Demystifying the science of reading #1: What it is, and what it isn’t

science of reading

You’ve probably heard the phrase “the science of reading” being tossed around lately. Your district or school may be taking initiatives to align to the science of reading, and may even be changing your curricula after years or even decades. Why all the hullabaloo? Let’s talk about what the science of reading really is, what it isn’t, and why it matters.

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Building Spanish Phonics Skills for Biliteracy

We are excited to announce 27 new books and 161 new games organized into 41 new lessons designed to support Spanish phonics curriculum!

The brand new Fonética: silabas y palabras and Mis libritos fonéticos in Footsteps2Brilliance Central™ offer highly-effective practice for vocales, consonantes, sílabas directas – CV, and sílabas trabadas – CCV. All of the phonics games are automatically scored so that teachers can easily monitor student’s Spanish phonics proficiency.

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Allie the Alligator

For this weeks’s Family Friday, we have a fun arts and crafts activity with Allie the Alligator! In Allie the Alligator, children will learn all about alligator facts. Children will then make their own Allie the Alligator and see how strong her jaws can be. Read our step-by-step guide on how to play this interactive literacy craft for kids at home!

What you need:

  • 20 mini marshmallows
  • 2 sheets of green construction paper
  • 1 sheet of red construction paper
  • ½ sheet of white writing paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Black marker or crayon

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Allie La Caimán

¡Para este #ViernesEnFamilia, tenemos una divertida actividad con Allie La Caimán! En Allie La Caimán, los niños aprenderán sobre todos los hechos de caimanes. Luego, los niños harán su propio Allie the Alligator y verán cuán fuertes pueden ser sus mandíbulas. ¡Lea nuestra guía sobre cómo jugar esta actividad interactiva con su hijo/a en casa!

Los materiales:

  • 20 mini marshmallows
  • 2 hojas de papel verde
  • 1 hoja de papel rojo
  • ½ hoja de papel blanco
  • Pegamento
  • Tijeras
  • Marcador negro o crayón

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Growing Foundational Reading Skills with Decodable Books

We are excited to announce a new book series designed to support your classroom phonics curriculum. The Growing Readers series in Footsteps2Brilliance Level 2 and in Footsteps2Brilliance Central™ offers highly-effective multi-sensory practice with immediate feedback to support students in developing phonics skills. Even better, all of the phonics games are automatically scored so that teachers can easily monitor student growth.

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The Lion and the Mouse

This week, you and your children will put on a puppet show based on the Aesop’s fable The Lion and the Mouse. This fun activity is a great way to practice the skill of speaking out loud while learning social-emotional lessons from the story. Read our step-by-step guide to make the puppet show come to life for this social-emotional activity.

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El león y la ratona

Esta semana, usted y sus niños presentarán un espectáculo de marionetas basado en la fábula de esopo El león y la ratona.  Esta divertida actividad es una gran manera de practicar la expresión lingüística mientras aprenden lecciones socio-emocionales del cuento. Lea nuestra guía con los pasos a seguir para darle vida a su espectáculo de marionetas.

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Ilene the Iguana

This week’s Family Friday is a twist on the classic game Pin the Tail on the Donkey. After reading Ilene the Iguana in our Alphabet Animals series, your children will learn fun facts, like the fact that iguanas can regrow their tails!  After coloring in their iguana, blindfold your children and see if they can pin the iguana’s tail in the right place. Have fun with this interactive animal craft!

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Ilene La Iguana

Para este Viernes en Familia, haremos un juego clásico. Después de leer Ilene the Iguana en nuestra serie Alfabeto de Animales, sus hijos aprenderán que las iguanas pueden volver a crecer. ¡Después de colorear su iguana, vea si su hijo/a puede fijar la cola de la iguana en el lugar correcto!

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Happy Obon!

In this week’s Family Friday you will make a lantern for the Japanese holiday called Obon which takes place from the 13th to the 15th of the seventh lunar month. This year, the holiday will be celebrated from August 13 to 15. Obon honors and remembers people who have died. Families place candles in lanterns and float them down the river. Read our step-by-step guide on how to make your own Obon lantern at home to celebrate!

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