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For over a century, educators have been searching for the best way to teach children to read. This blog will explore two approaches to literacy: Orton–Gillingham (OG), a print-to-speech approach and EBLI (Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction), which is built on the Linguistic Phonics, speech-to-print framework. Both approaches share the same noble goal: helping every student, including […]

If you can spell a word (by sound, not memorization), you can read that word! The reverse is not typically true. Many competent to exceptional readers do not excel in spelling, but exceptional spellers almost always excel in reading.  Why is that? Even though reading and spelling are ‘two sides of the same coin’, meaning […]

Word meaning is integral to all learning! If we can say a word but don’t understand the meaning, it has little value to our learning. In the realm of literacy instruction, enriched vocabulary enhances background knowledge, comprehension, higher-level thinking, storytelling, communicating, and the richness of words used in writing. Boosting vocabulary is something that can […]

“May you find benefit in this story of the evolution of an educator and her practices, told with refreshing honesty and vulnerability. Lindsay Journo, the author of this guest blog, shares the ups and downs of her literacy learning, including what happened once she (reluctantly) discovered EBLI. You also won’t want to miss the companion […]

Product Certification Provides Transparency to Edtech Marketplace SEPTEMBER 2023 | Washington, D.C. – The K-5 Classroom EBLI Teacher Training & Student Lessons (ETSL) has earned the Research-Based Design for Instructional Learning Products: Product Certification from Digital Promise. This Product Certification serves as a rigorous, reliable signal for district and school leaders, educators, and families looking […]

Nora Chahbazi, EBLI Founder with Dr. Rachel Schechter, LXD Research Founder In the quest for effective literacy instruction, Nora Chahbazi, a neonatal nurse turned literacy advocate, discovered a groundbreaking approach that challenges traditional phonics programs. As a mother helping her own daughter learn to read, Nora realized the power of a speech-first approach. Within just […]

Trauma. Anxiety. Suffering. These experiences are widespread and deeply embedded within most, if not all, of the children and adults who experience sub-literacy or illiteracy. Their teachers, parents, and loved ones commonly experience secondary trauma.  Trauma and anxiety around reading is a topic I’ve been wanting to write about, while at the same time have […]

What Makes EBLI Instruction Unique When explaining EBLI to educators, administrators, and others, the most comment I get is “We already do that”. Reflecting on their comments, I realize my weakness in conveying the unique, innovative qualities of EBLI that are hindering understanding. In collaborating with others who have created and/or teach a Structured Linguistic […]

I was recently interviewed by Darius Namdaran for his podcast Dyslexia Explored. Darius is an excellent interviewer, and I shared some insights with him on this interview that I’ve never before shared publicly. The interview ran over 90 minutes. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen On Line Darius also asked some questions and graciously allowed me […]

How long should students continue reading decodable books? Do they need leveled books? When and how can they move to getting a book from the library or store, advancing to reading whatever they want? The importance of reading in connected text is critical to improving reading. Of course, the reader must have a foundation in […]

Research says a lot about the importance of spelling as well as the connection between spelling and reading and writing. Here are just a few research references about the importance of spelling: ‘The spelling to read movement spotlights the importance of spelling for orthographic mapping and spelling’s role in automatic word reading which drives reading […]

“Teachers the world over are experiencing increasing awareness about the research that backs how reading should be taught – often referred to as the Science of Reading – and are shifting or completely changing their teaching practices as a result. Julie VanLier is a 21-year veteran Kindergarten Teacher who has undergone extensive self-education on the […]

How do I know if my student(s) or children are reading successfully? There is an abundance of information that is easily accessible about reading instructional practices based on the Science of Reading, Balanced Literacy, or other processes to teach or remediate reading. Reading assessments happen routinely in schools too. However, information about the behaviors of […]

Effective communication in general is tricky, and communication between parents and educators takes this to a whole new level. There’s often so much emotion involved, both for the parents and the teacher and/or administrator. I have experienced this firsthand and often think of what I could have done differently (a lot of things I’m sure!) […]

Writing about whether phonics and syllable rules are necessary for student learning makes me feel somewhat anxious and quite vulnerable. I’m certain that teaching rules and syllable types is not necessary in order to learn to read well and quickly, but I am also acutely aware of the vitriol that can result from pushing up […]

R-Controlled vowels. Bossy r. Pirate r. R-influenced vowels. R in charge, rhotic and non-rhotic. What do these terms mean? These terms are referring to words that have one or two vowels with the letter ‘r’ after them in a word. The following words are r-controlled: far, for, war, earth, ear, bear, dollar, marry, word, and […]

The joy of reading and getting immersed in a great book is one of the main reasons we are obsessed with teaching kids and adults so they become proficient readers. Deviating from my typical format, this blog post will introduce you to the EBLI team, some of their favorite books, and why they love them. […]

Think of something that you are not adept at, something that you can muddle through but it isn’t easy or enjoyable. For me, technology and tennis come to mind. I can do the basics on the computer but am sure I could even do those more efficiently. If something goes awry when I’m working with […]

Those who read and write well, which most likely includes you if you’re reading this, typically take for granted the gift of literacy that allows us full access to society. The daily impact of sub-literacy, or low level reading, spelling, and writing, is not part of our experience. Even though you may not be aware […]

The seed that led to my involvement in The Truth About Reading documentary was planted back in 1997. My daughter’s reading struggles at the time were the catalyst that diverted my career path from nursing to literacy. Since then, my hope, passion, and life’s work have been focused on the goal of high-level literacy for all.  Fast […]

