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Teacher to student and student to student both equally important. Need to be conversations about open questions. Back and forth dialogue. There can be multiple correct answers with follow up conversations. That way teachers can see the students' way of thinking. - Christine Matthews

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Students need time during reading instruction to talk with one another to share their thoughts, ask and answer questions, and grow ideas together

-Brooke Milhaupt

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An inquiry based approach allows students to take accountability and responsibility of their own learning.

Reading independently should take up most of Reading Workshop time, so although choice is very important for students, they also need to have books that are at their "just right" level so that they may be successful during their independent reading time.

-Brooke Milhaupt

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The Gradual Release of Responsibility allows students of all learning capabilities to practice a standard or skill through watching the teacher model, practicing alongside the teacher and other students, and then linking the whole-group practice to their own individual work.

-Brooke Milhaupt

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Informal and formal assessments in reading can give a teacher a good indication about what their students are able to do, what skills they are approaching, and what achievement gaps students still have.

Utilizing assessment in every day teaching is key for teachers to help students set goals, work through action steps, and ultimately achieve the goal of being a strategic reader.

-Brooke Milhaupt

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From a teacher standpoint, having quality, high leverage mentor texts that can be used for whole-group modeling is critical to student success. Students can learn craft moves from authors and apply that work into their own independent work and reading. Mentor texts also allow students to have an engaging discussion and grow their thoughts and ideas around the same text. Mentor texts are a great way for teachers to give their students quality examples of certain curriculum standards.

For students, text choice makes all the difference between an engaged and disengaged reader. While it's true that students need texts at their own level to be successful in reading independently, there is much to be said about students reading books they actually WANT to read. As an educator, it is our job to try to provide a variety of books at different levels so that all students may have the best of both worlds; being able to successfully read a book that they actually want to read.

-Brooke Milhaupt

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While reading instruction has many components (mini-lesson, small/strategy group work, share time, etc.),  much of the students' time should be spent applying the skills they have learned through instruction during independent reading.

We know that the more words a student reads per day, the more successful they are with advancing their reading skills.

Direct reading instruction should be kept strategic and brief, with the most of Reading Workshop time being spent with students' eyes on the pages of text.

-Brooke Milhaupt

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I believe tasks need to be meaningful. Quick answer assessments don't necessarily get the students thinking. Tasks can be spread out between subjects. How do ideas cross over and transfer to other subjects? Also students can have some choice on their task, "managed choice". The topic is similar but the task can be different. This can really help the lower level students. They can really shine if their topic or task is their choice. -Christine Matthews

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I hadn't really thought of this before but assessing based on effort and improvement.  This gives all students a chance to show what they know.  This also puts some of the responsibility in their hands.  How much do they want to put into it?  As long as the students know what the teacher expects.  Every student learns differently as well as tests differently.    - Christine Matthews

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Active instruction is a sign of good teaching. I like to make sure to model for the students and then give them a chance to work with a partner or small group for reinforcement before they go off and apply the strategy on their own. Very detailed and repetitive demonstrations are very important. The more practice for the students the better they will be able to apply it to their own work. Along with active instruction, gradual release is also very important. Modeling from the teacher along with peer discussions is all vital for students to become successful. Once these strategies are taught it is also important to show students how they can be transferred to other subjects and topic. Students tend to think reading or writing strategies only apply to language arts class. -Christine Matthews

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Variety of topics and levels are key and important for students to become successful at independent and proficient readers. This seems simple enough but in order for them to continually work on accuracy and fluency they need those different reading experiences. Lower level students benefit from this the most. A lot of time the instruction they are receiving through the day is at a higher level. So they need these lower texts to be able to apply and practice the strategies at their level and their interest to stay motivated in wanting to learn and read more. -Christine Matthews

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Students do a significant amount of reading and writing throughout the day. However, instruction on strategies and reading concepts are limited. The time spent reading in other subjects a lot of times is at a higher level that lower level readers can't always comprehend. So spending more time on reading instruction would be more beneficial all around. Small groups or partner reading, independent reading and guided reading regardless of the topic; fiction, non fiction, science or social studies helps build strong readers who are building their background knowledge. - Christine Matthews

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It is vital for students to be communicating verbally throughout the reading process. Reading aloud to each other, asking and answering high level questions, and reflecting on their own progress will greatly increase their literacy ability. -Kerrigan Neidert

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Short term tasks have a time and a place, but long term tasks are more valuable. Students should be able to develop meaningful reading throughout an extended period of time. They can do this by focusing on one novel and studying it out with their peers. -Kerrigan Neidert

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Both informal and formal assessments are important in discovering how well-rounded each reader is. Since there are so many aspects to literacy, long term and short term recognition should be included in the tests. -Kerrigan Neidert

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Generating background knowledge and developing meaning through discussion after reading is important to literacy development (Fall, Webb & Chudowsky, 2000).  Student-Student and Teacher-Student discussion should become part of an effective literacy instructional practices.  Authentic conversation using open ended questions is key. - Kelly Kolo

