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Illinois State Board of Education What the Research Says: Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction for All Students - Formstack

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Check out this Presentation designed by Jessica Rodriguez.

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The purpose of the Dyslexia Handbook is to provide information and guidance for educational professionals, school leaders, families, guardians, and students themselves on the subject of dyslexia.

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When teaching reading to students with dyslexia, one useful tip is to incorporate multi-sensory techniques into your lessons. Dyslexia affects the way individuals process language, and engaging multiple senses can help reinforce learning and improve reading skills.

Download the free guide to learn 5 ways you can implement this approach:

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Free Trainings, PDHs & Resources for Illinois Educators

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We offer free in-person and virtual training, where Illinois teachers can earn PDHs, and resources for educators of students with specific learning disabilities in Illinois specific to dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia.

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Nation, K. (2019). Children’s reading difficulties, language, and reflections on the simple view of reading. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 24(1), 47-73. 

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Nation, K. (2019). Children’s reading difficulties, language, and reflections on the simple view of reading. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 24(1), 47-73. 

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Children s reading difficulties  language  and reflections on the simple view of reading

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Reading Research Quarterly - 2021 - Duke - The Science of Reading Progresses  Communicating Advances Beyond the Simple View

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How the Brain Learns to Read - Prof. Stanislas Dehaene

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Check out this Presentation designed by Jessica Rodriguez.

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The History and Intent of The Reading League's Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines (CEGs)

Although the scientific evidence base for effective reading has existed for decades, the term "science of reading" has gained traction in the last few years, potentially leading to misunderstandings. As a result, The Reading League convened a group of experts who believed that a common definition would do the following:

support educators as they discern what is and what is not in alignment with the science of reading

assist people in becoming informed consumers of instructional materials, professional development, and resources

impact publishers' and policymakers' decisions as they develop materials and policy guidelines

In working together to clarify a definition, the Science of Reading: Defining Guide was created to provide all stakeholders with a clear understanding of what the science of reading is, what it is not, and much more. The Defining Guide also includes 11 calls to action for all stakeholders. Pertinent to this Curriculum Decision Makers content is the following call to action: " We call on curriculum publishers and professional learning providers to create and promote products that are aligned with the science of reading and to eliminate non-aligned products from their offerings. " Unfortunately, some publishers continue to offer materials and professional development that claim to be aligned with the science of reading but are not.

Many states have mandated the use of high-quality instructional materials to be chosen from lists based on alignment to standards, useability, and often one other feature-outdated practices. Alignment with the science of reading was frequently not included in the development of these lists. While some have identified aligned practices within curricula, none identified non-aligned practices. As a result, many states adopt curricula featuring instructional practices that can inadvertently prevent students from developing proficient reading and writing skills.

To assist curriculum decision makers, The Reading League developed its Curriculum Evaluation Tool, later renamed Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines (CEGs) in 2022. The most recent update of the CEGs (February 2023) places red flag practices front and center in the review process to help decision makers steer clear of curricula featuring them.

Structure and Use of the Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines

The practices used to review curricula are those featured in Hollis Scarborough's reading rope metaphor. These are the elements required for word recognition (phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and phonic decoding) and language comprehension (background knowledge, vocabulary, knowledge of language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge). The CEGs also review curricula for practices related to fluency, writing (handwriting, spelling, composition), reading comprehension, and assessment.

The Reading League's CEGs are derived directly from scientifically-based research; that they are neither arbitrary nor biased is an incomparable strength of this resource.

When using The Reading League's CEGs, users should carefully examine the following features:

1. Preliminary statements and directions: Recommendations for review teams are provided. Teams should be comprised of educators who have been trained in curriculum-agnostic professional learning to build their knowledge in the science of reading. Decision makers from across tiers of instruction should be included, even if they will not be using the materials, to ensure that students are receiving the same instruction, grounded in the evidence, in general and specialized instruction.

2. Reviewer workbook: This workbook provides space for reviewers to rate the level at which they have found a red flag statement to be true. Reviewers can also note the location and language of the evidence to ensure the review is based on factual evidence and reduce subjectivity.

3. Reference section: An extensive and thorough listing of empirical research and meta-analyses related to each of the aligned and red flag practices in the CEGs is substantiated with a reference from the scientific evidence base.

It is essential to review all components of instruction to ensure your instructional materials provide robust teaching and practice in all components of language and literacy. Empowered with the knowledge of a thorough review, informed educators, coaches, and administrators can leverage this knowledge to ensure their instruction is grounded in evidence.
Stakeholder Uses of The Reading League's CEGs

Schools and districts: CEGs can be used to review existing instructional materials or as a walkthrough tool for instructional practices to ensure teachers are not teaching one component of literacy at the expense of another.

State education agencies: CEGs are useful as a gateway criterion for schools and districts to leverage for curriculum decision-making.

Institutions of higher education: CEGs are an important part of a framework for course syllabi, first teaching students about the research that substantiates each section, followed by deepening student understanding of the red flag practices and aligned practices. Since many schools and districts are shifting to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) over teacher-created lessons, at the end of the semester, faculty members will ask students to review HQIM using the CEGs to teach them how to be critical consumers of their instructional materials.

Publishers: CEGs can be used to develop and refine content to align with the science of reading. This resource is not recommended, however, to be completed by publishers and distributed to schools and districts for marketing purposes.

Have you used the CEGs in another way? We'd love to hear about it! Email info@thereadingleague.org to let us know.

