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The Blog


The Power of Early Learning: Why Pre-K Success Requires SEL, Literacy, and Family Support
Early learning lays the foundation for everything that follows. Children who develop strong literacy, math, and social-emotional skills in Pre-K are far more likely to succeed in school and beyond. To maximize Pre-K success, schools must provide teachers with professional development (PD) that integrates literacy, social-emotional learning (SEL), and family engagement. When these three elements work together, young learners thrive both academically and socially.

INcompassing Education
Jan 143 min read


Powerful Learning in Small Bites: The Impact of Frequent Small Group Talk
Small group talk is a critical part of learning for everyone. It’s one of the most beneficial practices to embed in classrooms.
April Connelley
Nov 25, 20242 min read


School Counseling Office Must-Haves
A well-designed space can significantly impact the effectiveness of your interactions with students.
Tiffany Creager
Jul 8, 20244 min read


Self-Regulation Strategies for Middle and High School Students
Over the past few years, I’ve heard the same question come up over and over – “how do we help our middle and high school students self-regulate?” It begins with understanding! Whether we reflect on our own experiences, have adolescents in our home, or work with students who are between the ages of 11 and early 20s, we understand that there are some significant shifts in behavior and functioning during this time! Students are seeking to understand themselves and how they fit i
Dianne McKinley
Sep 17, 20237 min read


Summer Reading Challenge
Most education professionals, regardless of whether they are on a year-round or a school-year contract, think of the summer as a time to rejuvenate and do all the things there wasn’t time for during the school year. For me, that means time to catch up on reading, personal and professional. It also means I have a little time to think about what I’m reading and explore some new things. I don’t want to get stuck in a rut and just keep reading the same author or type of book over
Dianne McKinley
May 23, 20232 min read


What Is Orthographic Mapping?
A proficient reader has thousands of words in their sight vocabulary. Words that we automatically recognize at a speed so fast we don’t even realize it is happening. Words that we can’t stop ourselves from reading. Words that are permanently stuck in our brains. How does this happen? How do words move from needing to be decoded, to permanent and instant recognition? It’s all about orthographic mapping.
Dianne McKinley
May 21, 20232 min read


The Ultimate Recess Equipment
Whether you are a classroom teacher, physical education teacher, or school principal, chances are you are looking to add something fun and engaging to your playground or gym equipment for recess. Look no further than the amazing Pindaloo.
Dianne McKinley
Apr 19, 20231 min read


What Is the Science of Reading?
If you’ve spent any time in education lately, you’ve probably heard the phrase “science of reading.” But it’s more than a buzzword. The science of reading is a large body of research explaining how people learn to read, why some students struggle, and which instructional practices reliably lead to success. It’s not a single program or trend — it’s decades of evidence that can transform how we teach literacy.
Dianne McKinley
Feb 28, 20232 min read


Reducing Test Stress: Strategies for Standardized Test Anxiety
Many students experience test anxiety at varying levels. When kids are anxious, they aren’t always able to think as clearly as they might when calm. It may be difficult to sustain attention for long periods of time when anxious thoughts consume the mind. Students may also sweat more, have increased heart rate, become emotionally upset, begin to doubt themselves or become agitated. This is even more prevalent for students who have struggled in a school setting in one way or an
Tiffany Creager
Dec 9, 20229 min read


Reading Manipulatives: 10 Simple Things Every Early Reading Teacher Needs
August means only one thing, back to school. Teachers gear up by organizing, decorating, and creating a physical space that supports learning. This is the time when teachers decide which materials to pull out and what to have at the ready for instruction. If you are a new teacher or new to the primary grades you might be asking, what should I make sure I have.
April Connelley
Aug 1, 20224 min read


School Turnaround
School turnaround is an intervention directed toward a low-performing school that delivers considerable gains in achievement, and readies that school for the process of transformation into a high-performing institution. It refers to the efforts being made by districts and states to improve student outcomes, build capacity, and sustain reforms. Professional development for teachers can help in this regard.
Dianne McKinley
Nov 4, 20203 min read


The Best Way to Teach Struggling Readers
If you are an educator or parent, then you have likely spent some time thinking about the best ways to teach children to read. If you are a parent or educator with a struggling reader, you have probably agonized over how to help that child. Reading Simplified has determined how to teach struggling readers of any age.
Dianne McKinley
Jul 9, 20204 min read


The Distinction Between School Climate and School Culture
We believe that building positive school culture and school climate largely depends on the quality of relationships.
Dianne McKinley
Jun 1, 20175 min read
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