Lives Transformed
Through Literacy
Average Growth in
Reading Per Year
Hours of Support for
Teachers and Students
About us
Unlocking Potential Through Literacy
Reading In Motion is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young students become strong, confident readers. Since 1983, we’ve served over 100,000 children, partnering with schools in under-resourced communities to deliver arts-enriched literacy programs. Our evidence-based curriculum empowers teachers to drive early reading success from PreK through 1st grade. Originally founded to bring music and drama to classrooms, we quickly evolved our mission to focus on literacy—because every child deserves the opportunity to read at grade level and thrive in school and beyond.
Proven Impact. Lasting Growth.
We Make A Difference
Our program is transforming reading outcomes for students. With our arts-enriched curriculum, offered in both English and Spanish, over 90% of our students achieve growth in reading over the course of a school year, far exceeding the progress typically seen in standard public school programs.
- Proven Results
- Bilingual Access
- Whole-Child Approach
Our Approach
The Reading In Motion Way
We reach students at the very start of their learning journey, spark their love of reading through an arts-infused curriculum, harness data to drive growth, and empower partner teachers every step of the way.
Our Method
We start early because early literacy predicts long-term success. Our engaging, arts-infused curriculum uses music and drama to build skills and confidence. We support teachers through coaching and virtual tools, empowering them in and beyond the classroom. And we use data at every step to track progress and tailor instruction for real results.
Our Curriculum
Our arts-infused reading curriculum for Pre-K to 1st grade blends music, movement, and drama to build vocabulary, boost comprehension, and make reading fun. Through creative, multi-sensory lessons, students develop core literacy skills while gaining confidence and a lasting love for learning.
Our Data
Data is at the heart of our work. It helps us personalize instruction for every student, especially those struggling with reading. Through our effective curriculum and the support of Reading In Motion Coaches, we track progress, group students effectively, and provide teachers with real-time insights that drive measurable results.
Our Results
We believe research and data drive success. That’s why we study the effectiveness of our programs using outcomes, long-term data, and partner school feedback. This research helps us measure impact, improve our methods, and ensure our programs remain sustainable and effective for both students and educators over time.
Building Strong Foundations for Lifelong Reading
The Science of Reading
Meets Music And Movement
The Reading In Motion curriculum is thoughtfully designed around the principles of Science of Reading, a body of research that emphasizes the importance of systematic, explicit instruction in foundational literacy skills. Central to this approach are strong oral language development, phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, and encoding—skills that are critical for proficient reading. Reading in Motion uniquely enhances this evidence-based framework by integrating music and movement, not only to engage students, but because research shows that music significantly supports memory and learning retention. Our curriculum provides a variety of structured, multi-sensory activities that reinforce phonemic awareness and phonics, helping students internalize these skills through repeated, meaningful practice. By combining the rigor of the Science of Reading with the proven benefits of music and movement, Reading in Motion ensures students build a strong, lasting foundation for reading success.
Support for struggling readers
Our Programs
The English Literacy Program partners with elementary schools and early childhood centers in underserved areas to bring arts-enriched literacy training and resources to PreK–1st Grade teachers. Our program provides innovative coaching and unique services designed to inspire learning and growth in the classroom.
The Spanish Literacy Program is a carefully crafted adaptation of our English version, designed to better serve the large Spanish-speaking population in many public elementary schools. Unlike a direct translation, this program takes into account the unique aspects of the Spanish language and its orthography, guided by established Spanish pedagogy principles.
The Legacy Program ensures long-time partner schools continue to benefit from Reading In Motion’s work by providing ongoing access to Reading In Motion curriculum, including our signature songs and digital literacy resources. The RIM Legacy Program keeps students engaged and growing even after direct programming ends.
Reading unlocks opportunity
Why Literacy?
The ability to read is a powerful tool, and Reading In Motion empowers children with the literacy skills that open doors to opportunity.
Improve Students' Grade-Level Literacy At Your School
Together We Can Make A Difference
- Exceptional Results: Over 72% of our students are reading at or above grade level, compared to the national average of only 34%.
- Remarkable Growth: More than 93% of our students have shown growth of at least one grade level or higher
- Highly Engaging: 100% of our students are fully engaged in learning, with noticeable reductions in off-task behaviors.
Become A volunteer
Join Us In Transforming Lives Through Literacy
When you volunteer with Reading In Motion, you give students the opportunity of a lifetime. Sign up today and we’ll connect you with meaningful opportunities to make a difference. We’re grateful for your support and excited to welcome you into the Reading In Motion community!
Donate now
Together We Can Build Lifelong Readers
Please support our work to create an immediate and lasting change:
- $50 will provide literacy support to one student for an entire school year.
- $100 will provide literacy support tools and coaching support to one student for an entire school year.
- $500 will provide literacy support tools to a teacher and classroom for an entire school year.
- $1000 will provide coaching and literacy support tools to a teacher and classroom for an entire school year.
Let's get involved
Wanted to became one of us ?
Whether you have questions, ideas, partnership proposals, or simply want to learn more about our work—we’re here to connect. Reach out to our team and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Reach us at:
- 332 South Michigan Avenue Suite #121-R13 Chicago, IL 60604
- info@readinginmotion.org
- 888 . 988 . (READ)
We're here to help!
Fill out the form below and our team will get back to you as soon as possible. Whether you have questions, ideas, or partnership inquiries—we’d love to hear from you.
We will confirm your registration within 24 hours via email.