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Students learn to read and write best when their teachers balance literacy instruction. But how do you strike the right balance of skills and knowledge, reading and writing, small and whole group instruction, and direct and dialogic instruction, so that all students can learn to their maximum potential? Watch this video with Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Nancy Akhavan, authors of This Is Balanced Literacy, Grades K-6, as they answer the question: What is balanced literacy? 

In this excerpt, author Molly Ness explains the benefits to literacy-rich activities and includes some activities to try out with students.

Literacy expert and author, Debbie Diller, gives Small Group tips for the start of the school year!

This lesson introduces students to the idea of argument through Attack or Defend writing. This strategy allows students to practice taking a side while compiling evidence that supports their choice.

Take advantage of this step-by-step lesson plan focusing on visualization and hearing.

This reflection exercise from Simply Small Groups is an opportunity for teachers to evaluate their small group.

This reflection has prompts for students that are emergent readers, early readers, transitional readers, and fluent readers.

What are the benefits of shaking up shared reading? View the multiple classroom applications and advantages!

This introduction section allows you to get a behind the scenes look at the structure of the Read-Aloud Experience.

This lesson helps students build their comprehension skills using the book Locomotive by Brian Floca.

This resource provides questions to consider when reading for critical comprehension to support your work as you and your students read against the text.

Whether we consider the effect size of teacher efficacy or annual state testing results, the bottom line is, if students don’t buy into our practice or the belief that they can be successful in our classroom, what else matters? Justin Stygles, teacher and author of the new book, I Hate Teaching, suggests three questions you should be asking your students to build trust and credibility with your students.