Literacy

12 Essentials for Phonics Success

September 9, 2025| Posted in Literacy, Best Practices| Benchmark Education| 2170

As districts nationwide grapple with implementing Science of Reading research, education leaders face critical decisions about phonics instruction. This blog identifies 12 essential elements every high-quality phonics solution should include—crucial factors that can transform literacy outcomes from modest improvements to remarkable success. Discover the key components that align with evidence-based practices and help you make informed decisions to significantly enhance reading proficiency across your school or district.

Designated & Integrated ELD: Complementary Paths to Language Proficiency

September 9, 2025| Posted in Literacy, Best Practices| Benchmark Education| 2205

This blog examines how Designated and Integrated English Language Development work together to support English Learners. Readers will discover the key differences between these complementary approaches and learn practical strategies to implement both effectively for enhanced language acquisition and academic success.

10 Effective Ways to Help English Learners Excel with Grade-Level Content

February 14, 2025| Posted in Literacy, Best Practices| Silvia Dorta-Duque de Reyes, Ed. M.| 4125

Discover 10 effective strategies to help English Learners succeed with grade-level content. Learn how to use primary language resources, visual supports, and strategic grouping to bridge language and content learning, creating an inclusive classroom where ELs thrive.

4 Assessments You Should Be Using to Improve Literacy Outcomes

September 9, 2024| Posted in Literacy, Best Practices| Jan Hasbrouck, Ph.D.| 6047

Professional educators use sufficient, appropriate information derived from on-going assessments to plan and deliver instruction and intervention for each student. Learn from Dr. Jan Hasbrouck about the 4 categories of academic assessments, each of which is designed to answer simple but important questions.

A Superpower Boost: Multilingual Learners and the Fluency Development Lesson

September 4, 2024| Posted in Literacy, Best Practices| Lynne Kulich, Ph.D.| 2808

Fluency is a fuel that helps Multilingual Learners (MLLs) leverage their superpower. Discover how instruction in reading fluency facilitates the development of essential English oral language skills like phrasing, intonation, and vocabulary among MLLs. Mastering these skills equips MLLs to comprehend English more proficiently, especially when they achieve fluency in decoding.

What Really Gets Kids Reading?

December 3, 2020| Posted in On the Blog| Benchmark Education| 5639

Research shows that when a self-selected text is above a student’s independent reading level, that student will struggle productively to understand it.