Early Literacy Task Force

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Check out LiteracyEssentials.org for all things regarding the Essential documents (below). There you will find YouTube videos, coaching modules, instructional modules, and more!

Order Booklets and Materials

We have several Essential booklets available for download or purchase. Please feel free to download the documents and print them in-house, or you can order them through International Minute Press. These booklets can be purchased by districts from International Minute Press at (517) 323-7777 or by emailing lansing-mi@intlminutepress.com.

cover image of Literacy Essentials Birth to Grade 5 Early Literacy Essentials - A compilation of all Early Literacy Essential Practices in one book (does not include 6th-12th Gr. Essentials). When ordering from International Minute Press, request the "B-5th Grade Literacy Essentials Booklet". Books with no tabs are $7.11 per book. Books with tabs are $9.59 per book.

cover image of GELN Essentials document GELN Essentials (Essential Practices in Math and Literacy) - This compilation of the Essential Practices includes all Literacy Essentials, all Math Essentials, and all Organizational Practices Essentials. When ordering from International Minute Press, request the "GELN Essentials Booklet". Books with no tabs are $15.00 per book. Books with tabs are $19.00 per book.

cover image for organizational practices essentials Organizational Practices Essentials (Essential Practices in Early Math & Literacy) - This compilation of the Essential Practices includes the Early Math Essentials, Early Literacy Essentials (Prekindergarten to Grade 5) plus Literacy Coaching, and all Organizational Practices Essentials. When ordering from International Minute Press, request the "Organizational Practices Booklet". Books with no tabs are $7.11 per book. Books with tabs are $9.96 per book.

Literacy Resources

Essential Instructional Practices Communication Points The Essential Instructional Practices in Early, Elementary, and Disciplinary Literacy are a set of research-supported instructional practices that when implemented in the classroom, can have a positive impact on student literacy achievement. The use of these practices in every classroom, every day could make a measurable positive difference in the State’s literacy achievement. They should be viewed akin to medical practice guides, as they present a minimum “standard of care” for Michigan’s children. More...

Essential Instructional Practices in Language and Emergent Literacy: Birth to Age 3 The purpose of this document is to increase Michigan's capacity to improve children's literacy by identifying a small set of research-supported literacy practices that should be a focus of professional development throughout the state. The focus of the document is on practices in individual interactions with children, rather than on center- or systems-level practices. The document focuses on infants and toddlers, as the first 3 years of life are when children learn the fastest and acquire the foundational skills that will support their development and learning for the rest of their lives. Improving language and literacy experiences in the infant and toddler years has the potential to improve "reading by third grade" outcomes. Early childhood programs can also help to address disparities in literacy achievement. More...

Lagging to Leading Michigan is facing a literacy crisis. For the past 14 years, while nearly all other states across the country made gains in their literacy performance for 4th graders, Michigan remained one of the lowest performing states, with minimal growth in literacy achievement. While there was a slight improvement over our 2015 NAEP scores (3% more students are at or above proficiency in 2017 as compared to 2015), Michigan still falls in the bottom 12 states in the nation. With only 32% of students at or above proficiency, we have a long way to go. Lagging to Leading

Language and Literacy for Littles and Loved Ones: Birth to Age 3 Literacy starts early. Did you know you can support your child’s future reading and writing before they can even talk? Babies come into the world ready to learn. Everything young children learn about communication, language, books, and printed words on their way to formal reading and writing is part of emergent literacy. Find out what you can do to build a strong literacy foundation for your child in the first three years of life. Families have literacy superpowers. Do you know the many ways you already support your child’s language and emergent literacy? It doesn’t take flash cards, tablets, or fancy books. There are many ways you support language and emergent literacy in your everyday interactions with your baby or toddler. Whether you know it or not, you have literacy superpowers. Use the Michigan Language and Literacy for Littles and Loved Ones to discover yours, and build more! Literacy starts early. You can start now! More...

Scaling Up Literacy Initiatives in Michigan to Achieve Equity From Birth to Grade 12 High levels of student achievement will result only when research-aligned instructional practices, literacy coaching, and high quality supports for Michigan educators are identified and implementation is supported through system-level work that begins at birth and continues through grade 12 for each Michigan child and young adult. To date, this work has been focused on grades K-3 and must expand beyond in order for Michigan to prepare students to become high functioning young adults as they attend rigorous universities, participate in technical training and programming, or enter the workforce after high school. More...

Executive Summary This document provides a summary of the work of the Early Literacy Task Force to (1) Establish a sense of urgency for increasing literacy achievement for every Michigan student; (2) Create awareness of the statewide collaborative network focused on literacy; and (3) Provide examples of the efforts to leverage resources focused on a vision for student learning. Executive Summary

Theory of Action The path to raising student achievement is not a direct line from funding to outcome. High levels of student achievement will result only when core instructional practices are defined with educator and system supports in place that contribute to literacy success for every student. These include the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) General Education Leadership Network (GELN) Early Literacy Task Force (ELTF) Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy (Birth to Age 3, Prekindergarten, Grades K-3, Grades 4-5) recommended for use in every classroom every day, Essential School-Wide and Center-Wide Practices in Literacy in every school and center, and Essential Coaching Practices in Elementary Literacy in use by every literacy coach. Literacy Theory of Action

School and Center-Level Essentials The purpose of this document is to increase Michigan’s capacity to improve children’s literacy by identifying systematic and effective practices that can be implemented at the organizational level in educational and child care that serve young children. To meet the needs of all young learners, organizational practices must support literacy development in ways that systematically impact learning throughout elementary schools, early childhood learning centers, and other literacy-oriented learning environments and programs. School and Center-Level Essentials

Essential Coaching Practices The purpose of this document is to increase Michigan’s capacity to improve children’s literacy by identifying a small set of research-supported literacy coaching practices that should be a focus of professional development throughout the state. Literacy coaching can provide powerful job-embedded, ongoing professional development with a primary goal of enhancing classroom literacy instruction through improving teacher expertise. Effective literacy coaching supports teachers to successfully navigate the daily challenges they face in their classrooms. Essential Coaching Practices

Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy (K-3) GELN and its Early Literacy Task Force are pleased to share these Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy Grades K-3. The purpose of these essentials is to increase Michigan's capacity to improve children's literacy by identifying a small set of research-supported literacy instructional practices that could be a focus of professional development throughout the state. Stay tuned for more information on how we are using the documents to strengthen instruction. K-3 Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy

K-3 Take Note Note-taking version of the K-3 Essentials document K-3 Take Note

Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy (Pre-K) The purpose of this document is to increase Michigan’s capacity to improve children’s literacy by identifying a small set of research supported literacy instructional practices that could be a focus of professional development throughout the state. Pre-K Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy

Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy (4-5) This document is intended to be read in concert with Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy, Grades K to 3. There is important overlap and continuity in these two documents, and some students will benefit from instructional practices identified in the K to 3 document beyond the K to 3 years. 4-5 Essential Instrucational Practices in Literacy

Michelle Goaley

Shellie Gohl