Screening: What Principals Need to Know

On the recommendation of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Ontario will be starting early reading screening in Fall 2024. This helpful handout clarifies the important role principals play in screening: the who, what, when, why, and how of early reading screening!

Embedded Mnemonics – Video Files

Embedded picture mnemonics are a research-based way to teach children about letters and the sounds they represent. They are letter cards with a picture of a key word embedded directly in a letter, such as the letter z made out of a zipper, or the […]

Important Canadians Read-Aloud Unit

Modeled after Core Knowledge Language Arts units, this language and social studies unit is designed for use in Canadian kindergarten and Grade 1 classrooms. The unit is comprised of 10 lessons, each about an Important Canadian, with a teacher read-aloud document and accompanying slideshow for […]

ONlit Embedded Picture Mnemonic Grids – UFLI-aligned

Embedded picture mnemonic grids allow students to practice isolating first sounds, while also developing alphabetic knowledge and letter/sound correspondences in playful ways. Grids align with the UFLI scope and sequence and allow students to practice new skills and review previously taught skills following a sequential […]

Embedded Picture Mnemonics Webinar Recording

Embedded picture mnemonics are a research-based way to teach children about letters and the sounds they represent. They are letters with a picture of a keyword embedded directly in them, such as the letter z made out of a zipper or the letter r made […]

Embedded Picture Mnemonics – Print Files

Embedded picture mnemonics are a research-based way to teach children about letters and the sounds they represent. They are letter cards with a picture of a key word embedded directly in a letter, such as the letter z made out of a zipper, or the […]

Literacy LIFTER

Literacy LIFTER (Letter Identification and Formation for Transcription and Early Reading) is a free tool designed to empower educators and caregivers in supporting students’ handwriting and early reading skills. It provides users with evidence-based materials to teach handwriting and letter knowledge (i.e., letter names and […]

Fluency in Perspective

This is a collection of passages designed to be used for fluency instruction in grade 8. Developed by Lisa Rogers, Laura Bross, Ayesatta Conteh, Teresa Oud, and Catherine Shawana, each passage focuses on a diverse changemaker from across Turtle Island – individuals who stood up […]

Scaffolding Vocabulary and Complex Texts

Vocabulary knowledge must be intentionally nurtured to ensure that students are ready for the greater vocabulary demands of reading complex texts and writing multi-paragraph essays, but we need to pay attention to cracks in the foundation and scaffold our lessons accordingly, or it all falls […]

Repurposing Levelled Literacy Intervention (LLI) – Content Library

Levelled Literacy Intervention (LLI) is a commonly used literacy intervention grounded in the ineffective three-cueing approach to reading instruction. In 2022, the Ontario Human Rights Commission found that LLI is ineffective, both from external research on its effectiveness and boards’ own data on student outcomes. […]

GECDSB Curriculum Aligned Mentor Texts

Thank you to Greater Essex County DSB for generously sharing this spreadsheet! It contains sets of texts aligned with content from the 4 frames (kindergarten), social studies and science curricula (grades 1 – 6), and history and geography curricula (grades 7 and 8).   These […]