This paper argues that the plan and study phases of lesson study are productive in helping educators with varied expertise and experience to explore scientific practices like modeling with ties to disciplinary literacy. Points are illustrated with data from a lesson-study cycle in science that two university-based teacher educators, one in…

This article shares a variety of picturebooks that invite teachers to think critically about curriculum, teaching, learning, and technology (CTLT). It posits that teaching and learning are not perfectible absolutes but continuous processes that invite teachers to develop beyond what they already know. Reading professional literature, conducting…

Question asked in a preschool/primary teacher PD session on read-alouds: "After our Family Night presentation on home read-alouds, we got so many questions from families and caretakers. How can we give follow-up support?" This teaching guide suggests three simple ideas for supporting parent home-read-alouds with preschool, kindergarten,…

This article (a) explores the experience of an early childhood teacher researcher as she intentionally uses interactive read-alouds to promote social justice and to encourage critical consciousness in her preschool classroom and (b) offers guidance for educators to embark on their own social justice journey. Over the course of a 2-year study, the…

This article shares a case study of a classroom of multicultural and multilingual children in an early childhood center to explore how iPad apps can support young children in learning English as an additional language. Situated in Sydney, Australia, this study found that iPad apps have the potential to promote 4- and 5-year-old children's language…

Much attention has been paid to storybook reading as a context for supporting preschoolers' emergent language and literacy. Inferential thinking is essential to listening comprehension and to reading comprehension. Understanding the story deeply and reasoning about events and characters are central to children's enjoyment and to comprehension…

Spelling instruction has been researched over the last several decades, but unfortunately, researchers have determined that best practices have not generally transferred to classroom practice. The authors explored how quality word study professional development rooted in nonnegotiable tenets provided a framework for teacher and student…

There is little research on effective educational experiences for deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) children in Jamaica. Using a formative and design experiment framework, in this project we explored the potential efficacy of an intensive literacy camp that provided professional development for d/hh adults working in classrooms with d/hh children,…

Literacy teachers often feel underprepared to provide instruction that integrates technology in meaningful ways. Yet, there is evidence that teachers can be supported to overcome this barrier through professional development using a framework for instructional planning. Although efforts to support teachers' short-term technology integration have…

Literacy coaches are more effective when they have a clear plan for their collaborations with teachers. This article provides details of such a plan, which involves identifying a problem, understanding the problem, deciding what to do differently, and trying something different. For each phase of the problem-solving model, there are key tasks for…

The aim of this teaching tip is to share four key takeaways from virtual implementation of a reading intervention in a four-week summer reading camp (SRC) for rising second- and third-grade students in need of foundational skills support. The SRC, which was a partnership between a university and school district, pivoted to a virtual format for…

Culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy is an asset-based approach to teaching and learning. In this way, students' identities, languages, and cultures are centered in the learning experience, creating a sense of belonging. The authors observed culturally relevant and sustaining approaches to teaching and learning while visiting schools in New…

Given that our current educational context has required many educators to utilize online instruction in some capacity over the past year, the purpose of this paper is to describe how literacy specialists and teachers can use digital tools to remotely engage in data-based decision-making within a collaborative professional learning community.…

In the 21st century, our students increasingly communicate, connect, collaborate, and interact with diverse cultures and traditions around the world, so they need to develop global literacy. This department column highlights research and research-to-practice at the international level to bring global best teaching practices to the forefront.…

This article describes how one elementary school's professional development model helped both new and veteran teachers grow in their knowledge and practice of balanced literacy. Created in partnership between university faculty, school administration, and elementary teachers, this multifaceted whole-school PD effort enabled teachers to learn…