Imses Freebie Friday Unlocking Weekly Literacy Resources For Educators And Parents

IMSE, the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education, is an organization dedicated to improving literacy education for all students. With a focus on structured literacy instruction, IMSE provides resources and training to educators, parents, and specialists to help children develop strong reading skills. One of the valuable offerings from IMSE is their Freebie Friday program, which delivers weekly resources, lesson ideas, and reading refreshers directly to subscribers' inboxes. This article explores the Freebie Friday program, the various free resources available from IMSE, and how educators and parents can access these materials to support literacy development at home and in the classroom.

What is IMSE's Freebie Friday Program

IMSE's Freebie Friday is a weekly email program that delivers valuable literacy resources directly to subscribers. According to IMSE's content, these emails are created by reading experts who share creative ideas for lessons, quick reading refreshers, and articles that can help structure and guide an at-home reading support system. The program is designed to complement IMSE's broader mission of providing high-quality literacy instruction for all students.

The Freebie Friday emails serve as a resource for both educators and parents who are working to support children's literacy development. By providing practical, ready-to-use materials and ideas, IMSE makes it easier for literacy support team members to implement effective reading strategies without having to create everything from scratch. This is particularly valuable for parents who may not have formal training in literacy education but want to support their children's reading development at home.

IMSE emphasizes the importance of family involvement in literacy development, noting that when family learning takes place, children show a gain of 22.5% in reading scores at or above grade level. With this in mind, the Freebie Friday program specifically encourages educators to share these resources with their students' parents and caregivers, inspiring them to become more involved in their family's literacy potential.

Available Free Resources

IMSE offers a wide variety of free resources beyond the weekly Freebie Friday emails. These resources span different formats and topics, catering to the diverse needs of educators, parents, and students.

One notable resource is the Summer Reading Resources Guide, which is available as a free downloadable document. This guide includes outdoor reading games and activity ideas, student reading activity printables, online literacy tools, and grade-level concept review guides. It is specifically designed to help parents engage their readers at home during the summer months and prevent the "summer slide" - the loss of reading skills that can occur when students are not engaged in educational activities during school breaks. The guide is particularly valuable for parents who want to help transition their students into the next grade level of reading, providing age-appropriate activities that build on previously learned skills.

IMSE also offers the Parent Video and OG in a Bag Bundle, which provides more comprehensive support for parents and teachers. This bundle includes a two-hour video training that covers foundational reading skills in hands-on training for guardians of beginning readers. It also incorporates multi-sensory learning tools, which align with IMSE's structured literacy approach. The multi-sensory aspect is particularly important as it engages multiple pathways in the brain, making learning more effective and memorable for students with different learning styles. This resource is particularly valuable for teachers and specialists looking for tools to help parents understand what learning can look like beyond the classroom.

For classroom educators, IMSE provides various teaching tools that have been popular among teachers. According to IMSE's 2021 Top Teacher Tools List, dry erase dictation hands were highly favored, with over 11,900 clicks, 1,700 likes, and 250 shares on Facebook. These tools are described as "easy to tap, write, rewrite, erase, repeat, reuse," and can be created using a vinyl envelope and dry erase markers. The popularity of these tools demonstrates their practical value in classroom settings, allowing teachers to create reusable resources that can be used for multiple lessons and activities.

IMSE captures peer feedback and customer engagement to determine which great content generates the most positive responses from teachers and students. This data-driven approach ensures that the resources they provide are not only aligned with best practices in literacy education but also meet the actual needs and preferences of educators in the field. By monitoring engagement metrics, IMSE can continuously refine their offerings and focus on creating the most impactful resources.

IMSE's presence on Pinterest showcases another avenue through which they distribute free resources. The IMSE Free Resources Pinterest board features 39 pins related to various literacy topics. These include word sorts, reading strategy bookmarks, free teacher resources, vowel team words, Halloween-themed activities, and short vowel materials. The visual nature of Pinterest makes it an ideal platform for sharing educational resources that can be quickly viewed and implemented by educators and parents. Some of the specific resources highlighted on the Pinterest page include:

• Phonemic awareness teaching tools
• Interactive notebooks for morphology
• Blending sounds activities
• Red words practice materials
• Halloween-themed literacy activities
• Short vowel teaching aids

These resources cover a range of literacy skills and can be adapted for different grade levels and learning needs, making them versatile additions to any literacy instruction program.

How to Access Free Resources

Accessing IMSE's free resources is straightforward and designed to be convenient for educators and parents. The primary method for receiving weekly resources is through the Freebie Friday email subscription. Interested individuals can sign up to receive these emails, which will deliver fresh content directly to their inbox each week. The emails typically include a variety of resources, from quick activities that can be implemented immediately to more comprehensive guides that provide structured approaches to literacy instruction.

For those looking for a broader collection of resources, IMSE maintains a digital resource center where all their free materials are organized and accessible. This center allows users to browse resources by topic or format, making it easy to find specific materials that meet their needs. The digital resource center is continuously updated with new materials, ensuring that educators and parents have access to the latest research-based practices and strategies.