Using the CEGs to Review Curricula: The Development of The Reading League's Curriculum Navigation Reports

The most common question asked of The Reading League and of many other organizations and social media groups is, "Does my curriculum align with the science of reading?" In 2022, The Reading League developed a process to provide an answer.

Although the CEGs were created to guide teams of curriculum decision makers in the work of evaluating curricula, The Reading League realized that it continued to be intense work. Many consumers lacked the time, resources, or knowledge to be thorough evaluators of instructional materials.

The following are steps taken to formally review curricula:

1. The Reading League launched a pilot review study to develop a non-biased, informational report for some of the most widely used curricula in the United States.

2. Based on this pilot review, small revisions were made to the CEGs and the accompanying workbook.

3. Dr. Matthew Burns conducted an interrater reliability study on the CEGs (see the Interrater Reliability section that follows for more details). The interrater reliability of the CEGs was affirmed.

4. Review teams of three experts were hired and trained.

5. Publishers were contacted and informed that The Reading League wanted to review their curriculum (at no cost). The process was described. If publishers agreed to participate, materials were to be sent directly to the teams. Upon completion of the review, materials were returned to the publishers.

6. Review teams meticulously reviewed all K-5 materials of their assigned curricula. Each person on a team reviewed the programs independently. They then gathered and discussed their findings as a group, and if there were disagreements, a consensus was reached.

7. Data and evidence were gathered and presented to a writer, who drafted them into narrative reports.

8. Reports were then shared with the publishers to ensure nothing was inaccurately represented.

9. Narrative reports were finalized-The Reading League's Curriculum Navigation Reports are born!

The Reading League does not, and will not, recommend particular curricula. Decision makers can trust that these reviews and those involved in the review process, are entirely free from conflicts of interest and financial ties to publishers. The intent of these reports is to provide useful information on some of the most widely-used instructional materials for schools, districts, and states as they work towards building instruction, assessment, and systems aligned to the science of reading.

Interrater Reliability

Dr. Matthew Burns conducted an interrater reliability study of the Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines. This section provides a link to the pre-print of this study along with the abstract.
Reliability and Validity of The Reading League Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines
Abstract: The current study examined the reliability of The Reading League Curriculum-Evaluation Guidelines (CEGs), which were developed to help school-based teams rate the presence of red flags when considering adopting specific literacy curricula. A total of 30 coders (n = 30) independently used the CEGs to evaluate a free online English language arts curriculum. The coders consisted of 23.3% (n = 7) Ph.D. students in special education with previous teaching experience and master's degrees, and 76.7% (n = 23) preservice special education teachers completing their final semester of coursework before beginning their student teaching experiences. The results indicated strong internal consistency (a = 0.96), high interrater reliability (Hmean = .91, 95% CI =.89 to .93, p < .01), and an acceptable estimate of content validity (Vmean = .70, 95% CI =.68 to .72, p < .01). Overall, the CEGs demonstrated acceptable to strong evidence for being a psychometrically sound tool for evaluating reading curricula. The data were sufficiently reliable and resulted in acceptable evidence for content validity.

Publishers: Declining to Participate or Lack of Response

Some publishers declined to provide materials for The Reading League Curriculum Navigation Report review. Those publishers are listed below. The Reading League will continue to reach out to these organizations to request the opportunity to review their programs.
Publishers that declined review or did not respond:

American Reading Company (Declined 2023 and 2024)

Benchmark Education (Declined 2023 and 2024)

Heinemann's Fountas & Pinnell (Did not respond 2023)

Savaas' MyView (Declined 2023 and 2024)

Heinemann's Units of Study (Did not respond 2023)

Critical Considerations: Curriculum Navigation Reports

The Reading League's Curriculum Navigation Reports are the result of years of dedicated work.
To consider before you use the Navigation Reports

1. They are presented to you as informational reports to support decisions on instructional materials.

2. TRL does not recommend curricula, so there is not a mechanism for passing or failing.

3. The first and most important step in aligning a system to the science of reading is to build educator and administrator knowledge. Without professional knowledge about reading instruction related to the science of reading, even the most robust curriculum will not be successful.

4. There is no perfect curriculum.

5. The Curriculum Navigation Reports are intended to help knowledgeable educators understand more about which practices might be avoided, enhanced, or supplemented in instruction and/or determine which curriculum is most suitable for your setting.

To consider as you review the Navigation Reports

1. A Tier I curriculum often consists of an extensive array of materials. A common concern noted by our review teams is that there is insufficient time within the school day to cover all included content. In response to the requests of their consumers, publishers inflate their programs with supplementary materials, add-ons, and extension activities. This makes it challenging and time-consuming to locate necessary or recommended materials for a given lesson across manuals, texts, and digital platforms. Determining what to prioritize or omit due to time constraints can be unclear.
With these points in mind, it is imperative to review the Navigation Reports with a keen eye toward the CEGs.
Address ALL components of the CEGs even if there is no red flag present. For example, if a program did not receive a red flag because it has sufficient writing instruction, be sure to leverage that component of the program! If you take these reports at face value and do not teach and practice each component of the CEGs that was identified, you will be inadvertently creating a red flag of your own by not including it in instruction.

2. Ensure ALL practices are aligned with the science of reading. For example, evidence-aligned word recognition skills are essential but not sufficient. Skilled reading requires word recognition skills and knowledge building, oral language, writing skills, etc.

