Classroom discussions are regarded by both practitioners and researchers as an essential pedagogical practice for fostering students' high-level comprehension of text yet cultivating a dialogic classroom culture conducive to supporting students' productive talk can be a delicate undertaking. In this article, using a series of transcripts from one…

In here, I provide a description of a multiliteracies elementary classroom's ecology according to how an elementary bilingual teacher and bilingual language learners in her classroom interact and engage with traditional (linguistic) and alternative (multimodal) texts in language arts. This multiliteracies classroom ecology shows their dynamic…

Errors are essential for emergent literacy learning because they reveal the gaps in young children's knowledge. The ways in which teachers respond to these errors can have important implications for children's knowledge building; yet, there is limited information for teachers about how to effectively respond to children's errors in emergent…

We explore the concept of remixing existing literacy programs instead of replacing them in light of calls for changes emerging from local, national, and international conversations about literacy research and practice. We explain the evolution of a long-standing community and school literacy program in which pre-service teachers conduct…

During the 2020-2021 school year, the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of students and teachers into hybrid or fully remote modalities. Compiling the experiences of teachers who taught foundational reading skills to their primary-age students in a hybrid model (a mix of both remote learners at home, joining via video conferencing, as well as…

When students write informational text, they have the opportunity to engage with meaningful topics, become curious about the world, learn domain-specific knowledge, and use academic vocabulary. Given the possibilities for learning through writing informational text, it is important for teachers to reflect on and improve their informational writing…

Writing is a complex act that requires students' concentrated time and effort to master--time and effort that teachers strain to find in a crowded curriculum. Despite this struggle to prioritize writing, students in the 21st century need writing skills to participate in the workplace, academia, economy, and democracy. If writing skills really are…

Assessing children's narratives through the lens of intertexual process makes visible children's funds of knowledge. The authors describe two interrelated alternative assessments that teachers can use to make sense of young children's narratives in classroom settings. Implications for promoting an intertextually-rich environment…

The authors argue for the overwhelming importance of finding and including culturally diverse literature into the curricula teachers are authorized to teach. They discuss the implications of use and offer ideas on how to identify quality literature to include in classroom and school libraries.

This article highlights, though examples from research, the social dimensions of reading for young adolescents in classroom communities that are centrally focused on engagement. Included are the positive social consequences of engagement and suggestions for teachers interested in arranging for productive social activity inside of texts and outside…

This article highlights research exploring the benefits of small-group storytelling as a way to promote rich language in early childhood classrooms. Using the storytelling of children from a preschool classroom serving lower SES children, the author explores the collaborative affordances of story circles. Results show that small-group storytelling…

Early childhood teachers promote literacy learning through intentional instructional practices and the establishment of classroom environments that encourage and support the work, interest, and curiosity of young learners. They provide opportunities for children to engage with their teacher and peers and consider this an important component of…

In this article instructional practices from a diverse inclusive 5th grade classroom are examined to better understand how students engaged in 21st century literacies. The authors focus on one classroom to provide insight into how a 21st century literacies perspective can support inclusive literacy practices that 1) create a community of learners,…

The classroom environment is uppermost in teachers' minds at the start of each school year. Designing an effective classroom environment for learning to read and reading is both an art and a science. Aligning physical space with instructional goals involves the flexible use of space that is adapted to instructional needs. A well-designed classroom…

In this article, the authors propose four principles to guide teachers' thinking as they use technology to support teaching and literacy learning in 21st century classrooms. Specifically, teachers must be aware of emerging technologies, recognize the complexities of new literacies, realize tech-savvy students may not be skilled readers and writers…