Blog Hero Image

Welcome to Our Blog

A is for Assessment: Considerations for linking assessment and instruction

October 4, 2022 Wendy Vaulton, Associate Director for Reading Recovery and Early Interventions

How do we uncover the kinds and degrees of support that will be most effective for individual students? Our best shot starts with assessment that is authentic, asset-based, actionable, and anti-racist.

Engaging Hearts and Minds Through Purposeful Talk

September 14, 2022 Maria Nichols, Author & Consultant

Create conditions and supports for engaging hearts and minds in ways that build depth of meaning making, compassion, and critical process for all students, including our youngest learners.

Tags: Teaching

Focus on Phonics: Five Tips for a Successful Beginning with Phonics, Spelling and Word Study Lessons

September 2, 2022 Cindy Downend, Associate Director of Literacy Programs

Daily systematic explicit phonics instruction is essential for students to learn how to read effectively. Consider these five pointers for organizing your time and materials from the Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Systems.

Tags: Teaching

Open Windows, Open Minds: Let’s Not Close the Pools Again

August 23, 2022 Afrika Afeni Mills, Author & Education Consultant

Every educator in the United States must be prepared to engage in their own racial healing work and face challenges without fear, for the lives of their students.

Setting up the Classroom Library for Optimizing Student Choice and Engagement

August 5, 2022 Genevieve Arcovio, Literacy Trainer

The classroom library can become the heart of the classroom. Here are a few tips to optimize your students’ engagement and ease in choosing books.

Summer 2022: Online Graduate Courses

April 19, 2022 Summer 2022 Online Graduate Courses

Make the most of your summer and take your career to the next level!

Tags: Latest News

Inquiry as a Stance for All Literacy Educators: Teaching Reading Like a Scientist

April 15, 2022 Irene Fountas, Center Director

Take the stance of a scientist and notice, respond and refine your instruction through systematic observation based on evidence.

Tags: Teaching

Summer 2022: Professional Development for Literacy Educators and School Leaders

March 24, 2022 Center News

Make the most of your summer! Check out these literacy professional development opportunities.

Tags: Latest News

Assessment as the Gateway to Responsive Literacy Teaching

December 21, 2021 Irene Fountas, Director

Responsive teaching always begins with the effective assessment of each learner’s unique profile.

Lead for Literacy: Your Moment is Now

December 10, 2021 Irene Fountas, Center Director

A sneak peek into Irene Fountas & Gay Su Pinnell’s new professional book, Leading for Literacy; What Every School Leader Needs to Know.

Upcoming Professional Development

May 21, 2026

Start with the Readers: Small Group Instruction That Makes a Difference (Complimentary Webinar)

Start with what readers need next. In this 45-minute webinar, learn how to identify specific reading needs and use focus groups to design targeted small group instruction with a clear instructional purpose.

Complimentary Webinar
April 30, 2026

Bringing Variety and Choice to Writing About Reading (Complimentary Webinar)

Join our complimentary 45-minute webinar to discover diverse writing genres and formats that help students deepen their understanding, clarify their thinking, and express their ideas in more meaningful ways when they write about reading.

Complimentary Webinar
June 4, 2026

Energizing Student Writing Through Vision, Purpose, and Voice (Complimentary Webinar)

Do your students’ writing pieces often look similar or lack variety in structure and organization? In this complimentary 45-minute webinar, we will explore the importance of supporting students during the planning process so they can clearly communicate their message and make purposeful decisions about their writing.

Complimentary Webinar

Join our community!
It's FREE!

Enhance your literacy expertise by becoming a member of the Center's literacy community. By joining you will receive our newsletters and other email communications that will allow you to stay up to date on the latest resources, articles and upcoming professional learning opportunities.