3. The mere inclusion of a component in the curriculum does not guarantee sufficient practice for successful outcomes. Frequently, the crucial concept of practice (e.g., spaced/distributed, cumulative/interleaved, retrieval practice, corrective feedback) is overlooked in teacher manuals. Therefore, utilizing data to tailor instruction and ensure mastery before progressing is critical.

4. It is crucial to assess the extent to which instructional materials foster and celebrate the cultural and linguistic diversity of students.

5. Note the publication dates of the reviewed curriculum, as the particular edition may feature practices different from the ones featured in these Curriculum Navigation Reports.

The Curriculum Navigation Reports: Coming May 1, 2024

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The Reading League's Curriculum Navigation Reports offer curriculum decision-makers an unbiased review of curricular alignment with the scientific evidence base.

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Structured Literacy and Typical Literacy Practices 

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Structured Literacy and Typical Literacy Practices 

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This practice guide was prepared for the WWC by Instructional Research Group under contract 91990020F325 (GRAPE T4).

The following research staff contributed to the guide: Madhavi Jayanthi, Russell Gersten, Rebecca Newman-Gonchar, Sarah Krowka, Kelly Haymond, Samantha Wavell, Joshua Furgeson, Julia Lyskawa, and Emily Rosen.

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early childhood education; prekindergarten or prek; preschool; social-emotional; executive function; mathematics; language and vocabulary for mathematics; academic language; literacy; vocabulary; language; shared reading

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WWC | Preparing Young Children for School

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This new practice guide, developed by the What Works Clearinghouse™ (WWC) in conjunction with an expert panel, distills contemporary early childhood and preschool education research into seven easily comprehensible and practical recommendations that preschool educators can use to prepare young children for school.

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Check out this Presentation designed by Kellyn Sirach.

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Check out this Presentation designed by Kellyn Sirach.

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Teachers know that encouraging young children to talk and listen improves their ability to communicate. This book gives them a power tool aligned with the science of reading: the "Strive-for-Five" framework. These responsive conversations start with what children say and continue as the teacher listens and responds over five turns-with the goal of stretching their talking and thinking, knowledge, vocabulary, reasoning, and other skills that underpin reading success.

In an accessible format that contains video clips, along with classroom anecdotes and model conversations, Zucker and Cabell show why Strive-for-Five conversations are important and how teachers can use them to engage children and develop their language comprehension. As teachers use the framework to build students' knowledge, vocabulary, reasoning, and other skills that underpin reading success, they'll also see students' confidence grow as they share their individual stories, ideas, and question s.

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Strive-for-Five Conversations: A Framework That Gets Kids Talking to Accelerate Their Language Comprehension and Literacy (The Science of Reading in Practice)

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Amazon.com: Strive-for-Five Conversations: A Framework That Gets Kids Talking to Accelerate Their Language Comprehension and Literacy (The Science of Reading in Practice): 9781546113881: Zucker, Tricia, Cabell, Sonia: Books

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Read Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK–8 (Learn the step-by-step instructional plan for Read Alouds for All Learners)

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Amazon.com: Read Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK–8 (Learn the step-by-step instructional plan for Read Alouds for All Learners): 9781958590034: Molly Ness: Books

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Learning Progression for Developing Skilled Readers

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Learning Progression for Developing Skilled Readers

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University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI)

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University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI)

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Lesson Resources

The UFLI Foundations Toolbox contains all the lesson resources to accompany the lesson plans provided in the UFLI Foundations manual. (Don't have a manual yet? Click here to order one) Every lesson has companion resources that will help you implement the lessons efficiently, effectively, and consistently.

Some of the companion lesson resources you will find below include:

Lesson slide decks (in PowerPoint and Google Slide formats)

Decodable passages

Homework sheets

Games and activities for additional practice

We have grouped the lessons into smaller units so you can access these resources more easily. Scroll down to use the buttons below to find the resources for each lesson or groups of lessons.

Please note that we are still building out these free resources, and we will be editing this page over the next few weeks. We wanted you to be able to access some materials as soon as possible, but be sure to come back later to see the rest!
New to UFLI Foundations? Learn about its development, check out a sample lesson plan, view the scope and sequence, and more.

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The UFLI Foundations Toolbox contains all the lesson resources to accompany the lesson plans provided in the UFLI Foundations manual. (Don't have a manual yet? Click here to order one) Every lesson has companion resources that will help you implement the lessons efficiently, effectively, and consistently.

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Phonemic Inventories and Cultural and Linguistic Information Across Languages

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A list of phonemic inventories across multiple languages

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These pages contain specific information about global languages and dialects. They contain information on phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and more. These pages aim to demonstrate how patterns in a particular language may manifest in clients from culturally and linguistically diverse

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Dysgraphia Life helps people with writing difficulties and dysgraphia, specific learning disorder of written expression, along with their loved ones and the professionals that serve them. We provide information, education, products, and resources to help people reach their full potential.

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Effective Vocabulary Instruction - Keys to Literacy

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Effective Vocabulary Instruction - Keys to Literacy

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The Literacy Analysis and Planning Guide (LAP-G) is a systems analysis tool developed for use in the PARTNERS Project. The LAP-G was used to facilitate analysis of evidence-based literacy practices across each tier of MTSS through special education decision making. The LAP-G provided a structure for engaging in a problem-solving process whereby each tier (i.e., core instruction, strategic intervention, and intensive intervention) was evaluated by the team, priority areas of opportunity were identified and action plans were set to improve upon current practices. The LAP-G was used annually to evaluate progress and set new goals. This site provides a current copy of the LAP-G to be used by a trained facilitator, the LAP-G planning guide for facilitators, and training modules for each part of the LAP-G.

