Leading the Shifts in Grades 4–5 Literacy
A leadership learning walk experience aligned to reading science
Begin
Welcome to the Leadership Learning Walk
In this experience, you will step into classrooms and observe how literacy instruction supports student learning.
As you explore each classroom scene, look for evidence of strong literacy practices and consider how leadership conversations can support instructional shifts.
You will also explore areas that may be most relevant to your school. First, step into Ms. Jenkins’ 4th grade classroom.
Begin the Walkthrough
Look closely at this classroom.
What evidence of strong literacy instruction do you notice?
Explore the 5 hotspots to investigate further.
Continue ▶
What would you like to explore next?
You noticed several literacy practices in Ms. Jenkins’ classroom. Now explore one area more deeply. Select an area to explore the research and hear a possible leadership conversation about the practice.
Student Discussion of Text
Explore how discussion helps students deepen understanding.
Connecting Reading and Writing
Explore why writing about reading strengthens comprehension.
Guiding Student Thinking During Reading
Explore how teacher questioning supports comprehension.
After exploring one area, you can return here to choose another.
Why Connect Reading and Writing?
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
- write responses that explain important ideas from the text
- support their interpretations using specific evidence from the text
- connect ideas across parts of a text to explain meaning
- respond to prompts that require explanation rather than simple recall
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider: How are students using writing to explain their understanding of what they read?
Why This Matters Writing about reading strengthens students’ comprehension and helps them explain their thinking about a text. Students deepen understanding when they:
- organize their ideas in writing
- explain their reasoning
- refer back to the text
Research shows that writing about texts improves reading comprehension. (Graham & Hebert, 2010)
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a short text and then writing a brief response in their notebooks. As you observe, most students appear to be retelling what happened in the text rather than explaining their thinking about the ideas in the passage.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: “I usually have students summarize what they read so I can check if they understood the text.” You recognize that writing about reading can deepen comprehension, but the way writing is used can make a big difference in how much students learn.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen the use of writing to deepen students’ understanding of the text?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to strengthen the use of writing to deepen students’ understanding of the text.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your classroom today. I noticed students reading the text and then writing about what they read, and they seemed really engaged with the story.
Teacher Yes, I usually have them summarize what they read so I can see if they understood the story.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That makes sense. Summarizing can be helpful. As I looked at a few student notebooks, though, I noticed many students were mostly retelling the events from the text.
Teacher Yes, I usually have them summarize what they read so I can see if they understood the story.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That’s important. Research shows writing can help students go deeper when they explain their thinking about the ideas in a text, not just what happened. For example, students might explain why something happened or what idea the author is showing, using evidence from the text. I’m wondering how prompts like that might change the kind of thinking students show in their writing.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger literacy instruction by encouraging teachers to use writing as a tool for thinking about ideas in a text.
When coaching teachers, leaders can:
• Encourage prompts that ask students to explain their thinking about ideas in a text
• Support students in using evidence from the text to support their responses
• Promote writing tasks that help students organize ideas and explain reasoning
Writing about reading helps students clarify ideas, organize their thinking, and deepen their understanding of what they read.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
Writing about reading supports the shift toward: Evidence-Based Comprehension Instruction
When students write about reading, teachers can:
- see how students are making sense of the text
- identify misconceptions in students’ thinking
- prompt students to explain ideas using evidence from the text
When visiting classrooms, consider: Are students using writing to deepen their understanding of what they read, or mainly to retell what happened in the text?
Continue to the Next Classroom ▶
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Why Student Discussion of Text?
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
- discuss ideas from a text with a partner or small group
- explain their thinking and refer back to the text to support ideas
- respond to and build on others’ thinking during discussion
- ask questions or clarify meaning as they talk about the text
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Discussing ideas in a text helps students process meaning, clarify thinking, and learn from others’ perspectives. Students deepen understanding when they:
- explain their thinking aloud
- respond to others’ ideas
- build understanding together
Research shows that structured discussion about texts improves comprehension and helps students develop deeper understanding. (Murphy et al., 2009)
Are students actively discussing ideas from the text, or mostly listening to the teacher explain the text?
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a short text together as a class. As the teacher asks questions, a few students raise their hands and respond. Most students listen quietly while the teacher moves on after each answer.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: "I like to ask questions while we read so I can check if students understand the text."
