Homeschool Helpcenter: Find My Homeschool
Your go-to directory for all things related to homeschooling. Whether you're a seasoned homeschooler or just starting out, our mission is to connect you with valuable resources and tools to make your homeschooling journey a success.
Reading Universe
Reading Universe is a free, research-based professional resource designed to help educators teach reading and writing effectively. Created by WETA in partnership with the Barksdale Reading Institute and First Book, it offers clear, practical teaching strategies, in-classroom videos, expert Q&As, and printable instructional materials grounded in the latest reading science. At the heart of the site is the Reading Universe Taxonomy, an interactive guide that breaks down essential literacy skills and shows how to teach them systematically and explicitly. The platform supports teachers, reading coaches, tutors, and caregivers with tools and guidance primarily for early elementary grades, with content expanding over time - all available at no cost.
Reading Universe – Free Evidence-Based Literacy Teaching Resources
Reading Universe is a free online professional learning platform designed to help educators and caregivers teach reading and writing more effectively. It offers evidence-based guidance, practical instructional tools, and classroom-tested strategies rooted in research about how children learn to read and write.
What Is Reading Universe?
Reading Universe is a digital resource developed for teachers, reading coaches, tutors, paraprofessionals, and caregivers who want to improve literacy instruction. The site organizes essential literacy skills into a comprehensive, step-by-step framework called the Reading Universe Taxonomy, which shows how key skills like phonological awareness, phonics, language comprehension, and writing fit together in a structured instructional process.
The platform provides ready-to-use teaching strategies, in-classroom videos demonstrating effective instruction, expert Q&As, and printable materials to support classroom practice. All of these resources are available at no cost.
Core Features
Research-Based Instruction
Reading Universe emphasizes teaching approaches backed by literacy science, helping educators build foundational skills such as word recognition and reading comprehension.
Interactive Teaching Framework
The Reading Universe Taxonomy breaks down reading and writing into manageable skills and shows how they connect, offering explanations of why each skill matters and how to teach it successfully.
Classroom-Ready Resources
The site includes:
- Step-by-step guides to essential reading and writing skills
- In-classroom videos featuring real teachers and students
- Printable activities, lesson plans, and decodable text examples
- Answers to common teaching questions and quick instructional tips
Who It’s For
Reading Universe supports a wide range of users, including:
- Teachers looking for structured literacy instruction tools
- Reading coaches and literacy specialists seeking evidence-based strategies
- Paraprofessionals and tutors aiming to strengthen foundational skills
- Caregivers and families who want a better understanding of how reading is taught
Partnerships and Impact
Reading Universe is produced through collaboration between leading nonprofit literacy organizations with deep experience in education and professional development. The platform reflects years of research and classroom practice aimed at helping more children become confident, skilled readers and writers.
Conclusion
Reading Universe is a free, research-based resource that equips educators and caregivers with the knowledge, tools, and instructional materials needed to teach reading and writing effectively. By organizing literacy into a clear instructional taxonomy and supporting it with practical classroom examples, Reading Universe makes structured literacy accessible and actionable for users at all levels.