Iowa Reading Research Center

Introducing... CLIFTER, the all-new cursive handwriting instruction tool from the IRRC! 🎉 CLIFTER provides educators with flexible, easy-to-use materials for teaching cursive handwriting. Available now! irrc.education.uiowa.edu/resources/clif…

When developing print awareness, children learn that print carries meaning, that it is organized in a specific way, and that there are rules for how one reads and writes. Learn the grade level expectations for this skill and how to practice it at home through our Core Literacy…

How do you determine if your students could benefit from a classwide intervention? The Tier 1.5 Calculator can help! Use the tool to calculate your class’s median screening score and compare it to the published norms of your screening assessment - access the calculator for free:…

Can a curriculum really be “SOR-approved?” How can you tell if a program is really “research-based?” Find out at our free upcoming webinar with Dr. Qian Wang on August 7 @ 11am CT. Register now: uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dh…

Does your class need support somewhere in between universal instruction and small-group instruction? The IRRC’s Tier 1.5 Calculator is designed to help educators analyze screening assessment data to determine whether a classwide intervention is right for their students.…

We are so grateful to @WordFlight_Read for its platinum sponsorship of the 2025 Iowa Science of Reading Summit! Thank you for all of your support this year! Be sure to visit WordFlight at their booth on July 29-30. #IowaSOR

NEW: To determine whether a classwide intervention is needed, educators must gather student data, identify appropriate cut scores, and determine a recommendation for next steps. The IRRC’s Tier 1.5 Calculator calculates your class’s median score relative to important cutoff…

For some students, learning to write in cursive can feel like an uphill climb ⛰️⛰️. Luckily, CLIFTER is here to help educators deliver effective, explicit, and evidence-based instruction in cursive handwriting. irrc.education.uiowa.edu/clifter

The Frayer Model of teaching vocabulary uses a graphic organizer, allowing students to study and break down the meaning of new words. Take our eLearning module to learn about effective vocab instruction, how to select vocab words from a text, and more: irrc.education.uiowa.edu/professional-s…

The multi-tiered system of supports is an evolving framework intended to meet the learning needs of all students. Read our series of blog posts on differentiating Tier 1 instruction to learn more about making class-wide instruction most effective for your students:…

At the 2025 Iowa Science of Reading Summit, Dr. Munger will present tools and strategies for understanding structured literacy and implementing it in your classroom. Already registered? Sign up to receive licensure renewal credit for attending: eventsquid.com/event/25959

When instructional coaches measure student opportunities to respond (OTRs) during a classroom observation, they can provide support to increase student engagement. Our online application, MOTR-Cycle, provides an easy way to measure OTRs, and it’s available for free!…

At the 2025 Iowa Science of Reading Summit, Dr. Kochendoerfer and Dr. Munger will present tools and strategies for understanding structured literacy. Already registered? Sign up to receive licensure renewal credit for attending: eventsquid.com/event/25959

New resource alert 🗣️🗣 CLIFTER is here to help educators implement effective, efficient cursive handwriting instruction for elementary students. The tool includes step-by-step instructional videos, downloadable classroom materials, and more, at no cost. irrc.education.uiowa.edu/resources/clif…

Research suggests that classwide intervention, or Tier 1.5, can be beneficial when the majority of students in a class are not meeting reading goals. Read our latest blog post to learn how Tier 1.5 fits into the multi-tiered system of supports: irrc.education.uiowa.edu/blog/2025/07/h…

Looking for new resources for your educator toolbox? Read our July update to learn about our free new fidelity monitoring tool and our forthcoming Tier 1.5 Calculator. mailchi.mp/uiowa/6421475-…

Carrie Hepburn and Stephanie Brenner are attending the Iowa Science of Reading Summit this July to present on creating long-range systems to sustain professional learning cycles and integrating LETRS into a broader curriculum framework. Already registered? Sign up to receive…

Looking to maximize your use of FastBridge progress monitoring data in the classroom? At the Iowa Science of Reading Summit this July, Rhonda Nelson and Sarah Brown will discuss data protocol, data review resources, and progress monitoring data response strategies. Already…

Decodable texts often introduce words and structures in an order that aligns with skills being taught in a reading curriculum. Discover more literacy-related terms and concepts in the IRRC Reading Glossary: irrc.education.uiowa.edu/resources/read…

Learn more from Dr. Stephanie Brenner (@CompassPd) about evidence-based instruction, working with students with dyslexia, and more at this year’s Iowa Science of Reading Summit. Already registered? Sign up to receive licensure renewal credit for attending: eventsquid.com/event/25959

What is data-based individualization (DBI) and how can implementing a DBI model impact students’ writing performance? Dr. Erica Lembke, featured speaker at the 2025 Iowa Science of Reading Summit, answers these questions and more in our latest Q & A blog post:…