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Is the Bottom Falling Out for our Most Struggling Readers?Nationwide, the number of students who cannot read at even a basic level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress is growing across all tested grades. How does siloing different areas of reading instruction for different students and grades compound this problem? | Problems With Lucy Calkins’ Curriculum Go Beyond Reading—To WritingWriting instruction has enormous potential to build knowledge and literacy, but to unlock its power, two basic principles need to be observed. Writing is difficult and providing students’ with a slower pace and explicit instruction is the key to unlocking their true potential. Click here for full article. | Reading Improvement: Teaching Shift or Culture Shift? Teachers are using flawed reading practices not because they’re ignorant, ill-prepared, or incompetent. They are doing it because they are being told to use them—usually by deeply trusted sources, like cherished mentors, colleagues, or the popular curriculum sitting in their classrooms. Click here for full article. |
Is the Bottom Falling Out for our Most Struggling Readers?
Nationwide, the number of students who cannot read at even a basic level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress is growing across all tested grades. How does siloing different areas of reading instruction for different students and grades compound this problem?
Problems With Lucy Calkins’ Curriculum Go Beyond Reading—To Writing
Writing instruction has enormous potential to build knowledge and literacy, but to unlock its power, two basic principles need to be observed. Writing is difficult and providing students’ with a slower pace and explicit instruction is the key to unlocking their true potential. Click here for full article.
Reading Improvement: Teaching Shift or Culture Shift?
This school year we are continuing to...
- Lean into the "3 Big Shifts" in literacy instruction and explore the how to effectively plan Tier 1 Core instruction utilizing district resources.
- Examine the alignment of literacy best practices (content and pedagogy) to accelerate student learning.
- Use data to guide instructional decision-making and ensure equitable access for high levels of student achievement for ALL students.
Elementary (K-5)
High Frequency Sight Words Educators sometimes confuse the following related terms: sight words, high frequency words, decodable words, irregular words. Because high frequency words are essential to learning how to read, teachers should begin to teach some high frequency words as sight words to children in primary grades at the same time children are being taught how to use phonics to decode words.
Middle School (6-8)
Why Reading Aloud to Middle School Students Works While reading aloud is typically an elementary school practice, a modified method can be useful for comprehension and engagement in older students as well. In EdWeek's “Bringing the Joy of Read-Alouds to Middle School Students,” Christina Torres, an 8th grade English teacher at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii, describes how she has used a “read-along” strategy with her students for six years.
High School (9-12)
Reinventing AP Courses With Rigorous Project-Based Learning AP courses prepare learners to take exams on college-level knowledge to earn college credit. A new study shows that when implemented well, AP courses built around project-based learning can raise test scores for all students, including those in traditionally underserved demographics.
Professional Learning
Effective professional development builds the knowledge, skills and qualities of teachers to improve the outcomes of their students. When teachers practice and apply new learning, their enhanced knowledge and skills improves their teaching which then enhances their students' outcomes. Participants should select courses that increase teacher efficacy and are directly-aligned to student achievement (and not solely on "flex credit" compliance).