Materials don’t teach children how to read, teachers teach children how to read. I don’t remember where I read or heard that but I do repeat it a lot because it is an integral component of EBLI teacher training and ongoing support! When I was learning all I could about how to teach reading in […]

Since soon after I first taught my daughter Colleen to read back in the mid 1990’s, an experience that set me on this obsessive literacy journey, I have been ultra-aware of the crucial role segmenting plays in reading as well as spelling. Colleen was in 2nd grade and could memorize words like a pro– both in […]

Let’s Marie Kondo literacy instruction! Or, follow the advice from the dynamic, amazing teacher and trainer Anita Archer: “Cut the fluff and teach the stuff.” Have you ever noticed that we all want things easier (and better) but often don’t know how to do it or find ourselves sabotaging our progress or resisting choosing to […]

Phonemic awareness is a hot topic in recent months and years, and rightly so! The literacy research is rock solid on the importance of phonemic awareness in reading instruction. Back in the mid-90’s, when researching how to teach reading, what I learned about effectively and efficiently teaching reading was heavily infused with phonemic awareness instruction, […]

Have you ever read a book and wanted to find someone else who had read it so you could discuss it with them? After reading The Shack many years ago, I remember feeling almost desperate to find someone to have a conversation with about that book. I finally resorted to Googling ‘discussions about The Shack’!  However, online discussions just […]

Anytime is a fantastic time to take advantage of read alouds! In this blog, I’ll share some ways for both teachers and parents to do this along with touching on how to enhance your read alouds whether reading to one child or an entire classroom.   INCREASING VOCABULARY – ENHANCED READ ALOUDS There are countless benefits […]

The point of all reading instruction is for the learner to be able to accurately and automatically read the words on the page so they are able to understand what they are reading. In previous blogs, I have focused on the problems with pretend reading, how to motivate students, effective, efficient, explicit instruction to teach […]

There has been much buzz, discussion, and debate around phonological and phonemic awareness instruction lately.  Is instruction with larger units such as syllables and onset-rime necessary? Can emerging readers start at the phoneme or sound level? Should this be taught to students 2nd grade and older? Should instruction include letters, manipulatives, just auditory or some/all of […]

Twice in my life I’ve had the pleasure of living on tropical islands. For 3 years in the 1980s we lived at the Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In the ’90s, we lived for 2 years on Guam, which is located between Hawaii and Japan. Guam is one of 15 of the Mariana Islands, […]

The 2019-2020 school year proved to be quite the year for US schools (and schools all over the world). In Michigan, where there were 120,000+ kindergartners across nearly 3,000 schools, it was also the sixth year the state implemented common core standards in full.  Julie VanLier, a Michigan Kindergarten Teacher of nearly 20 years, explains […]

Part 2:  Accelerate Instruction As we established in Part 1 of this blog series, English is an alphabetic code. The skills needed to manage this code and the concepts that are unique to the code are covered in Part 1. If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend doing so. You may find it helpful to give […]

This is Part 1 of a 2-part blog series. Once you’re done, be sure to check out Part 2! Part 1: Skills and Concepts There is a lot of debate in education circles about what reading is or isn’t, and around the term Science of Reading. This discourse can be drawn out and take up a […]

How Might I Identify A Pretend Reader (and Speller)? In our reading center, parents often ask us how their child got all A’s on their report card but really can’t read or write. My daughter Colleen was the best reader in her class in 1st grade and the beginning of 2nd grade, according to her teachers. She was fluent […]

How do we keep students ‘in the zone’ when they are learning? Whether learners are being taught in-person or virtually, providing instruction or guidance that keeps students engaged and motivated is integral to their learning! This is a key factor for both teachers providing the instruction and parents providing support. The number one factor for […]

Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (EBLI) is an effective, efficient, systematic, research-based, revolutionary system of explicit literacy instruction, delivered through online, interactive training for classroom teachers and remediation educators. EBLI aligns with the Common Core Standards and  Grades K-3 Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy. Benefits of Brain Training Games In this blog, I am sharing some non-academic cognitive […]

What is Sub-Literacy? Sub = below. Literacy = the ability to read and write.  Sub-literacy is a problem hiding in plain sight. Someone could be illiterate (not able to read or spell at the most basic level) or ‘functionally illiterate’ (reading at the 5th grade level or below). 21% of adults can be categorized as […]

In 1997, my daughter Colleen was in 2nd grade. Her math score on the Iowa test was so high (98th percentile) that she was placed into her school’s Gifted and Talented program. On the same test, however, her reading was a year below grade level. Her spelling was also atrocious; a school writing piece of hers, posted […]

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu Colleen, my middle daughter, has always been bright, kind-hearted, and curious. Her reading challenges in 2nd grade, back in 1997, were the impetus that led to the creation of EBLI. Besides struggling significantly with reading and spelling at that time, she lacked confidence, […]

EBLI is similar to traditional instruction in many ways: phonemic awareness and phonics instruction is structured, explicit, and systematic. Students immediately apply in reading and writing what was learned in the explicit instruction. Decodable stories are used for emerging readers and the students move to reading authentic text. Fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, spelling, handwriting, and writing are not just addressed but are […]

Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (EBLI) is an effective, efficient, systematic, research-based, revolutionary system of explicit literacy instruction, delivered through online, interactive training for classroom teachers and remediation educators. EBLI aligns with the Common Core Standards and  Grades K-3 Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy. ABOUT EBLI & HOW EBLI WORKS In EBLI’s Online trainings, educators learn and teach EBLI’s […]