Literacy Leadership In Changing Schools

This authoritative text and practitioner resource has now been extensively revised and expanded with 70% new material covering new topics and standards in literacy leadership. Prominent experts present research-based methods for improving instruction, assessment, and professional learning experiences in PreK–12. The distinct roles of teachers, reading/literacy specialists, literacy coaches, special educators, and principals are explored, with an emphasis on fostering a culture of collaboration. Chapters highlight the standards that apply to each component of a schoolwide literacy program, give examples of what they look like in schools, and share implications for classroom practice and professional learning. Pedagogical features include guiding questions, case examples, vignettes, engagement activities, and annotated resources for further learning. New to This Edition *Now copublished with the International Literacy Association (ILA) and grounded in ILA's updated Standards 2017; expanded grade range includes PreK. *Chapters on new topics: writing instruction, sustaining schoolwide improvements, and collaborative leadership. *New chapters on core topics: the principal’s role, assessment, middle and high school literacy programs, special education, and culturally responsive instruction. *Vignettes from leaders in diverse roles, “Think About This” questions for discussion/reflection, and end-of-chapter annotated resources.

Literacy educators seldom view themselves as leaders beyond the classroom. In recent years, however, teacher leadership has received increased attention in schools and school districts and at the state and national levels. This book will guide you in improving your literacy leadership skills so you can ultimately enhance your professional practice. Author Donald McAndrew first reviews the major theory and research on leadership while focusing on leadership in schools and literacy education to familiarize you with the specific theory, research, and practice of leaders. He then presents six strategies used by successful leaders to do the peoplework at the heart of leadership: Create and communicate a vision. Be a model. Experiment with new ideas and take risks. Nurture competence, trust, and collaboration. Encourage the heart. Transform yourself through reflection and learning. You will learn the importance of each strategy, its connection to theory and research, and additional methods for putting each strategy to work. peoplework skills as you interact with students, parents, and colleagues to promote the importance of literacy development. Use this book to become a literacy leader and improve the vision of literacy in your classroom, school, and community.

Literacy is a skill for all time, for all people. It is an integral part of our lives, whether we are students or adult professionals. Giving all educators the breadth of knowledge and practical tools that help students strengthen their literacy skills is the focus of Read, Write, Lead. Drawing on her experience as a mentor teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, and staff developer, author Regie Routman offers time-tested advice on how to develop a schoolwide learning culture that leads to more effective reading and writing across the curriculum. She explains how every school—including yours—can: implement instructional practices that lead to better engagement and achievement in reading and writing for all students, from kindergarten through high school, including second-language and struggling learners; build Professional Literacy Communities of educators working together to create sustainable school change through professional learning based on shared beliefs; reduce the need for intervention through daily practices that ensure success, even for our most vulnerable learners; and embed the language of productive feedback in responsive instruction, conferences, and observations in order to accelerate learning for students, teachers, and leaders. In their own voices, teachers, principals, literacy specialists, and students offer real-life examples of changes that led to dramatic improvement in literacy skills and—perhaps just as important--increased joy in teaching and learning. Scattered throughout the book are “Quick Wins”--ideas and actions that can yield positive, affirming results while tackling the tough work of long-term change.

In this second edition of Becoming a Literacy Leader: Supporting Learning and Change, author Jennifer Allen reflects on her work as a literacy specialist and how the role has evolved in the decade since she wrote the first edition. Her experiences can apply to all school leaders including principals, coaches, teachers, support staff, and office administrators. Allen focuses on three ideas to describe her work: Layered Leadership, the multitude of supports in place for teachers to encourage learning and change within schools; Shared experiences that develop community and develop common understanding of practices, curriculum, and assessment; Importance of 'rowing in the same direction' in that literacy coaches and leaders stay interconnected and aligned to the goals of the school. Allen knows the challenges of teachers face and advocates literacy coaches implement these layers of support within a school, including in-class support, curriculum support and assessment, study group facilitation, and the cultivation of teacher leadership. In Becoming a Literacy Leader, she provides an explicit framework for implementing these layers of coaching and explains how administrators can use the literacy leader position to build and sustain change within their schools. This book will be the road map for how literacy leaders and coaches approach their work with purpose and intention. Online videos that accompany the book bring the text alive by showing readers what coaching looks and sounds like.

"This long-awaited resource presents a detailed framework for developing, implementing, and sustaining a successful literacy leadership team. Based on the authors' personal experiences, practice, and research, The literacy leadership team outlines an action plan for literacy change. It advises each literacy team member to bring his or her own knowledge and experiences and offers the information and motivation for clarifying the mission of a school literacy leadership team. The book provides educators with procedures and practices for implementing its mandate for building capacity, sustaining professional learning, understanding literacy processing and instructional practice, utilizing resources and expanding success, and building "an ongoing, job-embedded, professional learning community"."--Back cover.

