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Prepare Novice Teachers In The Science of Reading

TeachSOR is a national, open-access resource hub designed for higher education faculty, teacher preparation programs and instructional leaders to build pre-service teachers’ knowledge and practice in evidence-based reading instruction.

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Welcome to TeachSOR.org

A resource for instructors in teacher preparation programs working to prepare teachers to enter classrooms ready to successfully promote their students’ literacy proficiency. 

What is TeachSOR?

TeachSOR is a repository of resources for teacher preparation curricula and courses that cover topics in literacy.  The resources consist of journal articles, syntheses of the scientific literature, websites, program planning tools, and materials that might be helpful in teacher preparation coursework and other instructional materials.  The resources available through TeachSOR are open access and have been reviewed by teacher education program faculty and scholars in literacy.  Users may access these materials and apply them as they determine within their teacher preparation programs, or as relevant, within the context of in-service teacher professional development.

Using TeachSOR

The resources available through TeachSOR have been categorized according to a generic framework of instructional materials that might be useful across the many possible use cases in teacher preparation, most often in coursework.  Recognizing the highly varied nature of teacher preparation programs and coursework, TeachSOR has adopted this broad framework as a basic, simple, organizational structure:

Where to Start?

Use TeachSOR in the way that best fits your role and goals:

For higher education leaders or administrators, try starting with resources in the Faculty Development and Program Planning area.  These provide specific tools for planning or analysis of syllabi, links to science of reading courses and information on program design and curriculum.
 
For higher education faculty and staff, you may be interested in resources relevant for your course instruction. The Reading Foundations area provides resources that explain the science and evidence for the development of reading competencies that are key to understanding the basis of SOR practices. The Instructional Systems and Curriculum Guides area provide specific, practice-focused resources for instruction in the classroom.
 
For novice teachers in preparation programs or for practicing teachers, the Literacy Development Modules is a great place to start. You may also want to review resources in the Data Based Decision Making area, which contains specific tools for use in the classroom.
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Faculty Development
and Program Planning

Resources that help faculty and program leaders audit, strengthen, and expand the integration of science of reading (SOR) in teacher preparation programs, including course audits, syllabi refinements, and self-paced professional development modules.

PROGRAM PLANNING
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Reading Foundations

Essential, evidence-based resources to help beginning teachers understand how children learn to read. Laying the foundation for effective, research-aligned literacy instruction.

READING FOUNDATIONS
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Instructional Systems & Curricula

Resources and tools to support the use of comprehensive, effective instructional systems and resources to evaluate research-backed curricula.

INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS
Instructional Systems
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Assessment & Data Based
Decision Making

Materials to build foundational knowledge of literacy assessments, from universal screeners to diagnostic and summative tools.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS
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Different Learning Needs

Resources that equip beginning teachers with practical tools and strategies for implementing science of reading (SOR) programs in real classrooms. Lesson delivery and classroom management, engaging families, and supporting students with learning differences.

DIFFERENT LEARNING NEEDS

Literacy Development Modules

Knowledge, Instruction, and Implementation resources integrated by domains of literacy development.

DEVELOPMENT MODULES
Curriculum Guides
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The TeachSOR Community

Connect to the broader TeachSOR community; a space to stay informed, share feedback, and collaborate on evidence-based reading instruction. Faculty, leaders, and partners are encouraged to connect and contribute.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

Explore the Resource Collection

Below is a small selection of articles from the TeachSOR resource collection. 

To explore resources by topic, visit: Faculity Development & Program Planning, Reading Foundations, Instructional Systems & Curricula, Assessment & Data Based Decision Making, Different Learning Needs, and Literacy Development Modules.

Featured Articles

Teaching and Learning Exploratory: High Leverage Practices

This resource introduces high-leverage teaching practices curated by TeachingWorks, offering tools and practice-based materials that support effective instruction across diverse learning environments.
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Comprehension Instructional Framework

This instructional framework supports comprehension planning by outlining goals, key vocabulary and language supports, and strategies for structuring before-, during-, and after-reading instruction.
Read Article

Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction

This fact sheet explains what evidence-based practices are and why they matter in schools. According to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, an evidence-based practice is one that demonstrates positive effects on student outcomes through research with strong, moderate, or promising levels of evidence.
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DIBELS 8th Edition

DIBELS 8th Edition is a set of brief, standardized measures used to screen and monitor early literacy skills. Subtests such as Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Phonemic Segmentation Fluency (PSF), and Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) assess key foundational reading abilities and help identify students at risk for reading difficulties in the early grades.
Read Article

Phonemic Awareness Video

This video highlights a key literacy concept and offers practical insights to help educators deepen their understanding of evidence-based reading instruction.
Read Article

Phonics Decoding Webinar

This video provides an overview of the decoding side of phonics instruction, explaining how learning to read and write an alphabetic language like English requires teaching the relationships between speech sounds and the letters or graphemes that represent them.
Read Article

A 2020 Perspective on Research Findings on Alphabetics

This document explains key concepts in alphabetics and offers research-based guidance on how explicit instruction in letter-sound relationships supports early literacy development.
Read Article

Reading Fluency: Key to Comprehension

In this video, Dr. Jan Hasbrouck defines reading fluency and discusses its role as a critical link between accurate word reading and deep comprehension. She also addresses common misunderstandings about fluency and explains why it matters for skilled, motivated readers.
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Webinar: Science-Based Reading Instruction for Teachers

This video highlights key insights from science-based reading research, created to support evidence-aligned literacy instruction and classroom practice.
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How Words Cast Their Spell

Spelling is an integral part of learning the language, not a matter of memorization.
Read Article

"...children are active constructors of meaning. Adults play a critical role in their lives by engaging their interests, creating challenging but achievable goals, and supporting their efforts to understand through their many questions and unique interpretations. The adults in children’s lives are their first literacy teachers, and educator collaboration with families and communities is critical to children’s well-being and their school success."

First Steps Toward Literacy - Susan B. Neuman

Stay in Touch

TeachSOR is planning to develop a community of faculty, researchers and leaders working to strengthen literacy instruction in teacher preparation programs.  Join us!