Our paper, “Equitable ELA Instruction,” lays out some helpful and vital ways we can all disrupt that slow, structural push to the sidelines, bringing all students forward.
We believe grade-level texts and tasks — expertly delivered and supported — are key to ensuring all students meet their potential. To move toward grade-level expectations, educators must provide instruction that keeps students immersed in grade-level reading and thinking, including opportunities to develop and become proficient in the performances described by the standards.
The most efficient path to effective and equitable instruction requires educators to do three things:
- Adopt aligned curriculum.
- Provide instructional support that fosters all students’ persistence with grade-level reading and thinking.
- Provide targeted intervention in addition to and in service of grade-level learning.
It is imperative that educators not just do these three things, but ensure that they work together. Creating and communicating a seamless vision of equitable ELA instruction ensures that teaching and support are aligned in the most equitable ways.