You recognize that talking about a text can strengthen comprehension, but the way discussion is structured can influence how many students actively think about the ideas in the text.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen opportunities for students to discuss the ideas in the text with one another?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to strengthen the use of student discussion to deepen understanding of the text.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your classroom today. I noticed students were really attentive while you were reading the text together.
Teacher Yes, I like asking questions while we read so I can see if students understand the story.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That makes sense. Asking questions can be helpful. As I watched, though, I noticed that only a few students were sharing their ideas while the rest were mostly listening.
Teacher Yes, I usually call on volunteers so we can move through the text.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal I can see why you do that. Research shows students deepen their understanding when they talk with one another about the ideas in a text, not just respond to the teacher. Sometimes teachers use structures like turn and talk, partner discussion, or small-group conversation so more students have the chance to explain their thinking and build on each other's ideas. I’m wondering how structures like that might change the kind of thinking students share during reading.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger literacy instruction by encouraging opportunities for students to actively discuss ideas from texts.
When coaching teachers, leaders can encourage:
• partner discussions or turn-and-talk during reading • opportunities for students to explain their thinking aloud • structures that help all students participate in discussion • questions that prompt students to respond to and build on others’ ideas
Student discussion helps shift classrooms from passive listening to active thinking.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
Student discussion supports the shift toward: Active, Higher-Order Student Agency
When students discuss ideas from texts, they:
- explain their thinking
- respond to others’ ideas
- deepen their understanding
When visiting classrooms, consider: Who is doing most of the talking about the ideas in the text — the teacher or the students?
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Continue to the Next Classroom ▶
Why Guide Student Thinking During Reading
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
- pause at key moments in a text to ask students what a section means or why an idea is important
- invite students to stop and talk with a partner about a confusing or important part of the text
- ask students to stop and jot a brief response explaining their thinking
- model how readers pause to reread, question, and clarify meaning when the text becomes challenging
- guide students to return to the text to locate evidence that supports their ideas
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Guiding students’ thinking during reading helps them monitor their understanding and make sense of complex ideas in a text. Students deepen comprehension when teachers:
- ask questions that prompt students to think about meaning
- guide students to explain their reasoning
- prompt students to refer back to the text
- support students as they clarify misunderstandings
How are teachers guiding students’ thinking while they read? Do teacher questions prompt students to:
- explain their thinking
- refer back to the text
- interpret important ideas in the text?
Research shows that explicit instruction and teacher guidance during reading improves students’ comprehension and strategic reading. (National Reading Panel, 2000)
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a section of text quietly at their desks. The teacher checks in occasionally but most students continue reading independently. As you observe, some students appear uncertain about the meaning of parts of the text, but there are few opportunities for the teacher to guide their thinking during reading.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: “I like to give students time to read independently so they can build stamina.” You recognize that independent reading is important, but students often benefit from teacher guidance that helps them process meaning as they read.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen support for students’ thinking during reading?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to help the teacher support students’ thinking during reading.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your classroom today. I noticed students were really focused during independent reading.
Teacher Yes, I like to give them time to read on their own so they can build their reading stamina.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal As I watched, I noticed a few students paused or reread parts of the text, and you checked in with a few students while they were reading. It made me wonder how students have opportunities to work through the meaning of the text while they are reading, either with you or with each other.
Teacher I usually ask questions after they finish reading so we can talk about the text.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That can definitely help you see what students understood. Sometimes teachers also pause during reading to guide students’ thinking in the moment. For example, students might briefly stop to explain what a section means, refer back to the text for evidence, or turn and talk with a partner about an idea they are noticing. You might also check in with a student or a small group to ask a question that helps them clarify their thinking. Those small moments during reading can help students actively process the meaning of the text as they read.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger comprehension instruction by encouraging teachers to guide students’ thinking during reading.
Leaders can support teachers by encouraging them to:
- ask questions that prompt students to think about key ideas in the text
- model how readers make sense of challenging parts of a text
- guide students to explain their reasoning
- prompt students to refer back to the text for evidence
Teacher guidance during reading helps students actively process meaning, rather than simply moving through the text.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
Guiding student thinking during reading supports the shift toward: Differentiated, Evidence-Based Instruction
When teachers guide students’ thinking while reading, they can:
- monitor students’ understanding
- address misconceptions in real time
- support deeper comprehension of complex texts
When visiting classrooms, consider: How are teachers supporting students’ thinking while they read?
