Latest in Literacy Blog
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Learning Loss Guide for Educators, Caregivers, and Community Leaders
Read more: Learning Loss Guide for Educators, Caregivers, and Community LeadersEducators need fresh ideas, tools, and resources, as well as innovative ways to combat learning loss and, more specifically, reading loss. This guide is for educators, school district administrators, families, and community leaders, delving into how to define learning loss in relation to reading loss, what experts believe causes it, its impact on individuals and…
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NAEP The Nation’s Report Card: Did Every Student Get an F?
Read more: NAEP The Nation’s Report Card: Did Every Student Get an F?More kids are further behind than ever. The NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) is considered the “Nation’s Report Card” on reading and math, and this fall, the report card for America’s 4th graders is basically an F. Post-pandemic—where many children were forced into remote learning situations and low-income students had challenges with technology and internet…
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Addressing the Summer Slide
Read more: Addressing the Summer SlideIn 2012, my wife Barb and I were commiserating about the state of reading in the country—specifically what she, a 4th grade teacher, called ‘the dreaded summer slide’. Far too many kids, particularly from families that struggle, head back into class every fall, with less opportunity than their peers. They are not as engaged. They…
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The Secret Strength of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Read more: The Secret Strength of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)There’s this widgetsmith on the opening screen of my iPhone that reads, “As long as we’re creating it’s not too late to change our story.” People’s stories motivate and inspire but they also connect us, help us grow. Throughout my years of being an educator, tucking in beside my fellow professionals, really hearing their journey,…
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Books, Bricks, and Politics
Read more: Books, Bricks, and PoliticsI recently caught up with a dear colleague. When I asked her what she saw as she worked closely with our teachers and teacher leaders, her immediate answer was “politics”. The concept that everything is political started with Aristotle and is consistently restated today. Although I avoid them, I cannot deny that what I eat,…
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D.R.E.A.M. Literacy
Read more: D.R.E.A.M. LiteracyA literacy environment should be cultivated by its curriculum. Learning how to read and develop literacy skills is a process that will benefit a child their entire life. It is the foundation for other subjects and a manner in which students learn to communicate and learn about their world, near and far. The process to…
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Creating A R.I.C.H. Literacy Environment
Read more: Creating A R.I.C.H. Literacy EnvironmentMost students either really love to read and find joy in growing and sharpening their literacy skills, or they feel the opposite. Their experience depends on two things- the instructional decisions made and the environment in which they learn. Educators are often told to create a “literacy rich” or “print rich” classroom setting, but what…
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10 Ways to Explode Your Students’ Excitement for Reading!
Read more: 10 Ways to Explode Your Students’ Excitement for Reading!How do you get kids excited about books? Over my 25 years of teaching, I’ve discovered many ways to spark excitement. Here are 10 to get you started: 1. Start an After-School Book Club Invite a guest reader from the community to kick off the meetings. After the read-aloud, the kids spread out to read…
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The Story Behind Education’s Recovery After the Pandemic
Read more: The Story Behind Education’s Recovery After the PandemicIs everyone really ready for all of the faces hiding behind the computers to return to the brick-and-mortar classroom? Jose’s alarm rang. He rolled over and turned off the alarm on his cell phone. He was used to his new routine of rolling out of bed and opening his computer, as he sat up…