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Impactful literacy instruction includes authentic, inquiry based, Tasks that allow for "managed student choice".  Reducing the emphasis on completion of "stuff" and emphasis on reading and writing through extended, rich, literacy assignments that are integrated in all content areas has been documented to be impactful for developing student ownership and developing readers. (Richard Allington, The Six Ts of Effective Elementary Literacy Instruction)- Kelly Kolo

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Effective teaching practices in the literacy classroom should include explicit strategy instruction through teacher think alouds and modeling of specific, direct teaching and allowing for transfer of information through student independent practice. (Richard Allington, The Six Ts of Effective Elementary Literacy Instruction)- Kelly Kolo

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Student assessment should be utilized to gain an understanding of student strengths and develop our understanding of where students are in the learning process. Although this is a complex process the focus should be on student effort and improvement rather than focusing on student achievement as a finite. Learning is a dynamic process where individuals grow and develop no matter where they are in the learning process.- Kelly Kolo

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A rich library of texts is important for an effective literacy classrooms. Texts that allow students to access information at their level. These texts should be at the correct complexity level for students. Providing students with a one size fits all text option is limiting to overall literacy development- Kelly Kolo

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Effective instruction should include a 50/50 ratio of reading to writing. Our focus should be less on 'stuff' and more on the time that students are practicing reading and writing throughout the day.  Keep explicit instruction brief so students are have the opportunity to engage in the greatest allocation of time for reading and writing.  Research has demonstrated the greatest impact on literacy development in classrooms that provided the most time to guided reading, independent reading, and reading across content areas.  Our focus should be on Time on Reading Tasks over the completion of 'stuff'.  (Richard Allington, The Six Ts of Effective Elementary Literacy Instruction)- Kelly Kolo

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~Talk between students is essential for the transferring and building of knowledge.  There should be less interrogative more conversational and problem solving talk between both students and teacher as well as student to student. Talk should be diving deeper into understanding, and strengthening higher level thinking skills. More talk builds vocabulary and gives students a chance to use new vocabulary.  ~Deb Pawlak

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~Talk between students is essential for the transferring and building of knowledge.  There should be less interrogative more conversational and problem solving talk between both students and teacher as well as student to student. Talk should be diving deeper into understanding, and strengthening higher level thinking skills. More talk builds vocabulary and gives students a chance to use new vocabulary.  ~Deb Pawlak

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~Tasks need to be well-matched to the learner and meaningful to the student. Choice is a way for students to take ownership of their learning and to feel a part of their learning journey. I've created and used menu boards (or pathways) before and found them very motivating for the students. Tasks lengths should vary to allow time for deep learning and/or also to prevent to boredom. Varying the task length also leads well into gradual release. Students should also see the purpose of the task, otherwise it becomes meaningless to the student. Excessive use of exit tickets or written responses isn’t effective nor motivating for students. An occasional exit ticket is valuable for a quick sample but can be very distracting if done all the time. ~Deb Pawlak

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~Tasks need to be well-matched to the learner and meaningful to the student. Choice is a way for students to take ownership of their learning and to feel a part of their learning journey. I've created and used menu boards (or pathways) before and found them very motivating for the students. Tasks lengths should vary to allow time for deep learning and/or also to prevent to boredom. Varying the task length also leads well into gradual release. Students should also see the purpose of the task, otherwise it becomes meaningless to the student. Excessive use of exit tickets or written responses isn’t effective nor motivating for students. An occasional exit ticket is valuable for a quick sample but can be very distracting if done all the time. ~Deb Pawlak

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~Knowing your students (as a person, reader, learner) is a must. They need to feel part of a learning community. Having students actively engaged in the learning is important whether it's through discussions, or producing learning to share with the community (classroom, school, or outside community). There needs to be explicit instruction in the skills, knowledge and expectations (modeling, demonstrations etc), followed with the gradual release. The art of teaching is creating learners to be independent. ~De Pawlak

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~Knowing your students (as a person, reader, learner) is a must. They need to feel part of a learning community. Having students actively engaged in the learning is important whether it's through discussions, or producing learning to share with the community (classroom, school, or outside community). There needs to be explicit instruction in the skills, knowledge and expectations (modeling, demonstrations etc), followed with the gradual release. The art of teaching is creating learners to be independent. ~De Pawlak

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~There is a lot of testing done all year long, but we need to  know what we are testing, and for what purpose. After all of this testing we as teachers need to know what this data is going to be used for and how it will direct our teaching.  Testing is also a great way to see growth (or not), so we can evaluate if what we are doing is effective.Testing results need to be shared with the student so they can take ownership in setting their goal. ~Deb Pawlak

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~There is a lot of testing done all year long, but we need to  know what we are testing, and for what purpose. After all of this testing we as teachers need to know what this data is going to be used for and how it will direct our teaching.  Testing is also a great way to see growth (or not), so we can evaluate if what we are doing is effective.Testing results need to be shared with the student so they can take ownership in setting their goal. ~Deb Pawlak

