Real Impact, Shared by Real Educators

“I feel equipped to implement instruction that will support my learners.”

“The instructional routines were the most helpful for me. I loved learning all the ways I should start shifting, but the instructional routines felt like actionable steps.”

“It just made so much sense. It was enlightening to learn the research behind practices and pedagogy I just knew were working or not working. It's the most powerful online PD I have ever participated in. I wish I could have all the teachers at our school undergo the training.”

“I changed the way I approach spelling. I am not going to focus on a weekly test. The syllable work I learned has already helped with my teaching practices, and I have seen positive results in my students' understanding.”

“Do it! An incredible learning experience for ALL staff. Everyone walked away inspired and with next steps.”

“I love the way high-frequency words are categorized and prioritized. It helps me know where to put my time and efforts. I also love the clear and concise lesson plan.”

“I went from finding interesting or valuable reads to actually building something coherent and connected. This has helped immensely with my planning and even bringing reading into the forefront of the project. The vocabulary built within every lesson makes my life so much easier, and their connections are just popping out.”

“This course gave me new insight and ways to help support my students so they actually learn how to read instead of guessing.”

“I think the framework is a game changer for small-group work. It narrows the focus for small groups in such a way that makes it very accessible and sustainable for teachers, while being super meaningful for students.”

“I loved the routines section of each module. It was fantastic to see how to apply the science behind each concept in practical ways. The content was presented in a clear and manageable way, making it easy to grasp without feeling overwhelmed.”

“There are just so many good suggestions backed up by great research that you present in an easy-to-digest way!”

“The routine is simple but engaging. I also like being able to show the 109 words to students using the slide show.”

“This PD experience has had a measurable positive impact on instructional practices and aligned perfectly with where we have been trying to move over the past few years. This year, there was growth!”

“Instructional moves were so helpful! They gave me so many practical and easy ways to change my literacy practice in my classroom.”

“The Blending Magic lessons are most useful in my practice. They help my students connect their reading to engaging pictures and build their vocabulary.”

“Each module effectively explained the brain science as well as the concrete instructional moves that support brain-friendly instruction. As a result, the whole course was substantive and practical. Each module was immediately applicable.”

“I loved this class. It was so informative. It has changed my approach to literacy in special education. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!”

“I couldn't have asked for a better course to help me solidify my teaching.”

“One of the most impactful aspects of this learning experience was learning about the easy-to-implement routines and strategies. I am looking forward to incorporating echo and choral reading into my instruction this year.”

“The online courses have been a great way to introduce our teachers to research connected to the science of reading without alienating them or making them feel overwhelmed. The course includes a strong balance of research and practical instructional routines.”

“I used Blending Magic with many of my struggling kindergartners and was very pleased with how effective it was in helping students learn to decode more efficiently and become automatic in word recognition. The vocabulary integration makes all the difference!”

“I have been looking for a course like this for YEARS! It has confirmed some things I believed, helped me more deeply understand what I am seeing, and also challenged me in new ways to change some of my practices.”

“The clear guide to the routines and the teacher planning sheet/student workmat will be really helpful for planning consistent small groups.”

“I love how in each shift you explain the why and then give suggestions on how to implement in the classroom. Some parts reassured me on strategies that are important to continue to use, along with other new ideas to try or to make better.”

“This course helped bring me back to the Science of Reading that I learned in the LETRS course and gives me ways to implement science-based practices.”

“I love the assessment tool and the stoplight to determine which words to teach and when. I have previously struggled with this, and the light makes so much sense.”

“It is such a simple, flexible strategy that gives confidence to any learner and to any teacher who may not have expertise in lots of syllable division rules.”

“This was one of the best courses I've ever taken. Loved the format, the short videos, and that we can actually take the information and apply directly into our instruction in the classroom.”

“I appreciated the examples provided as well as how one would fill in the planning template. Each section of the planning template was clearly explained. I enjoyed the learning-by-doing process.”

“The High-Frequency Word Instruction module has definitely changed the way I teach these. I was definitely of the ‘you just have to memorize’ school of thought. I changed the way I introduce the words and map the words.”

“I loved all three presenters! They were warm, engaging, and reassuring, and they continually reminded me that it's okay to take things slowly and make changes one step at a time.”

“The K–2 class influenced my instruction a lot, and now with my new knowledge from the 3–5 class, I feel like my practice continues to strengthen for my students.”

“It's a great way to get staff thinking about current instructional practices and opening up conversations about whether what we are currently doing is best for our students.”

“I really enjoyed all elements and the practical nature of applying it in class. The focus on sentence work was new to me, so that will be both the most useful and the most challenging to implement moving forward. The videos were clear and succinct, with good examples.”

“The learning experience was very thorough. I really appreciate all the supports and straightforward presentation.”

“All of the easy-to-implement strategies. It was hard not to get excited and want to implement all of the new strategies and ideas.”

“The presenters respect what teachers already have in their own personal toolbox. They understand teachers who are shifting their thinking and provide relevant resources and examples that we can quickly implement step by step.”

“I really appreciate how the content was organized and presented in a way that helps teachers take practical next steps. The resources and routines have given me so much to work with.”

“The Blending Magic lessons create context, meaning, and vocabulary that I just don't get with UFLI. I still use UFLI to teach the skill, but for word and sentence reading, I've been using the Blending Magic lessons!”

“I appreciated the combination of the Bricks & Mortar lesson template, routine blueprints, and demonstrations of how everything would look together.”

“The Heart Word Success mini-course gave me procedures to use alongside UFLI Heart Words, which I was struggling with and needed additional help teaching. Now I KNOW!”

“The instructional moves explained practical ideas we can try tomorrow in the classroom. Or plan to try.”

“The Heart Word Success course explained the why behind a more effective way to teach sight words and then showed me exactly how, step by step, to introduce and teach new words. It also gave great ideas for assessments to determine what words need to be taught and how to keep track of the data.”

“This professional development experience provided a great opportunity for learning and reflection. We will revisit what we learned at our next session.”

“The routine blueprints in the Bricks & Mortar online class are extremely helpful. I really appreciate all of the charts, too, such as the suffix spelling change chart. That's helpful for me and a great resource for students.”

“I think the entire experience was positive for me. I appreciated being able to pace myself, not become overwhelmed, and stay engaged.”

“The course provides an excellent balance of theory and practice. Theory is presented in an easy-to-understand manner, and the practice routines are designed to be efficient and effective.”

“I loved the whole class. One thing missing from our state training was acknowledging all of the skills experienced teachers brought into the Science of Reading from their other experiences.”

“The sentence-level and passage-level routines in the Bricks & Mortar online class are helpful for content teachers in the upper grades to understand how to support reading and writing.”

“During this learning experience, I appreciated the encouragement and the commitments about being kind to ourselves and willing to look honestly at previous practice. Here I am, still learning and growing!”

“I loved that the online class allowed me to pick up where I left off and that each segment was bite-sized. I could immediately implement what I learned in my classroom the following day!”

“My commitment as a result of this learning experience is to invite students to work through the orthography, not around it! My goal is to help them build a much stronger orthographic filing system.”

“The fluency module had the greatest impact. I love the idea of frequent, distributed fluency practice. I also like the self-assessment because it shows students their progress and gives them independence.”

“The Bricks & Mortar online class was well presented and easy to follow. I especially liked the walkthroughs demonstrating how to put all the instructional routines together into a complete lesson. They helped solidify what I had learned.”

“It was refreshing to hear how hard we work as educators and that we can start small and build on our progress instead of trying to do everything at once. The presenters gave me permission to just begin without feeling the need to be perfect.”