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Bringing reading science to real classrooms

Better instruction begins with better understanding. We partner with educators to transform literacy research into practical strategies that create lasting impact for teachers and students alike.

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Research and training on intensive reading intervention

Award-Winning Research. Real Classroom Impact

Led by nationally recognized literacy researcher Dr. Jessica Toste, our work is grounded in federally funded research, award-winning teaching, and decades of experience helping educators turn reading science into meaningful classroom outcomes.

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Her program of research focuses on understanding how best to support students' reading development — investigating methods of intensifying interventions for students with persistent reading challenges and reading disabilities (RD).

UT AUSTIN'S ACADEMY OF DISTINGUISHED TEACHERS (2025)

NAMED ONE OF THE 2017 “TEXAS 10”

RECIPIENT OF THE PRESIDENT'S ASSOCIATES GRADUATE TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD (2023)

2022 FLOYD G. HUDSON OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD FROM THE COUNCIL FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES (CLD)

DEAN'S DISTINGUISHED TEACHING AWARD (2022)

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TEACHING & SPEAKING

Translating research into practice.

Beyond UT Austin, I work with school districts, state agencies, and professional organizations to help educators put evidence-based reading instruction into practice.

Division for Learning Disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

Disability Rights Texas

GLSEN-certified facilitator

Division of Diversity and Community Engagement

Council for Learning Disabilities

Professor at The University of Texas at Austin

FEATURED PROGRAM

Word Connections

Built with teachers, tested in real classrooms, rooted in the science of reading.

root

suffix

meaning

prefix

context

spell

FROM THE FIELD

What teachers and researchers are saying

“The Word Connections program transformed how my students engage with vocabulary. Kids who used to shut down during reading time are now asking about word parts on their own.”

maria r.

3rd grade teacher · Austin ISD

FOR EDUCATORS

A few things you can use tomorrow.

Practical, free resources for elementary teachers — vocabulary routines, decoding checks, intervention planners — all grounded in current reading research.

Vocabulary Routines

5-10 minute lessons for upper elementary.

Intervention Planner

Map student needs to evidence-based moves.

Reading the Research

Plain-language summaries of recent studies.

SCHOLARLY WORKS

Recent publications

A selection of peer-reviewed articles. Full CV and publication list available on request.

JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES

2024

Effects of a multi-component vocabulary intervention for students with reading difficulties.

EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

2023

Intensifying reading intervention through cycles of data-based individualization.

READING RESEARCH QUARTERLY

2023

Morphological awareness instruction in the upper elementary grades: A meta-analysis.

Get in Touch

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Research

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Toste Team

Contact

The University of Texas at Austin Dept. of Special Education
jrtoste@austin.utexas.edu

Associate Professor of Special Education at The University of Texas at Austin. Research and training on intensive reading intervention.

All rights reserved Jessica R. Toste, PhD

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