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History
Mission
Copyright
Contributors
Advisory Board
Writers
Illustrators
Consultants
Translators
Awards
Monthly Newsletter
Sister Sites
Writing AZ
Raz-kids.com
Vocabulary A-Z
Reading Tutors
Learningpage.com
Sites for Teachers
Sites for Parents
History
Reading A-Z is among the family of Learning A-Z websites providing affordable, online curriculum resources.
Launched in January 2002, Reading A-Z now has more than 170,000 members and has won a number of educational awards for its innovation in reading instruction. Among the awards are a Parents' Choice Recommended Award, a Global Learning Initiative Award, and a Teachers' Choice Award.
Because it is delivered over the Internet, Reading A-Z is a constantly changing program. Each month, Reading A-Z adds new books, lesson plans, and other resources, thus continually expanding its wealth of materials.
The website has more than 2,500 downloadable books (including English, Spanish, and French versions) and thousands of teaching and learning materials.
In addition to the K-6 market, Reading A-Z materials have found widespread use at a range of grade levels in special education and special needs, remedial reading, ESL, and ELL.
Mission
Learning A-Z's mission is to provide affordable, easily accessible, developmentally appropriate teaching and learning solutions to all educators and students who need them.
Copyright
Learning A-Z, a division of Voyager Expanded Learning, L.P., owns the rights to all of the original books and adaptations on the Reading A-Z website.
Contributors
Reading A-Z books and lessons are written and illustrated by a wide range of individuals with K-6 experience and are reviewed by an expert team of teachers and reading specialists.
Advisers
Writers
Illustrators
Consultants
Translators
Advisers
Gwen Bartnik
- Literacy Consultant K-12, Vancouver School District
- Grade 1 primary teacher: Vancouver, BC.
- Literacy Mentor: Vancouver School District
Amy Freeman
- Special Needs Literacy Grant Coordinator: Putnam County Educational Service Center/Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities, Pandora, Ohio
Adria F. Klein; Ph.D
- Doctorate, Reading and English as a Second Language: University of New Mexico
- Professor Emeritus, Reading Education: California State University
- Reading Recovery trainer: Saint Mary's College
- Coordinator, trainer, researcher: Foundation for Comprehensive Literacy Learning
- Author: professional and children’s books
- Former President: California Reading Association
- Board of Directors: International Reading Association (1997-2000)
Patti Lopez, Ph.D.
- Educational Doctorate, Educational Leadership: Northern Arizona University
- Master’s in Education, Schooling and School Leadership: Harvard University
- Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education: University of Arizona
- Stanford University Summer Program: Colegio Cervantes, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- Federal Grants/Title 1 Director: Amphitheater Public Schools, Tucson, AZ
- Assistant Superintendent; Director of Organizational Development; Director, Title I; K-5 Reading Language Specialist; Classroom teacher supervisor, grades 1, 2 and 5: Tucson Unified School District, AZ
- Professor of Publicity and Policy: Northern Arizona University
- Member and officer: several professional and community boards
- Author: numerous professional educational articles
Nancy Lyon
- Bachelor of Science, Early Childhood and Elementary Education: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
- Elementary school teacher: PA, NJ, AZ
- Title 1 Reading & Reading Recovery teacher, Amphitheater School District, Tucson, AZ
- Title 1 Reading Facilitator, 6 years: Keeling Elementary, Tucson, AZ
- Title 1 Teacher Facilitator: Amphitheater School District, Tucson, AZ
Beth Perry
- Teacher, ESL Primary Students (7 years); Grade 2 modified dual language (2 years): Sunnyslope Elementary, Phoenix, AZ
Connie Ramsey
- National Board Teaching Certification in Literacy
- Past President, WORD, President, Washington state chapter of the International Reading Association
- Master’s, Guidance and Counseling: University of Idaho
- Bachelor’s, Special Education: Ohio University
- Principal Certification: Gonzaga University
- National Board Certification: program participant
- Trainer: Classroom teachers (at-risk students), nationwide
- Past Chair, Language Arts Committee (K-6 reading adoption): Mead School District, Spokane, Wash.
