informative. That's a pretty big compliment for 10 days of intensive training!

P.S. if you want to help struggling readers, please donate to REAP so we can train more teachers!

https://www.readingisessential.org/donate/

How many years are lost when kids struggling readers receive ineffective intervention? Almost every child CAN learn to read with the right kind of instruction.

One of the Black Literacy Matters Keynotes and friend Kelli Sandman Hurly! 👇🏾

Giving us more of the same intervention that hasn’t worked before isn’t going to help us.
Only structured, evidence-based reading programs underpinned by the science of reading will help EVERY child learn to read.


Quote: the amazing Dr Kelli Sandman-Hurley at the

More feedback from REAP 10-day Structured Literacy training = another vote for seeing the the lessons taught in a real classroom. Practical application is important for teachers to confidently apply the knowledge they've learned!

Exactly! This is why we train teachers in Structured Literacy...we empower them to teach reading in a way that works for everyone. With the right kind of reading instruction, fewer kids will need tutors or special education.

Words of wisdom from our Friday morning Keynote speaker Kareem Weaver! 👇🏾

Are you among the nearly 1,000 professionals joining us at The Reading League Summit next week?

We are so excited to hear from leading experts, including Drs. Stanislas Dehaene, Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Lillian Durán, Tracy Weeden, Margo Gottlieb, Claude Goldenberg, and many more, as they discuss and share research and practices to support the needs of English learners / emergent bilingual students.

There's still time to join us in San Diego on April 27. Register at: https://bit.ly/4aGv0g7.

Feedback from REAP 10-day Structured Literacy training course...10 days is a lot of learning, but this teacher is asking for even more!

REAP asks for teacher feedback at the end of every Structured Literacy training course. Lots of teachers say that they really benefit from watching the model lessons taught in a real classroom with real students.

We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of The Reading League’s Curriculum Navigation Reports! This long-awaited resource will guide educators and decision makers in reviewing and selecting curricula aligned with the scientific evidence base.

Join us on May 1, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST for a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony and get an exclusive first look at the Curriculum Navigation Reports.

To help us celebrate the Reports launch, we are bringing together some of the nation’s top educational leaders who will join us as ribbon-cutters before The Reading League's Maria Murray and Kari Kurto give a comprehensive tour of the Reports.

Be among the first to access these groundbreaking Reports and reserve your spot today: https://bit.ly/3vGui3P

A new episode of Emily Hanford's Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong

"...how educators came to believe in something that isn't true and are now reckoning with the consequences — children harmed, money wasted, an education system upended."

https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/

Some excellent learning opportunities from TRL!

Choose your learning path in evidence-aligned literacy instruction with our upcoming April Online Academy online classes.

Register today at: https://bit.ly/3J23RIO

📆 Upcoming April Knowledge Blocks include:

+ Rethinking RTI: Where Are We Now?
+ Understanding Dyslexia
+ Reading and Spelling Multisyllabic Words
+ Building Oral Language to Boost Comprehension & Composition
+ 6-Step Lesson Plan for Decoding, Spelling, and Fluency
+ Engaging with Vocabulary
+ Foundations of the Science of Reading

🧠 Learn from our expert instructors and build your knowledge of the Science of Reading.

Each Knowledge Block features:
+ Interactive small group instruction
+ Direct access to SoR experts
+ Resources to support instruction
+ Certificate of completion

Check out this summer book study from our friends at The Reading League Georgia ⬇ ⬇ ⬇

Sure, it's important to read to your kids. But it is NOT the reason they do or don't learn to read.

Kids learn to read when they receive effective reading instruction delivered by teachers with adequate instructional time, training and knowledge of HOW to apply their training in the classroom with real kids.

Here's a big announcement from The Reading League about the 2024 annual conference!

The Reading League Conference Join education leaders and changemakers from across the globe for a multi-day conference focused solely on the science of reading.