Texas Journal of Literacy Education
type: channel
description: The Texas Journal of Literacy Education is the official journal of the Texas Association for Literacy Education (TALE), the Texas affiliate of the International Literacy Association. TJLE is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research and practitioner articles related to language and literacy practices, from early childhood through adult, inside and outside of the classroom.
publisher: Texas Association of Literacy Education
language: en
publication name: Texas Journal of Literacy Education
issn: 2374-7404
copyright: All copyright remains with the author.
items: Engagement as Intervention
items: From Phonetic to Proficient
items: Teaching Reading and Writing with Reading Progress, Diffit, and Padlet
items: Phonemic Awareness and AI: Evaluating ChatGPT Plus for Structured Lesson Development
items: Finding Harmony in Times of Discord: Helping Literacy Professionals Unpack the Current Reading Instruction Movement
items: No me veo: A lack of Hispanic racial representation in the Texas Bluebonnet Award Books
items: Navigating the New Terrain: Preparing Texas Teacher Candidates for the Science of Teaching Reading Constructed Response
items: Racial Literacies Matter: The Relational Context of a Predominately White Institution
items: Lessons learned in nepantla: Critical translanguaging literacy pedagogy in a dual language classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic
items: Using Diverse Children's Literature and Critical Literacy to Promote Disability Awareness and Advocacy
items: Literacy Coaching: Navigating A Transitioning Literacy Terrain
items: Enhancing Trilingual Learners' Performance on the STAAR Test: Strategies for Success with Constructive Response Questions (CRQs)
items: A Critique of Reading Assessment to Promote Equitable Learning
items: Examining Educators' Perceptions of Video Demonstration Lessons in Literacy Professional Development
items: User-Centered Improvement to Typical Elementary Literacy Practices: A Case Study Intervention
items: Coaching Toward Transformation: Lessons Learned from Three-Second-Grade Writing Teachers
items: Pairing Picturebooks and Poetry to Teach Content Area Material Across the Curriculum
items: Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater: What Should Remain from Balanced Literacy
items: Exploring the Relationship Between Teacher Demographics and the Frequency of Read-Aloud Practices in the Classroom
items: Social Presence and Online Learning Communities
items: Assessing the Scope: Examining how primary teachers use multicultural texts for classroom read alouds
items: Writing Golden Shovel Poetry Across the Curriculum
items: “Okay, Miss, I want to talk it out”: Metacognitive Dialogue Supporting Adolescent Literacy Success
items: Beyond Leveled Readers: Finding Engaging Books to Support Beginning Readers
items: Holding Up a Mirror to the ELAR Comprehension TEKS: Growth and Potential in the Texas Revision Cycle
items: Preparing preservice teachers to work with diverse learners
items: Beyond Reading and Writing: Information Literacy in Higher Education for Lifelong Success
items: Differentiation Matters!
items: Paper vs. Online Assessments: A Study of Test-Taking Strategies for STAAR Reading Tests
items: The Designing Workshop: A Pedagogy of Multiiteracies in a Third Grade Classroom

Engagement as Intervention
type: item
description: High schools may rely on tutorial periods to support students who have previously failed the English I State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam. However, these tutorials often rely on lecture, passive practice, or isolated worksheet completion, which are approaches that rarely promote active literacy engagement. This quantitative, quasi‑experimental pretest–posttest study examines the impact of implementing guided practice and engaged learning routines in a high school English I tutorial course serving STAAR retesters. Using classroom observations, behavior documentation, attendance patterns, and pre-post assessment data, the study analyzes how instructional shifts relate to performance on the December STAAR retest. Findings suggest that tutorials grounded in modeling, scaffolded practice, opportunities to respond, and collaborative literacy tasks are associated with higher engagement, fewer disruptive behaviors, and stronger assessment performance. Implications for English Language Arts teachers and literacy leaders are discussed, particularly in the design of tutorials that prioritize interaction and meaningful reading and writing practice. Keywords: state assessment; literacy; guided practice; tutorials; English Language Arts
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: guided practice
  topic: keywords
subject: engaged learning
  topic: keywords
subject: STAAR
  topic: keywords
subject: secondary
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy
  topic: keywords
subject: reading comprehension
  topic: keywords
subject: writing
  topic: keywords
subject: tutorials
  topic: keywords
subject: English Language Arts education
  topic: keywords
subject: Education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Ashleigh Bridges
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Ashleigh Bridges
date: 2026-03-03
publication date: 2026-03-03