Visit the Next Classroom ▶
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Take a deeper look…
Now that you have a lens for noticing strong literacy instruction, explore this classroom and consider the quality of the practices you see.
Hover over the numbered areas to explore how literacy instruction is unfolding in this classroom.
Continue ▶
What would you like to explore next?
You noticed several literacy practices in Mr. Carter’s classroom. Now choose one area to analyze more closely.
Select an area to explore the research and hear a possible leadership conversation about the practice.
Connecting Reading and Writing
Consider how writing tasks help students explain ideas and use evidence from the text.
Student Discussion of Text
Consider how student conversations support deeper thinking about the text.
Guiding Student Thinking During Reading
Consider how teacher questioning helps students interpret and analyze ideas in the text.
After exploring one area, you can return here to choose another.
Why Connect Reading and Writing?
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
- write brief responses explaining their thinking about an important idea in the text
- stop and jot their thinking before discussing ideas with a partner or group
- refer back to the text to cite specific evidence that supports their interpretation
- respond to prompts that ask them to explain, interpret, or connect ideas in the text
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Writing about reading helps students clarify ideas, explain their thinking, and support interpretations with evidence from the text. Students deepen understanding when they:
- explain how ideas in a text connect
- support interpretations with evidence
- organize their thinking about what they read
Research shows that writing about texts can significantly improve reading comprehension. (Graham & Hebert, 2010)
How are students using writing to explain their thinking about what they read? Do writing tasks ask students to:
- explain ideas
- interpret meaning
- support thinking with evidence?
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a section of text and then responding to several comprehension questions on a worksheet. Most questions ask students to locate information from the text, and many responses are short phrases copied directly from the passage.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: “I like to ask questions after students read so I can check their understanding.”
You recognize that responding to questions can help monitor comprehension, but students often deepen their understanding when they write about important ideas in the text and explain their thinking using evidence.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen the connection between reading and writing?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to help the teacher strengthen the connection between reading and writing.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your class today. Students seemed really engaged with the text.
Teacher They were pretty focused. I usually have them read the section and then answer the questions that go with it so I can check their understanding.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That’s helpful for seeing whether students can locate information in the text. As I looked at some of the responses, I noticed that many students were finding details, but there may also be opportunities for them to explain their thinking about the ideas in the text.
Teacher You mean having them write more about what they’re thinking?
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal Possibly. Sometimes when students write about an idea from the text—like explaining what the author is suggesting or why something happened—it gives them a chance to process the meaning more deeply. Short writing prompts that invite students to explain their thinking and refer back to the text can really strengthen comprehension.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can strengthen comprehension instruction by supporting teachers in using writing to help students process and explain their thinking about texts.
Leaders can support teachers by encouraging them to:
- design short writing tasks that ask students to explain important ideas from the text
- include opportunities for students to stop and jot their thinking before discussion
- guide students to refer back to the text to support their interpretations
- move beyond summary tasks to prompts that require interpretation, explanation, and reasoning
Writing about reading helps students organize their thinking and deepen their understanding of what they read.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
When visiting classrooms, consider: How do writing tasks help students clarify and explain their thinking about the text?
Do writing tasks ask students to:
- explain ideas from the text
- interpret meaning or make connections
- support their thinking with evidence from the text?
How might you support teachers in using writing as a tool for deeper thinking about texts?
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Finish the Learning Walk
Why Student Discussion of Text
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
- turn and talk with a partner about an idea from the text before sharing with the whole class
- respond to and build on others’ ideas during discussion
- refer back to the text to support their thinking
- ask questions and clarify understanding during discussion
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Discussing ideas from a text helps students process meaning, clarify their thinking, and learn from others’ perspectives. Students deepen understanding when they:
- explain their thinking aloud
- respond to others’ ideas
- ask questions and clarify meaning
- refer back to the text during discussion
Research shows that structured classroom discussion improves comprehension and helps students develop deeper understanding of texts.(Murphy et al., 2009)
Who is doing most of the talking about the text — the teacher or the students? Do classroom discussions give students opportunities to:
- explain their thinking
- respond to one another’s ideas
- refer back to the text during conversation?
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice the teacher asking several questions about the text as students read. Students raise their hands to respond, and the teacher acknowledges their answers before moving on to the next question. As you observe, most responses are directed to the teacher, and there are few opportunities for students to discuss ideas from the text with one another.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: "I like to ask questions during reading so I can check students’ understanding."
