University at Buffalo Center for Literacy and Reading Instruction

A great big CLaRI welcome to our newest team member, President Genco! Looking forward to an even brighter future for UB with her leading the charge. 💙 🤘

Caroline Attardo Genco, provost and senior vice president at Tufts University, has been named ’s 16th president, becoming the first woman and Buffalo native to lead the university. Her appointment was approved by the SUNY Board of Trustees Tuesday following an international search.

Genco will join the UB community on August 10, 2026. Learn more ➡️ http://ms.spr.ly/6180vb2V4

✨ Come one, come all! ✨

In case you missed it, our reading center relocated to Foster Hall on UB’s South Campus in late 2025. After months of hard work, our new space is officially unpacked, organized, and ready for reading - proudly serving families across Western New York.

Take a look through the photos and come visit us in our new home! 📚💙

💙 It’s UB Giving Day!

Today is the perfect opportunity to support CLaRI and make a meaningful impact in the Buffalo community. Every donation - no matter the size - goes directly toward providing tutoring support for children who are working to meet grade-level expectations in reading and writing.

Your generosity helps children build confidence, skills, and brighter futures. If you’re feeling philanthropically minded today (or any day!), please consider supporting our work.

👉 Give here: https://ubfoundation.buffalo.edu/giving/?custom=0232&gift_allocation=01-3-0-06090

Make a gift to University at Buffalo Donating to the University at Buffalo is easy. Every gift—whether large or small—is crucial to continuing on a path of academic excellence.

📣Calling all conference goers! It's AERA in LA and some of our literacy experts are hitting the podium to present their research. If you're attending, check out the following:

Effects of a Multicomponent Intervention in Upper-Elementary Grades: Findings from a Quasi-Experiment and Conceptual Replication

Presented by John Z. Strong (UBuffalo), Laura S. Tortorelli (Michigan State University), Blythe E. Anderson (UBuffalo), Eunsoo Cho (University of California - Riverside)

📆Thu, April 9
🕓2:15 to 3:45pm PDT
📍Westin Bonaventure, Floor: Lobby Level, Beaudry A

AI-Generated Decodable Texts: Problems, Promise, and Directions Supporting Beginning Reading Objectives

Presented by Laura S. Tortorelli (Michigan State University), John Z. Strong (UBuffalo), Tanya M. Christ (East Carolina University)

📆Fri, April 10
🕓9:45 to 11:15am PDT
📍Westin Bonaventure, Floor: Lobby Level, Beaudry A

📣 ONE WEEK AWAY! The Community of Learners begins on March 24th at 6pm EST with a lively discussion of Percival Everett’s James - a bold reimagining of an American classic.

All readers are welcome, whether you’ve finished the book, started it, or are just curious. This is a no‑pressure, judgment‑free space to share ideas, build community, and enjoy great conversation. 💛📖

Save your spot! 🔗 https://events.advancement.buffalo.edu/en/Ho16afy7/g/all-events/ub-gse-community-of-learners-book-club-5a5zPYgxEbR/overview

Proud moment for ! 📚

John Strong (CLaRI) and Blythe Anderson (LAI) were featured in Education Week, discussing free resources for older students who struggle with multisyllabic academic words.

Their 2024 study found that decoding skills matter, but vocabulary and knowledge of word parts (like prefixes and suffixes) are just as important. The key? Combine phonics with meaning to better support older readers. 👏

Few Books Are Tailored for Older Struggling Readers: 'It's an Absolute Wasteland' Teachers and researchers identify three barriers to finding reading materials that meet these students' needs—and how to overcome them.

In just over a month, our is gathering virtually to discuss "James" by Percival Everett. Sign up today - there is still plenty of time to get reading! 🤓

There are two things we all need: community and a good book! 📖

Join CLaRI and UB's Alumni Events for a free virtual book club discussing "James" by Percival Everett - a fresh, poignant, and timely spin on the classic Huckleberry Finn, retelling the story from Jim's perspective.

📆March 24th
🕓 6pm EST
Register today!🔗https://events.advancement.buffalo.edu/en/g/all-events/ub-gse-community-of-learners-book-club-5a5zPYgxEbR/overview

February 2-6 is National News Literacy Week. This year's focus is on helping teens learn how to separate real information from fake in the age of AI.

🔗 to story in the comments

There are two things we all need: community and a good book! 📖

Join CLaRI and UB's Alumni Events for a free virtual book club discussing "James" by Percival Everett - a fresh, poignant, and timely spin on the classic Huckleberry Finn, retelling the story from Jim's perspective.

📆March 24th
🕓 6pm EST
Register today!🔗https://events.advancement.buffalo.edu/en/g/all-events/ub-gse-community-of-learners-book-club-5a5zPYgxEbR/overview