Literacy services provide professional learning and coaching of instructional approaches in reading, writing, speaking, and listening for K-12 students. These efforts are designed to build a school learning community engaged in studying and promoting growth and student achievement in literacy.
Literacy Contacts
Consultant | Districts Served |
Melanie Andersen | Boyer Valley, Heartland Christian, ISD, Lewis Central, Logan-Magnolia, Missouri Valley, St. Albert, Underwood, West Harrison, Woodbine |
Lori Helgevold | Diagonal, East Union, Lamoni, Mormon Trail, Mt. Ayr, Murray, Southwest Valley |
Karen Hesse | Bedford, Central Decatur, Clarinda, Clarinda Luthern, Shenandoah, South Page, Stanton |
Jenna Hucka | AHSTW, Griswold, Harlan, IKM-Manning, Riverside, Shelby County Catholic, Treynor, Tri-Center |
Jennifer Johnson | East Mills, Essex, Fremont Mills, Glenwood, Griswold, Hamburg, ISD, Lewis Central, Red Oak, St. Albert, Shenandoah, Sidney, Treynor |
Sally Johnston | Atlantic, Bedford, CAM, Clarinda, Clarinda Luthern, Clarke, Creston, Nodaway Valley, South Page, Stanton, Southwest Valley |
Lynn Killpack | AHSTW, Boyer Valley, Clarke, Harlan, Heartland Christian, IKM-Manning, Logan-Magnolia, Missouri Valley, Riverside, Shelby County Catholic, Tri-Center, Underwood, West Harrison, Woodbine |
Kelsie Kralik | Atlantic, CAM, Clarke, Creston, Lenox, Nodaway Valley, Orient-Macksburg |
Emily Lampe | Central Decatur, Diagonal, East Union, Lamoni, Lenox, Mount Ayr, Murray, Mormon Trail, Orient-Macksburg, St. Malachy |
Kari Olson | East Mills, Essex, Fremont Mills, Glenwood, Hamburg, Lewis Central, Red Oak, Sidney |
Department of Education Information
Early Literacy Guidance, July 9, 2020
Approved Literacy Assessments, 2019-2020
Reviewed Interventions, March 2016
Iowa Early Literacy Blueprint, August 2018
Iowa Academic Standards (Iowa Core Standards)
2021-2022 FAST Testing Windows | |
Fall | August 30 – September 30, 2021 |
Winter | January 3 – February 4, 2022 |
Spring | April 25 – May 27, 2022 |
Decision Making
FASTBridge
I’ve Screened, Now What?
aReading Score Interpretation Guide
Literacy Status Chart for Iowa
How Do I Match Students to Interventions?
Phonological Awareness Diagnostic Assessments
- Phonological Awareness Screening Test (PAST) Kilpatrick
- Phoneme Substitution Screener (95% Group) Form X Form Y
- Heggerty
- Two Peas in a Pod
Phonics Diagnostic Assessments
Spelling Diagnostic Assessments
Miscellaneous Tools
Learning Opportunities
Websites
- Louisa Moats, Literacy Expert and Author of LETRS
- Dr. Carol Tolman, International Literacy Expert & Co-Author of LETRS
- Tools 4 Reading, Dr. Mary Dahlgren & Dr. Antonia Fierro
- The Reading League Online Academy
- Iowa Reading Research E-Learning Modules , Website
- AEA Online Learning
- Keys to Literacy
- International Dyslexia Association Video Library
- Anita Archer, Explicit Instruction
- The Writing Revolution
- Equipped for Reading Success
- What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guides
Webinars
- 95% Group David Kilpatrick Webinars
- Really Great Reading Webinars
- Reading Rockets Webcasts
- Simple View of Writing
- Anita Archer Literacy Summit Webinars #1-6
Podcasts
Emily Hanford: Hard to Read, Hard Words, At a Loss for Words
Books
An asterisk (*) indicates the book is available for check-out from GHAEA Media Center
- Language at the Speed of Sight by Mark Seidenberg
- The Writing Revolution by Natalie Wexler
- Equipped for Reading Success by David Kilpatrick *
- Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties by David Kilpatrick with Book Study Guide *
- A Fresh Look at Phonics by Wiley Blevins
- Reader Come Home by Maryann Wolf
- Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention by Nancy Mather and Barbara Wendling *
- Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching by Anita Archer and Charles Hughes *
- Conquering Dyslexia: A Guide to Early Detection and Intervention for Teachers and Parents by Jan Hasbrouck *
Blogs
Instruction
Phonological Awareness
The ability to recognize and manipulate the sound properties of spoken words, such as syllables, initial sounds, rhyming parts, and phonemes – David Kilpatrick (Equipped for Reading Success)
Phonological Awareness Resources:
Phonics
Phonics instruction is a way of teaching reading that stresses the acquisition of letter-sound correspondences and their use in reading and spelling. – Reading Rockets
Phonics Resources:
- Link to West Virginia Phonics Tools4Reading
- Can be used for Small Group and Class-wide Interventions.
- Scope and Sequence of Lessons
- Anita Archer Instructional Routines- Phonics
- The Reading League Decodable Text Sources
Fluency
“Fluency is defined as the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. In order to understand what they read, children must be able to read fluently whether they are reading aloud or silently. When reading aloud, fluent readers read in phrases and add intonation appropriately. Their reading is smooth and has expression.” — Reading Rockets
Fluency Resources:
Vocabulary
Vocabulary is the knowledge of words and word meanings. As Steven Stahl (2005) puts it, “Vocabulary knowledge is knowledge; the knowledge of a word not only implies a definition, but also implies how that word fits into the world.” — Reading Rockets
Vocabulary Resources:
Comprehension
“Reading comprehension is the act of understanding what you are reading. While the definition can be simply stated the act is not simple to teach, learn or practice. Reading comprehension is an intentional, active, interactive process that occurs before, during and after a person reads a particular piece of writing.” — K12 Reader
Comprehension Resources:
Writing
“Writing today is not a frill for the privileged few, but an essential skill for the many.” – Handbook of Language and Literacy
Writing Resources:
Additional Resources for Instruction:
Quick Reference Guides:
Free Online Resources
Storytelling & Online Books
- Storyline Online
- Storytime Read Alouds from Kevin Henkes
- Printable booklets for Beginning Readers
- Story Town readers
- OverDrive – free ebooks or audiobooks through public libraries
- Flyleaf Online books
Phonological Awareness Activities
- Free Reading (Beginning Reading Kindergarten) Lessons and Materials
- Really Great Reading – Countdown Resources focus on Phonological Awareness and Letter Sound knowledge
Phonics
- West Virginia Phonics. Free materials with stories. Excellent for novice readers
- Free Reading (Beginning Reading Kindergarten and First Grade Phonics lessons)
- Really Great Reading Blast & HD Word focuses on phonics skills
Comprehension
- Newsela
- Read Works
- A-Z Vocabulary
- Vocabulary.com: Wordplay for older readers
Writing
- ReadWriteThink. Check out parent and after-school resources by grade level, including writing.
- A-Z Writing: Writing A-Z delivers online writing lessons, resources, and tools to meet the needs of every student, at every learning level.
- Handwriting Without Tears:
Additional Resources
- Iowa Reading Research Center– Web Resources for Parents and Families
- Florida Center for Reading- Learning Center Activities for K-5. Great to teach and reinforce skills.
- Reading Rockets Themed Reading Adventure Pack
- Scholastic-Daily Courses
- Star Fall – Early Reading Skills
- Really Great Reading virtual Letter Tiles
- Heggerty Phonemic Awareness and Remote Learning
- The Reading Teacher’s Sourcebook