Focus Areas

Summery Establishing consistent routines and procedures is one of the most powerful ways educators can create safe, supportive, and engaging early learning environments. Effective routines are taught, not just expected. Children thrive when routines are modeled, practiced, and reinforced. Classroom routines provide a clear process for planning and teaching that sets children up for success throughout…

The first few weeks of school give an opportunity to observe students. It gives insight to where students may need extra supports for their learning. In addition to academic learning, students may need to learn access skills. Access skills refer to skills a student needs to access the curriculum but are not explicitly represented by…

What Are Executive Function (EF) Skills?  What Are Executive Functioning (EF) Skills?  Executive functioning (EF) skills are like the brain’s management system. They’re the set of mental processes that help students: These higher-level skills are what allow students to focus, problem-solve, and reach their goals. Research shows that EF skills are foundational for success in…

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,…

Reading aloud to students every day is a powerful, evidence‑based practice that fosters vocabulary development, increases background knowledge, improves comprehension, and builds motivation for reading. For students with intellectual disabilities, daily read-alouds—when designed thoughtfully—can be transformative. Benefits of Reading Aloud to Students A growing body of research highlights the academic and developmental benefits of daily read…

#5: The CEEDAR Center This week, we feature the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform Center (CEEDAR). The CEEDAR Center partners with the VDOE as a technical assistance provider to support both pre- and in-service educators. Among their many valuable resources are implementation tools that promote the use of High-Leverage Practices (HLPs), which…

#4: Center for Implementation and Evaluation of Education Systems (CIEES) at Old Dominion University This week’s resource spotlight features the Center for Implementation and Evaluation of Education Systems (CIEES) at Old Dominion University. As ODU’s first center dedicated to using significant grant funding to drive meaningful improvements in K–12 education for students with and without…

#3 Center for Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports This week’s website in the spotlight is PBIS.org. This website from the Center for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports features a wealth of resources and tools for everyone from superintendents to classroom teachers looking to better meet the needs of students, build better learning environments and support…