Helping Students Read Better and Learn More
The Iowa Reading Research Center strives to improve the literacy skills of all students through research with students, professional learning for educators, and technical assistance for school districts.
Iowa Science of Reading Summit
Expand your knowledge of evidence-based instructional practices and the science of reading this July.
Understanding Your Student’s Literacy Data
The Educator Letter Builder and the Understanding Your Student’s Literacy Data eLearning module are two new resources to facilitate caregiver-educator communication about student assessment results.
Employment Opportunities
The Iowa Reading Research Center is hiring an assistant research scientist and a postdoctoral research scholar.
Blog
Literacy Is Every Subject—Math and Word Problems (Part 1 of 2)
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Word problems present a challenge to students, and common strategies for teaching word problems may be ineffective and misleading.
Cultivating Empathy With Dr. Tim Odegard
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Professor of Psychology and Researcher Dr. Tim Odegard discusses his work supporting students at risk for reading difficulties and his vision for the future of the science of reading.
Measuring Opportunities to Respond: A MOTR of Highly Interactive Literacy Instruction
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Providing students with ample opportunities to respond throughout a lesson can improve their instructional performance.
News
Datchuk Explains the Continued Importance of Cursive Handwriting
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Iowa Reading Research Center Director Shawn Datchuk explains the potential benefits of cursive handwriting instruction.
Smithgall Recognized for Their Work at the Iowa Reading Research Center
Thursday, April 17, 2025
IRRC Student Writer Sydney Smithgall is recognized as a category winner for the University of Iowa's Student Employee of the Year award.
Introducing New Data Literacy Resources for Caregivers and Educators
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
The IRRC is releasing new resources to facilitate communication between teachers and caregivers about student literacy data.