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For the seventh year in a row, the Read Naturally team got together to supply local kids in need with back-to-school essentials.

The easiest Read Naturally stories to read are often the hardest ones to write. Many people are surprised to learn this. Isn’t it easier to write a quick level 1.0 story than it is to research and write a complex level 8.0 story?

Innovations and developments over more than three decades have continuously enhanced the quality of the tools Read Naturally offers for teachers and students. In addition, Read Naturally remains dedicated to doing right by teachers and students. Our founder, Candyce Ihnot, still works tirelessly along with the rest of the Read Naturally team to strengthen its reading instruction tools and training.

“What is your favorite children’s book and why?” We asked this question to the entire Read Naturally staff. The reason was twofold. First, we wanted to donate the books—48 in total—to a local nonprofit called Read Indeed, which distributes books to children in need. Second, we wanted to compile a thoughtful booklist to share with all of you, our dear supporters.

The year was 1991. The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 3,000 for the first time. Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Whitney Houston were battling for the top spot on the pop charts. The Soviet Union was dissolving, and the Cold War was over. The future was bright, and anything was possible.

Back in 2018, Read Naturally founder Candyce Ihnot wrote a blog post about how she uses the Word Warm-ups program to boost her students’ phonics skills. In her post, Time for Phonics, Candyce explains why using Word Warm-ups for phonics practice is beneficial for readers at all levels. She also explains the clever and motivating ways she incorporates this program into the daily schedule of her reading lab. Be sure to check out her article, as it describes several ideas that have resulted in great success—and great fun—in Candyce’s reading lab.

When Candyce Ihnot developed the Read Naturally Strategy back in 1989, her students were the only ones using it. It might have stayed this way, had it not been for the dedicated teachers who saw promise in Candyce’s results and decided to give the strategy a try with their own students. Pleased with how well it worked, these teachers spread the word to other teachers. This is how, eventually, the Read Naturally Strategy came to help millions of struggling students read fluently.

We are pleased to report that the Closing the Gap organization recently featured Read Naturally on its Front Page Report, which highlights the products and developments that are influential in the area of assistive technology. Assistive technology is any product or tool that helps people with disabilities in the tasks they set out to accomplish. Closing the Gap is internationally renowned as the leader in assistive technology news, resources, and professional development.

We at Read Naturally have something extra to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Over 1,000 education professionals recently voted for their favorite educational technology tools via THE Journal’s fourth-annual Readers’ Choice Awards. We’re pleased to announce that Read Naturally won a platinum award in the category of Favorite Interventions & Remediation Software! Click here for the full list of winners.

A recent audio documentary and corresponding article from American Public Media highlight a serious problem in our country: According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, more than 60 percent of American fourth-graders are not proficient readers, and that statistic has held since testing began in the 1990s. The documentary is called Hard Words: Why aren’t kids being taught to read?, and we encourage you to check it out.

Make Your Student a STAR!

Read Naturally Star of the Month​Share your student’s success story—nominate him or her for our Star of the Month award. Win a Barnes & Noble gift card for the student and a Read Naturally gift certificate for your class!

pointer Submit a Star-of-the-Month entry

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