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~Texts should be used in all subject areas with a varied level of texts. These need to have the same information must presented in different ways and levels so that the information is accessible to all students. We also need to recognizing that “lowbrow” books, or books not considered quality literature, still play a huge role in many readers developing their reading skills. Stephaine Harvey, "Intervention Reinvention"  Classroom libraries need to be thoughtfully curated with a wide range of levels and subject matters to reach the students in the classroom. These libraries need to be reviewed on a yearly bases to keep current, and to make sure the current levels in the library are going to be functional for new incoming readers. ~Deb Pawlak

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~Texts should be used in all subject areas with a varied level of texts. These need to have the same information must presented in different ways and levels so that the information is accessible to all students. We also need to recognizing that “lowbrow” books, or books not considered quality literature, still play a huge role in many readers developing their reading skills. Stephaine Harvey, "Intervention Reinvention"  Classroom libraries need to be thoughtfully curated with a wide range of levels and subject matters to reach the students in the classroom. These libraries need to be reviewed on a yearly bases to keep current, and to make sure the current levels in the library are going to be functional for new incoming readers. ~Deb Pawlak

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~ Literacy instruction should be cross curricular. Reading strategies should be taught in every subject as different texts require different approaches. ~Time for independent choice reading is a must to demonstrate our belief in it’s importance as well as giving time to students to build confidence, and pleasure  in reading. Time needs to be in place in every subject for students to read and practice the skills, and grow their knowledge in the different subjects. By teaching reading across the curriculums students can see that reading is everywhere, not just reading class. ~Time should be used wisely (not in long winded min-lessons), and this can be done by spreading the reading instruction across curriculums.  ~Deb Pawlak

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~ Literacy instruction should be cross curricular. Reading strategies should be taught in every subject as different texts require different approaches. ~Time for independent choice reading is a must to demonstrate our belief in it’s importance as well as giving time to students to build confidence, and pleasure  in reading. Time needs to be in place in every subject for students to read and practice the skills, and grow their knowledge in the different subjects. By teaching reading across the curriculums students can see that reading is everywhere, not just reading class. ~Time should be used wisely (not in long winded min-lessons), and this can be done by spreading the reading instruction across curriculums.  ~Deb Pawlak

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Students learn many things from talking with their peers. This is a crucial component to a strong literacy block. You can make accommodations by strategically grouping students for discussions. Pairing students strategically can help students learn new things, feel confident, and develop their understanding of a text. -Samantha Seebruck

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Students learn many things from talking with their peers. This is a crucial component to a strong literacy block. You can make accommodations by strategically grouping students for discussions. Pairing students strategically can help students learn new things, feel confident, and develop their understanding of a text. -Samantha Seebruck

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Reading tasks should be intentional and meaningful. Tasks should be completed with an end goal in mind. If you want students to be able to, for example, become familiar with summarizing a story, the task should accomplish this goal. Tasks can be written work, group projects, or other meaningful activities that help develop student learning. You can differentiate tasks by reducing the workload for some students or increasing it for others. -Samantha Seebruck

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Reading tasks should be intentional and meaningful. Tasks should be completed with an end goal in mind. If you want students to be able to, for example, become familiar with summarizing a story, the task should accomplish this goal. Tasks can be written work, group projects, or other meaningful activities that help develop student learning. You can differentiate tasks by reducing the workload for some students or increasing it for others. -Samantha Seebruck

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Testing is a useful tool that teachers must use to get to know your students. Testing doesn't need to be a formal assessment, it can be classroom observations as well. Testing should be analyzed and then used to drive instruction. -Samantha Seebruck

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Testing is a useful tool that teachers must use to get to know your students. Testing doesn't need to be a formal assessment, it can be classroom observations as well. Testing should be analyzed and then used to drive instruction. -Samantha Seebruck

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Teaching is one of the most, if not the most, important component of your literacy block. Here is where teachers must model everything that will follow. Explicitly teaching students phonics, comprehension skills, and other literacy components will give them the foundation to be successful readers. -Samantha Seebruck

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Teaching is one of the most, if not the most, important component of your literacy block. Here is where teachers must model everything that will follow. Explicitly teaching students phonics, comprehension skills, and other literacy components will give them the foundation to be successful readers. -Samantha Seebruck

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Text lends itself really well to differentiation. Here is where students will grow and succeed at their own pace and text levels. It will be difficult to teach students comprehension skills if the text is way above where they're reading. Appropriate text levels will build fluency in early readers. Text can also be used to group students for guided reading. This is a controversial topic of whether students should be told which text to read at. I allow my students to pick out choice books that are not a specific type of text, but I also provide them with text that is at their current reading level. I do believe that it's important to not view students as the 'level' they're at. -Samantha Seebruck

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Text lends itself really well to differentiation. Here is where students will grow and succeed at their own pace and text levels. It will be difficult to teach students comprehension skills if the text is way above where they're reading. Appropriate text levels will build fluency in early readers. Text can also be used to group students for guided reading. This is a controversial topic of whether students should be told which text to read at. I allow my students to pick out choice books that are not a specific type of text, but I also provide them with text that is at their current reading level. I do believe that it's important to not view students as the 'level' they're at. -Samantha Seebruck

