Read, Write, Lead: Breakthrough Strategies for Schoolwide Literacy Success

379 Pages·2014·2.706 MB·English

by  Routman, Regie

Breakthrough Strategies for Schoolwide Literacy Success
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 curric-
ulum. She explains and demonstrates 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.
• 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.
At a time when education initiatives are ramping up expectations for student achieve-
ment, Read, Write, Lead offers proven methods and thoughtful insights to guide educators
from struggle to success, from uncertainty to confidence, from good to remarkable!
$37.95 U.S.
ReadWriteLead_Cvr.indd 1 5/13/14 12:51 PM

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Routman, Regie.
Read, write, lead : breakthrough strategies for schoolwide literacy success / Regie Routman.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4166-1873-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Language arts (Elementary). 2. Language arts
(Secondary). 3. Educational leadership. I. Title.
LB1576.R7583 2014
372.6—dc23
2014003413
23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
(cid:1368)
For Frank
(cid:1368)

READ, WRITE, LEAD
Note .............................................................................................................................................xiii
Acknowledgments .....................................................................................................................xv
Introduction: Why Th is Book and Who Is It For? ...........................................................1
Quick Wins ................................................................................................................................5
1. Literacy and Leadership: Change That Matters .........................................................7
Learning from Teaching and Leading ..................................................................................8
Literacy Insights ................................................................................................................9
Leadership Insights ........................................................................................................11
Prepare People for Worthwhile Change ............................................................................14
Put in Place a Solid Infrastructure ..............................................................................17
Focus on Worthwhile Instruction and Learning .....................................................18
Establish a School Culture of Professional Trust ............................................................20
Professional Trust: What It Is and Why It Matters ................................................21
Take Action to Promote Professional Trust .............................................................22
Become a “Positive Deviant”—A Force for Helpful Change .......................................25
Develop a Mindset for High Achievement ...............................................................26
Teach with a Sense of Agency and Urgency ............................................................28
Ask Uncommon Questions ..........................................................................................29
Become a Teacher Who Also Leads ...........................................................................32
Become a Leader Who Also Knows Literacy ..........................................................35
2. Responsive Instruction, Feedback, and Assessment .............................................37
Teach and Assess Responsively ...........................................................................................37
Ask the Most Essential Questions First ....................................................................38
Teach with Authenticity ...............................................................................................41
Plan with the End in Mind ..........................................................................................43
Provide More Choice Within Structure ...................................................................48
Hear All the Voices .......................................................................................................54
Embed Formative Assessment ....................................................................................55
Apply an Optimal Learning Model ....................................................................................57
Embrace Seamless Teaching ........................................................................................59
Shift to Whole-Part-Whole Teaching .......................................................................61
Rely on Excellent Demonstrations..............................................................................63
Provide More Shared Experiences .............................................................................65
Build in Sustained and Guided Practice ....................................................................69
Work Toward Independence in Learning .................................................................70
Reap the Benefi ts of the OLM .....................................................................................71
Provide Eff ective Feedback ...................................................................................................72
Apply Feedback Essentials ............................................................................................73
Use Feedback to Build Professional Trust ................................................................76
3. Reading and Writing Priorities ........................................................................................81
Develop Shared Beliefs ..........................................................................................................83
Start with Schoolwide Discussion of Literacy Beliefs ............................................85
Connect Beliefs with Excellent Instructional Practices .........................................90
Provide Access to Appropriate Texts .................................................................................95
Ensure Access to Books for All Students ..................................................................96
Use Riveting Literature .................................................................................................97
Establish Excellent Classroom Libraries with Students ........................................99
Guide Students to Choose Books Th ey Can Read ...............................................100
Understand Text Complexity....................................................................................102
Apply Reading Levels Judiciously ...........................................................................103
Expand Background Knowledge .............................................................................105
Integrate Social Media and Technology into Literacy ........................................106
Write for Audience and Purpose ....................................................................................107
Make Writing Authentic ...........................................................................................108
Simplify the Teaching of Writing .............................................................................109
Become a Writing Role Model .................................................................................110
Notice What Authors Do .........................................................................................114
Embrace Public Writing Conferences ...................................................................115
Put the Writer Before the Writing ...........................................................................116
Read for Enjoyment and Understanding ......................................................................117
Focus on Reading Joy as Well as Reading Progress .............................................117
Be a Reading Role Model ...........................................................................................122
Rely on Relevant Research .........................................................................................126
Emphasize Comprehension ......................................................................................128
Provide Adequate Reading Supports .....................................................................130
Ensure Sustained Time for Independent Reading ...............................................133
Instill Daily Reading Conferences ............................................................................135
Aim for Self-Determining Readers ..........................................................................136
4. Reducing the Need for Intervention ...........................................................................137
Focus Teaching at the Universal Level ...........................................................................139
Increase Teacher Eff ectiveness .................................................................................140
Apply the Common Core Standards Wisely .........................................................141
Emphasize Prevention ........................................................................................................142
Ensure Excellent Literacy Instruction in Kindergarten .....................................143
Intervene Early .............................................................................................................148
Avoid Summer Reading Loss ....................................................................................150
Embrace the Reading/Writing Connection .........................................................152
Employ Principles of Response to Intervention ...........................................................159
Focus on Meaning .......................................................................................................159
Choose Programs and Resources Carefully: Pay Attention to Research ........160
Work with Reading Texts Th at Lead to Early Success ........................................161
Incorporate Daily Practices Th at Deter Failure ............................................................165
Make the Work More Authentic .............................................................................165
Provide More Student Choice ..................................................................................166
Make Learning Intentions Clear ..............................................................................167
Celebrate Students’ Strengths ...................................................................................170
Have Students Do More Silent Reading ................................................................171
Confer with Students Daily .......................................................................................172
Embrace Whole-Part-Whole Teaching .........................................................................173
Put Second Language Learners on a Fast Track to Achievement ....................174
Write Whole, Meaningful Texts as a Catalyst to Acceleration .........................176
5. Leadership Priorities ........................................................................................................181
Ensure High-Quality Leadership .....................................................................................181
Foster Principal Success .............................................................................................182
Promote Teacher Leadership ....................................................................................184
Take on the Qualities of Eff ective Leaders ....................................................................185
Build Trusting Relationships ....................................................................................185
Make Daily Instructional Walks Integral to Higher Achievement ..........................197
Defi ning Instructional Walks ....................................................................................198
Find the Time ...............................................................................................................200
Know What to Look For ............................................................................................201
Give Immediate Feedback .........................................................................................204
Take Nonjudgmental Notes ......................................................................................207
Give Suggestions Carefully ........................................................................................209
Guide Teachers to Align Beliefs with Practices ....................................................212
Go Beyond Analysis of Results to Improving Instruction .........................................215
Learn from Highly Eff ective School Leaders ................................................................216
6. Professional Literacy Communities ...........................................................................219
Embed a PLC Culture into Schools .................................................................................220
Expand the PLC Defi nition and Vision ..................................................................220
Learn from a Professional Literacy Community School ....................................222