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Lap-G Modules | The Center For Reading Science

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The Literacy Analysis and Planning Guide (LAP-G) is a systems analysis tool developed for use in the PARTNERS Project. The LAP-G was used to facilitate analysis of evidence-based literacy practices across each tier of MTSS through special education decision making.

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Iowa Reading Research Center - The University of Iowa

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Much like reading, writing is not a skill we are born with, so students need to be taught these concepts in a systematic and explicit manner. As a result of handwriting instruction, students learn letter shapes and letter sounds-two skills closely related to early reading development. Focusing on letter identification and formation, LIFTER gives students the building blocks they will need to become proficient writers and readers.

A Supplement to Core Instruction

LIFTER is intended to supplement core instruction in pre-kindergarten and elementary classrooms. Nationally, elementary teachers often report that they have received limited to no preparation on how to effectively teach handwriting, and their students receive minimal instruction on handwriting ( Graham, Collins, Ciullo, 2023 ; Troia & Graham, 2017 ). In Iowa, the districts we have partnered with report the need for better supports to teach this critical skill.

In addition, when teachers do provide handwriting instruction to their students, their reading curriculum often teaches letters in a different sequence than their handwriting curriculum. This can result in a heavy lift for students trying to learn two competing sequences of letters at the same time.

LIFTER offers a solution to these concerns. When using LIFTER, educators control the sequence of letters they will teach, allowing them to align the tool to their reading curriculum. With LIFTER's flexible functionality and comprehensive, accompanying eLearning module, educators unlock the knowledge and materials they need to provide effective handwriting instruction to their students.

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Literacy LIFTER: Letter Identification and Formation for Transcription and Early Reading

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A tool to help you meet students where they are in their language development

The Can Do Descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in the following contexts:

Bilingual and English-immersion early care and education programs

Bilingual, Spanish-immersion and English-immersion K-12 language programs

Bilingual, Spanish-immersion and English-immersion K-12 content-area classrooms

Similar to the WIDA English Language Development Standards Statements, the Can Do Descriptors describe what learners can do with language across different content areas. Although the Can Do Descriptors relate to the ELD Standards Statements, they don't replace them but are used to supplement the standards statements during instruction.

Educators and early childhood practitioners can use the Can Do Descriptors to

Better understand what students at different levels of language proficiency can do with language

Expand their understanding of what the process of language development can look like

Collaborate around scaffolding that students need to engage in content-area learning and develop language at the same time

Differentiate instruction and classroom assessment for language

Interpret ACCESS for ELLs test scores

The Can Do Descriptors have not yet been updated to reflect the 2020 Edition; however, they remain available as a valuable tool for communicating with stakeholders about what students can do at each language proficiency level. WIDA is monitoring educator use to help inform the timing for updating the materials.

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A tool to help you meet students where they are in their language developmentThe Can Do Descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in the following contexts:

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A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners

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What's Happening

Announcements on this page are generally from the Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), or other relevant government agencies and offices, about concerns facing multilingual learner education.

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Home | NCELA - English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs

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Announcements on this page are generally from the Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), or other relevant government agencies and offices, about concerns facing multilingual learner education.

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year. These glossaries may be downloaded, printed and disseminated to educators, parents and ELLs/MLLs.

Bilingual glossaries are an essential and expected test accommodation for ELLs/MLLs in the State of New York. The languages of these glossaries cover the top 10 languages at the state level, with new languages added based on changing language populations in the NY State student demographic data.

Schools should provide testing accommodations to ELLs/MLLs, as needed, on all NYS ELA and content-area assessments (i.e., Mathematics, Science and Social Studies). Districts/schools must make all necessary arrangements to make these accommodations available for ELLs/MLLs who need them. Please click here for the New York State Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages Webpage on "Assessment and Testing Accommodations".

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year.

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Find targeted resources to help build strong foundational reading skills for all learners.

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The Literacy Analysis and Planning Guide (LAP-G) is a systems analysis tool developed for use in the PARTNERS Project. The LAP-G was used to facilitate analysis of evidence-based literacy practices across each tier of MTSS through special education decision making. The LAP-G provided a structure for engaging in a problem-solving process whereby each tier (i.e., core instruction, strategic intervention, and intensive intervention) was evaluated by the team, priority areas of opportunity were identified and action plans were set to improve upon current practices. The LAP-G was used annually to evaluate progress and set new goals. This site provides a current copy of the LAP-G to be used by a trained facilitator, the LAP-G planning guide for facilitators, and training modules for each part of the LAP-G.

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Lap-G Modules | The Center For Reading Science

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The Literacy Analysis and Planning Guide (LAP-G) is a systems analysis tool developed for use in the PARTNERS Project. The LAP-G was used to facilitate analysis of evidence-based literacy practices across each tier of MTSS through special education decision making.

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From Assessment to Intervention 3-12.pdf

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The purpose of the Dyslexia Handbook is to provide information and guidance for educational professionals, school leaders, families, guardians, and students themselves on the subject of dyslexia.