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Allington states, “Extensive reading is critical to the development of reading proficiency” (Allington, 2002). Allington also tells us that exemplary teachers did more reading throughout the day during every subject. There is more reading in science and social studies in their classrooms. There is guided reading, shared reading, and independent reading. There is more time spent on actual reading and writing and that benefits the students with increased reading and writing proficiency. -Jodi Mallak

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Teachers need to provide students with a variety of texts at and above their level. Books that they can read successfully. They need to have books that are interesting to students and that spark a love of reading. Having a classroom library that is full of books or having access to a wonderful school library can make the difference for students. Teaching students about “just right” or “good fit” books can help that student to determine if the books they are choosing are right for them. Using the “five-finger rule” can help students to test their books for appropriateness. -Jodi Mallak

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-Basing grades on effort and improvement makes all students work harder to improve and show growth. Truly knowing your students and their abilities requires a lot of effort on the part of the teachers. The teacher needs to develop rubrics and grading systems that show growth and the amount of effort given by the students.
-When we use standardized tests, we need to be aware of our students' growth over time and not always compare them to students at their grade level. We need to make sure that we are using assessments that can give us a clear picture of our students' progress. -Jodi Mallak

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Effective reading instruction should the following components: explicit instruction on a skill or strategy, opportunities for guided practice, and independent work time. Teachers can use interactive read alouds or mentor texts to help students develop the desired skill or strategy. During independent work time, the teacher should confer with students to further develop their understanding of the teaching point or earlier learning. Teachers can also hold strategy groups to provide additional instruction to a small group of students. Finally, students need opportunities to share their ideas and thoughts with a peer to further develop their understanding of a skill/strategy. -Katie Lundeberg

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Students need several opportunities during reading instruction to converse with one another. At the beginning of the school year, teachers should take the time to set up expectations with partnerships and qualities of effective partnerships. Teachers should model how to converse with others about their reading or writing, so that students can become more effective at sharing ideas and asking questions on their own. -Katie Lundeberg

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At the beginning of the school year, students benefit from instruction and modeling of how to choose "just right" books. It's important that students are choosing a variety of books that are appropriately challenging, so they can further develop their skills as a reader.  Students need to be exposed to a variety of books, both fiction and nonfiction, and books that express a variety of perspectives.  Students should be encouraged to read books that are mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. -Katie Lundeberg

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Asking questions and conversation in the classroom should be more open and allow for multiple correct answers. Asking simple yes/no or one correct answer questions limit teachers' understanding of thinking strategies employed by students. Students should be doing more talking rather than sitting and listening. Students should also have the opportunity to talk amongst themselves and have student-led conversations.

-Jamie Raynier

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Tasks and assignments should be varied within the classroom: both in length/time and in student choice. Working on a longer assignment that crosses content areas allows students to gain a fuller and deeper understanding of the material compared to smaller, day to day tasks. Offering choice lets students take more ownership of their learning. It also allows students who may normally struggle to show off their learning and skills.

-Jamie Raynier

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Direct and explicit teaching needs to have a concrete place in the classroom. Teacher demonstration of strategies is one way to help all students actively become better readers. There should be targeted small group work for students who need more instruction and help in transferring strategies into their own independent reading time. Teachers should be cautious in not giving worksheets as students who can accurately accomplish the work do not need the practice. It is the students who cannot independently work on those problems that need the most practice. That practice should come in the form of direct instruction and small group work.

-Jamie Raynier

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Testing should go beyond achievement based methods. Using an effort-and-improvement method helps meet students where they started and truly show what they have learned rather than just ranking students against each other. Using prepackaged test prep activities is not the best use of time in the classroom. Good instruction is more useful than relying on test prep activities like worksheets and computer software.

-Jamie Raynier

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It is important to provide appropriate texts at various levels for all learners. Students who spend most of their school day being asked to read at levels that are too hard do not have as much success as their peers who have the correct level texts. Districts need to work to make sure they are purchasing the correct texts for all students and not expect the teachers themselves to personally fund the classroom libraries.

-Jamie Raynier

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Teachers should take care to appropriately balance the activities that happen in their classrooms. Too often they end up taking more time to do random “stuff” than actually having students actively reading and writing. There should be a 50/50 split between the “stuff” and the work students are doing. It’s important to remember that while direct instruction and teacher talk is extremely important to the learning process, it does need to be closely monitored to ensure students are using their own skills and practicing everyday.

-Jamie Raynier

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Culturally responsive teaching strategies should be used during instruction time. Teachers should use a mix of CLR protocols to keep students engaged and motivated to learn. Students should feel heard and validated with their culture and ways of learning. Modeling, direction instruction, small groups, and independent practice will all be used, but with a culturally responsive lense- Caylee Mazemke

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Student tests and assessments should be used to guide the instruction from the teacher. They should be used to guide what small-group instruction will look like and what can be discussed during conferring. Assessments should be relevant to what the students are learning about. It gives a great idea of where students are at and how much they have grown over time. -Caylee Mazemke

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Students should have a large variety of diverse books they can choose from. Students should have access to books on their level, below their level to work on fluency, and slightly above their level. Instructing students on how to pick 'just right books' will help them be able to make decisions on their own on what books they can read -Caylee Mazemke