From Phonetic to Proficient
type: item
description: This study investigates how Emergent Bilinguals shape refugee parents’ engagement in their children’s education. In 2024, 48 adult refugee parents participated in 13-week English as a Second Language (ESL) classes provided by Catholic Charities in a Midwestern state. Using classroom instruction, home visits, interviews, and language assessments, the study examined participants’ English proficiency, literacy development, and the effectiveness of instructional strategies. Limited English skills were found to create significant barriers to school involvement; however, when instruction was individualized, culturally responsive, and supported by multimodal tools and technology, parents demonstrated measurable progress and increased confidence. The findings underscore that personalized, scaffolded literacy instruction enhances both language development and learner self-efficacy. Multimodal strategies effectively improve oral and written proficiency while connecting learning to real-life tasks and strengthening parental involvement in their children’s education. Overall, integrating Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) practices with family-focused goals fosters learner autonomy, linguistic competence, and active participation in both school and home contexts. These results suggest that community-based ESL programs can serve as a critical bridge, empowering refugee parents to become active partners in their children’s academic success.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Refugee parents, English language learning, Parental engagement, Literacy development, ESL instruction, Educational equity
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy Education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Sang Hwang
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Sang Hwang
date: 2026-03-03
publication date: 2026-03-03

Teaching Reading and Writing with Reading Progress, Diffit, and Padlet
type: item
description: Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are reshaping literacy teaching by personalizing practice, streamlining feedback, and expanding opportunities for collaborative reading and writing. This is a practitioner-oriented article that is a synthesis of existing literature and examples of classroom practice. The use of three applications, Microsoft Reading Progress (with Immersive Reader), Diffit, and Padlet, is described, used in oral reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, written response, and multimodal composition instruction. Microsoft Reading Progress can lower performance anxiety and reduce assessment time, while Diffit enables text adaptation and question generation for diverse readers. Although Padlet is not an AI tool, it complements AI-informed analytics by providing a shared space for visible thinking, peer response, and formative assessment. The discussion situates these practices within a humanizing pedagogy that amplifies student voice and encourages critical literacy, while also addressing equity concerns that include device access, data privacy, teacher preparation, and algorithmic bias. Practical guidance for teachers and school leaders focuses on job-embedded professional learning, clear ethical frameworks, and infrastructure planning. Conclusions based on classroom practices are that the purposeful use of AI can support literacy growth when paired with teacher judgment, equitable access, and strong pedagogical design. Keywords: literacy instruction, Microsoft Reading Progress Immersive Reader, Diffit, Padlet, Artificial Intelligence
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: literacy instruction, Reading Progress, Immersive Reader, Diffit, Padlet, oral reading fluency, writing, formative assessment
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy/Reading Education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Educational Technology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Brigette Whaley
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Brigette Whaley
date: 2026-03-03
publication date: 2026-03-03

Phonemic Awareness and AI: Evaluating ChatGPT Plus for Structured Lesson Development
type: item
description: Effective phonemic awareness instruction is essential for early literacy development, yet teachers often seek additional support in designing structured, engaging, and standards-aligned lesson plans. Generative AI (GenAI), such as ChatGPT Plus, is a promising tool for assisting educators with lesson creation. This study explores the effectiveness of ChatGPT Plus in generating phonemic awareness lesson plans that align with learning objectives, the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) model, and the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) instructional practices. The study evaluated and refined three ChatGPT Plus-generated lesson plans using a design-based research methodology. The initial output lacked student engagement, formative strategies, and explicit teacher feedback and needed multiple refinements. The final output indicates that ChatGPT Plus successfully created lessons using the GRR model, incorporated STR instructional practices, and aligned them with lesson objectives. This study highlights the potential of GenAI in lesson planning but emphasizes the need for teacher experience in using detailed prompts and critical evaluation of AI-generated lesson plans. While ChatGPT Plus can streamline lesson planning, teacher oversight remains essential to ensure pedagogical and instructional effects.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: phonemic awareness, generative AI, lesson planning
  topic: keywords
subject: Curriculum and Instruction
  topic: disciplines
subject: Early Literacy
  topic: disciplines
subject: Reading
  topic: disciplines
subject: Science of Teaching Reading
  topic: disciplines
creator: Kristin LaVelle Kristin Morgan
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Kristin R. Morgan
date: 2025-08-22
publication date: 2025-08-22

Finding Harmony in Times of Discord: Helping Literacy Professionals Unpack the Current Reading Instruction Movement
type: item
description: In the past few years, certain labels for how we frame literacy teaching have become triggers for heated debates in various venues, such as media, social media, journal articles, blogs, and professional organization conference sessions. In this article, we aim to find common ground between proponents of balanced literacy and proponents of a phonics-based/phonics-forward and first approach. We first present and unpack reading instruction vocabulary that has been frequently used in the discourse of educators and media who ascribe to one of the two mentioned approaches. Then, we provide resources and advice to literacy professionals and administrators who work directly with teachers so that they might find balance and harmony amidst the information that is prevalent in both literacy journals and the media.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: science of teaching reading
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy professionals
  topic: keywords
subject: balanced literacy definitions
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy
  topic: disciplines
creator: Bethanie Pletcher
creator: Gina Doepker
creator: Patricia Durham
creator: Aimee Morewood
creator: Roberta Raymond
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Bethanie Pletcher, Gina Doepker, Patricia Durham, Aimee Morewood, Roberta Raymond
date: 2025-08-22
publication date: 2025-08-22

