The Best Tool for Integrated Literacy Instruction
Reading involves integration of a set of many skills, as is illustrated in the Reading Rope we’re all so familiar with. Whenever we can integrate, we deepen learning and save…
Academic Vocabulary: Helpful or Just Confusing?
We’ve all heard the jokes about the insane amount of acronyms used in the teaching profession. There are in-school terms like IEP and PLC. There are mnemonics like CUPS, TIDE,…
Direct Instruction Works—But Balance Makes It Better
On my X (Twitter) feed lately, I’m seeing a large amount of posts that advocate for teacher-dominated, whole group, explicit instruction. And it’s true–we do need to teach foundational skills–and…
Want to Become a Better Writing Teacher? (16 Tips)
Strong reading instruction is getting a slew of attention right now. Which is wonderful. But, as Shanahan says, “If you want better reading scores, the science of reading says do…
What’s Not True with the Science of Reading
To say the term “science of reading” is ubiquitous is a gross understatement. In many ways, it’s fantastic that there is such robust discussion about the topic. But as with…