University of Delaware’s Post

Literacy will always be at the core!

Lately, I've seen videos and pictures of several states and districts launching literacy initiatives. This is needed. However, the pictures and videos posted don't reflect rooms of diversity. We know that more than 50% of educators are white, and the majority of students struggling to read on grade- level are students of color! Creating these initiatives with the absence of Black and Brown voices will have you getting no where fast. 1 person of color in the room, will not cut it. Literacy changes are needed, but the rooms where the people make the decisions concerning them, has to change too. Don't miss this! How are you planning to close literacy gaps for Black and Brown students WITHOUT the presence of educators in the room that reflect the demographic of students you're trying to reach?

In 2017, 11 states were awarded a combined $380M in Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy (SRCL) grants to support schools and teachers in providing #EvidenceBased #literacy instruction—with a focus on serving disadvantaged schools. According to AIR’s evaluation of SRCL implementation across states, most fell short of key program goals, including targeting resources to disadvantaged schools and investing in literacy programs that are supported by rigorous research evidence. These findings reveal how differently states and schools approached the program and how much we still have to learn about its effectiveness. Read the report:

Dr. Ashley Pennell, Dr. Kindel Nash, and Dr. Woodrow Trathen - all in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education - along with Dr. Rebecca Jordan of Salem College, and Kerry Elson, a K-1 teacher in East Harlem, New York, published an article entitled "A Healthy Diet for Beginning Readers: Decodable Texts as Part of a Comprehensive Literacy Program" in The Reading Teacher, a journal of the International Literacy Association (ILA). Read here: https://lnkd.in/eK8EYuVh Abstract We suggest that a healthy literacy diet for beginning readers consists of literacy experiences along a number of dimensions, including experiences with decodable text. As such, this article explores the role of decodable texts in a comprehensive early literacy curriculum that recognizes literacy as a complex, culturally mediated, and multifaceted set of skills. We provide five guidelines for practitioners to use when evaluating decodable texts to be used with beginning readers. As an example of the type of analysis we recommend for selecting quality decodable text, we examine one decodable text for its merit in fulfilling the guidelines described in this article.

The Science of Reading training and implementation is working here in NC.

2 out of 3 children are unable to read proficiently according to NAEP. The way reading has been taught for decades IS NOT WORKING (it’s okay - we don’t know what we don’t know). This struggle is real especially for kiddos who come from low income households without a single book. The most recent studies have proven that explicit phonics instruction and repetative reading with decodability (drill & skill) WORK. The access to grab a book off the shelf at home to practice these skills is just as important. The Science of Reading, a movement found through neuroscience, developmental & cognitive psychology, has 20 years of research to back it up. This year, SOR moved 2 high risk readers (10%) into the some risk category in just 5 months. Not a single reader in my classroom reads at a high risk level now. 👏🏼👏🏼 to NY for jumping on board. A state that probably needs SOR more than most.

More reading is needed to understand the importance of this approach

This week in the Education Policy Hotlist, we say goodbye to Superintendent Guerrero and Jonathan, cover big news in accountability data, and highlight MN's early literacy progress. #edpolicy #edpolicyhotlist #edleadership #eddata

Maryland's new draft literacy policy is focused on the science of reading. Discover how this initiative is set to transform literacy in Maryland and support student success. https://lnkd.in/e_U-WaaQ

My latest piece on improving early literacy outcomes in the District is officially out! Take a look and let me know your thoughts. https://lnkd.in/egkHci-E