Today’s Literacy Headlines

Reading aloud daily demonstrates a commitment to literacy in an authentic and nonthreatening way. When students see teachers sharing literacy in this way, it allows them to simply enjoy a good book. Too often, children view reading as an arduous task because teachers have coupled reading with comprehension questions at the end of each chapter. Modeling reading strategies is a great way for educators to demonstrate what good readers do when they don’t know a word, understand a plot twist, or agree with a character in the story (even if they really do). Read-alouds promote student choice and leadership. Before starting a new novel, students can nominate books that interest them. This allows teachers to ensure that students are exposed to books that have characters that look like them, or it can challenge students to consider the perspectives of others who are different.

We have two daughters, one in fourth grade, the other in second. Our fourth grader, whom I’ll refer to as “Em,” loves reading. She stays up late to finish a chapter of whatever series she’s enjoying at the moment, and is always eager to search for the next installment online. Our second grader, “Tess,” is the opposite. She’s at the point now where she can sound out most words, but getting her to do the nightly reading assigned by her teacher is torture, and any time we suggest that she read by herself, she refuses. She’d rather play dress-up. I feel like we did right by her sister but failed her! How do we encourage Tess to be more interested in reading?

A glimpse into the lives of six New York City third graders reveals that remote learning can feel discouraging and difficult for students and their caregivers, but it can also include moments of joy and connection. Third graders occupy a gray area when it comes to managing remote learning independently. While many can navigate devices more easily than those in younger grades, others have some difficulty, and reading can still pose significant barriers. As a result, these students’ days are largely intertwined with their caregivers — in these six cases, their mothers. These moms spend hours supporting and worrying about their children, grappling with how hands on they can or should be, while perhaps juggling other children and, in several cases, their own jobs.

Most picture books are recommended for kids ages 4 to 8. That’s already too narrow. But picture books are tossed out even faster since many schools expect kids to read by the end of kindergarten. Don’t let this happen. First, appreciate what picture books, the real wizards of the literary world, do. With remarkable economy, they excel at the twin arts of visual and textual storytelling. Anyone who has ever read a picture book to a child has witnessed this magic firsthand. You’ll be reading along aloud and the child will laugh, not at anything you’ve read but at something she has read in the pictures. While you are reading one story, told in words, she is reading another, told through art. The illustrator doesn’t merely reflect the words on the page; she creates an entire narrative of her own, adding details, creating secondary story lines.

Whose shoulders do I stand on? What do I stand for? So asks 22-year-old Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman in “Using Your Voice Is a Political Choice,” an electrifying TED Talk featured on the podcast TED Talks Daily. For Black History Month, we spotlight Gorman’s talk and other podcasts spotlighting Black changemakers: Those who have inspired, mentored, collaborated, led, invented, or innovated to bring about greater equality and justice in their own creative ways. The playlist reflects a variety of audio storytelling techniques, including short biographies, direct interviews, engaging activities, creative kid conversations, and profound voices of inspiration from poets and dreamers.