Sound walls are becoming more common in classrooms thanks to a clearer understanding of the science of reading. We need to understand why a sound wall is set up differently than an A–Z alphabetical word wall and how to use a sound wall effectively to elevate daily instruction during Tier 1 by reviewing the 44 speech sounds and the options for spelling each of the sounds.

In the years since the National Reading Panel (NRP, 2000) identified essential components for teaching reading and likely long before, the “PH” terms, phonemic awareness and phonics have often been confused, conflated, and used interchangeably. Yet it is essential to have a common language and a deep understanding of each of these terms to maximize instruction.

A new organization is pushing for children’s TV and video programs to automatically display captions to boost literacy. It’s an easy thing to do, and it has even more research behind it than advocates realize.

The circumstances in which we find ourselves as educators at this moment call for flexible and reflective thinking about the goals toward which we might aim and the goals that we might set for our students. I believe we will need to adjust our goals, and likely readjust them again at a later time. Ultimately, this means we will need to be flexible with expectations.

In times of turmoil, it is critical that you take a moment each day for yourself. As educators, as leaders, you are looked upon to provide guidance, strength, vision, and positivity. To do that, you must fill yourself with those attributes first, before you can share them. The strongest among us often feel the deepest and must learn to take time for self-care.

This on-demand annual event brings together some of the field’s most influential researchers and practitioners all in one place. Though the symposium is June 18–19, on-demand access means you can see the symposium live, or anytime thereafter. Plus, when you register you also have access to a library containing more than 30 hours of archived webinars.