There is a need for support, guidance, and sharing of best practices in order to meet the needs of all readers when it comes to early reading instruction, and these needs have been exacerbated by school closures and distance or hybrid learning over the past six months. In this 3-part series, hosted by the Council of the Great City Schools and Students Achievement Partners, experts and urban school district practitioners will present and discuss (1) the latest findings about teaching foundational skills and making use of complex text as part of a comprehensive literacy approach and (2) the pedagogy related to teaching foundational skills, including phonemic awareness, to monolingual students and English Learners (ELs).

During the first session of this series, guest presenters, Lily Wong Fillmore and Meredith Liben, discuss key considerations, research, and pedagogy that address the following guiding questions:

• What is the role of phonemic awareness for young English proficient students and ELs?
• When and how are children ready to associate symbols (letters) to the sounds they know?
• What do educators need to know to support learning to read complex text? How can complex read aloud play a role in building knowledge and vocabulary for young English proficient students and ELs?
• How can districts, school leaders, and teachers prioritize key areas of instruction to accelerate student reading and respond to unfinished learning?

If you’re accessing this page on a mobile device, the recording and resources from the webinar are available under “files.”