September 2024

A Joyful New School Year for Young Readers and Writers!

In this issue: In the Classroom / Especially for Parents / Children’s Books & Authors / Blogs: Science of Reading / Research, Events & News

In the Classroom

How can you optimize reading and writing instruction throughout the school day? Make your classroom more welcoming and inclusive? And engage parents as partners?

Browse the resources below to help jumpstart a great school year!

Choosing and Using Classroom Texts

Find guidance on determining text readability, the importance of using grade-level texts, scaffolding complex texts, and when to use predictable, decodable, and controlled vocabulary texts. You’ll also get tips on how to set up a diverse, welcoming classroom library to support independent reading and learning.

Instructional Routines, Grouping, and the ELA Block

Whole class? Small group? Or one-on-one instruction? How much time for each component of reading? Get the basics on effective grouping for reading instruction and a flexible example of an ELA block.

Making Room for Writing

Writing instruction is an essential component of literacy in K-5 classrooms. Children who practice daily writing strengthen phonemic awareness, spelling, vocabulary, comprehension, critical thinking, and communication skills. Here are some practical tips on how to make room for writing instruction across the busy school day.

How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLs

On a daily basis, ELLs are adjusting to new ways of saying and doing things. As their teacher, you are an important bridge to this unknown culture and school system. There are a number of things you can do to help make ELLs’ transitions as smooth as possible. And if you are looking for picture books to share, browse A Welcoming Place: Stories for Kids, a booklist from our sister site Colorín Colorado.

Connecting with ELL Families

Multilingual families can be powerful partners on behalf of their children. Yet what these partnerships look like will be unique to each school setting and community — and may require some thinking outside of the box. This section includes some key tips and recommended resources.

UDL and Inclusion: How One School District Transformed Its Community

We talked with the Bartholomew Consolidated School district in Columbus, Indiana to learn how they used Universal Design for Learning and a model of inclusivity to help all their students — including kids with autism — succeed together.

“The more options there are for learning, the more all students can be included and celebrated for how they learn and what they bring to the school community.”

Learn more in our Inclusive Classrooms resource section.

Sister Site Highlight: Colorín Colorado

ELL Classroom Strategy Library

These strategies include step-by-step guides, ideas for differentiation, tips for connecting to students’ home languages, and resources such as videos and practical examples. While these strategies were compiled with English language learners (ELLs) in mind, they can be used to support academic language development for all students.

Especially for Parents

Connecting with Your Child’s School

Strong home-to-school connections are one of the best ways to support your child’s academic, social, and emotional growth. Get some tips on how to build and maintain meaningful communication and involvement with your child’s school.

Here are a few highlights from this section:

• Who’s Who in Your Child’s School
• 8 Back-to-School Tips for Parents of Kids with Special Needs
• School-to-Home Connection (tips in English and Spanish)

Is my child getting good reading instruction at school?

Children who don’t learn to read well in first and second grade have a harder time catching up later. What should you look for in reading instruction in those early years? What kinds of questions should you ask your child’s teacher? And what are the signs that your child may not be receiving the instruction needed for later school success? We’ve got some answers.

Reading 101: A Guide for Parents

It’s not an easy thing, learning to read and write. In this section you’ll get the basics on how children learn to read — and discover lots of easy literacy-building activities to do with your child at home. (Created in partnership with the National Education Association)

Children’s Books & Authors

How to Choose Read Aloud Books

How do you choose books to read aloud with children? There are many things to think about: how interesting the topic or characters might be for your child; an intriguing setting, time period, or plot; the liveliness or beauty of the language; or how engaging the illustrations are. Some books are more appropriate based on social and emotional development at each stage of a young child’s life. Find guidance here in choosing great read alouds for babies, toddlers, and kids in pre-K through third grade.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!

From September 15 through October 15, we shine an especially bright light on the lives, stories, cultural traditions, diversity, and history of the Latino and Hispanic community through beautiful children’s books. Watch videos with Matt de la Peña, Meg Medina, Lulu Delacre, Carmen Agra Deedy (and many other favorite authors) and browse our booklists.

Related:

In this blog post, Hearing the Music Around You, award-winning poet and author Margarita Engle talks about her picture book A Song of Frutas (Un Pregón de Frutas) and how it honors the special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren (plus the joy of snail mail — “a hug made of words”).

In Search of Free Books

Where can your school, library, or community group find free or low-cost books for kids? There are a number of national organizations as well as local programs you can turn to for help filling the shelves of your library, classroom, or literacy program and putting books into the hands and homes of young readers.

Our Blogs: On the Science of Reading

Doubt Crept In: Questioning My Faith in Reading Research

Read this thought-provoking new post from literacy coach Margaret Goldberg. Are you feeling the same?

Margaret says: “I thought that reading researchers had the answers that teachers needed. Now I see that teachers have the questions and knowledge of the real-world that reading researchers need to be of service to society.”

The Science of Reading Versus the Art of Teaching Reading

Literacy expert Timothy Shanahan says that teaching is an act of practical reasoning, persuasiveness, problem solving, and communication. It needs to be shaped by science but much of it is improvisation rooted in experience.

Research, Events & News

What’s Missing from Teachers’ Toolkits to Support Student Reading in Grades 3–8

Findings from the RAND American Teacher Panel (Published August 2024)

International Dyslexia Association Annual Conference
October 24-26 | Dallas, TX

National Summer Learning Summit
November 11-13 | Washington, DC

NCTE Annual Conference
November 21-24 | Boston, MA

The Reading League Virtual Lecture Series
Watch on demand (free)

Teachers need resources for reading instruction, especially in older grades
K-12 Dive

NCBLA Introduces Writing Project to Support Future Authors
Publishers Weekly

Tutoring is getting kids excited about school. Educators want to make it permanent.
Christian Science Monitor

Bringing History to Life in Elementary School by Analyzing Photos
Edutopia

Debunking Myths About Graphic Novels and Comics to Unlock Learning
KQED Mindshift

High-Quality Student Talk in the Early Grades
Edutopia

Books for Kids Starting at a New School
The New York Times (gift article)

'The Dictionary Story' is a kids' book that defies definition
National Public Radio

Georgia’s literacy coach discusses a new method of teaching reading
WABE Atlanta