Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.
For School Principals
"What you focus on is what will grow." Joan Freck, Ed.D., a formidable former principal from Fairfax County Public Schools, was explaining how principals get pulled every which way. But if you believe reading achievement is at the heart of student success, then focus like a laser on reading!
In that spirit, Reading Rockets has selected the following articles that are especially relevant to elementary school principals seeking to raise reading achievement.
What Principals Can Do to Help Students Become Good Readers
School administrators have a critical leadership role to play in helping students become good readers. This article suggests seven key action steps on how principals and other administrators can create a school framework for success.
Research demonstrates that all students experience significant learning losses in procedural and factual knowledge during the summer months.
The Six Ts of Effective Elementary Literacy Instruction
This article by Richard Allington provides a clear-eyed view of what he believes matters most in teaching kids to read – effective and expert teachers.
Elementary Principals' Group Calls for Focus on Leading Instruction
The National Association for Elementary School Principals has released a booklet on what principals should know and be able to do. Learn about their recommendations, including a focus on instructional leadership and six steps to raise test scores.
DOD-Run Schools Cited For Closing Achievement Gaps
Schools that serve minority students can learn a lesson from Department of Defense schools, a report by researchers at Vanderbilt University argues. These schools have more effectively closed the achievement gap than their counterparts in the United States.
Roles of the Reading Specialist
Because reading specialists have advanced degrees in reading, they are in a position to prevent reading failure at their schools. This position statement describes the roles reading specialists can play in instruction, assessment, and school leadership.
Professional Development for Reading
For teachers to help more children learn to read, their own learning must be a valued and integral part of their work. Here are guidelines for the conditions for and content of effective professional development in reading.
The Process of Professional Development
In order to adopt research-based practices for teaching reading, teachers must be supported with quality professional development that helps them develop an extensive knowledge and skills base. This guide, written by Learning First Alliance (an organization of twelve national education associations), calls for changes in the context, process, and content of professional development in reading.
Lessons We Learned in Washington, D.C. Schools
The NICHD Early Interventions Project was designed to increase reading achievement in nine low-performing schools in the District of Columbia. This article describes the experience of one researcher working with these schools, and makes recommendations for policymakers and administrators.
The Challenges of Learning to Teach Reading
Teaching reading is a complex process that draws upon an extensive knowledge base and repertoire of strategies. This article argues that many novice teachers are underprepared to teach reading effectively, and examines some of the reasons why.
When it comes to reading, the nine months of first grade are arguably the most important in a student's schooling.
Every Child Reading: Tips for Schools
Schools that promote reading success make first grade count and step in immediately of there's a problem. Read about these and other ways principals can help every child in their schools become a reader.
What Students With Difficulties Need
Students with reading difficulties do not seem to need qualitatively different instruction from children who aren't struggling, but certain students may need more intensive support from a reading specialist. This overview of how children with reading difficulties should be served in school includes an argument for schools to employ reading specialists.
Identifying Risk Factors to Prevent Difficulties
There are certain characteristics of groups and individual children that increase their likelihood of struggling with reading. Find out how to use knowledge of these risk factors to help prevent reading problems for these children.
Instruction in Second Grade and Beyond
To become life long readers, children in second grade and up need excellent instruction and experience with a wide variety of engaging texts. Here is a list of recommended areas for reading instruction in second grade and beyond.
Simple Things Principals Can Do to Help All Children Read Well
Schools play a pivotal role in helping young children learn how to read. This collection of tips will help administrators, teachers, and other school staff members set children on the path to reading.
Schools as Community Learning Centers
When schools are community learning centers, their doors don't lock at 3:00 p.m. Learn facts about the importance of and need for extended day and summer programs in schools.
School Features That Support Effective Instruction
Effective school reading programs in schools share certain characteristics, from sound methods and materials to quality professional development and administrative practices. Learn about eight features of research-based school reading programs.
12 Components of Research-Based Reading Programs
Research-based reading instruction allows children opportunities to both understand the building blocks and expand their use of language, oral and written. These opportunities are illustrated by classroom activities in these twelve components of reading instruction for grades one through three.
See also:
Other recommended links:
- Turnaround Specialist (NewsHour with Jim Lehrer)
"I found the information and lesson plan activities in the English Language Learners section to be very helpful and look forward to sharing them with staff."
~ Linda T.