You recognize that questioning can help monitor comprehension, but students often deepen their understanding when they talk with peers about ideas in the text and respond to one another’s thinking.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen opportunities for students to discuss ideas from the text?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to help the teacher create opportunities for students to discuss ideas from the text with their peers.
Principal I noticed several students sharing ideas about the text, and they seemed eager to respond to your questions. I was also wondering about opportunities for students to talk with one another about the ideas in the text before sharing with the whole class.
Teacher They usually like sharing their answers. I ask questions during the reading so I can see who understands what we’re reading. I haven’t really tried having them talk with a partner before sharing, but that might help more students think about the text before responding.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That’s helpful for checking comprehension. I was also wondering about opportunities for students to talk with one another about ideas in the text before sharing with the whole class.
Teacher You mean having them talk with a partner first?
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal Possibly. When students briefly turn and talk about an idea from the text, it gives everyone a chance to process their thinking. Students often build on one another’s ideas and return to the text to support what they’re saying. Those conversations can really deepen understanding before the whole-class discussion begins.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger comprehension instruction by encouraging teachers to create discussion structures that allow all students to process ideas from the text.
Leaders can support teachers by encouraging them to:
- incorporate partner discussion routines such as turn and talk before whole-class sharing
- ask questions that prompt students to explain their thinking and refer back to the text
- encourage students to respond to and build on others’ ideas during discussion
- design discussions that allow all students to participate, not just volunteers
Structured conversations help students clarify ideas, learn from one another, and deepen their understanding of the text.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
When visiting classrooms, consider: How do classroom discussions support students in making sense of the text?
Do discussions give students opportunities to:
- explain their thinking to peers
- respond to and build on others’ ideas
- refer back to the text to support their thinking?
How might you support teachers in creating opportunities for students to actively discuss ideas from texts?
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Finish the Learning Walk
Why Guide Student Thinking During Reading
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
- pause during reading to ask students what an important section means or why an idea matters
- model how readers think through challenging parts of a text
- invite students to stop and talk with a partner about an idea before continuing to read
- prompt students to refer back to the text and explain their thinking
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Guiding students’ thinking during reading helps them monitor their understanding and make sense of complex ideas in a text. Students deepen comprehension when teachers:
- ask questions that prompt students to think about meaning
- guide students to explain their reasoning
- prompt students to refer back to the text
- support students as they clarify misunderstandings
How are teachers guiding students’ thinking while they read? Do teacher questions prompt students to:
- explain their thinking
- refer back to the text
- interpret important ideas in the text?
Research shows that explicit instruction and teacher guidance during reading improves students’ comprehension and strategic reading. (National Reading Panel, 2000)
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a section of text independently. Students remain quiet while they read, and discussion begins only after everyone has finished the passage. As you observe, a few students pause to reread parts of the text, and the teacher checks in with several students while they are reading.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: "I like to give students time to finish reading before we talk about it."
You recognize that sustained reading is important, but students often benefit from opportunities to pause during reading to think about important ideas and clarify meaning.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher support students’ thinking while they are reading?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to help the teacher support students’ thinking while they are reading.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your class today. Students were really focused during the reading.
Teacher They usually settle in pretty well. I like to give them time to read the section before we talk about it.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That makes sense. Giving students time to read is important. I was also wondering about opportunities to pause during the reading so students can think about what a section means before moving on.
Teacher You mean stopping while they’re reading instead of waiting until the end?
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal Sure. Sometimes teachers pause briefly during reading to help students think about what a section means before moving on. For example, a teacher might ask students to briefly explain an important idea in their own words, identify a sentence that helped them understand a key point, or stop and clarify the meaning of a challenging part of the text. These kinds of prompts help students process the text as they read and give the teacher a chance to see how students are making sense of the ideas.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger comprehension instruction by encouraging teachers to pause during reading to guide students in making sense of the text.
Leaders can support teachers by encouraging them to:
- pause during reading to ask questions that prompt students to interpret important ideas
- incorporate stop and talk or stop and jot moments that allow students to process the text
- guide students to refer back to the text when explaining their thinking
- model how readers monitor understanding and work through challenging sections
These brief moments of guidance help students actively make sense of the text rather than simply moving through the words.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
When visiting classrooms, consider: What teacher actions help students make sense of the text while they read?
