Literacy

Find and share strategies for helping students read for knowledge, write coherently, and think critically about the written word.

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Developing Literacy Through Reading Buddies
Pairing little kids with big ones to read together builds more than literacy skills; it fosters relationships that benefit everyone involved.
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Building Literacy Skills With Dramatic Play
By acting out their own stories, young children develop a deeper understanding of character, setting, and language.
A Model for Creating an Inclusive American Lit Curriculum
A high school teacher connected the standard curriculum to the work of a living, local poet to better engage all of her students.
Lauren Gehr
Is it Time to Drop ‘Finding the Main Idea’ and Teach Reading in a New Way?
Some schools are changing the way they teach reading—based on research that shows background knowledge is more critical to comprehension than general skills like ‘finding the main idea.’
Holly Korbey
Mo Willems on the Lost Art of Being Silly
The author of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive The Bus! chats with us about creativity, drawing as empathy, and letting kids “do 51 percent of the work.”
Emily Kaplan
How to Teach Handwriting—and Why It Matters
Teaching young students how to write by hand before moving on to keyboarding can help improve their reading fluency as well.
Brooke MacKenzie
Why Reading Aloud to Middle School Students Works
The benefits of reading aloud aren’t limited to elementary students. One middle school teacher explains how “read-alongs” improve comprehension and boost engagement.
Laura Lee
Reading Aloud to Middle School Students
Hearing books read aloud benefits older students, enhancing language arts instruction and building a community of readers.
Kasey Short
How to Set Up a Virtual Book Club for Students
An online book club organized by a teacher or school librarian can be a good way to foster social interactions during the pandemic.
Laura Milligan
Using Children’s Books to Teach Literary Theory in High School
Literary theory can be a tough topic for high school students—a simple story may be just the scaffold they need to start figuring it out.
Crystalee Calderwood
If We Want Bookworms, We Need to Get Beyond Leveled Reading
When it comes to nurturing kids’ love of reading, research suggests variety, choice—and encouragement to stretch—can make a difference.
Sarah Gonser
Engaging White Students in Conversations About Race
A high school teacher shares strategies for using literature to guide discussions about race with students who would rather avoid the topic.
Andrew Simmons
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3 Alternatives to Reading Logs
Teacher-tested ideas to keep reading homework from feeling like a chore.
9 Picture Books for Preschoolers That Celebrate Diversity
Books about diverse families teach young children to appreciate—and celebrate—differences in race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Gerard Visco
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Supporting Students With Dysgraphia
While there's not a lot of research on dysgraphia yet, there are a few signs you should look out for, and some evidence-based tactics to help kids with the writing condition.

Literacy

.css-1enhq53:hover{background-color:#d1ecfa;}Developing Literacy Through Reading Buddies

.css-1sk4066:hover{background:#d1ecfa;}A Model for Creating an Inclusive American Lit Curriculum

Developing Literacy Through Reading Buddies

A Model for Creating an Inclusive American Lit Curriculum