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When we're asked to switch to explicit, systematic instruction, many teachers worry that we'll no longer be able to tailor our teaching to the students in front of us. Calls for whole-class phonics instruction lasting 30-45 minutes, for example, summon fears that our students will be bored by concepts they already know or aren't yet ready for. And they resurface memories of teachers stripped of our ability to differentiate instruction as we recall problematic implementation plans during No Child Left Behind.

Part of the enduring appeal of Balanced Literacy is that it acknowledges the varied needs of our students. But differentiation in Balanced Literacy classrooms includes strategies that aren't evidence-based, such as assessments like the F&P Benchmark Assessment System (BAS) to determine leveled reading groups , coaching students on word-guessing strategies , and opportunistic phonics instruction called "word work."

And because Guided Reading groups tend to be small, the rest of the class spends a long time waiting for instruction. Frameworks have been developed (e.g., Daily 5, Reading Workshop, literacy centers) to make the waiting time feel productive, but there's still a real opportunity cost for each small group lesson and individual conference.

Still, many schools hold tight to their identities as Literacy Collaborative or TCRWP schools because they don't want to lose their focus on literacy and the benefits of a staff united around a vision for instruction. But there are other, better ways to differentiate instruction in foundational skills (phonics and fluency practice) or language instruction (ELD/ESL/ESOL).

To differentiate instruction effectively, schools need a model that is:

Based on reliable data

Focused on evidence-based instruction

Coordinated across a grade level or school

Effective at meeting the needs of diverse learners

What does it take to differentiate reading instruction?

How we're able to differentiate reading instruction depends on the size of the school, its resources, and students' reading data, but I'll share my school's structure as an example.

If we can make gains, any school can.

For context, Nystrom Elementary has historically been a failing school, but after implementing a new model for literacy in 2021, we rebounded from over a year spent in distance learning, our school had higher proficiency than ever recorded before, and our student growth is now among the fastest in our district.

We have about 450 students enrolled in Transitional Kindergarten to sixth grade:

75% Latinx

20% Black/African American

66% English Learners

95% Free and reduced lunch

We do not have teachers' aides, tutors, an interventionist, or parent volunteers to leverage, so the work of differentiation is held by our classroom teachers with the support of a literacy coach (me) and our principal.

So what does differentiation actually look like?

During Each School Day

We are a structured literacy island in a sea of Balanced Literacy. At my school, all students read, talk, and write about grade-level text for an hour or more during a block of time centered around a knowledge-building curriculum.

Our staff's professional development focus this year is on Integrated ELD, and we are learning how to scaffold discussions and writing tasks so all students get the most out of these rich texts.

But many of our students don't have the phonics knowledge and reading fluency necessary to read grade level texts without support, so my whole school has also banded together for differentiated instruction in foundational skills.

We have "Walk to Read," a dedicated block of time during which students receive foundational skills instruction aligned with their needs. This is the second year of our implementation and it's evolved quite a bit as teachers have used their experience to refine the model.

Launching Walk to Read

Last school year, our staff learned how decoding difficulties (like slow letter recognition and unfamiliar spelling patterns, etc.) impact reading rate and comprehension. Then, we dug into a phonics curriculum that provides a sequence for foundational skills instruction spanning kindergarten to fourth grade and intervention for fifth and sixth grades.

The program includes a diagnostic assessment to determine where in the lesson sequence each student should be placed for instruction. Similar to the Basic Phonics Skills Test (BPST) or CORE Phonics Survey, the phonics assessment takes only a few minutes and it allows us to see any gaps in our students' phonics-knowledge.

Making groups from this data could be daunting for any individual teacher because of the range of abilities in each classroom. But grade level teams worked together to sort the data and each teacher stepped up to teach two groups:

Last year, nearly all the teams decided on the same time for Walk to Read. While this made the schedule simple, it reduced the opportunities my principal and I had to observe and model lessons. (And it made our subbing for absent teachers a logistical nightmare in a year of many COVID-related absences.)

So this year, each grade-band has a different block of time during the day, and they've even adjusted the amount of time they devote to Walk to Read based on the amount of direct instruction and accurate reading practice their students need according to their stage of reading development.

During Walk to Read

Each block of Walk to Read includes time to teach two groups. While in their group's lesson, students are taught a spelling-sound pattern they are ready to apply to their reading and writing. The block also provides the amount of fluency practice necessary for students to apply their skills to reading and writing. Independent work activities vary from class to class according to students' ability, but they tend to include some additional phonics practice, partner reading, and time for students to write about what they've read.

Results: Less Work, Higher Yield

Before Walk to Read

With Walk to Read

15 min
whole-class lesson

Very little benefit from exposing students to phonics concepts that met the instructional needs of so few of our students.

30 minutes of differentiated instruction per group

High-yield lessons that meet the needs of all the students in the group

12 possible group placements, plus the opportunity for a student to be in two groups if more repetitions are needed to master concepts.

Each lesson includes reading and writing practice so, every day, students apply what they are taught to text with adult-feedback.

10-12 min
per small group

Limited opportunities for students to apply what they were taught to reading and writing because the lessons were so short.