- WORD Leadership in Reading Award
- Reading specialist: Mead School District, Spokane, Wash.
- Resource Room teacher: Mead School District, Spokane, Wash.
- Reading demonstration teacher: Mead School District, Spokane, Wash.
- Gifted and Talented teacher, Mead School District
Ruth Romer
- Adjunct Professor, Reading Methods and Tutoring: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- Educational consultant/author
- Author/designer: MatchWord
- Reading specialist: Clark County School District, NV
- Elementary school teacher (13 years)
Writers
Authors of original Reading A-Z books range from the yet-to-be-discovered to some of today’s popular children’s writers. The selection of books also includes stories by famous authors excerpted or adapted from literature in the public domain.
- Melanie Alberts
- Ty Allison
- Linda Jacobs Altman
- Deborah Ambroza
- Dina Anastasio
- Veronica Angel
- Penny Atcheson
- Elizabeth Austin
- Heather Banks
- Karina Barrentine
- Sylvia Baxter
- Melissa Benner
- Maribeth Boelts
- Lacy Finn Borgo
- Judy Braus
- Felicia Brown
- Pam Bull
- Bertha E. Bush
- Dori Butler
- Lewis Carroll
- Annette Carruthers
- Robert Charles
- Bruce D. Cooper
- Barbara Donnovan
- Stephen Cosgrove
- Holly Cottor
- Damian Crean
- Susan Crean
- Daniel Defoe
- Bill Dinardo
- David L. Dreier
- Michael Emerson
- Juliana Horatia Ewing
- Sharon Fear
- Mary Fifield
- Katherine Follett
- Ellen Forrest
- Celeste Fraser
- Kira Freed
- Ron Friddell
- Jeffrey Fuerst
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Illustrators
All art for Reading A-Z books and materials is generated by professional illustrators who have years of experience illustrating educational materials.
- Hugh Armstrong
- Chris Baldwin
- Mary Beth Benton
- Joe Boddy
- Beth Buffington
- Tad Butler
- Dominic Catalano
- David Cockcroft
- Roberta Collier-Morales
- Cende Courtney-Hill
- Bill Dinardo
- Len Epstein
- A. Spencer (a.k.a. Joe Forkan)
- Mernie Gallagher-Cole
- Randy Gates
- Patrick Girouard
- Chris Grine
- Joseph Hammond
- Christopher Harding
- Marilee Harrald-Pilz
- Terry Herman
- Sharon Holm
- Lisa Ing
- Susan Jaekel
- Pamela Johnson
- Charles Jordan
- Angela Kamstra-Jacobson
- John Kastner
- Manuel King
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- Rush Kress
- Carolyn LaPorte
- Loretta Lustig
- Stephen Marchesi
- Kevin McCarthy
- Kathleen McCord
- Jane McCreary
- Anik McGrory
- Albert Molnar
- Philip Newsom
- Brock Nicol
- Signe Nordin
- Pat Paris
- Sandra Pond
- Marcy Ramsey
- Margaret Sanfilippo (Lindmark)
- Paula Schricker
- DJ Simison
- Joel Snyder
- Erin Terry
- Rebecca Thornburgh
- Darcy Tom
- Stan Tusan
- Fred Volke
- Jack Voris
- Maria Voris
- Nora Voutas
- Siri Weber Feeney
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Consultants
Educational consultants from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand provide guidance for Reading A-Z materials and product development.
