Literacy Coaching & Support for Educators

The purpose of Early Literacy Essentials is to improve children's literacy in Michigan. Professional development throughout the state can focus on this set of research-supported literacy instructional practices for daily use in the classroom.

Early elementary education can help improve literacy proficiency outcomes. Research suggests that each of the 10 practices outlined can have a positive impact on literacy development.

The use of these practices in every Michigan classroom every day can make a measurable, positive difference in the state's literacy achievement.

Visit LiteracyEssentials.org for FREE Literacy Essentials Practices by grade. 

Common Core Standards are aimed at preparing students for success in college, career, and life. They focus on developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills through literacy in a variety of content areas.

The standards are not just for English Language Arts (ELA), but also apply to literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Specifically, they emphasize the ability to read, write, speak, listen, and use language effectively across different disciplines​​.

Common Core English Language Arts Instructional Shifts At-a-Glance:

• Complexity – Practice regularly with complex text and its academic language.
  
  Rather than focusing solely on the skills of reading and writing, the Common Core and other college- and career-ready (CCR) standards highlight the growing complexity of the texts students must read to be ready for the demands of college and careers. CCR standards build a staircase of text complexity so that all students are ready for the demands of college- and career-level reading no later than the end of high school. Closely related to text complexity—and inextricably connected to reading comprehension—is a focus on academic
  vocabulary: words that appear in a variety of content areas (such as ignite and commit).
   
• Evidence – Ground reading, writing and speaking in evidence from text, both literary and informational.
   

  College- and career-ready standards place a premium on students writing to sources, i.e., using evidence from texts to present careful analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information. Rather than asking students questions they can answer solely from their prior knowledge or experience, CCR standards expect students to answer questions that depend on their having read the text or texts with care. CCR standards also require the cultivation of narrative writing throughout the grades; in later grades, a command of sequence and detail will be essential for effective argumentative and informational writing.
  
  Likewise, the reading standards focus on students’ ability to read carefully and grasp information, arguments, ideas, and details based on text evidence. Students should be able to answer a range of text-dependent questions, in which the answers require inferences based on careful attention to the text.
   

• Knowledge – Build knowledge through content-rich nonfiction.
  
  Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction plays an essential role in literacy and in CCR standards. In K–5, fulfilling the standards requires a 50–50 balance between informational and literary reading. Informational reading primarily includes content-rich nonfiction in history/social studies, science, and the arts; the K–5 standards strongly recommend that students build coherent general knowledge both within each year and across years. In grades 6–12, ELA classes pay much greater attention to a specific category of informational text—literary nonfiction—than has been traditional. In grades 6–12, the standards for literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects ensure that students can independently build knowledge in these disciplines through reading and writing.
  
  To be clear, CCR standards–including the Common Core–require substantial attention to literature throughout K–12, as half of the required work in K–5 and the core of the work of 6–12 ELA.

Evidence-based instruction in reading is a critical aspect of literacy education. It refers to teaching methods and practices that are grounded in research and have been proven to be effective.

Learn more about evidence-based reading instruction.

What Works Practice Guides

These FREE practice guides provide recommendations for educators to address challenges in their classrooms and schools. They are based on reviews of research, the experiences of practitioners, and the expert-opinions of a panel of national recognized experts. 

• Foundational Skills to Support Reading For Understanding Grades K-3
   
• Improving Reading Comprehension K-3rd Grade
   
• Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices
   
• Assisting Students Struggling with Reading: RTI and Multi-Tiered Intervention in Primary Grades
   
• Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School

GELN's Early Literacy Task Force is a collaborative partnership of early literacy experts working together to support literacy in the state of Michigan.

Here are some key aspects of the GELN Early Literacy Task Force:

1. Focus on Early Literacy – The task force primarily concentrates on improving literacy skills among young learners, particularly in the early grades. This is a critical period for setting the foundation for successful reading and writing skills.
    

2. Collaboration and Leadership – The task force brings together educators, administrators, and literacy experts to collaborate on developing and implementing effective literacy strategies and policies. It aims to provide leadership and guidance in the field of early literacy education.
    

3. Research and Best Practices – A major part of the task force's work involves staying informed about the latest research in early literacy and ensuring that the best, evidence-based practices are being used in classrooms across Michigan.
    

4. Training and Professional Development – The task force often plays a role in organizing training and professional development opportunities for educators. This helps ensure that teachers are equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to effectively teach early literacy.
    

5. Policy and Advocacy – The GELN Early Literacy Task Force may also engage in policy-making and advocacy to ensure that early literacy remains a priority in educational planning and funding.
    

6. Resource Development and Dissemination – Creating and disseminating resources and tools that can aid teachers, schools, and districts in implementing effective literacy programs is another key aspect of the task force's work.
    

7. Community Engagement and Partnerships – Engaging with communities and forming partnerships with various stakeholders, including parents and local organizations, is also part of their mission to promote early literacy.

Michigan recently passed two important education laws—Public Act 146 and Public Act 147, together known as the K-12 Literacy and Dyslexia Laws. These laws are designed to help all students learn to read by providing teachers the right tools and training, using methods backed by science. Schools must assess students for signs of reading challenges, such as dyslexia. Teachers must be trained to recognize and support students who struggle with reading, using proven strategies and individualized plans. These changes are meant to give every learner a better chance to succeed in reading.

Visit Michigan's K-12 Literacy & Dyslexia Laws Resources webpage.

Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan was updated and approved by Michigan's State Board of Education in August 2020.

The plan provides focused direction to Michigan's education community in support of all learners. It is designed to concentrate energy and resources, strengthen operations, and set success measures to ensure that all stakeholders are working together toward common education goals.

Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan has a mission, vision, guiding principles, focused goals, and metrics for each goal area to help monitor Michigan's educational progress. Collaboration among the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), education partners and stakeholders, business and industry, and communities is needed for the plan's successful implementation.