Clear, on-the-ground guidance for Reading Apprenticeship implementation Leading for Literacy provides tools and real-life examples to expand the benefits of a literacy approach that sparks students' engaged reading and thinking across disciplines, from middle school through community college. A companion to the landmark Reading for Understanding, this book guides teachers, leaders, and administrators through the nuts, bolts, benefits, and stumbling blocks of creating Reading Apprenticeship communities that extend a culture of literacy beyond individual classrooms. This book explains how to generate authentic buy-in from teachers and administrators, use the Reading Apprenticeship Framework to turn reform overload into reform coherence, and create literacy teams, professional learning communities, and Reading Apprenticeship communities of practice that sustain an institutional focus on a student-centered, strengths-based culture of literacy. Key insights from Reading Apprenticeship practitioners across the country address how to get started, build momentum, assess progress, and build partnerships and networks across schools, districts, campuses, and regions. Persistently low levels of adolescent literacy continue to short-change students, contribute to discredited high school diplomas, and cause millions of students to drop out of high school and community college. Forty percent or more of community college students require remedial reading courses as college freshman. The researchers at WestEd's Strategic Literacy Initiative developed the Reading Apprenticeship Framework to provide educators with a proven path to improving literacy for all students, and this book provides clear guidance on bringing the framework to life. How to integrate Reading Apprenticeship with existing reform efforts How to use formative assessment to promote teacher and student growth How to coach and empower teachers How to cultivate literacy leadership How to provide long-term support for a strong content-literacy program Nationwide classroom testing has shown Reading Apprenticeship to promote not only literacy and content knowledge, but also motivation and positive academic identity—leading to better student outcomes that reach beyond the classroom walls. Leading for Literacy lays out compelling ways to spread the benefits of Reading Apprenticeship, with practical guidance and real-world insight.

"This is a must read for all school personnel interested in creating a literacy plan for their school that will work!! The authors capture the step-by-step process in this field book for successful implementation." -Dr. Dale Moxley, Director of 6-12 Curriculum & Instruction Lake County Schools, FL A proven literacy system is the key to successful readers, writers and learners! Do you recognize the connection between students who read and students who are truly learning? Do your students need literacy help before they can perform higher-level writing and content-learning activities? Are you looking for a reliable approach to improve literacy in your classroom, school, or district? This fieldbook sets forth a plan for improving literacy for students from kindergarten through high school. The K-12 Literacy Leadership Fieldbook demonstrates a proven process for creating a fail-safe approach to literacy that results in measurable improvement. Blending leadership strategy with in-depth literacy knowledge, Taylor and Gunter show educators how to improve literacy through: Using software and technology integration to enhance curriculum and instruction Collaborating to set expectations for daily practice and a common language to drive instruction Using data to determine what works and what doesn′t in your literacy program Developing a fail-safe literacy point of view throughout your school Students who enjoy reading become better writers, more involved learners, and joyful readers, proving that success in literacy is essential for success in learning!

'Taylor shows how school leadership actions can turn almost any educational challenge into a positive. Her use of current school administrators as examples, the explanatory charts, and the guiding professional analysis make this book a necessary companion to implementing sustained school reform' - Mary Ann Haas, Retired Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Flagler School District, FL There is no single solution to improving learning and closing the gap for disadvantaged children. Rather, improvement is the result of a number of successful practices used together. This valuable resource shows school and district leaders how specific, consistent actions can result in dramatic change and increased student achievement. From stimulating intellectual growth to making decisions based on data, this book provides leader actions and examples of schools where the gap in learning is closing through exceptional leadership, and includes: - Numerous examples from real schools, offering descriptions and analysis of actions that increase achievement - Interviews with successful headteachers that provide a realistic look at the issues involved - A focus on second-order changes, where small improvements can create dramatic rethinking of the organization, the roles of individuals, and the approach to learning - Ample forms, sample notes, templates, and other materials to get you started Based on theory, but grounded in practice, this book shows headteachers the specific actions they need to take to drive high levels of student achievement in their schools.

Packed with vivid examples from actual schools, this book explores specific ways that literacy leaders can partner with teachers to meet all students' instructional needs. It provides a range of research-based strategies for implementing effective instruction in a response-to-intervention framework. It also describes innovative interventions—including schoolwide programs and family and community initiatives—that promote success for struggling readers. Practical ideas are presented for engaging particular populations, such as boys and middle and high school students, and for supporting teachers' professional development. Eight reproducible handouts and forms can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size.