Do questions prompt students to:
- explain their thinking
- refer back to the text
- interpret important ideas as they read?
How might you support teachers in providing more opportunities to guide students’ thinking during reading?
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Finish the Learning Walk
Leadership Takeaway
Strong literacy classrooms provide students with frequent opportunities to:
Read
→ Think
→ Talk
→ Write
As instructional leaders, the ways we observe classrooms and talk with teachers help strengthen teaching and learning across the school.
Consider: After a conversation with you, do teachers leave with greater clarity, knowledge, or confidence about their instructional practice? How do you ensure that high-quality instruction and strong student learning are happening across classrooms — not just in a few pockets?
Restart the Learning Walk ▶
Next▶
Looking Ahead: Supporting Strong Literacy Instruction
As you continue visiting classrooms, remember that strong literacy instruction often includes opportunities for students to:
READ complex texts with purpose
THINK about meaning and connections
TALK with peers to build understanding
WRITE to clarify and explain ideas
Consider: How are students using reading, thinking, discussion, and writing to deepen their understanding of what they read?
How might you support teachers in strengthening these practices?
Restart the Learning Walk ▶
COPESD Sample: 4th-5th Literacy Principal Learning Walk
Kimberly Blumke
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Transcript
Leading the Shifts in Grades 4–5 Literacy
A leadership learning walk experience aligned to reading science
Begin
Welcome to the Leadership Learning Walk
In this experience, you will step into classrooms and observe how literacy instruction supports student learning.
As you explore each classroom scene, look for evidence of strong literacy practices and consider how leadership conversations can support instructional shifts.
You will also explore areas that may be most relevant to your school. First, step into Ms. Jenkins’ 4th grade classroom.
Begin the Walkthrough
Look closely at this classroom.
What evidence of strong literacy instruction do you notice?
Explore the 5 hotspots to investigate further.
Continue ▶
What would you like to explore next?
You noticed several literacy practices in Ms. Jenkins’ classroom. Now explore one area more deeply. Select an area to explore the research and hear a possible leadership conversation about the practice.
Student Discussion of Text
Explore how discussion helps students deepen understanding.
Connecting Reading and Writing
Explore why writing about reading strengthens comprehension.
Guiding Student Thinking During Reading
Explore how teacher questioning supports comprehension.
After exploring one area, you can return here to choose another.
Why Connect Reading and Writing?
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider: How are students using writing to explain their understanding of what they read?
Why This Matters Writing about reading strengthens students’ comprehension and helps them explain their thinking about a text. Students deepen understanding when they:
- organize their ideas in writing
- explain their reasoning
- refer back to the text
Research shows that writing about texts improves reading comprehension. (Graham & Hebert, 2010)Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a short text and then writing a brief response in their notebooks. As you observe, most students appear to be retelling what happened in the text rather than explaining their thinking about the ideas in the passage.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: “I usually have students summarize what they read so I can check if they understood the text.” You recognize that writing about reading can deepen comprehension, but the way writing is used can make a big difference in how much students learn.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen the use of writing to deepen students’ understanding of the text?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to strengthen the use of writing to deepen students’ understanding of the text.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your classroom today. I noticed students reading the text and then writing about what they read, and they seemed really engaged with the story.
Teacher Yes, I usually have them summarize what they read so I can see if they understood the story.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That makes sense. Summarizing can be helpful. As I looked at a few student notebooks, though, I noticed many students were mostly retelling the events from the text.
Teacher Yes, I usually have them summarize what they read so I can see if they understood the story.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That’s important. Research shows writing can help students go deeper when they explain their thinking about the ideas in a text, not just what happened. For example, students might explain why something happened or what idea the author is showing, using evidence from the text. I’m wondering how prompts like that might change the kind of thinking students show in their writing.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger literacy instruction by encouraging teachers to use writing as a tool for thinking about ideas in a text.
When coaching teachers, leaders can:
• Encourage prompts that ask students to explain their thinking about ideas in a text
• Support students in using evidence from the text to support their responses
• Promote writing tasks that help students organize ideas and explain reasoning
Writing about reading helps students clarify ideas, organize their thinking, and deepen their understanding of what they read.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
Writing about reading supports the shift toward: Evidence-Based Comprehension Instruction
When students write about reading, teachers can:
When visiting classrooms, consider: Are students using writing to deepen their understanding of what they read, or mainly to retell what happened in the text?
