Teaching elementary students how to read is undeniably crucial, yet a substantial number of children encounter difficulties despite early interventions. Cross-age tutoring, a pedagogical approach that pairs older students with younger peers, emerges as a cost-effective solution that brings academic and social benefits to both the tutor and the…

The recent development of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence application that mimics human language, has many educators questioning its place in the classroom. This article provides suggestions for instructional uses of ChatGPT in the literacy classroom so that teachers can empower students to use this tool safely and effectively for learning.

Reading and writing are often taught separately. This article explores the crucial relations between these skills, emphasizing the importance of understanding the "what" and "why" to effectively plan the "how" of integrated reading-writing instruction. The Interactive Dynamic Literacy Model (Kim, "Reading-writing…

Concepts of print are essential, foundational literacy understandings about words in their written, or print form. Concepts include discerning pictures from written words, reading print from top to bottom and left to right with one-to-one correspondence between words read and words in print. Reading aloud from a big book is widely accepted and…

Shared book reading is a common and effective way to support vocabulary knowledge. However, it is not the only pedagogy for supporting this learning goal. We propose a "toolbox" of activities that teachers can use to foster vocabulary acquisition in young children. We first discuss the science behind why these activities are effective…

Immersion into fiction is associated with many educational and social benefits. The current study compared read-alouds of a historical fiction novel and a nonfiction textbook to determine whether differences were observed in student's transportation, content learning, and socio-emotional development. In all, 41 students between the ages of 9 and…

How can primary literacy teachers effectively identify, adapt, and incorporate developmentally appropriate technologies to support their students' reading development? This article reports results from a case study attempting to digitize a classroom literacy practice--close reading--for Year 2 students. It suggests that digital tools can…

Interactive writing is a powerful instructional strategy in which the teacher and children "share the pen" to construct a collaboratively composed text. Traditionally, articles have been written detailing how the procedure can be implemented in grades kindergarten through two. We contend that interactive writing can also be an effective…

In this article, the authors revisit the common practice of small-group reading instruction. They challenge the idea of grouping readers based on text levels and instead review supplemental intervention group research that suggests targeted skill practice as a more optimal use of time in small groups. They then present the ABCs--a focus on…

All children have the right to experience a safe and inclusive classroom that engages them in learning and advances equity. Writers' workshop is particularly well suited for creating a safe and inclusive space. Writers' workshop encourages children to share their own stories and listen to, learn about, and develop empathy for others. This…

This teaching tip aims to build awareness of using a text's structure as a framework for building students' reading comprehension. The authors detail the Framework for Accelerating the Strategic Comprehension of Text (FASCT) to support elementary students reading comprehension abilities by explicitly teaching students to use the structure of a…

Before ever entering a formal educational setting, children use writing to make themselves known. Yet by the time students reach the fourth grade, only a small minority of students demonstrate writing skills considered competent by national standards. By this time in their school career, many have begun to internalize that they are poor writers…

This article examines findings from an umbrella review of 95 systematic reviews and meta-analyses on effective reading instruction. The analysis highlights that reading is a multifaceted process, requiring the integration of key components such as decoding, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. The review underscores the importance of early…

In this article, the authors describe the impact of a reader response game in an English language arts classroom. They explore the theoretical intersection of game-based learning and "good games" and transactional theory as a framework for this practice. After incorporating a "good game" of reader response in classes, the…

The authors analyzed 88 classroom observations to determine whether there were actions that teachers were taking to send a message to students that rereading was not valuable. They identified three practices during shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading that telegraphed messages to students against rereading. The authors also…