Acclaimed authors and illustrators for young people — Jeannine Atkins, Ekua Holmes, Rita Williams-Garcia, Heather Lang, and Katherine Paterson got together to talk about women and girls in fiction and nonfiction books — and what makes a heroine.
Have you ever heard of “assumicide”? For generations, too many people assumed that children with disabilities couldn’t learn to read — so they never gave them a chance. Hosted by Molly Ringwald, A Chance to Read looks at the reading challenges facing kids with disabilities, and what schools across the country are doing to help them find success.
Watch video clips from well-known children’s authors, talking about their journey to becoming writers, describing their writing process, and offering advice for young writers.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) influences how a child sees and experiences the world. Children on the autism spectrum bring many strengths to the classroom, yet they may also have challenges with social skills, language, and behaviors that require additional classroom supports for learning to read.Reading Rockets (11992)
Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often have trouble paying attention, sitting still, or finishing tasks. Although it is not considered a learning disability, students with ADHD may have a harder time learning how to read. With the right supports, kids can thrive.
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that affects a child’s ability to read, spell, and write at the word level. It is a language problem — kids with dyslexia have trouble hearing the sounds in spoken words. With explicit, systematic instruction and targeted support, children with dyslexia can become skilled, confident readers!
Executive function is a set of thinking skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. Trouble with executive function can make it harder for kids to focus, follow directions, get organized, plan, and handle big emotions. All of these challenges can make reading and learning more difficult.
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.
When it comes to deciding what books to share with the young readers in your life, there is so much to choose from! Get pointed in the right direction with our themed booklists and articles on choosing and using children’s books at home and in the classroom.
A diverse, welcoming classroom library is a magnet for kids. Get tips on how to set up your classroom library to encourage book choice and support student learning.
Our library provides effective, research-based classroom strategies to help strengthen your students’ skills in phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.
First graders are learning to think actively as they read. They use their experiences and knowledge of the world, vocabulary, a growing understanding how language works, and reading strategies to make sense of what they’re reading.
Kindergartners are just beginning their journey as readers, yet they are actively absorbing language and experiences to make sense of the world around them. Encourage your child to think and talk about shared oral stories and books that are read aloud. You can also help by exposing your child to lots of interesting words — vocabulary is key to comprehension.
Second graders are learning to think actively as they read. They use their experiences and knowledge of the world, vocabulary, a growing understanding how language works, and reading strategies to make sense of what they’re reading.
ELL experts Cynthia Lundgren and Kristina Robertson discussing effective reading comprehension strategies for teaching English language learner students.
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 from our sister site, Colorín Colorado.
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.
In one school day, an elementary school teacher will instruct children in reading, math, science, social studies, and more. Children should be reading and writing across all these disciplines, using specific techniques and knowledge to help them navigate different types of texts.