Hi listeners, it's Susan here. Just in time for the school year, I have a brand new resource to tell you about.

Science of Reading, a new teacher's guide. This free e-book gives you the critical information you need,

including a detailed breakdown of the reading rope and the 10 foundational science of reading principles.

It also provides key information on dyslexia, assessment,

serving multilingual learners, and so much more.

It's packed with beautiful diagrams,

a perfect compliment to the podcast if I do say so myself.

Download your science of reading guide at amplify.com.com slash S-O-R guide.

Happy holidays to our listeners around the world.

Warm wishes to you, and I trust you are enjoying all the holiday pleasures,

food, family, fun, and all the festivities that make

your heart sparkle. It's such a perfect time of year to reflect and remind ourselves of all the

important things and to ground ourselves in priorities and activities that can truly change the world.

I used to think those activities needed to be big and bold and seen and acknowledged by lots of people, but I now understand that bringing

our passion to our everyday lives in small and purposeful ways is what really makes an impact.

I remember someone once telling me it's the right people doing the right things in the right ways, the triad of rightness.

Really, isn't that the thing we are all trying to do for our students?

And today I want to talk a little bit about those

right ways. When school resumes in the new year, we will be administering middle-of-year

benchmark assessments for all of our students. These mid-year benchmarks are a critical part

of an effective literacy system. The universal screening process helps to identify students who may be at risk so we can intervene

immediately to prevent further learning difficulties.

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