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Time spent on independent work time applying the strategies taught should be more than instruction time. Effective mini lessons in reading and writing should teach the strategies, but a majority of the time should be spent applying these strategies. During independent work time, small-groups and conferring can be used to reinforce strategies and help students where they need extra practice and strategies. Phonics lessons should be taught as well, with time to practice and apply the strategies to their reading and writing. -Caylee Mazemke

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Conversation and talking about reading and writing should be included in the reading/writing time. Sharing with others what they read will help with retelling and summarizing strategies, but it also gives students an idea of their comprehension of what they read. If they cannot talk about their reading, then they might not have understood what they read, and need more practice with comprehension strategies. Also, discussing and talking about reading is great for comprehension and thinking out loud. It gets them thinking about the book and showing them that reading is thinking. -Caylee Mazemke

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The tasks students do should be meaningful and used to practice the strategies that were taught during the instruction/mini lessons. Students should do tasks that will help them learn and grow as a reader and writer. Task should also be at differentiated to the level the students are at to best support their needs. -Caylee Mazemke

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Literacy in the classroom needs to hold a special significance within a classroom’s daily schedule.  There must be a set time for literacy instruction and should not be rushed, delayed, or skipped due to other activities or subject areas.  Holding literacy to a high standard will help students understand the value and importance of this instruction.                                                                                                           -Maggie Frank

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Literacy in the classroom needs to hold a special significance within a classroom’s daily schedule.  There must be a set time for literacy instruction and should not be rushed, delayed, or skipped due to other activities or subject areas.  Holding literacy to a high standard will help students understand the value and importance of this instruction.                                                                                                           -Maggie Frank

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A classroom must have access to many books that can be used by teachers and students.  Powerful reading instruction involves modeling skills and strategies by the teacher.  Teachers need to have access to a variety of books in order to model these strategies to their students. Students need a variety of books to practice their skills and strategies.  -Maggie Frank

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A classroom must have access to many books that can be used by teachers and students.  Powerful reading instruction involves modeling skills and strategies by the teacher.  Teachers need to have access to a variety of books in order to model these strategies to their students. Students need a variety of books to practice their skills and strategies.  -Maggie Frank

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Testing helps inform and guide instruction.  A classroom needs to have a mix of informal and formal assessments.  Informal assessments provide teachers with “on the spot” type of information which can guide or differentiate their instruction during the lesson or activity. Formal assessments are valuable because they provide data to the teacher about how well a student is mastering skills or achieving objectives. - Maggie Frank

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Testing helps inform and guide instruction.  A classroom needs to have a mix of informal and formal assessments.  Informal assessments provide teachers with “on the spot” type of information which can guide or differentiate their instruction during the lesson or activity. Formal assessments are valuable because they provide data to the teacher about how well a student is mastering skills or achieving objectives. - Maggie Frank

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Literacy instruction needs to be engaging and active while demonstrating high standards and meaning to students.  The "Gradual Release of Responsibility Model" provides students the opportunity to learn and practice new skills through guided instruction while establishing the fundamentals to read independently. -Maggie Frank

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Literacy instruction needs to be engaging and active while demonstrating high standards and meaning to students.  The "Gradual Release of Responsibility Model" provides students the opportunity to learn and practice new skills through guided instruction while establishing the fundamentals to read independently. -Maggie Frank

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Tasks need to hold meaning and purpose.  There must be clear objectives and goals within each task to ensure impactful learning is occurring.  Learning tasks can be adjusted and accommodated to fit the needs of every learner in the classroom.  Tasks can be designed to introduce a concept, practice a specific skill, or review prior learning to achieve automaticity. -Maggie Frank

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Tasks need to hold meaning and purpose.  There must be clear objectives and goals within each task to ensure impactful learning is occurring.  Learning tasks can be adjusted and accommodated to fit the needs of every learner in the classroom.  Tasks can be designed to introduce a concept, practice a specific skill, or review prior learning to achieve automaticity. -Maggie Frank

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Communication in the classroom is a powerful learning tool.  Students need to have opportunities to collaborate and communicate with their peers.  Learning from each other allows students to gain new perspectives and ways of thinking.  Teachers can gain insightful and important information from listening to their students.-Maggie Frank

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Communication in the classroom is a powerful learning tool.  Students need to have opportunities to collaborate and communicate with their peers.  Learning from each other allows students to gain new perspectives and ways of thinking.  Teachers can gain insightful and important information from listening to their students.-Maggie Frank

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Students aren't always used to explaining their thinking.  When they are encourage to talk through a problem with a teacher or classmate, gaps in their thinking can be revealed. This is information for them and for the teacher. Also, "kid-speak" might help another student understand a concept with which they have been struggling.--April Lee

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Students aren't always used to explaining their thinking.  When they are encourage to talk through a problem with a teacher or classmate, gaps in their thinking can be revealed. This is information for them and for the teacher. Also, "kid-speak" might help another student understand a concept with which they have been struggling.--April Lee

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Tasks that start with a problem to solve (whose solution requires past, current or even future learning) makes the work more meaningful for students.  When it relates to their life and it is a code they have to crack, engagement is high.  Talking about what they have learned in the context of their own book also makes it more engaging and authentic. --April Lee

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Tasks that start with a problem to solve (whose solution requires past, current or even future learning) makes the work more meaningful for students.  When it relates to their life and it is a code they have to crack, engagement is high.  Talking about what they have learned in the context of their own book also makes it more engaging and authentic. --April Lee

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Evidence shows that half of a student's day should be spent reading and writing. Students that spend more time reading and writing are more likely to develop proficiency. There is a time and place for activating student background knowledge and reading discussion, over a few minutes, not a majority of where our time is spent. Activities such as guided reading, independent reading, and reading across the disciplines is a hallmark of an effective classroom.