Kathleen Austin
- Bachelor's in Elementary Education: Pittsburg State University
- Master's in Special Education (emphasis on Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders)
- Developmental Pre-School instructor (3 years)
- Grades 7 and 8 Reading teacher, Language Arts and Speech/Drama Teacher (4 years)
- Grades K-6 Special Education Teacher and remedial student tutor: Carthage R-9 School District, Carthage, MO
Mary Banfield
- Teacher, K-5: Lake Worth, FL
Kim Yvette Brown
- Bachelor of Arts in English
- Master’s in Elementary Education
- Pursuing National Board for Professional Teaching Certification in Early Middle Childhood Literacy
- Grade 1 teacher: Columbia, SC
Patricia Cavin
- Teacher, English as a second language (24 years): Fortaleza, Brazil
- Instructor: Binational Center IBEU-CE
Jenny Coles
- Coordinator: Parent-Child Play and Learning Group, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Cathi Cooper
- Bachelor’s in Health and Physical Education
- Elementary Certification: Indiana University
- Teacher: Freeport, PA School District (14 years)
- Read to Succeed teacher
Wieslawa Ferlacka
- M.A. in English Philology, completing Ph.D. studies at UAM Poznan
- Degree in Extramural Studies
- Translator
- Certificate of Proficiency in English: Cambridge University
- Ministry of Foreign Trade Certificate in English
- Tutor, ESL
Jennifer Flanders
- Bachelor of Arts: Lock Haven University
- Kindergarten and grade 1 teacher: Avon-Grove Nazarene Christian Academy
- Grade 3 teacher: Sugar Valley Rural Charter School, Loganton, PA
- Phase II teacher: grade levels 3-4
Patricia Jones
- Grade 2 teacher: Rockledge, FL
Carolyn Krutka
- Bachelor’s and Master’s in Education in Reading: SUNY Oswego
- Reading for Excellence program participant
- Title I Reading Teacher and RIF program coordinator: Troy, NY
Tracy Liesemeyer
- Bachelor’s in Secondary Education
- Master’s in Education, Curriculum, and Instruction
- Certification in biology and English, grades 7-12 and ESL grades K-12
- ESL teacher (9 years, 5 as team leader)
- Head of Information Technology: Overseas School of Colombo, Sri Lanka (2 years)
- Teacher: Goodrich Middle School, Lincoln, NE
Mary Massen
- Program Specialist: Shaw Butte Elementary School, Phoenix, AZ
- National Board Certified Teacher
Melvin Rountree
- Master of Science in Education, School Administration, pursuing Ph.D.
- Graduate work in Special Education
- Teacher, middle/elementary special education (7 years)
- Developer, model classroom management plans and Internet forms for Special Education program developer: SCT-BOCES, Elmira, NY
- Tutor, Grade 4: New York State English Language Arts test
Sally Ann Ruggiero
- National Board Certified Teacher, Early Childhood Generalist (ages 3-8)
- Reading Specialist (Grades K-5), retired Medford Township Public Schools, New Jersey (28 years)
- Elementary teacher, grades 1, 6, and 8
- Reader for Educational Testing Service and National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
- Literacy consultant
Linda Severa
- Associate’s in Science in Education
- Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education
- Teacher, K-1 (15 years): Tyrone, GA
Jami Shields
- Masters in Education, emphasis in English as a Second Language, Kansas Newman University
- Bachelor's in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
- ESL teacher, Washington Elementary, Liberal, Kansas (2 years)
- ESL teacher, Salyer Elementary, Guymon, Oklahoma (5 years)
- Current ESL teacher, McLaughlin Elementary, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Carrollton, Texas
Tracey A. Sieklicki
- National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Recovery and special education, grades 2-4: Slidell, LA
Cindy Vogel
- Bachelor of Arts: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
- Teacher, grades 2 and 3 (28 years): Van Brunt Elementary-Middle School, Horicon, WI
In addition, products are revised on the basis of solicited and unsolicited feedback from thousands of subscribers.
