Opinion
Reading & Literacy Letter to the Editor

Informed Literacy Leadership Matters

August 29, 2023 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

Thanks to EdWeek for continuing to lift up the voices of educators and highlight important discussions happening in the field around effective literacy instruction (“What People Are Getting Wrong About the Science of Reading,” July 7, 2023). It was inspiring to read the opinion essay from two reading specialists about their success in improving literacy instruction in their school. It was great to read about how they’ve developed students’ foundational literacy skills, which support independent reading, and also fostered the development of background knowledge to aid comprehension of more complex books.

As a former school leader who prioritized helping teachers develop and improve their instructional practices, I found Brooke Wilkins and Lauren McNamara’s approach to synthesizing the research on effective reading instruction informative. I believe it has been key to their success. By defining what the science of reading means in a way that is accessible and leverages the best research and pedagogical practices, the authors have ensured everyone in their school has a common language and can focus on a unified approach to literacy instruction—one that emphasizes phonics as well as language comprehension.

Across the country and in schools, there are debates over how to teach reading. But the intentional leadership exemplified by Wilkins and McNamara helps ensure discussions remain civil, fact-based, and focused on what’s best for kids. The upshot is their school has been able to shift instruction in positive ways and develop a vision grounded in research and effective practices.

That’s an approach we can all learn from, and I am excited to share this essay with schools I support with professional development. Any school can benefit from the lessons these talented educators so thoughtfully offer.

Daniel Velasco
Implementation Leader for Wit & Wisdom and Geodes
Great Minds
Chicago, Ill.

A version of this article appeared in the August 30, 2023 edition of Education Week as Informed Literacy Leadership Matters

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
How to Leverage Virtual Learning: Preparing Students for the Future
Hear from an expert panel how best to leverage virtual learning in your district to achieve your goals.
Content provided by Class
English-Language Learners Webinar AI and English Learners: What Teachers Need to Know
Explore the role of AI in multilingual education and its potential limitations.
Education Webinar The K-12 Leader: Data and Insights Every Marketer Needs to Know
Which topics are capturing the attention of district and school leaders? Discover how to align your content with the topics your target audience cares about most. 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Reading & Literacy Opinion Tired of the Reading Wars? Become a Conscientious Objector
Teachers' obligation is to their students. The research combined with the knowledge of individual students should be the guide.
14 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy Opinion Don’t Worry About 'Book Bans'
So-called “book bans” are a lot rarer—and more reasonable—than you might think, argue Max Eden and Jay P. Greene.
Max Eden & Jay P. Greene
5 min read
Tidy vector hand drawn background with Books, Vintage cozy elements, printed publications, volumes of literature, retro library flying objects, decor textile, wrapping paper, wallpaper,  textured pattern
Olga Kurbatova/iStock
Reading & Literacy Opinion Teachers, You Don't Need to Choose Sides in the Reading Wars
Instead of arguing over who's right, let's focus attention on expanding knowledge about unresolved instructional issues.
12 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy How Educators Are Trying to Find the Staff and Money to Improve Reading Instruction
A district leader and a state literacy education chief share tips for overcoming hiring challenges and navigating funding constraints.
1 min read
082423 Student Literacy EDU BS
Allison Shelley for All4Ed