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Shaped

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

 

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Educator shares experiences supporting literacy and families

2024 USVI Teacher of the Year Advocates for Literacy and Supports Her Community

2024 US Virgin Islands Teacher of the Year Ms. Astral Battiste shares her literacy initiative, family support efforts, and practical teaching tips for new educators.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

WF2333275 Writing Activities for Middle Schoolers hero

8 Fun Writing Activities for Middle School Students

These fun writing activities for middle school students address the critical writing skills students need for high school and beyond.

Stephanie Nash
Product Marketing Director, K–12 ELD and Multilingual Learners

Student practices decoding skills while reading independently

Science of Reading Decoding Strategies: Unlocking Fluency Through Systematic Instruction

Discover proven decoding strategies rooted in the science of reading. Learn how systematic phonics instruction and decodable texts build fluency, confidence, and comprehension for every learner.

David Dickerman
Director of Product Management, HMH

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

Student develops phonological awareness through early reading activities

Phonological Awareness Examples

Learn more about research-backed phonological awareness examples and activities.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Teacher guides students through science of writing instruction

What Is the Science of Writing?

Discover how evidence-based writing instruction, aka the science of writing, supports literacy development, expression, and academic success.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Julie Richardson, M.S. Ed.
Principal Content Designer, Literacy Content Solutions, HMH

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

WF2367376 Shaped 2025 Blog Post Phonological Awareness Activities V2

9 Fun Phonological Awareness Activities

Learn to support all learners with these 9 phonological awareness activities that make literacy skill-building both fun and impactful.

Amber Silverman
Shaped Contributor

WF2285263 How to Teach Creative Hero

How to Teach Creative Writing

Asari Beale, writer, educator, and executive director of the Teachers & Writers Collaborative, shares tips for how to teach creative writing to students.

Asari Beale
Writer, Educator, and Executive Director of the Teachers & Writers Collaborative

WF1773850 Shaped 2023 Blog Post Halloween Writing Prompts Hero

35 Fun Halloween Writing Prompts & Ideas

Have some spooky fun with your students while exercising their critical thinking skills using these Halloween writing prompts and journal ideas.

Carey Blankenship-Kramer
Shaped Staff

Student reads a book with an adult supporting him.

Best Practices for Repeated Reading in Intervention

Unlock the full potential of repeated reading in intervention with these proven steps.

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

NYC Literacy Success

NYC Reads Delivers Record Literacy Gains

Learn more about the success of the NYC Reads program and how it ensures every student has access to high-quality literacy materials and the support to use them well.

Lindsay Dworkin
Senior Vice President, Policy & Government Affairs

Teacher reviewing high-quality instructional materials on a laptop

High-Quality Instructional Materials in Reading and ELA: Resources for Students and Teachers

HQIM don’t just support learning—they help shape the entire educational experience. Learn more about how both students and teachers can benefit from high-quality instructional materials.

Miah Daughtery, EdD
NWEA VP, Content Advocacy-Literacy, HMH

Differenciated Reading Strategies Hero

5 Strategies for Differentiated Reading Instruction

Learn about differentiated reading strategies you can use to drive better learning outcomes.

Ellen Ullman
Shaped Contributor

Student engages with reading materials during literacy instruction

Reading Achievement Is on the Rise in New Haven Public Schools

Reading scores for Connecticut's New Haven Public Schools reached what officials called a “crisis.” Three years later, the numbers are starting to turn around.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

WF2182450 thought leadership series hero how to align instruction with the science of reading

How to Align Instruction with the Science of Reading 

Learn how educators can align literacy instruction with the science of reading to support effective, evidence-based teaching.

Miah Daughtery, EdD
NWEA VP, Content Advocacy-Literacy, HMH

WF2231863 Hero

5 Classroom Writing Center Ideas

Create a welcoming space to support your growing writers with the these 5 classroom writing center ideas.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

Two young girls reading hero WF2231651

5 Free Science of Reading Activities

To help make reading instruction both effective and engaging, we’ve put together five free science of reading activities targeting spelling, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and phonics.

Amber Silverman
Shaped Contributor

WF2272200 Shaped 2025 Blog Post How Does Writing Fit into the SOR Hero

How Does Writing Fit Into the Science of Reading?

Learn how writing fits into the science of reading and why integrating reading and writing instruction supports stronger literacy outcomes for all students.

Julie Richardson, M.S. Ed.
Principal Content Designer, Literacy Content Solutions, HMH

Teacher supports student literacy learning using integrated edtech tools

How a Texas District Achieved Literacy Growth with Integrated Edtech Solutions

When Galveston ISD leaders saw a notable dip in student performance, they decided to set forth on a growth journey—starting with the implementation of integrated edtech solutions. We sat down with Galveston leaders and educators to discuss the district's plan of action that resulted in incredible student gains.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor