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New to First Book?
Join us to connect with thousands of fellow educators and access exciting educational events and resources for you and your students.
Reading Universe is an innovative, digital platform that provides educators with evidence-based guidance and tools.
First Book, WETA/Reading Rockets, and the Barksdale Reading Institute (BRI) have launched Reading Universe — for teachers, paraprofessionals, and literacy coaches to learn more about evidence-based reading AND writing instruction, and then translate it into classroom practice that will complement any curriculum. Informed by First Book Research & Insights through focus groups, educator surveys, usability testing, and in-depth interviews, Reading Universe has been designed with educators in mind, ensuring the platform’s quality and effectiveness meet their needs.
Reading Universe’s innovative framework delivers on an age-old promise of quality education for all. Its comprehensive research-based approach is guided by the science of reading and embraces the belief that every student, regardless of background, is brimming with potential and the capacity to become a lifelong reader.Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book.
WETA, the flagship PBS station in Washington, D.C., is home to ambitious national education websites ReadingRockets.org, ColorinColorado.org, LDOnLine.org, AdLit.org, StartWithABook.org and BrainLine.org.
The Barksdale Reading Institute (BRI) was founded by Jim Barksdale to advance literacy in his home state of Mississippi. Thanks in part to BRI’s work bringing evidence-based approaches to reading instruction, Mississippi raised its fourth grade reading scores from last place to the national average.
Reading Universe is also made possible by generous support from Jim & Donna Barksdale, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, and three anonymous donors.