Differentiation limited to 3-4 groups if each group met every day within their own classroom

40-45 min
Independent Work

Some students benefited from the independent practice activities, but the students most in need of explicit teaching and practice with adult-
feedback gained very little from the time

30 minutes of differentiated fluency practice

Partner reading and writing practice using the stories and skills practiced in the group lesson

Fluency practice and preparing for instruction is easier for teachers to manage because each is responsible for just two groups

Time ~1 hour
(Very little of it impactful)

Time ~1 hour
(All of it beneficial to every student)

Limited prep and planning

Lots of prep and planning required

The amount of repetition students require to master a phonics skill varies widely. For some students, introduction to a spelling pattern followed by reading and writing with it during one lesson is enough for them to master the skill. But other students require an enormous amount of repetition in order to secure connections between letters and the sounds they represent. Our groups are able to move at different paces through the content, giving students sufficient (but not unnecessary) reteaching.

For students who have mastered the phonics of their grade level, we use reading fluency and comprehension data to determine their instruction.

At benchmark or above in comprehension

Book Clubs/Literature Circles

Comprehension discussions

Reader's Response Journals

Benchmark on oral reading fluency, but lower scores in reading comprehension

Paragraph-shrinking

Partner reading

Repeated reading

Reading with expression

Self-monitoring

Comprehension discussions

Stop and Jot

Reader's Response Journals

Strategic intervention
on oral reading fluency

Partner reading

Choral or echo reading

Repeated reading

Phrase-cued text reading

Intensive intervention
on oral reading fluency

Reteach phonics according to needs identified on the phonics survey

Partner or choral reading with decodable text

Monitoring Progress

For students in fluency interventions or book clubs, we monitor progress with Oral Reading Fluency (e.g., DIBELS ORF) and/or comprehension assessments (e.g., MAZE and STAR).

For students receiving phonics instruction, we use the curriculum-embedded tool for progress-monitoring. Every 1-2 weeks, each student receives a quick test for mastery of the content they were recently taught.

We enter the data into a shared spreadsheet and use it to determine the need for reteaching or regrouping, and to reflect on the efficacy of our instruction. Last year, our spreadsheet color-coded the individual student scores on our curriculum's embedded criterion-referenced progress-monitoring assessment (80% on each section is the expectation for mastery).

As the year progressed, we realized that knowing each group's pass-rate was essential to guiding instruction and coaching, so teachers worked over the summer to create an even better tracker for this year.

Now we can easily see the pass-rate for each group and also monitor the amount of reteaching and retests that it takes for each of our students to master skills.

Using the Data

We review the data in team meetings, roughly every two weeks. These meetings are facilitated by grade-level teacher leaders, who guide the teams through the process of data analysis and ensure our school-wide norms for looking at data are upheld:

Each teacher shares the pass-rates for their group's most recent mastery test, knowing that a high pass-rate (~75%+) is the criterion for effective Tier 1 foundational skills instruction. We discuss students' growth and difficulties and help each other to refine instruction so that it meets the needs of our students.

Prerequisite: humility

When discussing the Walk to Read model in a staff meeting, we all laughed after reading this quote:

In its best form, walking to read allows for more targeted, more efficient, more streamlined planning, instruction and assessment monitoring. It's a GREAT option for a highly functional staff."
Differentiating Reading Instruction and the Walk to Read Model - Hit or Miss?

We are "a highly functional staff" as a result of years of consistent and strong leadership, a culture of instructional coaching, and ongoing work focused on student data.

We're also a humble staff that is committed to improving instruction so we can accelerate student learning. Prior to beginning this work last year, my principal began a staff meeting by saying:

I don't want us to complain about 'learning loss' this year. Our students can't have lost anything they weren't given. Instead, I'd rather that we focus on the unfinished teaching and how we're going to deliver it."

Each teacher voluntarily committed to using an evidence-based, scripted program for teaching foundational skills. We want students to experience continuity across grade levels, and we see how aligning our instruction, which in turn deepens adult collaboration, benefits our students.

I asked one teacher how she felt about teaching a scripted program for about an hour each day and she said:

I feel relieved. We're seeing more growth than we ever have before and I know it's because we've finally found something that works. I want to stick with it. I'd rather us all do something that works than see kids fail because we're experimenting and making stuff up."

It's been said that "because teachers are paid so little, we compensate ourselves with autonomy," but developing our own differentiated instructional plans becomes wearisome if that work doesn't lead to improved student outcomes.

The Walk to Read model is energizing not only because of the teamwork necessary to coordinate instruction, but because we see exactly how each teacher contributes to the greater good of our school. We see how each teacher pitches in to meet the needs of our school's 450 individual readers.

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Differentiation Done Right: How "Walk to Read" Works

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When we're asked to switch to explicit, systematic instruction, many teachers worry that we'll no longer be able to tailor our teaching to the students in front of us. Calls for whole-class phonics instruction lasting 30-45 minutes, for example, summon fears that our students will be bored by concepts they already know or aren't yet ready for.

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Iowa Reading Research Center - The University of Iowa

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Much like reading, writing is not a skill we are born with, so students need to be taught these concepts in a systematic and explicit manner. As a result of handwriting instruction, students learn letter shapes and letter sounds-two skills closely related to early reading development. Focusing on letter identification and formation, LIFTER gives students the building blocks they will need to become proficient writers and readers.

A Supplement to Core Instruction

LIFTER is intended to supplement core instruction in pre-kindergarten and elementary classrooms. Nationally, elementary teachers often report that they have received limited to no preparation on how to effectively teach handwriting, and their students receive minimal instruction on handwriting ( Graham, Collins, Ciullo, 2023 ; Troia & Graham, 2017 ). In Iowa, the districts we have partnered with report the need for better supports to teach this critical skill.

