FAQs
About EBLI
EBLI stands for Evidence Based Literacy Instruction. EBLI is a teacher training and student instruction system that utilizes a Structured Linguistic Literacy (SLL) approach (aka Linguistic Phonics or Speech to Print approach). EBLI provides explicit instruction to teach the 5 Essential Components of Reading, as well as handwriting, writing, and spelling, to learners of any age and ability level in whole class, small group, and 1:1 settings. Teacher training and support is online and asynchronous.
The following free resources will be the most useful to you as you begin your exploration of EBLI:
o EBLI Community Facebook Group for Educators & Parents
Rather than providing instruction in one or a few components of reading (i.e. a tool in the toolbox), EBLI provides instruction in all the components of reading, plus writing, handwriting, and spelling in an interleaving fashion for maximum efficiency (i.e. all the tools plus the toolbox). In teaching a Structured Linguistic Literacy (SLL) – also sometimes referred to as Speech to Print or Linguistic Phonics – approach, EBLI is fundamentally different from instruction that teaches Balanced Literacy or Traditional Phonics with a Print to Speech approach.
For an overview of SLL, start with these 3 resources:
o Then and Now: How Linguistic Phonics and EBLI Have Transformed My Teaching
These resources and communities provide detailed information about SLL and EBLI:
o Video + Podcast: Other Ways to Teach Reading with Nora Chahbazi by Dyslexia Explored
o Webinar: Speech to Print: Is There a 3rd Way? by Reading Simplified
o Facebook Group: EBLI Community by EBLI
o Facebook Group: S2P / SLL / Linguistic Phonics Exploration by Nicki Prati
o Online Magazine Issue: Dystinct January 2023 by Dystinct Magazine
o Recorded Presentations: SLL Discussion Series – Dystinct Magazine by Science of Reading – What I Should Have Learned in College Facebook Group
o Recorded Presentation: Then and Now – How Linguistic Phonics and EBLI have transformed my literacy instruction by Jen Newman
o Webinar: Speech to Print vs Print to Speech by EBLI
o Podcast: Speech to Print with Nora Chahbazi and John Walker by Sounds-Write
o Podcast: What is Speech to Print by Melissa and Lori Love Literacy
o Symposium: Phonics: Speech to Print by Sounds-Write
About EBLI Online Teacher Training & Student Lessons (ETSL)
Absolutely. The following videos show a sample of each type of EBLI activity that is taught throughout the Scope & Sequence of each of the ETSL trainings.
o Intervention
o Track 1
If you’d like to experience a taste of EBLI before getting started with ETSL, the following resources provide instruction in bite sized portions of the EBLI system. They represent a small portion of the activities included within ETSL.
o EBLI Apps for students
o EBLI Mini Courses for parents & educators
o EBLI YouTube Free Video Lessons for students
The EBLI Online Teacher Training & Student Lessons (ETSL) is an online annual training subscription with a renewal option each year after the initial subscription is completed. With the initial subscription, trainees receive:
o Access to the online ETSL system with 100+ activities of interactive teacher and student learning (including videos, lessons, and printable documents) for the duration of the subscription
o Extended Scope & Sequence hard copy booklet (shipped)
o Lifetime access to the online EBLI Members Area
o Lifetime access to online coaching via the EBLI Members Facebook Group
o Monthly Zoom coaching calls (September – May) for the duration of the subscription
o Email support for the duration of the subscription
o ETSL Certification (if requirements are met)
Find more details in the info pack for Intervention ETSL and the info pack for Classroom ETSL.
Below you’ll find the similarities and differences between the Classroom ETSL and the Intervention ETSL:
o The Intervention ETSL includes content for K-12 in small group/1 on 1 settings, while each Classroom ETSL contains content for a specific grade level (K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th) in a whole class setting
o For Intervention ETSL, there are many videos included but not all are required (trainees watch what’s needed for their students)
o Classroom ETSL and Intervention ETSL contain the same skills, concepts, and processes delivered differently
o There is more repetition, differentiation, focused support, and error correction in Intervention ETSL
o Classroom ETSL is more geared toward daily instruction and infusing EBLI instruction through the curriculum
o Two activities per day for Classroom ETSL, several activities per intervention session – sessions are more targeted
The following time commitment is required for ETSL over the course of the annual subscription:
o Orientation + Getting Started (1-2 days; in schools it is recommended that teachers be given PD days for this portion)
o Assess Student(s) (varies based on number of students)
o Activities: Teacher Training & Student Lessons (40-60 hours)
o Coaching Calls (minimum 5 hours)
o Coaching via Facebook Group & Email (optional – varies)
TOTAL: approximately 50-70 hours (not including Assessment/Coaching)
ETSL was built for anybody teaching reading, writing, and spelling in a whole class, small group, or 1 on 1 environment working in a school or independently of a school.
