Early Literacy Matters: A Leader?s Guide to Systematic Change

Early Literacy Matters is an innovative action guide for elementary school leaders and instructional coaches dedicated to accelerating literacy performance in the early grades, when prevention of reading difficulties matters most. As a unique father-daughter team with combined expertise in literacy education and instructional leadership, the authors share best practices for literacy success. Readers will learn how to…

• establish and lead a literacy team,
• implement embedded professional development,
• utilize key assessments to frame daily instruction, and
• illustrate specific organizational and scheduling models needed to support systemic change based on the science of reading.

Each chapter features reflection questions and explicit strategies and tools leaders can implement immediately in today’s classrooms.

Carol E. Canady, Ph.D. is a Pre-K–5 literacy coordinator and a literacy consultant for various school districts. She has served as a K–8 teacher and counselor and has taught literacy courses as an Assistant Professor at Miami University and as an instructor at Wright State and Cincinnati Christian Universities. She received her Ph.D. in Reading Education from the University of Virginia, and has received distinguished recognition for teaching and community service, including recent demonstration of high leverage teaching practices in a national video series. Among other publications, Early Literacy Matters is the second book she has co-authored.

Robert Lynn Canady, Ed.D. is Professor Emeritus and former chair of the Department of Leadership, Foundations and Policy Studies at the University of Virginia, and a national consultant on innovative scheduling and grading practices. He has served as principal of elementary, middle, and junior high schools, and held leadership positions in two school district central offices. He has received numerous awards for outstanding teaching and service and is co-author of four bestselling books, including Elementary School Scheduling: Enhancing instruction for School achievement with Michael D. Rettig, School Scheduling Associates, Inc.