About the Initiative
Prefer to donate by check?
Email pam@laughingogrepress.com for mailing instructions.
Why does this initiative matter?
Literacy rates are plummeting. Reading scores of children in my home state of Minnesota and across all of the United States are disturbingly low. With the Read Act in Minnesota, and similar programs in other states, teachers are now being trained to teach reading, guided by the science of reading.
All the while funding for public libraries and schools has been drastically cut, making the access to needed materials difficult or nonexistent.
How are donations used?
After payment-processing fees, all remaining donation funds go toward purchasing Mastery Kits at cost and shipping them to libraries. No markup or profit is added to the kits. This initiative is about getting reading resources to families, not making a profit. See a breakdown of costs here.
What do the mastery kits contain?
Each mastery kit contains everything a parent or caregiver needs to support their struggling reader. For a complete overview of the kits go here!
How will these kits be awarded?
These kits will first be offered by to the libraries that have invested their time into further understanding of the science of reading and how people learn to read. By tapping into these libraries I know the librarians will be able to assist their patrons with the proper materials.
As the Teach My Kid to Read community expands so will my kit distribution. See map of locations here.
Libraries will be awarded these kits through a simple application process. There will be no hidden expense to the libraries.
What is the ‘science of reading’?
“The science of reading is a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically-based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing.
This research has been conducted over the last five decades across the world, and it is derived from thousands of studies conducted in multiple languages. The science of reading has culminated in a preponderance of evidence to inform how proficient reading and writing develop; why some have difficulty; and how we can most effectively assess and teach and, therefore, improve student outcomes through prevention of and intervention for reading difficulties.”
https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-the-science-of-reading/
What is Orton Gillingham?
“The Orton-Gillingham Approach is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach literacy to individuals for whom reading, writing, and spelling do not come easily, such as those with dyslexia. It is most properly understood and practiced as an approach rather than a method, program, or system. In the hands of a well-trained and experienced instructor, it is a powerful tool of exceptional breadth, depth, and flexibility.
The essential curricular content and instructional practices that characterize the Orton-Gillingham Approach are derived from two sources: first from a body of time-tested knowledge and practice that has been validated over the past 80 years, and second from scientific evidence about how individuals learn to read and write; why a significant number have difficulty in doing so; how having dyslexia makes achieving literacy skills more difficult; and which instructional practices are best suited for teaching such individuals to read and write.”
https://www.ortonacademy.org/resources/what-is-the-orton-gillingham-approach/
Who is Teach My Kid to Read?
“Teach My Kid To Read, a not for profit organization educating librarians on the science of reading and decodable books, offers continuing support with access to an online community designed for librarians and their patrons.”
Is my donation tax deductable?
At this time, Laughing Ogre Press isn't a registered nonprofit, so your donations aren't tax-deductible.