Joy Pfeiffer

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Students should engage in high-success reading opportunities to become proficient readers. These types of reading opportunities help students to develop essential skills such as fluency, comprehension, and accuracy. To create an environment where this is possible, students should have access to an abundance of books they can actually read. Multi-level texts for fiction and across the disciplines allows students to engage and have opportunities to practice essential reading skills. Providing students with books they can read and opportunities to read them, increases both student motivation and performance.

Joy Pfeiffer

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Student effort and improvement should be at the forefront of assessment goals for students, so everyone has a chance to succeed. One way to accomplish this is to use rubric-based evaluations where student improvement is noted based on their growth from where they started. This sort of approach encourages responsibility of learning to students through rubrics outlining what needs to be done to improve their grades. Effective instruction is the key to enhancing student test performance.

Joy Pfeiffer

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Active instruction is an essential component of literacy instruction. Effective teachers model and demonstrate the useful strategies that students can use through targeted explicit instruction. This instruction must also foster transfer strategies from structured practice to student independent use.

Joy Pfeiffer

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Teachers should curate assignments that integrate several content areas, span several days or more, and allow for deeper, more complex thinking than low-level worksheet or rote tasks.  By supporting student choice in task assignments, students are more engaged in the material and leads to greater ownership of their learning.

Joy Pfeiffer

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Student talk should be encouraged. Through conversational, open discussions, students discuss their understanding of concepts, ideas, strategies, and responses together to develop a deeper, and rich understanding. Open ended discussions allow students to make connections to self, and gain access to content a close-ended question doesn't allow for. Open-ended conversations allow teachers to understand student thinking and strategies before continuing instruction.

Joy Pfeiffer

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Students need time during the day to talk about their reading. Talking gives them a chance to share their thinking and work on their comprehension.

-Haley Ramcheck

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I believe that tasks should be meaningful to the students and teacher. Task should include independent reading, writing, and word work. The best way students are going to learn is actually doing what they are learning about!

-Haley Ramcheck

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I am a firm believer in the Gradual Release of Responsibility. I model first, then we do something together, then I expect the student to try it on their own. This encourages independence because the student knows what they are expected to be doing.
-Haley Ramcheck

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Assessments should be used to better understand where the student is at. I use assessments, whether formal or informal, to tell me what skills a student still needs to work on. I also use assessments to show growth.
-Haley Ramcheck

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I think it is important for students to have a choice in the texts they are reading. Students are going to be more interested in a text of their choosing. With that being said, the text should also be "just right" for them. Not too hard, not too easy. There should be some amount of text being read every day.
-Haley Ramcheck

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I think that the majority of reading time should be spent actually reading. There should be time at the beginning for the lesson, but there needs to be plenty of time for the students to actually apply the skills that they are learning. That could be done in small groups or independently.
-Haley Ramcheck

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Testing should be a data collection vehicle to inform future instruction. Of course there are state and local expectations, and tests are used to see if schools are measuring up to these.  The most import tests are those that allow both teacher and student to see where the gaps are in learning and plan additional instruction.  My school is a standards based grading and reporting school.  It has been difficult for parents and students to see assessment results as indication of growth or information to grow.  It is still seen as the great leveler!--April Lee

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Testing should be a data collection vehicle to inform future instruction. Of course there are state and local expectations, and tests are used to see if schools are measuring up to these.  The most import tests are those that allow both teacher and student to see where the gaps are in learning and plan additional instruction.  My school is a standards based grading and reporting school.  It has been difficult for parents and students to see assessment results as indication of growth or information to grow.  It is still seen as the great leveler!--April Lee

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When choosing text, we must take into consideration interest as well as level of difficulty.  Even when choosing text in content area subjects, it  is important to look at the structure and features of a text to ensure you are choosing a text that is accessible for students. While children should be guided to having texts at levels that wouldn't be too frustrating to read, we have to also allow them to experience a wide array of text. Simple texts can teach complex idea, and difficult text create productive struggle and opportunities to apply strategies.--April Lee

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When choosing text, we must take into consideration interest as well as level of difficulty.  Even when choosing text in content area subjects, it  is important to look at the structure and features of a text to ensure you are choosing a text that is accessible for students. While children should be guided to having texts at levels that wouldn't be too frustrating to read, we have to also allow them to experience a wide array of text. Simple texts can teach complex idea, and difficult text create productive struggle and opportunities to apply strategies.--April Lee

