Focus Areas

Literacy has always been more than an academic skill—it’s the foundation for learning, independence, self-advocacy and opportunity. The International Dyslexia Association’s (IDA) newly released definition of dyslexia emphasizes this by situating literacy as critical to lifelong success, not just academic achievement. “Psychological well-being and employment opportunities also may be affected.”— International Dyslexia Association, 2025 When…

As we approach Dyslexia Awareness Month, TTAC ODU would like to recognize and celebrate the tremendous efforts made across the Commonwealth in support of all striving readers, including those with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. This fall marks one full year since the implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA)—a landmark moment in our state’s…

In today’s classrooms, math instruction is evolving to meet the diverse needs of all students. One powerful, research-based approach gaining traction is the Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) strategy, a framework that supports deep mathematical understanding by moving students through three stages of learning: concrete, representational, and abstract. At the concrete stage, students use hands-on materials like counters,…

Summer is the perfect time to recharge, reflect, and reengage with your professional community. One powerful way to grow your literacy knowledge and practice is by joining a local or statewide organization dedicated to evidence-aligned reading instruction. Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned educator, these groups offer valuable resources, networking, and professional…

As special educators across Virginia aim to meet the diverse needs of students, the intersection of high-leverage practices (HLPs) and legislative requirements is more important than ever. One critical alignment that stands out is High-Leverage Practice #1 – Collaboration, and its synergy with the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). This intersection can offer educators a framework…

Beyond utilization of high-quality instructional materials, effective teaching strategies are essential for fostering student success. The purpose of the Virginia Literacy Act’s Literacy Walkthrough Tool is to support administrators, teachers, and reading specialists in the implementation of evidence-based literacy instruction to improve student learning. When aligned with Ceedar Center’s High Leverage Practices (HLPs), it is…

Embracing a Holistic Approach The Virginia Literacy Act ensures every student in kindergarten to grade five will receive core literacy instruction based in scientifically based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction and, every teacher will use evidence-based literacy curriculum, use student-level data to inform instruction and intervention, and participate in training on evidence-based literacy instruction.…

Whether you are a literacy leader in your school division, or an educator who works directly with students, have you had a chance to pause and really reflect upon on how the Virginia Literacy Act is meant to impact not only students to become more proficient readers, but also how the initiative can support you?…

Reading a book with your class should be an engaging and immersive experience. One storybook strategy we often draw attention to is questioning, since it is something that should occur before, during and after reading activities. Traditional questions are often aimed at retrieval of information from a text, whereas the focus of querying is to…