In addition, when teachers do provide handwriting instruction to their students, their reading curriculum often teaches letters in a different sequence than their handwriting curriculum. This can result in a heavy lift for students trying to learn two competing sequences of letters at the same time.

LIFTER offers a solution to these concerns. When using LIFTER, educators control the sequence of letters they will teach, allowing them to align the tool to their reading curriculum. With LIFTER's flexible functionality and comprehensive, accompanying eLearning module, educators unlock the knowledge and materials they need to provide effective handwriting instruction to their students.

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Literacy LIFTER: Letter Identification and Formation for Transcription and Early Reading

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Dysgraphia Life helps people with writing difficulties and dysgraphia, specific learning disorder of written expression, along with their loved ones and the professionals that serve them. We provide information, education, products, and resources to help people reach their full potential.

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Achievethecore.org :: Text Analysis Toolkit

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This toolkit aims to support educators in the process of selecting and analyzing texts based on complexity and cultural relevance. The resources focus on tools for reflecting on the identities of educators and the students they serve, analyzing texts with multiple lenses, and considering implication…

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Shifting perspectives about high-interest, low-level texts.

I began my educational journey as a second-grade teacher, but it wasn't until my MSE scholarship program, focusing on teaching children with reading difficulties, that I learned how to teach and apply the science of reading to my instructional practices. At times it felt as if I were teaching literacy against the current because the majority of schools in which I taught at that time focused on the whole language or the classroom workshop model. However, with time, there has been a shift to demand more of our educators and to follow the science about what works best when teaching children to read.

Three years after my MSE program, I used my skills as an early elementary school teacher, reading specialist, and literacy coach into a new role in alternative education with an amazing group of teachers and school leaders.

For context, our students were 17-23 years old and were seeking to obtain their high school equivalency diploma. Almost 60% of our students were reading below a 5th-grade level; 55% were English language learners (majority newcomers to the country); students with disabilities didn't always have their IEPs honored because of teacher capacity; and a large majority of teachers and school leaders in the program were high school certified or content specialists. The need for a deep understanding of foundational skills was evident and also how to support adult learners with building their literacy skills and knowledge. Over time, there were reading specialists hired in our program to work with building students' literacy skills in intensive, small groups. This helped a great deal. This freed space to support teachers in building literacy to increase fluency and comprehension.

When the state shifted to the Common Core Standards, we understood that complex text was being used as a driver for the standards. The instructional shifts for ELA mapped out the "how" to the CCSS' "what"; it was just a matter of getting the right texts into the hands of students. This was a difficult task, however. For one, our students stayed with us in our program for an average of 58 days and often had inconsistent attendance. Reading a novel or a text over an extended period of time would be difficult. Students' reading levels also made this task challenging. Without having the proper certification and professional development, teachers rarely had the knowledge about implementing scaffolds to help students access the text. Lastly, there were mindset shifts that needed to occur. Teachers and school leaders needed to believe that students CAN achieve at high levels and provide the discipline to hold students accountable with academic tasks.

My coaching team and I made a decision to support teachers with layering texts. ELA, social studies, and science teachers needed support as to which text to give to students, so we created booklists and ordered a mass of books at varying levels to provide teachers with texts. High-interest, low-level (or "Hi/Lo") texts are books written at lower grade levels that contain content explicitly for older readers. These texts tend to be culturally relevant, with engaging and relatable topics. Texts ranging from Monster by Walter Dean Myers to All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds to The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood were placed in the hands of students across our program. Complexity, in terms of word frequency and sentence length, or essentially what we think of as Lexile levels, can increase with time and instruction. If we begin with texts that are lower in Lexile but of high interest, we will begin to engage reluctant readers and draw on students' funds of knowledge.

It worked! Teachers were not resistant to engaging students with Hi/Lo texts, and students were eager to read. However, this is NOT where your students' text journey should end. Hi/Lo texts are great appetizers to the main course of complex, grade-level texts. If we truly want to prepare students for college and career readiness, we must ensure that we not only provide the materials that can facilitate this type of thinking and learning but also ensure that we are equipping students with the appropriate support to allow access to complex texts.

Supports look like using text sets to build knowledge of a topic. Supports also look like close reads where students are evaluating and investigating the text multiple times for multiple purposes. Supports sound like whisper, choral, and partner reads. Supports sound like the constant buzz of a busy classroom, where student discourse and debates are happening. Supports sound like questions being asked that allow students to dig deeper into content and concepts. Finally supports should feel like safety, where students feel they can take risks and be incorrect without judgment.

My call to action: provide Hi/Lo texts to help build and facilitate knowledge that can help students access complex, grade-level text. Increase their reader confidence, draw on their funds of knowledge, and ensure they see themselves-and others-and can navigate between those worlds effortlessly. Once you have built their confidence, stamina, and reader identity, support students in navigating complex, grade-appropriate texts. If we only provide texts that are below grade level, no matter how engaging and complex the topic, students will never have the opportunity to perform at high levels and therefore will not be fully prepared to enter the workforce, college, or life outside of the four walls of our classrooms.