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Too often, time if filled with teacher-centered learning.  Teachers are sometimes afraid to simply let students sit with a text or problem.  Teachers feel like if they aren't intervening, they are teaching.  Giving students time to read, process, problem solve, and even struggle a bit allows for the concepts taught to be cemented into a child's long term memory and overall understanding.--April Lee

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Too often, time if filled with teacher-centered learning.  Teachers are sometimes afraid to simply let students sit with a text or problem.  Teachers feel like if they aren't intervening, they are teaching.  Giving students time to read, process, problem solve, and even struggle a bit allows for the concepts taught to be cemented into a child's long term memory and overall understanding.--April Lee

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I have always felt that learning happens best when there is discussion and communication going on.  Some of the best lessons involve talk and questions and responses amongst students.  Students that have a voice will engage more and learn more.
-Heidi Michaelis-

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Students should be given time during class to discuss about what they are reading. When students discuss their reading with their peers and teacher they often learn from each other. They can explain what they are thinking and work on their comprehension skills.

- Madalyn Welsh

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Some of the best tasks may take time and multiple lessons to accomplish.  As others have said there is a time and place for low level questions but the tasks that involve inquiry and discussion will parlay into more understanding and take-aways for the student.
-Heidi Michaelis-

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Gradual Release of Responsibility is one of the most effective ways to teach to promote successful learning.  Teaching a skill and doing it together to promote confidence and then asking them to do on their own is something I do all the time.  I feel this applies to all teaching and not just literacy obviously.
-Heidi Michaelis-

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Students should be given tasks that are meaningful. The tasks should engage the students, but still have the students show what they have learned through reading and writing. Tasks should include several skills. The students could complete a task through discussion, reading, writing: short and/or long answer.

-Madalyn Welsh

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Summative assessments are obviously needed but I feel that formative assessments can be a better indicator of what and if students are learning. Listening to student talk and conferring with students provide feedback that may show improvement and understanding more than test they take at the end of the unit.  Students learn differently and some are better at telling you  through discussion as opposed to pencil/paper tests and I think we need to recognize this more as a component of assessments.
-Heidi Michaelis-

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Tests and assessments should take place throughout units to guide the teacher. Assessments can take place periodically to see what the students are understanding. I think sometimes teachers should assess students in other ways as well as tests. Some students struggle with tests. Teachers should find other ways to assess their knowledge and understanding of a book they have read. Sometimes students can complete a project or have a discussion about the book to show what they know.

-Madalyn Welsh

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Student engagement is usually better if students have choice of what to read.  Providing choice is huge for students.
-Heidi Michaelis-

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Teachers should provide students with a variety of texts. Text should range in genres and levels. Texts should be at students level or above students level. Texts should challenge students in their reading. Teachers should also allow students to have choice in their independent reading texts. Students are going to be more willing to read if the text is something they are interested in.

-Madalyn Welsh

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Students should be given time to read independently. They should have time to read a book of their choice. The students should have time in class to practice and work on skills to help improve their reading. I think students should also be given time when they can follow along and listen to books. Listening to books can help students build their vocabulary for when they are reading independently.

- Madalyn Welsh

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As a special education teacher, one thing that I really believe when it comes to teaching is inclusivity.  With inclusivity comes the challenge of teaching to a wide range of abilities.  This can be overwhelming for teachers.   But, I think the best way to teach for all is to "aim for the hardest pins" as Shelley Moore says in her video "Transforming Inclusive Education." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYtUlU8MjlY&ab_channel=SSHRC-CRSH
In the video Moore compares teaching to bowling.  Most curriculum and teachers aim for the middle, just like people do when bowling.  But, Moore realized that professional bowlers do not aim for the middle but rather the pins that are hardest to reach.  For literacy, that means students with dyslexia.  So, rather than teaching to the "average" student, we should teach to the students with dyslexia because that is the way to hit the most pins.  Not just students with dyslexia benefit from explicit literacy instruction.  There are many students who miss qualifying for special education or tier two services by small margins that would benefit from explicit literacy instruction.  By aiming for the hard to reach pins, we as teachers actually reach more students.
-Laura Isham

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Shelley Moore: Transforming Inclusive Education

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As a special education teacher, a big part of my job is collecting data.  I collect data informally and formally.  This data helps me make decisions on student IEPs that affects their education for the coming year.  Almost all of my students struggle with reading, which means I collect lots of data on literacy for my students.  This collection of data really helps me decide what areas of literacy that I need to focus on for each of my students.  Testing, formally and informally, paints a picture of the students and helps us as teachers make data driven decisions when it comes to literacy instruction and interventions.
-Laura Isham

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While it seems as though literacy blocks at our schools get longer and longer the reading growth of our students doesn't seem to match the effort and time put in.  Science and social studies often take the back burner while literacy and math take up most of the day's instructional minutes.  After reading Natalie Wexler's book "The Knowledge Gap," I believe schools are taking the wrong approach to increasing reading scores.  I believe in a strong literacy block.  Reading is the most important life skill we teach in elementary school.  However, that doesn't mean we should devalue the importance of background building classes like science and social studies.  As a special education teacher I am told to pull my students during science and social studies to work on their literacy skills.  I feel this is counterintuitive for building future literacy skills.  My students will learn to decode better, but they lose their ability to draw on background knowledge to comprehend what they just decoded.  I am searching for a better use of my students' time to work on decoding and encoding skills.
-Laura Isham

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Sharing and discussing during reading is a way for students to speak, listen, and respond. It's a very powerful learning opportunity for students to let their voice be heard, to retell and deepen comprehension strategies, and to ask/answer questions from peers. 

