Improving K-3 Reading Comprehension
The Center on Instruction has published a series of four Improving K-3 Reading Comprehension professional development modules designed to provide key principles and practices that support classroom instruction. Each module provides resources useful to federally funded School Improvement Grant (SIG) programs. The webinar modules introduce the Center on Instruction (COI) and Doing What Works (DWW) websites' tools and resources and address 1) the supporting research, 2) teaching comprehension strategies, 3) engaging students with text, and 5).....
Collaborative Meetings

Based on the research literature, this guide was developed specifically to support Alaska educators’ efforts to increase student learning by meeting together to collaboratively monitor the progress of their students, assess students’ learning needs, and decide how to tailor instructional practice in response to those identified needs. There is a DVD that accompanies this guide that.....
COI Webinar Series: Using DWW Resources to Support SIG Grantees in Adolescent Literacy
The Center on Instruction has released a series of five webinar modules designed to provide key adolescent literacy principles and practices to support the federally funded School Improvement Grants (SIG). The webinar modules introduce the Center on Instruction (COI) and Doing What Works (DWW) websites' tools and resources and address 1) school leadership, 2) research overview, 3) explicit vocabulary instruction in middle and high school, 4) text discussion, and 5) intensive interventions for struggling readers. Also included for each module.....
Participation over time: Keeping youth engaged from middle school to high school (CII)
This article draws on data collected in a larger study of practices that engage older youth in OST programs over time,...shares insights about programs that successfully engage older youth and the strategies they use to maintain high participation rates.
http://www.centerii.org/ses/
New Functionality for the Screening, Progress Monitoring, and Instruction Tools Charts
The National Center on Response to Intervention is pleased to announce that the Screening, Progress Monitoring, and Instruction tools charts have been updated to include new functionality . You are now able to sort all columns by clicking the arrow at the top of each column, filter by subject (math, reading, writing) and by grade level (elementary and secondary), and compare a select group of tools by checking the box on the far right. Many features and the content of the chart remain the same, but this new functionality will help you to find.....
Response to Intervention in Elementary-Middle Math
This multimedia overview explains why states and districts are turning to Response to Intervention (RtI) systems described, including the three instructional tiers and components that are common to most systems. Each sub-section contains a practice summary along with practice help: Learn What Works (video interviews with nationally known research experts), See What Works (slideshows with audio of successful schools that have implemented RTI), and Do What Works (ideas for action and tools and templates).
This resource pertains to K-8 math.....
Docs.Teach.org (National Archives teaching resources)
The National Archives has launched a new online tool for teaching with documents. Not only does DocsTeach.org welcome educators to explore thousands of documents in a variety of media from the holdings of the National Archives, but it also allows teachers to combine these materials using clever tools to create engaging activities. Teachers can create lessons from scratch, adapt lessons from others, or let their students create the lessons, and a single suite of tools can be applied to a range of subjects and skill levels. FOR MORE.....
National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality Resource Library (Publications Database)
In the last several years alone, hundreds of books and articles about teacher quality and leadership quality issues have been written. Using standardized criteria to evaluate many of these publications, Learning Point Associates has assembled a database with detailed information about many of the most significant teacher quality publications of the past 20 years.
This TQ Source publications database houses information for publications in the following issue areas: preparation, recruitment and retention, certification and licensure,.....
The Teachers Page - The Library of Congress
This rich website from the Library of Congress contains ready-to-use materials that bring the Library’s primary sources into the classroom. In addition, it builds teacher skills with the Library's professional development curriculum.
Educators can find classroom materials, professional development activities, Teaching with Primary Sources partners, news and events, class starters, teacher updates, and more Library of Congress resources.
Using ARRA Funds to Improve Teacher Effectiveness and Equitable Distribution: An Interactive Mapping Tool
This is an interactive mapping tool modeled on a subway map. It will help users explore the strategic use of ARRA-funded programs to improve teacher effectiveness and equitable distribution.
Key Components:
1. Recruitment
2. Hiring
3. Preparation
4. Induction
5. Performance Management
6. Professional Development
7. Leadership Development
8. Compensation and Incentives
School Turnaround Teachers: Competencies for Success
This guide aims to help schools attempting turnarounds understand the underlying characteristics of teachers likely to succeed in this unique context, based on the best available research to date. Interestingly, the characteristics identified by early research on star teachers in high-poverty schools are remarkably similar to the competencies exhibited by turnaround leaders across sectors. This is not surprising given the similarities of the roles, explained further within this guide. As more schools attempt turnarounds, increasingly accurate,.....
Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas: Getting to the Core of Middle and High School Improvement
This report from the Alliance for Excellent Education (2007) contends that content teachers at the middle and secondary levels should engage their students in literacy training through integrated reading and writing activities that teach students how to recognize the particular conventions specific to the different subjects. The report concludes with practical policy goals to foster a greater integration of literacy training and content matter.
TQ Resource Library (Publications Database) (National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality)
In the last several years alone, hundreds of books and articles about teacher quality and leadership quality issues have been written. Using standardized criteria to evaluate many of these publications, Learning Point Associates has assembled a database with detailed information about many of the most significant teacher quality publications of the past 20 years.
The TQ Source publications database houses information for publications in the following issue areas: preparation, recruitment and retention, certification and licensure,.....
Technical Assistance Toolbox from National Center for Teacher Quality
In this Technical Assistance Toolbox you will find examples of technical assistance available from the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality Center, answers to Frequently asked questions, and descriptions of how to use our large collection of content-rich resources to assist in your efforts to improve teacher quality in your region and state.
Effective Strategies That Boost Reading Comprehension
This multimedia overview highlights key research findings and specific practice implications for comprehension strategy instruction. (5:26 min)
Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
This website is designed to provide information, technology, and resources to teachers, administrators, and parents across the country.
Big Ideas in Beginning Reading focuses on the five BIG IDEAS of early literacy:
* Phonemic Awareness
* Alphabetic Principle
* Accuracy and Fluency with text
* Vocabulary
* Comprehension
The website includes definitions and descriptions of the research and theories behind each of the big ideas, describes how to assess the big ideas, and provides information on how to teach the.....
RTI – an IRIS Center resource that includes four modules
RTI (includes Early Intervening) – an IRIS Center resource that includes four modules: An Overview, Assessment, Reading Instruction and Putting it All Together. It is recommended that you start with Part 1 and go through modules in order. You can click on the following link: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/resources.html then click on RTI, then Modules to access each module and to see a description of each module or you can click on the links below to access each part individually.
Part 1:.....
Teaching Spatial Skills to Girls
This overview describes some of the gender differences in test performance; ways in which spatial skills are used in school, careers, and normal life; and approaches to teaching spatial skills. (5:00 min)