Read, Write, Lead: Breakthrough Strategies for Schoolwide Literacy Success

Literacy is a skill for all time, for all people. It is an integral part of our lives, whether we are students or adult professionals. Giving all educators the breadth of knowledge and practical tools that help students strengthen their literacy skills is the focus of Read, Write, Lead.

Drawing on her experience as a mentor teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, and staff developer, author Regie Routman offers time-tested advice on how to develop a schoolwide learning culture that leads to more effective reading and writing across the curriculum. She explains how every school—including yours—can

* Implement instructional practices that lead to better engagement and achievement in reading and writing for all students, from kindergarten through high school, including second-language and struggling learners.

* Build Professional Literacy Communities of educators working together to create sustainable school change through professional learning based on shared beliefs.

* Reduce the need for intervention through daily practices that ensure success, even for our most vulnerable learners.

* Embed the language of productive feedback in responsive instruction, conferences, and observations in order to accelerate learning for students, teachers, and leaders.

In their own voices, teachers, principals, literacy specialists, and students offer real-life examples of changes that led to dramatic improvement in literacy skills and—perhaps just as important—increased joy in teaching and learning. Scattered throughout the book are "Quick Wins"—ideas and actions that can yield positive, affirming results while tackling the tough work of long-term change.

Regie Routman is a longtime teacher, author, and speaker who is committed to improving the literacy and learning lives of children, especially those in high-challenge schools. Her current work involves weeklong school residencies where she demonstrates effective reading and writing practices in diverse classrooms, coaches teachers and principals, and facilitates ongoing professional conversations, all as a catalyst for sustainable, whole-school change. Regie’s experiences as a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, language arts coach, and staff developer led her to see schoolwide collaboration and high-level, professional learning as a necessity for increasing and sustaining achievement. As a result, Regie created the residency model where she mentors an entire school to increase engagement, enjoyment, and literacy achievement for all learners.