A research-based and standards-aligned special education literacy instruction curriculum that enables educators to provide systematic phonics instruction and differentiated reading instruction to learners with complex learning profiles. It delivers all of this with robust support for district leaders, teachers, and members of IEP Teams.
Special education administrators, teachers, and speech-language pathologists often face the challenge of:
Readtopia solves these challenges.
Educators tell us that while they want to know the research behind best-practice literacy instruction, they need a practical way to apply it in classrooms and learning spaces.
Readtopia is a cloud-based curriculum serving students grades 3 through adult, supporting varied learning needs including autism, intellectual disabilities, and developmental differences. Perfect for self-contained and inclusive classrooms, transition programs, and adult learning centers.
The online portal offers a complete literacy learning solution for learners with complex learning needs, and can be used by school districts along with the ReadtopiaGO early literacy curriculum or as a stand-alone curriculum.
Readtopia’s thematic units deliver proven results through daily routines using evidence-based literacy instruction that transform reading skills into measurable reading comprehension, and functional reading achievement. Our comprehensive approach doesn’t just teach – it builds confident, engaged learners.
Rooted in the groundbreaking work of Dr. Karen Erickson and Dr. David Koppenhaver, authors of Comprehensive Literacy for All, Readtopia bridges the gap between literacy research and classroom practice. Through concepts and vocabulary inherent in classic fiction and modern non-fiction, learners at all beginning levels simultaneously develop and build their knowledge in science, social studies, and life skills.
Readtopia includes an explicit Teacher’s Guide for each of its 30+ thematic units, along with systematic alphabet knowledge and spelling-based phonics lessons. These guides provide detailed instructional sequences, making lesson planning for teams, new educators and substitute teachers a breeze. Educators no longer need to spend hours creating differentiated materials to meet the diverse needs of their students—Readtopia does it for you.
Educators receive onboarding support, access to a dedicated curriculum specialist, recorded teaching tutorials, free webinars and a Literacy Instruction Resource Center.
Comprehensive Curriculum
Delivers standards-aligned instruction across core subjects, including ELA, science, social students and math, through evidence-based reading intervention, supporting IEP goals and measurable student achievement.
Adapted Literature
Thematic Units
Over 30 units, available year-round, with rich-media that captures student interest.
Differentiation Built In
Ready-made instructional materials that meet each learner’s unique needs and save educators’ time.
Teacher Guides
Explicit, easy-to-follow guides for planning and implementation.
Click on any of the areas below to explore samples and further details.
$839 USD/year
(per educator)
Anchored by “Diana Trujillo: A Space Scientist”, Building Wings has launched a new Readtopia thematic unit called Making Dreams Come True.
Author Name: user
Categories: Articles, Readtopia
Tags: Readtopia
Date: July 28, 2022
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A leveled adaptation of Judith Heumann’s memoir anchors a Readtopia writing curriculum unit centered on disability rights.
Author Name: Building Wings
Categories: Articles, Curriculum, Readtopia
Tags: Readtopia
Date: April 7, 2023
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Introducing a new Readtopia unit anchored in stories of space exploration as part of comprehensive literacy instruction.
Author Name: Building Wings
Categories: Articles, Readtopia
Tags: Readtopia
Date: August 1, 2023
Read BlogReadtopia incorporates the research from Dr. Karen Erickson, Dr. David Koppenhaver, Jones, Clark, Reutzel, findings from the National Early Literacy Panel and many others, and incorporates their findings into daily instructional routines that educators can use to confidently provide comprehensive literacy instruction based on the science of reading. Current research by others including Dr. Lisa Davidson provides evidence of the effectiveness of the Readtopia curriculum. Download or view a Readtopia White Paper Summary to view the research citations for this curriculum.
Four instructional platforms for educators using systematic cycles for individual, small group or large group instruction. No prior knowledge is needed by students and lessons can be used with non-speaking learners.
Readtopia provides educators with multiple levels of instructional materials to differentiate instruction for a wide-range of learning levels in the same classroom or learning space. These can be used for individual, small group or large group instruction.
Also included are a quick-to-administer Readtopia Placement Tool to match learners with just-right materials. Unlike some curriculua that sell materials by grade band, Readtopia includes all levels of all materials to meet the widest range of student and educator needs.
Shown here is an excerpt of Fantastic Facts Progression from Tuskegee Airmen.
We have been told that our Teacher’s Guides are the best in the business. Each of our 30+ thematic units includes an explicit guide. Each guide averages 150-200 pages and offers:
30+ thematic units written for upper elementary, middle, school, high school and transition /adult programs, including multiple all emergent units. Each unit is anchored in an adapted and age-respectful graphic novel written at multiple levels with rich-media and explicit lesson plans for 6-8+ weeks of classroom instruction.
Readtopia includes formative and cumulative assessments to enable educators to share data with students, parents and IEP Team members and also to differentiate instruction for learners.
Readtopia is the ONLY literacy curriculum that carefully creates engaging videos that tie directly to the thematic unit being taught. Included with the videos are lessons that actively engage students in a whole group lesson (Emergent through Conventional levels working together) in building world knowledge and creating accurate mental models to support reading comprehension with.
Educators also receive a variety of resources to make instruction memorable and engage students using a variety of sensory experiences. Included are communication supports such as a 48-word core vocabulary board and specially created fringe vocabulary boards, graphic novels with custom age-respectful illustrations, classroom posters, vocabulary cards, character cards and lessons that actively engage learners.
At all unit levels, Readtopia integrates basic life skills alongside the academic skills we teach. This approach guides students in making text-to-self connections and renders the teaching of academic content more functional. At the Middle School/High School+ levels, the Readtopia Functional Life Skills Framework was created to explicitly link Readtopia unit Anchor Lessons with three major life domains:
Each domain is broken down into Competencies and Sub-Competencies, as outlined in “Life Centered Education: The Teacher’s Guide,” a product of the Council for Exceptional Children.
Karen A. Erickson, Ph.D. is Director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. Her focus is on understanding the best ways to assess and teach reading and writing to children with the most severe disabilities. As a special education teacher, Dr. Erickson has worked to support students with a range of disabilities in a variety of classroom settings, particularly students who do not use speech as their primary means of communication.
Website: https://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds
Author Profile: https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_Contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=110&Name=Karen+Erickson,Ph.D.