Translators
Maria Castillo
- Bachelor’s in Child Development: Rio Hondo Community College, Whittier, CA
- Bilingual Instructional Aide: Azusa Unified School District, Los Angeles County, CA
Carlos Ardissoni Díaz
- Elementary school teacher, grade 4: Chile
Normand Gauthier
- Bell Canada subsidiary, Internet Planner Manager, Network Directions and Investments Group
- Master’s, IS/IT (Maîtrise en technologies de l'Information)
- Computer Lab Coordinator
Marie-France Leclerc
- French Immersion Program
- Teacher (14 years): Ontario, Canada
- Program chair (2 years)
- Lead Teacher
- Bachelor's degree, translation
- Owner and head translator, Say It Again Translation
Lidia Strong
- Bachelor of Arts: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
- Multiple-Subject California Teaching Credential
- Teacher, English and Spanish, grades 1, 2, 3, and 5
Valérie Suarès
- University professor teaching pre-service and pre-credentialed teachers on how to integrate technology in their classrooms and their teaching practice
- Senior linguistic editor for High Tech Companies working in French and English.
- 20 years of teaching early childhood, elementary, middle school and high school in International schools, world-wide
- Certificate in Translation and Interpretation, The National Hispanic University, San Jose, California
- California Teaching Credential, San Jose, California
- Certificates in Marketing Communications, Electronic Commerce, San Jose State University, San Jose, California
- Masters Degree in Education, Instructional Technology
- Credential Elementary and High School teacher, University of Paris, France
- Certified Maria Montessori Early Childhood Educator
- Bachelors Degree in Cross Cultural Education with emphasis on Early Childhood Education and Instructional Technology, Froebel Institute, London University, London, United Kingdom
Val Young
- Teaching Certificate: United Kingdom
- Bachelor of Arts, European Humanities
- Primary Teacher: England, Scotland, and Australia
Awards
2004 Parents' Choice Recommended Award Winner
Web Site
The Parents' Choice Foundation recognizes the best products for children. Reading A-Z was honored for being fairly priced; helping children grow; and providing a fun, safe, and socially sound product. The Parents' Choice Recommended seal indicates "thorough recommendation for reasons of production, appeal, and fulfillment of its clear intent."
2003 Global Learning Initiative Award
Innovation in Learning
Bologna Children's Book Fair, Italy, & The Association of Educational Publishers
An international panel of judges singled out Reading A-Z for its quality and unique approach to learning, saying, "The Web site contains an incredibly well-thought-out leveled reading program with great versatility in uses, especially for reading-disadvantaged students." The judges also commended the low cost of the program.
2002 Technology and Learning Award of Excellence
Language Arts
Reviewers said Reading A-Z is "a resource that puts everything a teacher, parent, or home-schooler needs to teach reading at the click of a mouse."
March 2003 EducationPlanet
Top Web Site of the Month
Teachers and reviewers cited the program's "quality content and usefulness to Language Arts educators and students."
Sister Sites
The Learning A-Z websites include six additional sites that also provide extensive educational resources.
Writing AZ
Writing AZ provides teachers with a comprehensive collection of resources to ensure the writing success of their students in grades K6. The site provides core writing lessons grouped by genre that include student packets of leveled materials, mini-lessons that target key writing skills, and writing tools for organizing and improving writing.
Raz-Kids.com
Raz-Kids Talking Books is ideal for emerging and challenged readers. The website offers interactive, animated, audio books and quizzes for students as well as an online management tool for teachers to build a rosters, assign books and track student reading activities.
Vocabulary A-Z
Vocabulary A-Z allows teachers to generate thousands of custom vocabulary lessons to match the subjects they are teaching and increase students’ reading comprehension. Each lesson includes all the lists and activities needed for a week’s worth of instruction. Educators can create lessons from a bank of thousands of words and dozens of topics.
Reading-Tutors
Reading-Tutors is designed for nonprofessionals and paraprofessionals who tutor children in need of extra reading instruction. The program consists of 400 downloadable lesson packets containing all the resources needed for tutoring sessions. They can be quickly printed and assembled for use by tutors.
Learning Page.com
Learning Page offers a free collection of thousands of printable instructional materials, such as lesson plans, activity sheets, and other activities.
Sites for Teachers
Sites for Teachers provides links to and descriptions of the most popular websites for teachers worldwide.
Sites for Parents
Sites for Parents provides links to and descriptions of some of the most popular educational sites among parents.
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