About the Author: Shanita Rapatalo is currently a national independent education/literacy consultant and co-owner of The Rapatalo Group, LLC. She has worked in the education non-profit sector as well as district and charter schools in New York City and Washington, DC. Her passion is developing strong teacher practitioners, strengthening school leader instructional capacity, and assessing promising practices that best support students in the most equitable way. She has worked with organizations such as the New York City Department of Education, UnboundEd, TNTP, Student Achievement Partners, Rising Academies, and DCPSB, and began teaching 19 years ago as a Teach For America corps member. She has experience teaching students from kindergarten through adult education and held roles such as a Classroom Teacher, Reading Specialist, Literacy Coach, Instructional Borough (Manhattan) Coach, and ELA Content Lead. She received her BS in Biology from Trinity College, and MSE in Curriculum and Instruction as well as a graduate certificate for School District Administration, both from Fordham University. She is currently a doctoral student at Fordham University focusing on Education Administration, Policy, and Supervision. She resides with her husband and two children in New Jersey, on the sacred lands of the Munsee Lenape people.

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Text Complexity is...well...complex! - Peers and Pedagogy

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I began my educational journey as a second-grade teacher, but it wasn't until my MSE scholarship program, focusing on teaching children with reading difficulties, that I learned how to teach and apply the science of reading to my instructional practices. At times it felt as if I were teaching literacy against the current because the [...]

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Check out this Presentation designed by Kellyn Sirach.

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Evaluating Knowledge for Read Alouds Printable (2)

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year. These glossaries may be downloaded, printed and disseminated to educators, parents and ELLs/MLLs.

Bilingual glossaries are an essential and expected test accommodation for ELLs/MLLs in the State of New York. The languages of these glossaries cover the top 10 languages at the state level, with new languages added based on changing language populations in the NY State student demographic data.

Schools should provide testing accommodations to ELLs/MLLs, as needed, on all NYS ELA and content-area assessments (i.e., Mathematics, Science and Social Studies). Districts/schools must make all necessary arrangements to make these accommodations available for ELLs/MLLs who need them. Please click here for the New York State Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages Webpage on "Assessment and Testing Accommodations".

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year.

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The ABC’s and All Their Tricks - paperback

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The ABC’s and All Their Tricks - paperback [Margaret Bishop] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The ABC’s and All Their Tricks - paperback

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Read Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK–8 (Learn the step-by-step instructional plan for Read Alouds for All Learners)

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Amazon.com: Read Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK–8 (Learn the step-by-step instructional plan for Read Alouds for All Learners): 9781958590034: Molly Ness: Books

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Check out this Presentation designed by Kellyn Sirach.

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Amazingly Simple Graphic Design Software – Canva

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Amazingly Simple Graphic Design Software – Canva

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Wordwall - Create better lessons quicker

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Need a fresh teaching resource that fits your class and teaching style? Create a customized pack of interactive and printable activities in just one minute.

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The Literacy How Professional Learning Series translates the latest reading research into how-to instructional practices. Based on the current and comprehensive Literacy How reading model, the Series draws upon the authors' decades of expertise and experience working with thousands of general and special education teachers. Organized for the busy educator who may be trying to find specific information, as well as for the professional seeking deeper understanding of literacy instruction and learning, the Series emphasizes Pre-K-3 conceptual and skill development. Teachers of older emerging or struggling readers will also find these tools useful.

"What Gillis and Eberhardt accomplish here is a rare feat. They blend a deep and complex understanding of the research concerning syntax with lessons teachers can immediately implement in their classrooms. Using an array of scaffolded activities that are at once hands-on, interactive, engaging, and accessible, this resource is essential for any teacher who is serious about developing an understanding of sentences in young children."

William Van Cleave, W.V.C.ED, Educational Consultant and Author, Writing Matters

Syntax: Knowledge to Practice is for any educator who's wondered:
*How is grammar related to syntax?
*How does syntax (sentence-level skills) instruction improve text comprehension and written expression?
*Why should syntax be taught in the context of writing?
*How should syntactic awareness be taught?
*Why teach meaning links to improve text cohesion?

The Literacy How Professional Learning Series includes four Knowledge to Practice books: Phonemic Awareness and Phonics, Vocabulary, Syntax, and Comprehension.

Each title in the series includes:

*Relevant Research-The research basis for that domain of literacy development presented against the backdrop of the Chall's stages of reading development, with key research points presented in a bullet-point style
*Knowledge for Effective Instruction-Background knowledge and the principles that guide instruction for that domain
*Activities for Instruction and Informal Assessment-A collection of evidence-based activities written in an objective-driven format for that component of literacy instruction (with access to printable versions)
*Text Selection Skills Analyses-Stage-specific text selections (i.e., predictable, code-emphasis, and authentic) illustrate using text to advance skill application
*Appendix-Recommended resources for content and more in depth information referenced in the book.

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Syntax Knowledge to Practice (Literacy How Professional Learning Series)

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The Literacy How Professional Learning Series translates the latest reading research into how-to instructional practices. Based on the current and comprehensive Literacy How reading model, the Series draws upon the authors' decades of expertise and experience working with thousands of general and...

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Discover an effective instructional strategy to enhance syntax support in the classroom. This approach simplifies complex grammatical concepts, making them more accessible for students. Using this …

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Nancy Lewis Hennessy M.Ed. (Author), Louisa Cook Moats Ed.D. (Foreword)

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The Reading Comprehension Blueprint: Helping Students Make Meaning from Text

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The Reading Comprehension Blueprint: Helping Students Make Meaning from Text [Hennessy M.Ed., Nancy Lewis, Moats Ed.D., Louisa Cook] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Reading Comprehension Blueprint: Helping Students Make Meaning from Text