Thinking About Comprehension
In this brief video, Nancy Hennessy shares insights into the elements of comprehension and how educators can facilitate comprehension for students through Structured Literacy instruction.
Early Reading Screening and Comprehension
While Ministry-approved early reading screening tools may not measure comprehension directly, we learn a lot about students’ comprehension with the Oral Reading Fluency subtest. Learn more in this brief video!
Reading Road Trip S3 E10: The Science of Learning with Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden
Season 3 of Reading Road Trip wraps up with a jam-packed episode featuring Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden. Kate and Amanda have a wide-ranging conversation about the science of learning and human behaviour – how do children learn new things? From the instructional hierarchy to incremental rehearsal, don’t miss this fabulous episode!
The Instructional Hierarchy
The Instructional Hierarchy is a model of skill acquisition. The hierarchy has been researched for decades – when we learn something new, we move through a series of predictable stages. Educators need to be aware of the instructional hierarchy since we are most effective when our instruction matches the student’s current level of proficiency. Learn…
Screening: What Principals Need to Know Webinar Recording
On the recommendation of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Ontario will be starting early reading screening in Fall 2024. This webinar clarifies the important role principals play in screening: the who, what, when, why, and how of early reading screening – and, most importantly, how we can use these data to improve student outcomes.
Family Literacy Night Slides
This slide deck outlines some of the key changes to literacy instruction in Ontario, the purpose of early reading screening, and things parents and caregivers can do at home to support strong reading outcomes. The Google slide deck is set to “view only” – to edit it, make a copy to your own drive.
Next STEPS Summer Book Study – Recordings and References
Keen to learn more about using assessment to drive structured literacy in your classroom? Catch up with our Next STEPS Summer Book Study. Resources related to this ONlit event series, hosted by Jordan Sloan, can be found here. Each session in the series tackles a foundational reading skill, unpacking what it is, why it’s necessary for…
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!
Writing and Reading Connections: Bridging Research and Practice
The chapters in this anthology, by a range of expert authors, delve into the relationship between writing and reading (as well as oral language), offering both extensive research and ideas for practice. While the research can be a bit heavy at times (this is not a “quick tips to use tomorrow” kind of book), there…
Grammar on the Go
Grammar on the Go is a playlist of some foundational grammar concepts covered in the new Ontario Language Arts Curriculum (2003) for Grades 1-9. The video series focuses on nouns (common, proper, singular, plural), verbs (past, present, future, progressive, perfect tenses), pronouns (first person, second person, third person), gerunds, adjectives (common, proper, comparative, superlative, pronoun…
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 sounds) to pre-kindergarten and elementary-aged students. This resource includes materials…
Data Informed Systems
In this series of videos, Dr. Andrea Fraser highlights key considerations for school boards and districts as they move to evidence-based assessment and data-based decision-making.
