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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Schaeffer from Oak Forest, IL is requesting instructional technology through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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From Letters to Literacy: Science of Reading Manipulatives

Help me give my students access to hands on manipulatives to help support the science of reading!

  • $617 goal

This project expired on September 14, 2025.

This project expired on September 14, 2025.

My Project

The specific items I am requesting will directly impact my students and help build their literacy skills and confidence in reading. There are many benefits to using hands-on tools along with a science of reading-based approach to literacy. Integrating hands-on tools into reading instruction, especially when aligned with the science of reading, provides measurable benefits in comprehension, engagement, and skill development for a wide range of learners

Enhanced Reading Comprehension

Research shows that using manipulatives in reading instruction leads to significant improvements in students' reading comprehension skills. A quasi-experimental study found that students who engaged with manipulative-based remediation had substantial gains in post-test reading scores compared to their pre-test results, demonstrating the effectiveness of hands-on tools in facilitating better understanding of texts.

Concrete Representation of Abstract Concepts

Manipulatives help students grasp abstract reading concepts by providing a physical, tangible way to interact with language elements. This is especially beneficial for young learners or those struggling with reading, as physical objects can serve as analogies for new ideas, making it easier to understand and remember concepts such as phonics, word structure, and sentence construction.

Support for Diverse Learners

Manipulatives are particularly helpful for students with learning differences or those who need additional support. They cater to various learning styles, especially kinesthetic and visual learners, by allowing students to physically engage with the material.

Improved Focus and Attention

The perceptual richness of manipulatives (e.g., colorful, visually appealing materials) can draw students’ attention to key features of reading tasks, helping them focus on relevant information and reduce conceptual errors.

Reinforcement of Foundational Skills

Manipulatives can be used to reinforce foundational reading skills such as letter-sound correspondence, decoding, and fluency. By physically moving and arranging objects, students can better internalize these basic skills, which are essential for reading success.

Ms. Schaeffer Benjamin Braun Educational Center Grades PreK-2 Oak Forest, IL View local requests

Half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

Never Before Funded 10 students impacted

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
hand2mind Makerspace Cart (92926) • Quill.com $227.51 1 $227.51
hand2mind Letter Tracing Sensory Pad • Quill.com $11.99 6 $71.94
hand2mind Elkonin Box Magnetic Answer Board Set (96155) • Quill.com $44.00 1 $44.00
hand2mind Phonics Skill-Building Demonstration Pocket Chart, Tabletop (96158) • Quill.com $44.00 1 $44.00
hand2mind Phoneme Phone Blue 6/Set (65363) • Staples $34.99 1 $34.99
hand2mind Elkonin Box Magnetic Answer Board, Word Mapping Paddles, Elkonin Boxes Dry Erase Blending Board, Phonemic Awareness, Phonics Manipulatives, Science of Reading Classroom Materials (Set of 6) • Amazon Business $33.99 1 $33.99
hand2mind Magnetic Activity Tray Dry-Erase Whiteboards, 9.5" x 13", 6/Set (96157) • Quill.com $30.39 1 $30.39

Materials cost

$486.82

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$7.30

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$524.12

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$92.49

Total project goal

$616.61

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Schaeffer and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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