Climbing the Ladder of Reading & Writing is the professional development book every teacher needs. With insightful chapters from 30 experts, it provides educators, administrators, and parents/caregivers a concise yet powerful overview of ways to address a wide range of literacy learning needs, leverage the science of reading, and improve outcomes for ALL students.
Co-editors Nancy Young and Jan Hasbrouck help educators navigate the world of contemporary reading and writing instruction with the help of Nancy’s popular infographic, The Ladder of Reading & Writing, as its primary roadmap.
Looking at literacy through the lens of Nancy's translational framework The Ladder of Reading & Writing, twenty short chapters present valuable information relating to the wide range of ease in mastering literacy skills and the instructional implications of varying needs.
WHO BENEFITS FROM READING Climbing the Ladder of Reading & Writing?
From Co-Editors Nancy Young and Jan Hasbrouck: “Our book is intended for a broad audience, from educators to parents/caregivers and community members, providing a user-friendly source of information related to learning to read and write. The message of differentiated instruction is central to our book; providing appropriate programming based on individual need is essential to enable ALL students, whether experiencing challenges or advanced, to keep climbing the Ladder successfully and happily!”
HOW IS THE BOOK ORGANIZED?
Climbing the Ladder of Reading & Writing is organized to fit the needs of the educator, administrator, or parent/caregiver. The book is split into three parts with chapters written by subject-area experts:
- Part 1 – Understanding the Big Picture: The first part expands on concepts illustrated in The Ladder of Reading & Writing. Each chapter is dedicated to specific topics, including exploring the message of the infographic, unpacking its features, understanding the instructional implications of those features, the use of data to inform instructional decision-making, and managing the process of differentiation (whether by an individual teacher within a classroom or through a collaborative across grades approach).
- Part 2 – Addressing Exceptional Needs: The second part explores a range of exceptionalities that students may bring to the classroom. These chapters are intended to be utilized as references to address the different needs of each student. These needs include, but are not limited to:
- Dyslexia
- Specific Reading Comprehension Disability (SRCD)
- Written Expression Difficulties (WD)
- Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
- Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Intellectual Disability (ID)
- Deaf or Hard of Hearing (D/HH)
- Advanced in Reading (AIR)
- Part 3 – Exploring Additional Considerations: The third part addresses numerous other issues related to student learning, including age, language and home environment.
By the time educators, administrators, and parents/caregivers have completed this book, they will have met the challenges facing them in the classroom, school, and home. They will be able to:
- Connect the science of reading to their teaching.
- Increase their understanding of each student’s needs.
- Streamline planning and instruction, and
- Differentiate instruction with confidence.
More from Co-Editors Nancy Young and Jan Hasbrouck
Putting this infographic into perspective, Nancy and Jan explain that the book “illustrates what we know from research: that learning to read and write in English is a complex process influenced by multiple internal and external factors. Therefore, instruction cannot be ‘one size fits all’.
Rather, students vary widely in the ease with which they master the interwoven skills of reading and writing. It is the responsibility of educators to provide appropriate, differentiated instruction to support each student wherever they are on their learning journey.”
Join the tens of thousands of teachers who have already used The Ladder of Reading & Writing infographic as a tool for focusing instruction to address the needs of all readers and writers!
Nancy Young, Ed.D., is a longtime proponent of differentiated instruction and creator of The Ladder of Reading & Writing infographic. A Canadian educator, Nancy has taught children with a wide range of learning needs. She provides professional development across Canada and internationally, focusing on the variations in the instructional design of programs particularly for students with dyslexia, ADHD, and students advanced in reading (AIR).
Jan Hasbrouck, Ph.D., knows the crucial importance of differentiation from fifteen years as a reading specialist and coach. Today, she is a widely published researcher and works as an educational consultant for U.S. and international schools. She is the author or co-author of books, curriculum materials, and assessment tools, including the PD Essentials titles Conquering Dyslexia and Reading Fluency.
