Teaching

As literacy educators, we must think carefully about cognitive load, instructional payoff, and how word-solving strategies impact readers’ fluency and comprehension. If a strategy requires a lot of mental effort but works inconsistently, it’s worth asking whether it truly supports readers.

Vocabulary knowledge is a key element in comprehending text. Students need ongoing instruction and support in developing their vocabulary because it affects their ability to comprehend texts and communicate their ideas clearly. Here are three instructional practices for approaching vocabulary instruction that will support students in expanding their word knowledge.

Hip-hop is powerful because it provides a voice and a platform to marginalized communities and critiques injustice. It continues to be a powerful means for young people to critique social injustice, demand change, and celebrate their identities—offering not just music, but a way to imagine and create a better world. At its core, hip-hop is a culture that critiques society.

The holiday season is a wonderful time to spark joy, build community, and celebrate some of the traditions your students bring into the classroom.

Classrooms are full of potential, bursting with students who each bring their own strengths, ideas, and perspectives. This year’s Reaching All Learners Speaker Series, kicking off in January 2026, is designed to equip you with the tools you need to make the most of every student’s potential—celebrating diversity, sparking engagement, and discovering ways to make learning meaningful for every student.

How do you know when to move from the writer’s notebook to draft paper? The writer’s notebook is the heart of a writer’s daily life. Just like gardeners plant seeds without knowing which ones will flourish, writers collect ideas.

For literacy coaches, this is a powerful moment – the chance to move from introductions and early connections into purposeful collaboration that will carry the year forward.

Becoming a strong speller requires much more than memorizing words. Good spelling is a result of good teaching.

Is it reading to learn or learning to read? In reality, these two processes develop together, not one after the other. As children are learning how print works, they are also learning from what they read. They are making sense of language.

What do you listen for during comprehension conversations? The answer to this question might be the key to facilitating conversations that evoke and foster deep, meaningful, stimulating discourse during whole group, small group, and individual conversations.