No me veo: A lack of Hispanic racial representation in the Texas Bluebonnet Award Books
type: item
description: The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which the characters in the books on the 2020-2021 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List (TBAML) reflect the diversity of Texas students in grades 3-6 in terms of race. The researchers used content analysis to collect demographic data about the main characters in the books on the 2020-2021 TBAML. The researchers collected data from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) concerning the racial demographics of Texas students in grades 3-6, who are the readers of the books on the TBAML. The researchers compared the data collected from the books to the data collected from TEA in order to determine whether the racial diversity of the targeted readers was represented by the main characters on the TBAML. The researchers then compared the 2020-2021 data to a previous study entitled, Exploring diversity representation in literature for children: A content analysis of the 2015-2016 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List (Lee, 2017).
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: diversity
  topic: keywords
subject: Texas Buebonnet Award Books
  topic: keywords
subject: children's literature
  topic: keywords
subject: Hispanic representation
  topic: keywords
subject: racial representation
  topic: keywords
subject: award books
  topic: keywords
subject: Early Childhood Education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Literacy Education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Literature for Children
  topic: disciplines
creator: Elizabeth Lee
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Elizabeth Lee
date: 2025-08-22
publication date: 2025-08-22

Navigating the New Terrain: Preparing Texas Teacher Candidates for the Science of Teaching Reading Constructed Response
type: item
description: The Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) has implemented new certification requirements, significantly affecting the path for aspiring Pre-K through 8th-grade educators. As of 2022, candidates must pass three exams: the pedagogy and professional responsibility (PPR) exam, a Core Subjects exam, and the newly mandated Science of Teaching Reading (STR) exam. Effective January 1, 2021, the STR exam includes a constructed response component alongside traditional multiple-choice questions, raising proficiency standards by assessing both content knowledge and writing skills. This enhanced focus on writing presents challenges, especially for undergraduate candidates. The current article offers guidance on preparing for the STR exam's constructed response segment, analyzing its requirements, and providing recommendations to develop the necessary skills. The goal is to equip teacher candidates to navigate this demanding aspect of the certification process successfully.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: science of teaching reading
  topic: keywords
subject: teacher certification
  topic: keywords
subject: undergraduate writing
  topic: keywords
subject: teacher candidates
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy
  topic: disciplines
subject: teacher education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Stephanie Grote-Garcia
creator: Bethanie Pletcher
creator: Jo-Ann Ruiz
creator: Bascolyne Day
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Stephanie Grote-Garcia, Dr. Bethanie Pletcher, Jo’Ann Ruiz, Bascolyne Day
date: 2025-08-22
publication date: 2025-08-22

Racial Literacies Matter: The Relational Context of a Predominately White Institution
type: item
description: The current political and legal violence against DEI and Black Lives Matter movement has pushed the debate on racial inequality to include academic opportunity gap, systemic injustice in schools and classrooms, and racialized gender violence. This article, Racial Literacies Matter, calls us to consider hegemonic practices and [D]discourses that are hindrances to inclusive and equitable educational environments, seeing education as a dialogical and dialectical process in which knowledge is co-constructed in a process of dialogue between educators and learners, and among learners. In this article, one Black undergraduate student’s narratives illustrate her psychological struggles, sense of self, and persistence in the relational context of Whiteness. Her experiences with White Institutional Presence (WIP) led to her psychological disconnection and prevented her from experiencing a sense of community at school. We suggest the creation of the third space, a counter-hegemonic intersubjective relational context that avoids the enaction of “power-over” ethnocentric White monocultural perspectives, and a space with a Spirit and Sense of Community where Racial Literacies Matter.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: racial literacies, Whiteness, third space, people of color, White monoculturalism
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy education
  topic: disciplines
subject: social justice in education
  topic: disciplines
subject: teacher education
  topic: disciplines
subject: equity pedagogy
  topic: disciplines
creator: Heeok Jeong
creator: Diane Gusa
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Heeok Jeong, Diane Gusa
date: 2025-08-22
publication date: 2025-08-22

Lessons learned in nepantla: Critical translanguaging literacy pedagogy in a dual language classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic
type: item
description: While the challenges that educators faced during the COVID-19 pandemic are widely acknowledged, there is little scholarship that highlights the positive lessons. This manuscript documents the experiences of a dual language bilingual education elementary teacher that was a part of a longitudinal qualitative study of United States educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. She named the ways that her literacy pedagogy in the emergency virtual learning portion of Spring of 2020 changed to reflect translanguaging pedagogy due to the suspension of monolingual standardized testing expectations. The teacher’s experiences are a call to action to dismantle strict language barriers in dual language bilingual education in service of bi/multilingual children being able to draw on and develop their full linguistic repertoires.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Biliteracy
  topic: keywords
subject: Elementary
  topic: keywords
subject: dual language
  topic: keywords
subject: Elementary Education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Curriculum and Instruction
  topic: disciplines
creator: Cori Salmerón
creator: Christian Valdez
creator: Loren Larraga Jauregui
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Dr. Cori Salmerón, Christian Valdez , Loren Larraga Jauregui
date: 2024-12-24
publication date: 2024-12-24

