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Our Story
Behind the bookshelves:
GRLR is a mission-driven, learning organization dedicated to training and supporting school communities to get every child reading and loving it—no matter their starting point.
Our Why
Research makes it clear that the ‘train and go’ model of school professional development is not as effective as continuous support (TDT 2015 and The Sutton Trust 2014). School leaders need systems that turn data into action and confidence that every literacy lesson is high-quality, equitable, and fun. Teachers need efficient strategies and, crucially, feedback to hone their superpowers. Parents need to know their child will learn to read no matter which classroom door they enter. GRLR exists to equip educators with knowledge, coaching, and systems throughout the school year that will transform their students’ lives.
Our Approach
Our approach is grounded in the power of systematic synthetic phonics and Read Write Inc., a comprehensive, research-based literacy program created by Dame Ruth Miskin. We specialize in training, coaching, and data-driven action to get every child reading. What distinguishes us is our unwavering commitment to social impact, listening, joy, and providing tailored support to schools, honoring their unique context and needs.
Research makes it clear that the ‘train and go’ model of school professional development is not as effective as continuous support (TDT 2015 and The Sutton Trust 2014). School leaders need systems that turn data into action and confidence that every literacy lesson is high-quality, equitable, and fun. Teachers need efficient strategies and, crucially, feedback to hone their superpowers. Parents need to know their child will learn to read no matter which classroom door they enter. GRLR exists to equip educators with knowledge, coaching, and systems throughout the school year that will transform their students’ lives.
Our approach is grounded in the power of systematic synthetic phonics and Read Write Inc., a comprehensive, research-based literacy program created by Ruth Miskin. We specialize in training, coaching, and data-driven action to get every child reading. What distinguishes us is our unwavering commitment to social impact, listening, joy, and providing tailored support to schools, honoring their unique context and needs.
In 2023, the UK government’s guidance for primary and secondary schools to meet existing expectations for teaching reading, 100% aligned with Read Write Inc.
In 2010, the UK government studied the highest-performing elementary schools across the UK; seven out of twelve of them taught Read Write Inc.
In 2006, the UK government stated that teaching synthetic systematic phonics is the most effective method to teach children to read.
Meet Colleen
Hi! I’m Colleen Somich, M.Ed, Founder of Get Reading, Love Reading LLC, and sole Ruth Miskin Training Certified Consultant in the United States. I am passionate about working with dedicated teams to get every child reading. It’s my pleasure to meet you.
I began my career as a first-grade Teach For America Corps Member in Saint Louis, Missouri, in 2007. I was enthralled by teaching my students to read. I knew if they learned to read and enjoy it, their life trajectory would be dramatically changed—like mine. TFA recognized my students’ significant academic progress with the Sue Lehmann National Semi-Finalist Award. Afterwards, I served in Brooklyn, New York, as a teacher and Dean of School Culture until an opportunity to move across the pond appeared. In the United Kingdom, I continued in school leadership at an Ofsted-rated Outstanding school before joining Ruth Miskin Training as a Consultant Trainer for Read Write Inc.
With Ruth as a mentor, I learned firsthand what’s possible when whole school teams know how to support every reader.
In 2016, I established Ruth Miskin Literacy Inc., the US branch of RMT. I envisioned uniting educators through a common purpose—transforming early literacy instruction in the US. For seven years, as leader of RML Inc., I galvanized schools from Maine to Hawai’i and supported them throughout their RWI implementation. In the evenings, I taught New York University Steinhardt’s graduate course, suitably called Facilitating School Literacy Reform. Then, in 2023, Get Reading, Love Reading LLC was founded. Over my training career, I’ve supported thousands of teachers across 15 states and 10 countries, and I'm honored to continue the mission of teaching every child to read and write at GRLR.
Founder of Get Reading, Love Reading
Read Write Inc.
In 2023, the UK Government released guidance for primary and secondary schools to meet expectations for teaching reading 100% aligned with Read Write Inc.
In 2010, the UK Government studied the highest-performing elementary schools across the UK; seven out of twelve of them taught Read Write Inc.
In 2006, the UK Government stated that teaching synthetic systematic phonics is the most effective method to teach children to read.
About
Read Write Inc. is a systematic synthetic phonics, research-based, comprehensive literacy program created by Dame Ruth Miskin in 2002. It is the UK’s leading synthetic phonics program. Read Write Inc. gets children reading with phonemic awareness, accuracy, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and motivation. It also teaches oral language development, handwriting, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and compositional writing. And the best part? It is fun to teach, making it enjoyable for children to learn to read and write!
Read Write Inc. is data-driven, allowing every teacher to meet their students’ needs. It is for children from Pre-K to 2nd grade, and children still learning to read in older grades. Also, it is aligned with the Common Core.
Simply put, we teach sounds with passion and pace; children practice reading the same sounds in words; and they read lively, decodable storybooks matched to the sounds they know. Soon, they can read any book they choose.
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