Continue to the Next Classroom ▶
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Why Student Discussion of Text?
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Discussing ideas in a text helps students process meaning, clarify thinking, and learn from others’ perspectives. Students deepen understanding when they:
- explain their thinking aloud
- respond to others’ ideas
- build understanding together
Research shows that structured discussion about texts improves comprehension and helps students develop deeper understanding. (Murphy et al., 2009)Are students actively discussing ideas from the text, or mostly listening to the teacher explain the text?
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a short text together as a class. As the teacher asks questions, a few students raise their hands and respond. Most students listen quietly while the teacher moves on after each answer.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: "I like to ask questions while we read so I can check if students understand the text."
You recognize that talking about a text can strengthen comprehension, but the way discussion is structured can influence how many students actively think about the ideas in the text.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen opportunities for students to discuss the ideas in the text with one another?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to strengthen the use of student discussion to deepen understanding of the text.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your classroom today. I noticed students were really attentive while you were reading the text together.
Teacher Yes, I like asking questions while we read so I can see if students understand the story.
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Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That makes sense. Asking questions can be helpful. As I watched, though, I noticed that only a few students were sharing their ideas while the rest were mostly listening.
Teacher Yes, I usually call on volunteers so we can move through the text.
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Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal I can see why you do that. Research shows students deepen their understanding when they talk with one another about the ideas in a text, not just respond to the teacher. Sometimes teachers use structures like turn and talk, partner discussion, or small-group conversation so more students have the chance to explain their thinking and build on each other's ideas. I’m wondering how structures like that might change the kind of thinking students share during reading.
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Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger literacy instruction by encouraging opportunities for students to actively discuss ideas from texts.
When coaching teachers, leaders can encourage:
• partner discussions or turn-and-talk during reading • opportunities for students to explain their thinking aloud • structures that help all students participate in discussion • questions that prompt students to respond to and build on others’ ideas
Student discussion helps shift classrooms from passive listening to active thinking.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
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Leadership Reflection
Student discussion supports the shift toward: Active, Higher-Order Student Agency
When students discuss ideas from texts, they:
When visiting classrooms, consider: Who is doing most of the talking about the ideas in the text — the teacher or the students?
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Continue to the Next Classroom ▶
Why Guide Student Thinking During Reading
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Guiding students’ thinking during reading helps them monitor their understanding and make sense of complex ideas in a text. Students deepen comprehension when teachers:
How are teachers guiding students’ thinking while they read? Do teacher questions prompt students to:
Research shows that explicit instruction and teacher guidance during reading improves students’ comprehension and strategic reading. (National Reading Panel, 2000)
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a section of text quietly at their desks. The teacher checks in occasionally but most students continue reading independently. As you observe, some students appear uncertain about the meaning of parts of the text, but there are few opportunities for the teacher to guide their thinking during reading.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: “I like to give students time to read independently so they can build stamina.” You recognize that independent reading is important, but students often benefit from teacher guidance that helps them process meaning as they read.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen support for students’ thinking during reading?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to help the teacher support students’ thinking during reading.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your classroom today. I noticed students were really focused during independent reading.
Teacher Yes, I like to give them time to read on their own so they can build their reading stamina.
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Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal As I watched, I noticed a few students paused or reread parts of the text, and you checked in with a few students while they were reading. It made me wonder how students have opportunities to work through the meaning of the text while they are reading, either with you or with each other.
Teacher I usually ask questions after they finish reading so we can talk about the text.
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Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That can definitely help you see what students understood. Sometimes teachers also pause during reading to guide students’ thinking in the moment. For example, students might briefly stop to explain what a section means, refer back to the text for evidence, or turn and talk with a partner about an idea they are noticing. You might also check in with a student or a small group to ask a question that helps them clarify their thinking. Those small moments during reading can help students actively process the meaning of the text as they read.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger comprehension instruction by encouraging teachers to guide students’ thinking during reading.
Leaders can support teachers by encouraging them to:
Teacher guidance during reading helps students actively process meaning, rather than simply moving through the text.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
Guiding student thinking during reading supports the shift toward: Differentiated, Evidence-Based Instruction
When teachers guide students’ thinking while reading, they can:
When visiting classrooms, consider: How are teachers supporting students’ thinking while they read?
Visit the Next Classroom ▶
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Take a deeper look…
Now that you have a lens for noticing strong literacy instruction, explore this classroom and consider the quality of the practices you see.