Using Diverse Children's Literature and Critical Literacy to Promote Disability Awareness and Advocacy
type: item
description: The student population in urban elementary classrooms has become increasingly diverse over the past two decades. While teachers have responded to this diversity, in part, by incorporating diverse texts related to race, culture, and language, few teachers have incorporated texts related to people with disabilities. Consequently, children have few opportunities to learn about people with disabilities in the world. Unfortunately, this often leads to biases, discrimination, alienation, and other negative outcomes. In this article, I argue that urban elementary teachers should incorporate diverse children’s literature with main characters with disabilities as a means of raising disability awareness. Next, using a critical literacy framework, I provide an example of teaching about disabilities during a 4-day instructional unit plan. Finally, I conclude with recommendations for selecting books with characters with disabilities.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Children's Literature
  topic: keywords
subject: disability awareness
  topic: keywords
subject: critical literacy
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy; literacy education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Terry Husband
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Terry Husband
date: 2024-12-24
publication date: 2024-12-24

Literacy Coaching: Navigating A Transitioning Literacy Terrain
type: item
description: The terrain of Literacy education has undergone significant shifts since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in 2001. Drawing on personal experiences and observations, the author examines how literacy coaching has evolved from its formative years post-NCLB to the present day in the wake of recent legislative actions surrounding House Bill 3 (HB 3). This manuscript reviews the timeless roles and responsibilities of Literacy Coaches in these changing times and addresses areas or distinct aspects of this evolving literacy landscape, highlighting strategies needed to support classroom teachers and promote student literacy achievement. Additionally, this manuscript discusses the role of Literacy Coaches as they help teachers make sense of and implement evidence-based literacy practices associated with the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) or Science of Reading (SOR). It delves into technological advancements like AI, and its impact on student literacy development, proposing recommendations for Literacy Coaches and classroom teachers. Finally, it describes the importance of culturally informing literacy instruction in diverse classrooms, urging literacy coaches to support teachers in considering students' cultural and linguistic backgrounds in order to foster more equitable learning experiences.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: literacy
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy coach
  topic: keywords
subject: reading specialist
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy Coaching
  topic: disciplines
subject: Literacy
  topic: disciplines
subject: Digital Literacy
  topic: disciplines
subject: culturally relevant pedagogy
  topic: disciplines
subject: Science of Reading
  topic: disciplines
creator: Melanie Renee Loewenstein
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Melanie Renee Loewenstein
date: 2024-05-23
publication date: 2024-05-23

Enhancing Trilingual Learners' Performance on the STAAR Test: Strategies for Success with Constructive Response Questions (CRQs)
type: item
description: This study investigates the performance of two trilingual learners: a fifth-grade girl from refugee parents and a seventh-grade boy with university professor parents, on Constructive Response Questions (CRQs) in the STAAR test. Employing extensive observation methods such as interviews and collecting writing samples, the research evaluates their CRQ samples using the STAAR rubric, focusing on organization/development of ideas and language conventions. The study presents instructional strategies tailored to these categories, including outlining, thesis formulation, logical flow, looping, a word association game, and peer editing. It highlights strategic plans, including the RACE strategy, the STAR strategy, and the RAPP strategy. Factors such as home environments, personal characteristics, and school atmospheres have impacted language learners' academic progress and writing proficiency. Ultimately, the study proposes four recommendations for CRQ essay preparation for children taking the STAAR test: getting acquainted with the test format and familiarize yourself with the rubric, understanding the prompt and examine the samples, strategizing your response with a plan, and managing your time efficiently. With consistent practice and application of these strategies, students can approach CRQ assessments with greater confidence and achieve success in their writing endeavors.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Constructive Response Questions (CRQs), STAAR test, Trilingual Learners, Instructional strategies, Rubric evaluation, Academic progress
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Sang Hwang
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Sang Hwang
date: 2024-12-24
publication date: 2024-12-24

A Critique of Reading Assessment to Promote Equitable Learning
type: item
description: Assessment in schools are often rigid. Assessment plays a tremendous part in education as it guides teachers’ instruction, allows students to assess their knowledge, and give teachers opportunity to provide constructive feedback. Knowing the importance the role assessment plays in schools gives a valid reason for ensuring that assessments given to students are unique to individual students, are equitable for all students, and allows for every child to be successful. This paper uses a critique of Reading Assessment to Promote Equitable Learning (2022) by offering a review of the assessments in this book and how they can be used to benefit assessments in the classroom. It explores a new look at assessment that can positively change how assessment looks in the classroom, so all students can be successful. Additionally, the paper discusses how the assessments in this book can be a helpful tool to current educators.
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: assessment, equitable instruction, equal opportunity, feedback
  topic: keywords
subject: early childhood education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Allison Moore
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Allison Moore
date: 2024-12-24
publication date: 2024-12-24

