Shaped

A community-driven blog supporting educators, building lifelong learners,
and shaping the future of education.* 

Latest Posts

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Formative Reading Assessment & Usable Data

Formative reading assessments measure what students have learned so far—and the data help inform teachers’ instruction.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

Dr. Terry Salinger
Institute Fellow and Chief Scientist for Literacy Research, American Institutes for Research

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8 Elements of Reading & Literacy Instruction

These eight elements of reading and literacy instruction can serve as the foundation of an effective literacy program.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

Dr. Terry Salinger
Institute Fellow and Chief Scientist for Literacy Research, American Institutes for Research

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What Is the Science of Reading? Top 5 Questions

HMH's research team answers commonly asked questions about the science of reading to help educators apply its principles in their classrooms.

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

Social emotional learning

For Teachers, Social and Emotional Learning Is a Top Concern

Melissa Schlinger, vice president of programs and practice at CASEL, talks prioritizing students’ well-being and effectively integrating SEL in schools.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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What Is Structured Literacy?

Get the answers to commonly asked questions like, "What is structured literacy and how can I implement the approach?"

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

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Building Respect for Teachers: What Can Be Done?

Our latest Educator Confidence Report shows many teachers don't feel that respect for the profession has increased in the last year, after feeling an initial surge of appreciation at the start of the pandemic. Here’s what can be done.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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Research Insights: Online and Blended Coaching

Research suggests that online coaching has several strengths, including lowering costs while increasing scalability, which makes it overall effective.

Dr. Grant Atkins
Education Research Director, Professional Services

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The New Era of Education Is High-Tech and High-Touch

We can recover and transition into a new post-pandemic instructional model that fuses the power of technology with the tried-and-true social gathering of the classroom.

John "Jack" Lynch
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, HMH

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Structuring the Literacy Block

The most productive literacy block schedules include various reading and writing activities and instruction to help build foundational skills.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

Dr. Terry Salinger
Institute Fellow and Chief Scientist for Literacy Research, American Institutes for Research

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Formative Assessment Using Technology

Dynamic formative assessment using technology helps guide teacher instruction and keep students on the right track.

Shaped Staff

WF1421559 Building Routines Hero

Understand How the Human Brain Works to Build Classroom Routines

As you return to your school or classroom, keep these ideas in mind to create a neuro-friendly environment as a teacher or administrator.

Adam Drummond, EdD
Associate Partner, The Center for Model Schools and Author, Instructional Leadership

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What Is Oral Reading Fluency?

This article answers the question, what is oral reading fluency? It provides fluency teaching strategies after defining fluency and explaining why it's important.

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

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Oral Reading Fluency Assessment: Optimizing Instruction

Providing an oral reading fluency assessment is an important part of not just providing oral reading fluency instruction but measuring growth and ensuring effective instruction.

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

The benefits of independent reading in the classroom

The Benefits of Independent Reading in the Classroom

There are various benefits of independent reading, including improving your students’ fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Read more about how you can empower your students to become lifelong readers by providing an independent reading library.

Shaped Staff

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The Connected Learning Model: Mitigating COVID-19 Unfinished Learning

Students typically experience a "summer slide" when returning to school in the fall, but this year, the interrupted learning could be much deeper.

John "Jack" Lynch
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, HMH

research-backed ways to close the COVID learning gap

6 Research-Backed Ways to Close the COVID Learning Gap

These strategies for closing the COVID Learning Gap can support efforts to improve student outcomes and help address the issue of interrupted schooling.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

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Assessment in K–12 Schools This Fall: What Education Leaders Should Expect

When the 2021-2022 school year begins, the disruptions of the past year due to the pandemic will continue to impact instruction in different ways.

Dr. Vytas Laitusis
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Math

Dr. John Denbleyker
Principal Psychometrician/Manager of Psychometric Research and Data Analytics, HMH

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Are Teachers Satisfied With Their Jobs During COVID-19? Here's What Our Data Says

During the ongoing pandemic, are teachers satisfied with their jobs given the challenges being thrown their way? Our annual survey explores educators' areas of optimism and concern.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

*The views expressed in our blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.