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Windward recognizes that moving your child outside a mainstream educational environment to enroll them in a specialized school is a serious decision—one we don't take lightly.

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Institute Blogs

Writing Across Disciplines

One of the most effective ways to deepen student understanding is to have students write about what they are learning. Research consistently shows that writing across disciplines, whether in social studies, science, art, or language arts, reinforces concepts, enhances retention and comprehension, and improves writing quality (Bangert-Drowns et al., 2004; Graham & Perin, 2007; Graham […]
Dec 11, 2025
Institute Blogs

Making Connections Visible: Using Semantic and Concept Maps

Graphic organizers are widely recognized in educational research as effective tools for improving comprehension, critical thinking, and memory retention (Graham et al., 2016; Kim et al., 2004; NRP, 2000). One key area they support is vocabulary depth, or the richness and complexity of word knowledge, which includes understanding relationships among words within semantic networks (Hadley […]
Nov 14, 2025
Institute Blogs

Universal Screening: Screen Early for Reading Success

With 37% of fourth graders not reading at proficient levels (NCES, 2023), universal screening offers a powerful opportunity to identify and support students’ needs much earlier. These tools allow educators to assess foundational literacy skills—even before kindergarten—to provide insight into each child’s strengths and areas for growth. While medical screenings for standard growth milestones are […]
Oct 9, 2025
Institute Blogs

The Fluency Factor

Educators rely on a variety of literacy assessments and data points to understand and support student growth. One widely used measure is Oral Reading Fluency (ORF), which provides valuable data about a student’s fluency when reading aloud. Fluency is described as the rate, accuracy, and prosody of reading. Research has shown a strong relationship between oral […]
Sep 12, 2025
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Accessibility

Website accessibility is important to The Windward School, and we strive to keep our website compliant with WCAG 2.2 AA standards. Please be aware that digital accessibility is an ongoing effort. As new standards are created and approved, we will make every effort to implement them on our website in a timely manner. If you […]
Aug 27, 2025
Institute Blogs

Summarizing: An Essential Comprehension Skill

Summarization requires students to identify main ideas, synthesize information, and craft concise statements. Whether reading a single paragraph, book chapter, informational text, or current event article, summarization is a powerful tool for grasping main ideas. Given the focused engagement with a text that summarization requires, it is not surprising that summarization has been identified in […]
Aug 27, 2025
Institute Blogs

Leveraging Background Knowledge to Boost Comprehension 

Comprehending written text is a multifaceted process that involves far more than a reader deciphering printed words on a page. To actively construct meaning, readers must continuously integrate new information with existing knowledge stored in memory. The definition of reading comprehension, put forth by the RAND Reading Study Group (2002), captures the relational aspect of […]
Aug 27, 2025
Institute Blogs

Dyslexia: Reading Success Is Within Reach

In the agrarian societies of the past, dyslexia would not have presented the same challenges as it does today. Reading was not essential for survival in a world where knowledge was passed down orally and physical labor dominated daily life. However, in today’s information-driven society, literacy is a fundamental skill that opens doors to academic […]
Aug 26, 2025
Institute Blogs

Game On: Integrating Games within Structured Literacy

When thinking of structured literacy, games might not be the first thing that come to mind. However, literacy games can be powerful tools for building knowledge and developing skills in language, reading, social interaction, and executive function. They also foster confidence, perseverance, and the ability to take risks. Structured literacy involves the explicit, systematic, and […]
Aug 26, 2025
Institute Blogs

Small but Mighty: Instructional Power Moves for Successful Learning

The Science of Learning and Student Engagement The science of learning is a fascinating field that explores how individuals learn as well as the teaching methods and tasks that elevate learning across subjects and grade levels. Student engagement is one focus within this sphere. To foster and support engagement, educators can emphasize three main strategies: […]
Aug 26, 2025
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