Hover over the numbered areas to explore how literacy instruction is unfolding in this classroom.
Continue ▶
What would you like to explore next?
You noticed several literacy practices in Mr. Carter’s classroom. Now choose one area to analyze more closely.
Select an area to explore the research and hear a possible leadership conversation about the practice.
Connecting Reading and Writing
Consider how writing tasks help students explain ideas and use evidence from the text.
Student Discussion of Text
Consider how student conversations support deeper thinking about the text.
Guiding Student Thinking During Reading
Consider how teacher questioning helps students interpret and analyze ideas in the text.
After exploring one area, you can return here to choose another.
Why Connect Reading and Writing?
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Writing about reading helps students clarify ideas, explain their thinking, and support interpretations with evidence from the text. Students deepen understanding when they:
- explain how ideas in a text connect
- support interpretations with evidence
- organize their thinking about what they read
Research shows that writing about texts can significantly improve reading comprehension. (Graham & Hebert, 2010)How are students using writing to explain their thinking about what they read? Do writing tasks ask students to:
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a section of text and then responding to several comprehension questions on a worksheet. Most questions ask students to locate information from the text, and many responses are short phrases copied directly from the passage.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: “I like to ask questions after students read so I can check their understanding.”
You recognize that responding to questions can help monitor comprehension, but students often deepen their understanding when they write about important ideas in the text and explain their thinking using evidence.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen the connection between reading and writing?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to help the teacher strengthen the connection between reading and writing.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your class today. Students seemed really engaged with the text.
Teacher They were pretty focused. I usually have them read the section and then answer the questions that go with it so I can check their understanding.
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Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That’s helpful for seeing whether students can locate information in the text. As I looked at some of the responses, I noticed that many students were finding details, but there may also be opportunities for them to explain their thinking about the ideas in the text.
Teacher You mean having them write more about what they’re thinking?
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Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal Possibly. Sometimes when students write about an idea from the text—like explaining what the author is suggesting or why something happened—it gives them a chance to process the meaning more deeply. Short writing prompts that invite students to explain their thinking and refer back to the text can really strengthen comprehension.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can strengthen comprehension instruction by supporting teachers in using writing to help students process and explain their thinking about texts.
Leaders can support teachers by encouraging them to:
Writing about reading helps students organize their thinking and deepen their understanding of what they read.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
When visiting classrooms, consider: How do writing tasks help students clarify and explain their thinking about the text?
Do writing tasks ask students to:
How might you support teachers in using writing as a tool for deeper thinking about texts?
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Finish the Learning Walk
Why Student Discussion of Text
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Discussing ideas from a text helps students process meaning, clarify their thinking, and learn from others’ perspectives. Students deepen understanding when they:
- explain their thinking aloud
- respond to others’ ideas
- ask questions and clarify meaning
- refer back to the text during discussion
Research shows that structured classroom discussion improves comprehension and helps students develop deeper understanding of texts.(Murphy et al., 2009)Who is doing most of the talking about the text — the teacher or the students? Do classroom discussions give students opportunities to:
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice the teacher asking several questions about the text as students read. Students raise their hands to respond, and the teacher acknowledges their answers before moving on to the next question. As you observe, most responses are directed to the teacher, and there are few opportunities for students to discuss ideas from the text with one another.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: "I like to ask questions during reading so I can check students’ understanding."
You recognize that questioning can help monitor comprehension, but students often deepen their understanding when they talk with peers about ideas in the text and respond to one another’s thinking.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher strengthen opportunities for students to discuss ideas from the text?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to help the teacher create opportunities for students to discuss ideas from the text with their peers.
Principal I noticed several students sharing ideas about the text, and they seemed eager to respond to your questions. I was also wondering about opportunities for students to talk with one another about the ideas in the text before sharing with the whole class.
Teacher They usually like sharing their answers. I ask questions during the reading so I can see who understands what we’re reading. I haven’t really tried having them talk with a partner before sharing, but that might help more students think about the text before responding.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That’s helpful for checking comprehension. I was also wondering about opportunities for students to talk with one another about ideas in the text before sharing with the whole class.
Teacher You mean having them talk with a partner first?