IMSE also actively shares resources on social media platforms. They encourage followers to connect with them on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest to receive tips and tricks from peers and IMSE experts. The Pinterest page, in particular, offers a visual catalog of free resources that can be saved and organized for later use. By following IMSE on these platforms, educators and parents can stay informed about new resources, upcoming events, and literacy research that may inform their practice.

In addition to their general social media presence, IMSE publishes the IMSE Journal, which features success stories from other schools and districts implementing their structured literacy approach. The journal also includes articles and insights that can inform literacy instruction practices. Reading about the experiences of others who have implemented IMSE's approach can provide valuable insights and inspiration for educators looking to improve their literacy instruction.

Impact on Literacy Education

The resources provided by IMSE have a tangible impact on literacy education. According to IMSE's data, when family learning takes place, children show a gain of 22.5% in reading scores at or above grade level. This statistic underscores the importance of engaging parents and caregivers in literacy education and highlights how IMSE's resources, which are designed to support at-home learning, contribute to improved reading outcomes.

The Summer Reading Resources Guide specifically addresses the challenge of summer slide by providing parents with tools to maintain their children's reading skills during school breaks. Research has shown that summer learning loss can significantly impact a child's academic progress, particularly in literacy. By making these resources freely available, IMSE helps ensure that economic barriers do not prevent access to quality literacy materials, promoting equity in educational opportunities.

For educators, the Freebie Friday program and other resources reduce the time and effort required to develop lesson materials and teaching aids. This allows teachers to focus more on instruction and less on preparation, potentially leading to more effective teaching practices and better student outcomes. The ready-to-use nature of many IMSE resources also makes them accessible to educators who may be new to structured literacy approaches or who are looking to refresh their instructional practices.

IMSE's approach to literacy instruction is grounded in research and best practices. Their focus on structured literacy, which includes explicit, systematic instruction in phonology, sound-symbol association, syllables, morphology, syntax, and semantics, aligns with the recommendations of major literacy organizations. By providing free resources that incorporate these elements, IMSE helps ensure that all educators, regardless of their school's resources or location, have access to evidence-based materials.

Additional Support and Community

Beyond the free resources, IMSE provides additional support through their OG Weekly email series, which offers refreshers and tips for implementing structured literacy approaches. This ongoing support helps educators stay current with best practices and continually refine their teaching methods. The weekly emails may include research updates, teaching strategies, activity ideas, and answers to frequently asked questions, creating a comprehensive support system for educators.

IMSE also fosters a community of literacy educators and advocates through their social media presence and the IMSE Journal. By sharing success stories and practical tips, they create a space where educators can learn from one another and feel supported in their important work. This sense of community is particularly valuable in a field where educators often work in isolation and may benefit from the collective wisdom and experience of their peers.

For districts and administrators, IMSE offers partnership opportunities to strengthen literacy instruction across classrooms and grade levels. Their approach builds consistency, supports long-term growth, and improves outcomes for all learners. By working with entire districts, IMSE helps create coherent literacy programs that ensure all students receive high-quality instruction regardless of which teacher they have or which school they attend.

The multi-sensory approach that is central to IMSE's instructional methodology has been shown to be particularly effective for students with dyslexia and other learning differences. By providing free resources that incorporate multi-sensory techniques, IMSE helps ensure that these evidence-based approaches are available to all students, not just those who can afford specialized tutoring or intervention programs.

Conclusion

IMSE's Freebie Friday program and the broader suite of free resources they offer represent a valuable contribution to literacy education. By providing accessible, high-quality materials to both educators and parents, IMSE helps create a more comprehensive support system for developing readers. The weekly emails, downloadable guides, teaching tools, and social media resources all work together to make effective literacy instruction more achievable for everyone involved in a child's education.

The impact of these resources extends beyond individual classrooms and homes. By promoting structured literacy approaches and providing resources that can be implemented in diverse settings, IMSE is helping to transform literacy education on a broader scale. Their commitment to high-quality instruction for all students, regardless of background or learning needs, aligns with the principles of educational equity and excellence.

For educators and parents seeking to support children's literacy development, IMSE's free resources offer practical, research-backed materials that can be implemented immediately. Whether through signing up for the Freebie Friday emails, exploring the digital resource center, or following on social media, there are multiple avenues to access these valuable materials. The variety of formats and topics ensures that there are resources to meet the needs of different learners, instructional contexts, and learning goals.

As IMSE continues to expand their offerings and refine their approach, they remain committed to their mission of providing high-quality literacy instruction for all students. The free resources they provide are not just materials; they are tools that can help change lives through reading. By making these resources freely available, IMSE is helping to ensure that all children have the opportunity to become proficient readers, unlocking doors to future academic success and lifelong learning.

Sources

1. Celebrating American Education Week
2. Summer Reading Activities
3. IMSE Free Resources
4. Top Teacher Tools 2021
5. IMSE Website