Many schools have successfully laid the groundwork with the Science of Reading—students are decoding words with fluency and accuracy. But decoding is just the beginning. The next step is helping students make meaning from what they read. That’s where Shoelace Learning steps in. Shoelace bridges the gap between reading the words and understanding them. Our game-based platform supports comprehension skill-building through adaptive learning, engaging content, and real-time insights for educators. Whether it’s making inferences, identifying main ideas, or connecting background knowledge, Shoelace equips students to think critically about texts—and enjoy the process.

As educators, we know the most effective tools for student growth are those that engage and excite learners. In the realm of literacy, the challenge is finding ways to keep students motivated while ensuring measurable pr…

In designing the Learning Engine, there were many factors we worked to keep in mind and that influenced our decisions. One of the big ones was the Goldilocks Rule, as defined by James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits.

One of the most common questions that educators get asked (by parents, by school leaders, by themselves!) is if their students read on grade level. To answer this, English/Language Arts teachers often conduct benchmark a…

When teachers are evaluated, the metrics typically focus on student growth or proficiency. In essence, did we make a measurable impact on our students during the year? As a former educator, I understand that, despite our…

The Skills Report The Skills Report focuses on your players’ skill ability across the English/Language arts skills they encounter. As they answer more questions, the Skills Report updates to reflect their progress throug…

Beloved by educators and players alike, Class Missions is one of the most popular features on the Shoelace platform. Every Class Mission delivers unparalleled full-class engagement, building classroom camaraderie and tea…

Introducing the Shoelace Class Leaderboard: An excellent tool for igniting classroom engagement, fostering camaraderie, and injecting a dose of healthy competition into learning. Elevate your classroom experience with ou…

As a former teacher, I recall the struggles of lesson-planning for higher-order reading standards like comparing and evaluating texts. Meeting these standards takes a lot of prep: carefully selecting texts that juxtapose…