Examining Educators' Perceptions of Video Demonstration Lessons in Literacy Professional Development
type: item
description: This study examined the perceptions of participants regarding the use of embedded video demonstration lessons during literacy professional development sessions. The videos were captured in an urban elementary classroom and modeled two new literacy strategies. Based on survey responses from 160 kindergarten through fifth grade elementary school teachers and 117 school or district administrators and instructional specialists, the findings revealed positive participant perceptions and effective instructional use of the videos that modeled the implementation of the strategies in a relevant classroom setting. The analysis of the use of videos during the PD sessions was found to positively affect the instructional capacity of teachers to implement the strategies in their classroom settings. The findings also suggest that school administrators more positively understood the process of using the strategies to support the standards, resulting in increased leadership capacity. Implications of using specifically created videos to enhance clarity and credibility of PD for participants are discussed.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: professional development, videos, instructional strategies, literacy strategies, leadership
  topic: keywords
subject: professional development
  topic: disciplines
subject: literacy
  topic: disciplines
subject: educational leadership
  topic: disciplines
subject: video
  topic: disciplines
creator: Stephen Winton
creator: Laveria Hutchison
creator: Jie Zhang
creator: Grace Lee
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Dr. Stephen Winton, Dr. Laveria F. Hutchison, Dr. Jie Zhang, Dr. Grace Lee
date: 2024-05-23
publication date: 2024-05-23

User-Centered Improvement to Typical Elementary Literacy Practices: A Case Study Intervention
type: item
description: More than twenty years have passed since the National Reading Panel (NRP) (2000) report attempted to answer the question: What works best in reading instruction? According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), reading scores (2022) show that a significant number of fourth and eighth graders are still struggling with reading proficiency despite the guidance provided by the NRP. At the same time, a preponderance of evidence from the sciences continues to distill what works best in reading instruction while states pass legislation to align classroom curricula and programs to the science of reading (SoR). This mixed-methods case study, conducted in a North Texas elementary school, evaluated the benefits and challenges of implementing a syllabication intervention based on SoR principles. The study utilized surveys and interview data from teachers and assessment data from students. Despite 52% of students being predicted to not meet the reading proficiency standards on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, findings revealed that intervention had a substantial impact on both student achievement and teacher professional learning. Further, educators acknowledged the value of the intervention in enhancing their teaching methods, particularly in terms of professional growth and instructional awareness. However, challenges also occurred, including the nature of training, a lack of resources, inadequate feedback, and pedagogical alignment. The study highlights the importance of prioritizing users' needs and implementing scientific insights from the perspective of typical literacy practices.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: elementary
  topic: keywords
subject: science of reading
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy
  topic: keywords
subject: syllabication
  topic: keywords
subject: intervention
  topic: keywords
subject: word recognition
  topic: disciplines
subject: literacy
  topic: disciplines
subject: science or reading
  topic: disciplines
subject: improvement science
  topic: disciplines
creator: Edward Anaya
creator: Julie Delello
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Edward Anaya, Julie A. Delello
date: 2025-08-22
publication date: 2025-08-22

Coaching Toward Transformation: Lessons Learned from Three-Second-Grade Writing Teachers
type: item
description: This article captures lessons learned while coaching a team of writing teachers across a poetry writing unit of study. Because of the heightened pressure of successful implementation of curricular programs, coaching can become focused solely on fidelity and blind implementation of the resource. This article captures coaching techniques used to shift away from conformity and towards transformation in teaching.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: literacy coaching
  topic: keywords
subject: professional learning
  topic: keywords
subject: writing
  topic: keywords
subject: writing instruction
  topic: disciplines
subject: professional learning
  topic: disciplines
subject: professional development
  topic: disciplines
subject: Literacy Coaching
  topic: disciplines
creator: Macie Kerbs
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Macie Kerbs
date: 2024-05-23
publication date: 2024-05-23

Pairing Picturebooks and Poetry to Teach Content Area Material Across the Curriculum
type: item
description: Abstract This article introduces a new and exciting way to pair text. This new way is to pair text from two different genres, namely, pair picturebooks and poetry. It shares an extensive collection of paired text of picturebooks and poetry across the curriculum and also shares samples of instructional strategies that teachers can use with these and other paired text of picturebooks and poetry to engage student learning across the curriculum. It ends with some concluding thoughts.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: paired text, literature, poetry, content areas
  topic: keywords
subject: English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Science
  topic: disciplines
creator: William Bintz
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 William Bintz
date: 2024-05-23
publication date: 2024-05-23

Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater: What Should Remain from Balanced Literacy
type: item
description: As teachers transition to more science-backed ways of teaching reading, many may be left wondering what should remain from their former practices. This article discusses lessons learned from a teacher working in the field for the last ten years and navigating the changing landscape of literacy teaching, specifically moving from a balanced literacy approach to structured literacy. After discussing tenets, strengths, and criticisms of both approaches, the article lays out three common, research-backed features of balanced literacy teaching worth incorporating into structured literacy teaching.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: science of teaching reading
  topic: keywords
subject: balanced literacy
  topic: keywords
subject: structured literacy
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy teaching
  topic: disciplines
subject: Curriculum and Instruction
  topic: disciplines
subject: Elementary Education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Caitlin Schreck
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Caitlin Schreck
date: 2023-12-20
publication date: 2023-12-20

Exploring the Relationship Between Teacher Demographics and the Frequency of Read-Aloud Practices in the Classroom
type: item
description: This study explores the relationship between teachers’ (N = 168) demographic factors (gender, grade level, subject area, age, and educational level) and the frequency of using read-alouds in their classrooms. Data analysis revealed significant relationships between the frequency of read-alouds and gender, grade level, and subject area. Female teachers and those teaching primary or elementary grades, as well as English Language Arts teachers, were more likely to use read-alouds daily. The significance of read-alouds in secondary classrooms is emphasized, as read-alouds have the potential to expand adolescents’ vocabulary, improve comprehension, develop critical thinking and listening skills, and foster a sense of community and social-emotional growth. However, no significant differences were found in relation to teacher age or educational level. The study underscores the importance of recognizing and implementing read-alouds across various subject areas and grade levels to support students’ literacy development and create a positive, engaging learning environment.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: read-alouds
  topic: keywords
subject: teacher demographics
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy development
  topic: keywords
subject: classroom practices
  topic: keywords
subject: secondary education
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy education
  topic: disciplines
creator: James Schwab
creator: Robert Griffin
creator: Bethany Scullin
creator: Jennifer Allen
creator: Tamra Ogletree
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 James R. Schwab, Robert A. Griffin, Bethany L. Scullin, Jennifer K. Allen, Tamra W. Ogletree
date: 2023-12-20
publication date: 2023-12-20

Social Presence and Online Learning Communities
type: item
description: Online learning continues to grow rapidly in higher education. As institutions of higher education develop online courses and students participate in those courses, various issues arise: retention rates, feelings of isolation, and a decrease in feelings of success. By assisting students in establishing both a social presence as well as a learning community, teachers can help combat these issues. The broader phenomenological study consisted of three in-depth interviews with each of the 12 study participants, all undergraduate, pre-service teachers, regarding their experiences with online courses.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: online learning
  topic: keywords
subject: learning communities
  topic: keywords
subject: social presence
  topic: keywords
subject: phenomenology
  topic: keywords
subject: pre-service teachers
  topic: keywords
subject: community
  topic: disciplines
subject: online learning
  topic: disciplines
subject: social presence
  topic: disciplines
subject: phenomenology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Chelsea Bradley
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Chelsea Bradley
date: 2023-12-20
publication date: 2023-12-20

Assessing the Scope: Examining how primary teachers use multicultural texts for classroom read alouds
type: item
description: As diversity grows in schools, educators must consider how to create environments where students develop respect and empathy toward others. Integrating high quality multicultural literature provides meaningful experiences for students to investigate society, and acknowledge and interrogate their own beliefs and biases. While many teachers acknowledge the importance of incorporating literature that reflects the diverse populations of schools, effectively implementing multicultural literature into the learning environment is both a complex and analytical task. This phenomenological research design examines how primary teachers use multicultural texts for classroom read alouds.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: multicultural literature
  topic: keywords
subject: read alouds
  topic: keywords
subject: Early Childhood
  topic: keywords
subject: early childhood education
  topic: disciplines
subject: multicultural literature
  topic: disciplines
creator: Jennifer Lemke
creator: Chris Wilcoxen
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Jennifer Lemke, Chris Wilcoxen
date: 2023-12-20
publication date: 2023-12-20

Writing Golden Shovel Poetry Across the Curriculum
type: item
description: This article describes lessons learned from the implementation of an instructional strategy that was conducted with preservice teachers enrolled in an undergraduate literacy course highlighting reading and writing as instructional tools to teach content area material across the curriculum. One requirement in the course was a Poetry Project. This project invited students to explore and use different poetic formats to write and illustrate two different poems across two different content areas. This article focuses specifically on one poetic format, namely, Golden Shovel Poetry (GSP). It describes the origin and purpose of GSP and shares student samples of Golden Shovel poems across four different content areas: English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science. It ends with lessons learned from the whole experience and suggested considerations for K-12 teachers who wish to develop their own poetry project in their respective classrooms.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Keywords: content literacy; instructional strategies; writing; methods and materials; literature; teacher education; professional development
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy across the curriculum
  topic: disciplines
creator: William Bintz
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 William Bintz
date: 2023-05-13
publication date: 2023-05-13

