Rachel Rubio

Excited to share this new resource I developed for spelling support in Tier 1 with @ReadingLeagueKS members last night! It’s open source and on my website. Hope you find it helpful. Feel free to share! sites.google.com/view/literacyt…

It’s a Marvelous Monday to access an exceptional resource from the Center Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU): Decoding Tips for Parents: 5 Common Word Reading Errors and How to Help. These tips are helpful for families as well as educators! I created an infographic of the : 5 Common Word Reading Errors and How to Help. You can click on the hyperlink to go directly there at this link: dyslexia.mtsu.edu/ebooks/ While you are there, be sure to check out the other amazing resources for families and educators that MTSU offers! Access the infographic here: bit.ly/3Fx6rIM

Congratulations to our AMAZING Assistant Director for Educational Services and School Outreach, Dr. Melinda Hirschmann. This morning @TNDyslexia 2025 RISE Conference, she received the Dyslexia Education and Advocacy Award.

@LizStevensPhD @ChristyRAustin Can’t wait for this session and to connect in person!

Come hang out with @ChristyRAustin and me on March 7! We hope to see you there 🎉🎉 Registration information below 👇

Dr. Cindy Lane, director of the Blueprint for Literacy, is providing an update on the work of the literacy advisory committee, including a review of literacy training (micro-credential) created by regent institutions at the direction of the committee.

SB 438, signed into law on April 25 of this year, established the Blueprint for Literacy & the literacy advisory committee. The Blueprint focuses on workforce development by providing education & training for educators in the science of reading (specifically structured literacy).

I love this thinking and have recently taken note of my own behaviors when reading digital text. I do tend to skim and rush which impacts my comprehension. I’m working to be more intentional about using tools to annotate and engage more. Those things happen naturally for me with paper, but I have to work at it on a screen. I’m not team return to paper, but I think you’re onto something by asking the right Qs!

It’s Not the Screen; It’s How We’re Reading I’ve been wrestling with a notion that seems to keep popping up in discussions about literacy: this claim that students comprehend better on paper than on digital screens. I’ve watched people jump to extremes, suggesting we ditch the devices, get back to basics, and give kids more paper. And each time I hear this, something feels off. Are we blaming the technology instead of examining our behaviors? Here’s what’s not being asked often enough: Why are we reading digital text in such shallow ways? Why the skimming, the surface-level engagement, the rush to move on? Instead of pointing the finger at technology, maybe it’s time we take a deeper look at how we’re engaging with it and challenge ourselves to upgrade the way we read digitally. I read digital text all the time, and let me tell you, it’s not a passive experience. I’m annotating, reflecting, slowing down where it matters, and going back to make sure I understand the text structure and follow the development of ideas. Digital reading is different, yes—but it’s just as capable of being deep and reflective if we approach it with intention. Maybe this isn’t about the medium at all; maybe it’s about transforming how we approach reading, period. It’s a call to shift from surface-level skimming to meaningful, deliberate engagement with digital text. If we teach students to bring that same level of focus and curiosity to screens, imagine how adaptable and powerful their reading skills could be. Instead of fearing digital text, let’s lean into the complexities, teaching ourselves—and our students—to read it well. Shout-out to @ReadingShanahan and his blog post that inspired me to write this post. I encourage everyone to check out his blog below! shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/is-compre…

Honored to facilitate the discussion of, The Case for the Inclusion of Spelling in Early Literacy Assessments to launch the fall series of, The Reading League Cafe: Coffee and Tea with TRL Journal and Me! (Nov. 9 @ 9am ET), for a conversation on how to use spelling assessments to guide instruction with many of the authors of this fabulous article. @reading_league @ReadingLeaguePA

@ReadingLeagueKS @LizStevensPhD This was a great session! I really appreciated the way the info was presented in an engaging way (focusing is hard after a long day of teaching 😜) and having strategies that can be implemented immediately! 👏 👏 👏

Thank you @LizStevensPhD for the informative session on effective ways to build vocabulary & background knowledge to support reading comprehension. The powerful & helpful scaffolds & resources shared, provide educators w both knowledge & effective instruction for ALL learners.

“Good language instruction can happen across content areas- don’t just keep it for an ELA block.” Great session on Oral Language and Reading Comprehension: Implications on Classroom Instruction with Dr Mindy Bridges. @ReadingLeagueKS

Continue your journey in evidence-aligned literacy instruction with a November Online Academy session. Choose from Phonic Knowledge, Rethinking RTI, and more to build your knowledge of the science of reading. Learn more and register: bit.ly/3BZBNFN

We are hiring at UVA! Upper elementary and secondary literacy/reading. Please feel free to reach out to me or ⁦Colby Hall with any questions. higheredjobs.com/faculty/detail…

Independent reading during school time (e.g., DEAR) has not had strong research support. New meta-analysis of 47 quasi-exp studies shows modest effects for reading motivation and word recognition, and no effect for comprehension. Article is open-access. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.11…

#DyslexiaCon attendees: Don't miss the Thursday afternoon general session, "Through My Lens." Michelle Keiper, our director of education and outreach and the founder of DD-OK, will be sharing her story and highlighting the parent voice. Join us as we #saydyslexia.

We’re so excited to host @LizStevensPhD! She’s amazing & continues to play an important role in our ability to advance the use of evidence-aligned reading instruction by sharing these instructional practices with us! Register Now! bit.ly/3XTVnL4

🎉 The term Structured Literacy has transformed reading instruction for years. Now, IDA is unveiling its official definition to keep this evidence-based approach clear and effective for all learners! Review at conta.cc/4f16EQF 💡 #dyslexiaawareness #structuredliteracy

Tomorrow is International Dyslexia Day! Let’s raise awareness and show support for individuals with dyslexia. Snap a photo in your red gear and use the hashtag #GoRedforDyslexiaKS! Let’s flood social media with a sea of red! 🔴 #SayDyslexia #GoRedforDyslexia #1in5

🌟 It's the duty of every teacher on the team to craft accommodations. Special educators have brilliant ideas, but all staff members have wisdom to offer.🌟 #LeadInclusion #EdLeaders #Teachers #UDL #TeacherTwitter

We want you! TRL-VA is recruiting ambassadors to help expand membership, share upcoming events, increase member engagement, and spread professional knowledge. Members who become ambassadors will work alongside the publicity committee. forms.gle/xMhuCCaaxfQxkp…

When we understand the law, we can better protect ourselves and those around us. ➡️ Register today to participate in our interactive webinar and book study series on special education law, led by researcher and author Dr. David Hurford. pittstate.zoom.us/meeting/regist…