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Sharing and discussing during reading is a way for students to speak, listen, and respond. It's a very powerful learning opportunity for students to let their voice be heard, to retell and deepen comprehension strategies, and to ask/answer questions from peers. 

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Chris Koop

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Tasks need to be matched to student learning objectives and should provide opportunities for choice. Students can take ownership of their learning by setting goals to complete their task choice. This also allows for differentiation and supporting all student needs to meet the learning objective.

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Tasks need to be matched to student learning objectives and should provide opportunities for choice. Students can take ownership of their learning by setting goals to complete their task choice. This also allows for differentiation and supporting all student needs to meet the learning objective.

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Chris Koop

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Every student learns differently so they should be assessed in multiple ways. Formative assessment can be informal; as simple as a  post it note response. Assessment should be used to see student progress, set goals, and to determine next teaching moves. Teachers should also be using student assessment as a form of feedback on their lessons. This can help create more engaging lessons, small group work, or changing the lesson format. 

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Every student learns differently so they should be assessed in multiple ways. Formative assessment can be informal; as simple as a  post it note response. Assessment should be used to see student progress, set goals, and to determine next teaching moves. Teachers should also be using student assessment as a form of feedback on their lessons. This can help create more engaging lessons, small group work, or changing the lesson format. 

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Chris Koop

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Students need to be provided time to practice the skills they have learned. Independent practice is valuable but should be balanced with partner work, small group instruction and conferring. Students should have balanced time for leveled book reading and choice reading. It is also important to have reading be a part of all curricular areas so that students are able to practice their fluency and comprehension skills across their day. 

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Students need to be provided time to practice the skills they have learned. Independent practice is valuable but should be balanced with partner work, small group instruction and conferring. Students should have balanced time for leveled book reading and choice reading. It is also important to have reading be a part of all curricular areas so that students are able to practice their fluency and comprehension skills across their day. 

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Chris Koop

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Students should be given time to practicing/participating in both reading and writing each day. I believe this should include reading independently, reading as a small group, whole group, or with a partner. Teachers should not be spending the entire period doing lecture. In my opinion, there may be a very intentional small lesson and then a majority of the time should be spent practicing a skill related to reading and writing.
- Kylie Moneypenny

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Students need to share their own ideas and hear the ideas of others. Kids listen to each other and can learn from each other just like they learn from their teacher. Answering questions based on reading, along with performing a Think Pair Share on a higher thinking question can be eye opening for students! - Jenna Reas

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Tasks should always be meaningful and students should be held accountable for tasks. A student knows when they are given busy work. A task should cover multiple learning opportunities and students should know why they are doing the task and that they will be held accountable for taking their time and trying their best. - Jenna Reas

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Balanced literacy is a key component to effective literacy instruction. Modeling, teaching, and independent work are all key factors that should be included with each task. Students should know the routine and what to expect while also being challenged and working on new skills. - Jenna Reas

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Students should be assessed on all aspects of balanced literacy, since they are practicing and improving in all aspects. Formal and informal assessments should be performed frequently to ensure that all students are gaining from their reading lessons and there isn't anything that the class is a whole is missing. - Jenna Reas

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Having a balance of student choice text and teacher assigned text is crucial to an effective literacy block. Students must be given the texts they need to work on that are at an appropriate level and are the correct topic/genre. Students must also be taught how to choose "just right" books and must be allowed time to discover what books they enjoy in order to develop a deep love and passion for reading. - Jenna Reas

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Time seems to be what all teachers feel like they are lacking. We as teachers perfect the art of covering multiple subjects/learning targets through meaningful tasks in order to fit everything into our days! Making literacy a cross curricular learning target gives students the extra practice they need in order to become fluent readers, and to read with different purposes. - Jenna Reas

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Students need people to talk to about what they are reading. Students need to be able to talk to the teacher, through open endeded questions, and to each other about the books they are reading and the strategies they use when they are reading. Student should be asked higher level thinking questios about their reading so that they learn how to think critically about texts they read.

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There should be minimal tasks with independentment. Tasks should be inquiry based and allowed to give students choice and voice on how they want to show their thinking and understanding of the text. Tasks that are assigned need to be meaningful and have a purpose. Clear objectives within each tasks will make sure that the learning as a result of the task is impactful.

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Balanced literacy is a vital component in effective literacy instruction. This means, at the high school level, there should be a balance between reading (for fun and for academic purposes) and writing (about the texts we read) should be balanced.

Teachers should also use Gradual Release when teaching literacy strategies. The "I do" "We do" "You do" model of GRR works well for high school students. The teacher should make sure that they are checking in with students, one-to-one, to make sure students are having ligitimate and impactful learning from their reading and writing.