“Okay, Miss, I want to talk it out”: Metacognitive Dialogue Supporting Adolescent Literacy Success
type: item
description: Teachers in Texas are now required to provide accelerated instruction for students who were not successful on the STAAR Reading Test. This article considers the types of intervention teachers and schools provide for adolescent readers. This article examines one adolescent student's behaviors while reading challenging texts. Robert (pseudonym) was found to increasingly rely on strategic behaviors using dialogue with self and others to support reading comprehension. Over the course of 11 weeks, Robert improved his success rate on an online reading intervention program from 3 successful attempts mid-year to 31 successful attempts by the end of the academic year. Using a comprehension-as-sense-making theoretical frame, findings suggest that providing at-risk adolescents opportunities to engage in dialogic strategic behaviors could encourage successful problem solving when working with challenging texts, an asset-oriented approach to intervention.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Comprehension Strategies
  topic: keywords
subject: adolescent literacy
  topic: keywords
subject: secondary school
  topic: keywords
subject: dialogue
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy Interventions
  topic: keywords
subject: Secondary Literacy Interventions
  topic: disciplines
subject: metacognitive strategies
  topic: disciplines
creator: Kelli Bippert
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Kelli Bippert
date: 2023-12-20
publication date: 2023-12-20

Beyond Leveled Readers: Finding Engaging Books to Support Beginning Readers
type: item
description: Teachers of beginning readers have choices in the books they select. A careful look at the features of books provides an informed basis for choosing books that engage young readers. In this article we share insights from a comparative content analysis of leveled readers and Geisel award books that can motivate children to read and prepare them for entry into the world of authentic children’s literature. We end the article with descriptions of diverse award winning and honor books that can be used in interactive read alouds with beginning readers and provide recommendations for preparing for an interactive read aloud using one of the books.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: leveled readers
  topic: keywords
subject: Geisel award
  topic: keywords
subject: beginning reading
  topic: keywords
subject: Children's Literature
  topic: keywords
subject: Children's literature
  topic: disciplines
subject: reading education
  topic: disciplines
subject: books for beginning reading
  topic: disciplines
creator: Maria Leija
creator: Miriam Martinez
creator: Samuel DeJulio
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Maria Leija, Miriam Martinez, Samuel DeJulio
date: 2023-05-13
publication date: 2023-05-13

Holding Up a Mirror to the ELAR Comprehension TEKS: Growth and Potential in the Texas Revision Cycle
type: item
description: This article will analyzes the comprehension strand with attention given to the history and possible future of this collection of standards at the heart of the TEKS. This article also demonstrates the connection between the comprehension strand and research on teaching comprehension including the purpose of the consistent structure across grade levels. An analysis of the current standards in relation to research in the field indicates needs to increase the strategies that support disciplinary texts, a stronger connection between vocabulary and comprehension by including these together, and the inclusion of strategies that emphasize diverse connections to engaging texts.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: 2017 ELAR TEKS
  topic: keywords
subject: Comprehension
  topic: keywords
subject: Texas Standards
  topic: keywords
subject: Comprehension Strategies
  topic: keywords
subject: Curriculum and Instruction
  topic: disciplines
subject: Literacy
  topic: disciplines
subject: Secondary
  topic: disciplines
subject: Gifted and Talented
  topic: disciplines
subject: Social Justice
  topic: disciplines
subject: Service Learning
  topic: disciplines
creator: Carol Revelle
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Carol Revelle
date: 2023-05-13
publication date: 2023-05-13

Preparing preservice teachers to work with diverse learners
type: item
description: It is important to build preservice teachers’ self-efficacy in working with diverse learners. During summer of 2021, faculty from a mid-sized public university in the southwest took a small group of preservice teachers into central Mexico to provide opportunities in working with diverse learners and/or emergent English learners (ELs). Although this foray into central Mexico was an exploratory trip to plan for future International Field-Experiences for preservice teachers, the trip involved a lot of service and a lot of learning. Jacoby (2015) defines service-learning as “a form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs” (p.1). While this project to central Mexico was not tied to any coursework, preservice teachers and university faculty engaged in service-learning that was mutually beneficial to all stakeholders. At the same time, preservice teachers gained self-efficacy in their ability to support the needs of ELs. Students and faculty from the university worked with approximately 22 children in a remote village in central Mexico, with support from translators. Through this experience, a unique bonding experience took place. For five consecutive days, faculty and preservice teachers worked with 22 school children ranging in age from four to fourteen. Only a few translators assisted with communication, but they were able to support the faculty and preservice teachers during literacy and educational technology instruction. The second author received support for translations as she conducted vision and hearing screenings for students, parents, and community members. The experience was life-changing and may be apropos for other educators, medical practitioners, and/or educational researchers looking to promote capacity and self-efficacy in preservice teachers, nursing students, medical students, or other stakeholders.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: service-learning, Ed Tech, vision screenings, hearing screenings
  topic: keywords
subject: Literacy
  topic: disciplines
creator: Jane Elizabeth Casey
creator: Kimberly Kuklies
creator: Chelsea Herndon-Warner
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Jane Elizabeth Casey, Kim Kuklies, Chelsea Herndon-Warner
date: 2022-12-17
publication date: 2022-12-17

