Improving Literacy
Resources
Academic Literacy Instruction for Adolescents: A Guidance Document
This document makes recommendations for improving academic literacy instruction for students in grades 4-12 in content areas or across the school day, including students reading below grade level and English language learners (ELLs). The document also includes expert advice for improving adolescent academic literacy and examples of successful state activities. (Center on Instruction, 2007)
Authors: Joseph K. Torgesen, Debra D. Houston, Lila M. Rissman, Susan M. Decker, Greg Roberts, Sharon Vaughn, Jade Wexler, David J. Francis, Mabel O. Rivera, and Nonie Lesaux
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Adolescent Literacy Walk-through for Principals: A Guide for Instructional Leaders [4-12]
This guide, designed to help principals monitor and support adolescent literacy instruction in their schools more effectively, can be used at the late elementary school level, in content-area classes in middle and high school, and with intervention groups or classes. It provides a scaffold to build principals' understanding of scientifically based reading instruction, as a means for a principal to gather information about the quality of literacy and reading intervention instruction in a school, and as a data collection guide for planning targeted professional development and resource allocation. It includes examples of what a principal might expect to see in a classroom as well as templates that states, districts, and schools may use or adapt. (Center on Instruction, 2009)
Authors: Lila M. Rissman, Debra H. Miller, and Joseph K. Torgesen
Assisting Students Struggling with Reading: Response to Intervention (RtI) and Multi-Tier Intervention in the Primary Grades
This guide offers five specific recommendations to help educators identify struggling readers and implement evidence-based strategies to promote their reading achievement. Teachers and reading specialists can utilize these strategies to implement Response to Intervention (RtI) and multi-tier intervention methods and frameworks at the classroom or school level. Recommendations cover how to screen students for reading problems, design a multi-tier intervention program, adjust instruction to help struggling readers, and monitor student progress. (U.S. Department of Education, 2009)
Authors: Russell Gersten, Donald Compton, Carol M. Connor, Joseph Dimino, Lana Santoro, Sylvia Linan-Thomspon and W. David Tilly
Creating a Culture of Literacy: A Guide for Middle and High School Principals
This report from the National Association of Secondary School Principals describes research-based practices that can be used to create a secondary school literacy instructional plan that not only targets the literacy of all students but also encourages postsecondary education and the enhancement of future employability. It also includes descriptions of schools that have implemented these practices. (National Association of Secondary School Principals, 2005)
Double the Work: Challenges and Solutions to Acquiring Language and Academic Literacy for Adolescent English Language Learners
This report explores challenges to improving the literacy of adolescent ELLs who must complete double the work of native English-speaking students and still reach the same performance standards. In response to these challenges, the report presents recommendations for meeting ELLs’ varying literacy needs, taking into account their educational background, native language literacy, and socioeconomic status. Double the Work is informed by expert advice and a review of relevant literature and promising practices. (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2007)
Authors: Deborah J. Short and Shannon Fitzsimmons
From State Policy to Classroom Practice: Improving Literacy Instruction for All Students
The National Association of State Boards of Education developed this guidance document about state policies and programs that lead to actual instructional changes in the classroom, including actions that must be taken at all levels--state, district, school, and classroom--to impact instructional practices and improve student reading skills. (National Association of State Boards of Education, 2007)
Author: Mariana Haynes
Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: A Guide for Principals
This "quick start" guide for principals of both middle and high schools identifies three goals for secondary school literacy initiatives and provides elements of instruction required to meet these goals. It then outlines the critical elements of a school-level literacy action plan. (Center on Instruction, 2007)
Authors: Joseph Torgesen, Debra Houston, and Lila Rissman
Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas: Getting to the Core of Middle and High School Improvement
This report from the Alliance for Excellent Education describes issues that must be addressed as students move beyond achieving basic reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills to more advanced literacy skills that will enable them to succeed in academic content areas. (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2007)
Authors: Rafael Heller and Cynthia L. Greenleaf
New Roles in Response to Intervention: Creating Success for Schools and Children
This resource, a collection of position papers from a myriad of professional organizations, provides general information about Response to Intervention (RTI) and various school personnel's roles in RTI. (Center on Instruction, 2006)
Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners: Research-Based Recommendations for Instruction and Academic Interventions
This book is the first in a series of three Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners. This document provides evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, administrators, and teachers in K-12 settings who seek to make informed decisions about instruction and academic interventions for ELLs. The domains of focus include reading and mathematics, and the recommendations apply to both a class-wide instructional format and individualized, targeted interventions, depending on the population and the goals of the instruction. (Center on Instruction, 2006)
Authors: David Francis, Mabel Rivera, Nonie Lesaux, Michael Kieffer, and Hector Rivera
Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners: Research-Based Recommendations for Serving Adolescent Newcomers
This book is the second in a series of three Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners. This document was written primarily for the group of ELLs who are adolescent newcomers to the United States and who have a relatively short period of time in which to simultaneously develop academic language skills and master grade-level content. This document provides evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, administrators, and teachers in middle and high schools who seek to make informed decisions about effectively serving adolescent newcomers. (Center on Instruction, 2006)
Authors: David Francis, Mabel Rivera, Nonie Lesaux, Michael Kieffer, and Hector Rivera
Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners: Research-Based Recommendations for the Use of Accommodations in Large-Scale Assessments
This book is the third in a series of three Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners. NCLB has increased awareness of the academic needs and achievement of ELLs as schools, districts, and states are held accountable for teaching English and content knowledge to ELLs. ELLs present a unique set of challenges to educators because of the central role played by academic language proficiency in the acquisition and assessment of content-area knowledge. This document focuses particularly on research-based recommendations on the use of accommodations to increase the valid participation of ELLs in large-scale assessments. (Center on Instruction, 2006)
Authors: David Francis, Mabel Rivera, Nonie Lesaux, Michael Kieffer, and Hector Rivera
Reading at Risk: The State Response to the Crisis in Adolescent Literacy
The final report of a year-long study of adolescent literacy conducted by the National Association of State Boards of Education, this document outlines recommendations for policymakers based on joint problem-solving, collaborative practice, and collective accountability that engages students in purposeful reading and writing in all subjects being taught. (National Association of State Boards of Education, 2006)
Reading Next—A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High School Literacy: A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York (2nd Ed.)
Using current, scientifically based research on effective programs for successful adolescent literacy instruction, Biancarosa and Snow outline 15 key elements of effective adolescent programs, present a vision for simultaneously improving achievement and developing the research base, and call stakeholders to action to make the improvement of adolescent literacy a priority. (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2006)
Authors: Gina Biancarosa and Catherine Snow
Reading to Achieve: A Governor's Guide to Adolescent Literacy
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices—Adolescent Literacy Advisory Panel identified five strategies for governors and state leaders to establish a framework and policies to support improvement of adolescent student literacy. This 41-page document provides a description of the work of the Advisory Panel including thorough discussion of each strategy and appendices with additional resources, contacts and examples of how the strategies have been implemented. (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, 2005)
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Teaching All Students to Read in Elementary School: A Guide for Principals
This "quick start" guide for elementary school-level instructional leaders is based on scientific research on reading and reading instruction as well as on studies of successful schools and interviews with successful principals. It includes critical elements of an effective reading program in elementary school, critical tasks for principals as literacy leaders, and special considerations for reading instruction after third grade. (Center on Instruction, 2007)
Authors: Joseph Torgesen, Debra Houston, Lila Rissman, and Marcia Kosanovich
Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools
This document provides guidance for improving writing instruction for all students in grades 4–12, not just those who display writing difficulties. It recommends 11 key elements of adolescent writing instruction that have demonstrated effectiveness across a number of contexts. (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2007)
Authors: Steve Graham and Dolores Perin