Setting and maintaining high standards for the level of text, conversation, questions, and vocabulary reflected in discussions and in reading and writing assignments

Comprehension strategies.

Instruction and supporting practice that improves the use of effective reading strategies before, during, and after reading. Comprehension strategies are behaviors students can consciously apply to improve their understanding and learning from text.

Reading-writing connection.

Strengthening the reading-writing connection to improve student opportunities to reflect on the meaning of text and receive feedback on their reflections.

Motivation and engagement. 

Creating more engaging and motivating classrooms, and interacting with students in a way that promotes internal motivation for reading. Students will learn to process text more deeply if their reading is relevant to their lives and they are pursuing meaningful learning goals in an atmosphere that supports their initiative and personal choice.

Content learning.

Teaching content knowledge to ensure learning of the most essential concepts by all students, even those who struggle to read the textbook. Teachers should use instructional methods, such as graphic organizers or concept comparison routines, that deepen understanding and show students better ways of learning new content on their own.