There is one version of ETSL for anybody teaching intervention (1 on 1 or small group). For classroom teachers, there is a different version of ETSL for each grade level: K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (coming Aug. 2023), and 5th (coming Aug. 2023).
ETSL is currently not offered with options for graduate credit or continuing education. There is an ETSL Certification included with the initial subscription for those that meet the certification criteria.
No. Including a Teacher Support Administrator (TSA) is an option available to those who work in schools. Those taking ETSL who don’t work in a school don’t need to include TSA information.
ETSL renewal is optional. If they’ve gone through the content in the online system, trainees will have what they need to continue to teach EBLI to students after their initial subscription (and optional certification) is complete. However, renewal is necessary for those trainees that wish to have continued access to the videos and coaching.
While ETSL provides an explicit scope and sequence for initial instruction, EBLI is a methodology consisting of a system of skills, concepts, strategies, and activities that can be used anytime a learner is required to read, write, or spell.. The EBLI process can be infused into and used with any curriculum or content where students are expected to accurately and automatically read, write, or spell.
You can register for ETSL by filling out a registration form here (scroll to the bottom of the page for forms).
About EBLI 1 on 1 Student Instruction
Our EBLI Reading Center offers 1 on 1 Student Instruction in person (in Flushing, MI) and online. There is currently a waitlist, and students can be added to the waitlist here.
CLICK HERE for Reading Center information
CLICK HERE for Reading Center pricing
The EBLI Reading Center provides students with instruction in the full EBLI system. While waiting for Reading Center availability, the following resources can provide instruction in bite sized portions of the EBLI system to get started.
EBLI Apps for students
EBLI Mini Courses for parents & educators
EBLI YouTube Video Lessons for students
Yes! In the EBLI Community Facebook Group, you can connect with a mix of people exploring EBLI, people whose children are being taught EBLI, and people trained in EBLI.
Yes! As a parent, if you decide to take ETSL to teach EBLI to your child(ren), you’d want to explore the K-12 Intervention ETSL. You can find more FAQs about ETSL in the section above.
EBLI Results
The evidence in Evidence Based Literacy Instruction refers to the vast body of research done over the past several decades from which the foundation of EBLI instruction was built. You can learn more about this on our Science of Reading page (note the “Additional Resources” section at the bottom).
There are currently classroom and intervention research studies on EBLI in the works for the 2023-2024 school year, with more research coming in the future!
Many teachers and interventionists have shared their data after using EBLI with students. Some of the data has been formatted into case studies and the rest of the data was collected in a variety of formats (see below).
o 2005, Woodcock Johnson pre and post scores, Michael Gallutia
o Classroom and intervention mix, Effect size gains up to 2.70
o n=256
o 2007, Summary EBLI ACT results, Nora Chahbazi
o ACT Composite score gain average 1.0; ACT instruction in groups up to 15, average of 1.5 hours of instruction
o n=70
o 2007, Kindergarten DIBELS, Julie Vanbergen
o NWF Spring 2005 – 24%, Spring 2007 – 87%; Segmenting Spring 2005 – 40%, Spring 2007 – 97%
o n=60
o 2007, 2nd grade DIBELS, Luke Healey
o 193% higher composite score for EBLI classrooms
o n=unknown
o 2007, 6th Grade students WJIII, Saugatuck Public Schools
o Average comprehension gain 1.24 in 5 to 12 intervention sessions (45 minutes)
o n=15
o 2010, Middle School, Special Education, WJ Reading Mastery, Tammy Hazley
o Average gains: WA 1.72; Passage Comprehension 0.75; 75-90 minutes of instruction
o n=23
o 2016, Ounce of Prevention Reading Center EBLI Gains, Nora Chahbazi
o WID average increase 1.87; WA average increase 2.70; 9.5 hours of instruction
o n=771
o 2021, K and 1st MAP/NWEA, multiple schools
o Scores well below goal (fall) to 11-21 points above goal (spring)
o n=62
o 2021, K, 1st, 3rd F & P Level gains, multiple schools
o Average 6.6 levels gain from fall or winter to spring
o n=94
o 2021, 1st, 2nd, 3rd DIBELS and Acadience, multiple schools
o 1st grade classroom: average 51 points gain from fall to spring
o n=72
Miscellaneous
CLICK HERE for our Technical Support page.
The EBLI team does have availability for a limited number of presentations and workshops throughout the year. For more information, please fill out this form.
If you have more questions, please fill out this form and include them.