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal Possibly. When students briefly turn and talk about an idea from the text, it gives everyone a chance to process their thinking. Students often build on one another’s ideas and return to the text to support what they’re saying. Those conversations can really deepen understanding before the whole-class discussion begins.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger comprehension instruction by encouraging teachers to create discussion structures that allow all students to process ideas from the text.
Leaders can support teachers by encouraging them to:
Structured conversations help students clarify ideas, learn from one another, and deepen their understanding of the text.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
When visiting classrooms, consider: How do classroom discussions support students in making sense of the text?
Do discussions give students opportunities to:
How might you support teachers in creating opportunities for students to actively discuss ideas from texts?
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Finish the Learning Walk
Why Guide Student Thinking During Reading
What This Looks Like in Classrooms In effective classrooms, students may:
Leadership Reflection When visiting classrooms, consider:
Why This Matters Guiding students’ thinking during reading helps them monitor their understanding and make sense of complex ideas in a text. Students deepen comprehension when teachers:
How are teachers guiding students’ thinking while they read? Do teacher questions prompt students to:
Research shows that explicit instruction and teacher guidance during reading improves students’ comprehension and strategic reading. (National Reading Panel, 2000)
Explore a Leadership Situation ▶
A Common Leadership Situation
During a classroom visit, you notice students reading a section of text independently. Students remain quiet while they read, and discussion begins only after everyone has finished the passage. As you observe, a few students pause to reread parts of the text, and the teacher checks in with several students while they are reading.
After the lesson, the teacher explains: "I like to give students time to finish reading before we talk about it."
You recognize that sustained reading is important, but students often benefit from opportunities to pause during reading to think about important ideas and clarify meaning.
Before viewing the conversation, consider: How might you guide this conversation to help the teacher support students’ thinking while they are reading?
See a Leadership Conversation About This Practice ▶
Leadership Conversation
Read the conversation below and notice how the principal guides the discussion to help the teacher support students’ thinking while they are reading.
Principal I enjoyed visiting your class today. Students were really focused during the reading.
Teacher They usually settle in pretty well. I like to give them time to read the section before we talk about it.
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal That makes sense. Giving students time to read is important. I was also wondering about opportunities to pause during the reading so students can think about what a section means before moving on.
Teacher You mean stopping while they’re reading instead of waiting until the end?
Continue
Leadership Conversation (Continued)
Principal Sure. Sometimes teachers pause briefly during reading to help students think about what a section means before moving on. For example, a teacher might ask students to briefly explain an important idea in their own words, identify a sentence that helped them understand a key point, or stop and clarify the meaning of a challenging part of the text. These kinds of prompts help students process the text as they read and give the teacher a chance to see how students are making sense of the ideas.
Continue
Leadership Conversation
Listen to the insight that explains the principal’s coaching move.
Leadership Insight
Click the speaker to hear the leadership insight.
As you listen, consider: What did the principal do that helped move the conversation forward?
See Leadership Moves That Support This Practice ▶
Leadership Moves That Support This Practice
Principals can support stronger comprehension instruction by encouraging teachers to pause during reading to guide students in making sense of the text.
Leaders can support teachers by encouraging them to:
These brief moments of guidance help students actively make sense of the text rather than simply moving through the words.
Explore classroom strategies that support student thinking about text.
Continue ▶
Leadership Reflection
When visiting classrooms, consider: What teacher actions help students make sense of the text while they read?
Do questions prompt students to:
How might you support teachers in providing more opportunities to guide students’ thinking during reading?
Explore Another Literacy Practice ▶
Finish the Learning Walk
Leadership Takeaway
Strong literacy classrooms provide students with frequent opportunities to:
Read
→ Think
→ Talk
→ Write
As instructional leaders, the ways we observe classrooms and talk with teachers help strengthen teaching and learning across the school.
Consider: After a conversation with you, do teachers leave with greater clarity, knowledge, or confidence about their instructional practice? How do you ensure that high-quality instruction and strong student learning are happening across classrooms — not just in a few pockets?
Restart the Learning Walk ▶
Next▶
Looking Ahead: Supporting Strong Literacy Instruction
As you continue visiting classrooms, remember that strong literacy instruction often includes opportunities for students to:
READ complex texts with purpose
THINK about meaning and connections
TALK with peers to build understanding
WRITE to clarify and explain ideas
Consider: How are students using reading, thinking, discussion, and writing to deepen their understanding of what they read?
How might you support teachers in strengthening these practices?
Restart the Learning Walk ▶