Learning Ally

World Thesaurus Day
2026-01-18
World Thesaurus Day is celebrated annually, honoring the birthday of Peter Mark Roget, the creator of Roget’s Thesaurus (first published in 1852) and encouraging people to use thesauruses to expand vocabulary and improve writing. It’s a day to appreciate this essential resource for finding synonyms, antonyms, and related words, helping writers avoid repetition and find the perfect term for their ideas.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
2026-01-19
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed on the third Monday in January, honoring the life and legacy of the pivotal civil rights leader, celebrated with service, reflection, and events focused on equality and community building–often called a “day on, not a day off”. The holiday, signed into law in 1983, commemorates Dr. King’s efforts against racial segregation and for justice, encouraging volunteerism to create his vision of a “Beloved Community”

National Handwriting Day
2026-01-23
National Handwriting Day is celebrated annually on January 23, coinciding with John Hancock’s birthday, to promote the art, benefits, and personal expression of handwriting in a digital world, encouraging people to write letters, journal, or make lists by hand. The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA) established the day in 1977 to highlight handwriting’s role in cognitive development, memory, and individuality

International Day of Education
2026-01-24
The International Day of Education 2026 will be celebrated with the theme, “The power of youth in co-creating education,” focusing on young people’s role in shaping learning and policies, with major events held at UNESCO and online by youth networks. Established by the UN, the day highlights education’s role in peace, development, and achieving global goals, urging action to ensure quality education for all.

Dyslexia Defined: Unpacking the 2025 IDA Definition
2026-01-28 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
The revised 2025 International Dyslexia Association (IDA) definition of dyslexia reflects decades of scientific progress. This edWebinar invites you to explore the full scope of this expanded definition. Dr. Tim Odegard, a member of the IDA definition committee, will bridge the gap between scientific language and classroom realities, and real-life experiences that persist across lifespans. He will clarify how this updated definition fosters a deeper understanding of dyslexia’s causes and defining characteristics.
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how a continued focus on instructional persistence informs our approach to identification and intervention. This session offers the reassurance that as our scientific understanding of dyslexia evolves, our shared commitment to helping every student thrive remains the heart of our work.
Learning objectives include:

Analyze the core components of the 2025 IDA revised definition regarding word-reading accuracy and speed
Evaluate “instructional persistence” as a key indicator of the dyslexia profile
Identify the defining characteristics of dyslexia

This edWebinar will be of interest to K-12 teachers, school leaders, district leaders, dyslexia specialists, reading specialists, speech pathologists, and MTSS and intervention specialists.
Register now!

National Puzzle Day
2026-01-29
Each year on January 29th, National Puzzle Day recognizes how exercising our brains with puzzles is just one of its many benefits.

20-Minute Speed Training: Level Up Reading with Audiobook Solution
2026-02-04 16:00 - 16:20
Do you need quick, effective strategies to boost student reading? If you are short on time but want more impact from the Audiobook Solution this semester, this session is for you. We designed this exclusive, 20-minute speed training specifically for educators who are already using the Audiobook Solution. Here, you will find practical, classroom-ready strategies to improve outcomes without revisiting the basics.
You will explore three teacher-tested instructional moves that educators are using right now. These specific techniques boost listening volume, strengthen comprehension, and help students demonstrate what they know. Furthermore, each strategy is easy to implement and aligns seamlessly with your core curriculum. Therefore, they fit naturally into existing class time, PLCs, or staff meetings.
Fast-Paced Strategies for Immediate Impact:
This session focuses on action. It includes real classroom examples and a quick planning moment so you leave knowing exactly what to try next week. In this fast-paced session, you’ll learn how to:

Increase reading sessions through small, consistent classroom routines.
Use tools intentionally to increase student reading engagement in ELA and content-area instruction. Strengthen comprehension and evidence-based responses with simple annotation strategies.
Choose one high-impact move to implement immediately to drive measurable reading growth.

This training is perfect for educators who have completed the Launch Workshop. If you are ready to fine-tune implementation and boost usage fast, join us!

Empowering Your Reluctant Reader: Building Motivation and Consistent Habits
2026-02-25 20:00 - 21:00
Does reading time in your home feel like a constant battle? If so, you are not alone. Parenting a reluctant reader often feels isolating and frustrating. However, we can change that narrative today. Many children desperately want to succeed in reading. Unfortunately, specific challenges with decoding and fluency often make the process exhausting and discouraging. Over time, this daily struggle leads to avoidance, low confidence, and the heartbreaking feeling of being “different” from friends and peers.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Join us for this one-hour live session. We designed this webinar specifically for parents and caregivers who want to see their children thrive. We will move beyond unhelpful advice like “just try harder.” Instead, we explore the science behind why reading is difficult. Furthermore, we show you how to remove the barriers standing in your child’s way.
Unlocking Potential and Confidence
In this session, you will discover that reading success is achievable. We provide actionable insights to transform your home learning environment. Specifically, we will cover:

The Hidden “Why”: You will understand the emotional and academic realities of learning differences. We explain how cognitive processing impacts your child’s ability to read and why traditional methods might fail.

The Power of Audiobooks: Learn how pairing audio with text reduces “cognitive load.” We demonstrate how audiobooks for kids, such as the Learning Ally Audiobook Solution, act as a vital bridge. This allows your child to access grade-level content, build vocabulary, and improve comprehension without the usual fatigue.

Restoring the Joy: Discover specific, practical habits you can implement immediately. These strategies focus on building genuine reading motivation. Consequently, you can transform reading from a chore into a daily source of engagement and confidence.

Transform the Struggle into Success
Do not let the struggle define your child’s education. When you understand the root causes of a reluctant reader, you can provide the right support. Register today to leave with ready-to-use tools and strategies. These resources support confidence, engagement, and success—starting right now. Register today!

2026 Great Reading Games Celebration
2026-03-06 14:00 - 15:00
The wait is finally over! Join Learning Ally for a high-energy, virtual bash to celebrate the thrilling conclusion of the 2026 Great Reading Games. Together, classrooms and families across the nation united their unique reading superpowers. We zoomed through countless pages, explored new worlds, and built lasting reading habits. Now is the time to celebrate this incredible collective achievement. We want to honor every minute read and every student who participated in the Great Reading Games this year.
This isn’t just a simple wrap-up. It is a full-scale celebration of literacy, persistence, and joy. During this special live broadcast, we will loudly recognize and celebrate the dedicated students, tireless educators, supportive schools, and engaged families who made this year’s competition a massive success. Your hard work deserves a global spotlight.
Meet Author Megan Nicolas
To make this event truly unforgettable, we welcome a very special guest. Megan Nicolas, the inspiring author of Discovering My Dyslexia Superpowers, joins the party. She brings a message of hope and strength that resonates with every learner. Megan will guide us through an interactive session designed to boost confidence and spark creativity in young minds.
What You Will Experience
During this dynamic session, participants will gain exclusive insights into the writing process and self-advocacy. Specifically, Megan will:

Identify Strengths: Help readers recognize and embrace their own unique dyslexia superpowers and learning strengths.

Share a Journey: Share her family’s personal superhero journey, making deep connections with the audience.

Go Behind the Scenes: Give us an exclusive look at how an author brings a story to life. Students will see how ideas transform into published books.

Provide Resources: Send everyone home with fun, tangible resources. These tools ensure you keep your reading superpowers strong all the way into spring.

This event is open to all readers, their educators, and families across all grade levels. Whether your school topped the leaderboard or you simply beat your own personal best, you belong here. We can’t wait to celebrate with you…register now!
