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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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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The Top 10 of 2021
Read more: The Top 10 of 2021The Kids Read Now 2021 summer reading program was our best reading program to date! We mailed over 690,000 books to over 77,000 students all over the country. That’s pretty awesome, right? Here are the top 10 books requested this year. #10 – Stone Fox By: John Reynolds Gardiner Illustrated by Marcia Sewell Little Willie…
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Teaching Students to L.O.V.E. Literacy
Read more: Teaching Students to L.O.V.E. LiteracyOpportunities to sharpen our literacy skills are all around us. Unfortunately, due to a variety of reasons (lack of support/resources at home, irrelevant curriculum, etc.) students can often be disengaged with literacy learning early in life. Once that foundation is shaken, it is tough to rebuild and instill the skills, confidence, and attitude necessary to…
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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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PenPals: Handwritten Letters to Support the Whole Child
Read more: PenPals: Handwritten Letters to Support the Whole ChildWhen was the last time you wrote or received a handwritten letter? For thousands of years, handwritten letters have played a critical part in our lives. In this age of digital communication, handwritten letters are becoming a lost art. Emails and text messages can be sent instantly; however, the impact of a good old-fashioned handwritten…
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Finding the Hook
Read more: Finding the HookIt’s all about the hook. Find what is inspiring to the youth and you find the hook into reading. Take baby steps even if needed. Not interested in reading a book? Start with a graphic novel. Even the old school Baby Sitters Club books are coming back with a vengeance in graphic novel form! Boys!…
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Meet the School Librarian
Read more: Meet the School LibrarianAugust and September traditionally serve as the months for Meet the Teacher nights. Families file into school buildings to check out classrooms, admire bulletin boards, and inquire about policies and procedures. I am suggesting that parents make a detour on their way to classrooms this school year. Visit the school library. Yes, it’s true. School…