Beyond Reading and Writing: Information Literacy in Higher Education for Lifelong Success
type: item
description: Information Literacy is critical to finding, evaluating, using, and creating information. It also influences how we navigate daily life, workplace environments, and civic participation. Several Information Literacy standards state that it is a human right. Everyone should have access to the necessary tools to develop their information literacy skills. We argue that students transitioning from high school to college are not college prepared for practicing information literacy. Faculty and Librarians both undertake the work to teach information literacy. Still, it would be more effective for Faculty-Librarian partnerships to utilize strengths in their discipline areas to teach information literacy skills.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Information Literacy
  topic: keywords
subject: Higher Education
  topic: keywords
subject: Faculty-Librarian Collaboration
  topic: keywords
subject: Student Success
  topic: keywords
subject: Lifelong Learning
  topic: keywords
subject: Education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Adult learners
  topic: disciplines
subject: Practice
  topic: disciplines
creator: Marta Angelica Mercado-Sierra
creator: Sarah Northam
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Marta Angelica Mercado-Sierra, Sarah H. Northam
date: 2023-05-13
publication date: 2023-05-13

Differentiation Matters!
type: item
description: This article provides an in-depth examination of differentiation, instructional strategies that cater to all learners. Differentiation is beneficial when teachers are able to select content, process, and products that meet student’s needs. While teachers incorporate differentiation to modify instruction with struggling students, gifted and talented students, English Language Learners, and culturally diverse learners, this article specifically focuses on African American learners in K-6th grades. Elementary-level African American students can benefit from differentiation that include culturally relevant processes. Teachers of elementary grades must be prepared to teach all curricular areas including English language arts, reading, math, science, social studies, and history. English language arts, history, math, science, and social studies strategies are explored in this article. Recommendations have been made to make them culturally relevant pedagogy. Six strategies are introduced that provide examples of each of the recommended processes for various curricular areas that can be used with African American students.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Differentiation
  topic: keywords
subject: culturally relevant pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: African American
  topic: keywords
subject: Reading
  topic: disciplines
subject: Elementary Education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Tami Morton
creator: Jennifer Dyer
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Tami Morton, Jennifer Dyer
date: 2022-12-17
publication date: 2022-12-17

Paper vs. Online Assessments: A Study of Test-Taking Strategies for STAAR Reading Tests
type: item
description: Schools around the nation are increasingly offering online testing options. House Bill (HB) 3906, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in 2019, resulted in the STAAR redesign, which will be administered in the 2022–2023 school year. The STAAR redesign includes several components including an online test administration for the STAAR. With the change to an online platform comes many concerns related to student familiarity with an online testing platform. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and compare the test taking strategies that teachers in grades three through eight teach in preparation for the paper/online versions of the reading STAAR test. A group of Texas teachers participated in focus group sessions. The three primary themes reported in the findings include resources, which teachers suggested were needed to help them prepare students for an online assessment, platforms, which detailed the pros and cons of an online testing environment, and strategies, which support students as they read passages and answer test questions. Overall, the teachers found ways to transfer previously used strategies, such as pen and paper annotations, to online test administration. However, older students have an easier time with this transfer of skills than the younger students.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: STAAR
  topic: keywords
subject: Online Assessment
  topic: keywords
subject: Test taking strategies
  topic: keywords
subject: English Language Arts and Reading
  topic: disciplines
creator: Holly Dasher
creator: Jodi Pilgrim
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Holly Dasher, Jodi Pilgrim
date: 2022-12-17
publication date: 2022-12-17

The Designing Workshop: A Pedagogy of Multiiteracies in a Third Grade Classroom
type: item
description: This research conducted with third graders examined a teacher and her students as they transformed their traditional writing workshop to a designing workshop. Using the New London Group’s (1996) pedagogy of multiliteracies and Katie Wood Ray’s (2006) units of study as frameworks, students participated in a unit of study on informational texts. After immersing themselves in a study of both traditional print-bound informational books and interactive electronic informational books, the students designed multimodal digital compositions using iBooks Author. The study focused on the teacher’s transformation, the students’ design process, and students’ final compositions. Preliminary results demonstrated that students designed using a cyclical process, transforming to seeing themselves as designers employing a variety of modes. The study has many implications specifically in the areas of students’ design process, students’ multimodal compositions, and teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: multiliteracies, design, design workshop
  topic: keywords
subject: writer's workshop
  topic: keywords
subject: literacy
  topic: disciplines
creator: Christine Kyser
rights: Copyright (c) 2022 Christine Kyser
date: 2022-01-24
publication date: 2022-01-24
starting page: 30
ending page: 57