Why literacy instruction matters in student success
Literacy is the foundation for communication and encompasses all forms of expressing oneself. It is how people interact together through various means. With such a large topic, many new teachers find themselves asking “Where do I start?” The purpose of this post is to offer a step-by-step guide to designing a literacy program which is grounded in current research and includes district offerings.
Understanding the Foundations of Effective Literacy Instruction
There are some foundational aspects of instruction that drive the success or responsiveness of a literacy program. These include a balanced approach to the inclusion of phonics and whole-language, focus on data-driven instruction, emphasizing culturally diverse texts, and the explicit teaching of components of language. More about this background can be found within my ebook (coming soon).
Balanced Approach to Instruction
The research tells us a balanced literacy approach supports student’s understanding of literacy overall. A balance of phonics and whole language instruction has been found to connect comprehension, fluency with language understanding (phonics). Recently there has been a big push towards phonics-based instruction, and while I believe this to be incredibly important, it is not and should not be the only aspects of a literacy program (Student Achievement Partners. (n.d.)).
- Explicit phonics instruction
- Teacher read-alouds and interactive read-alouds
- Shared and guided reading
- Writing to read
- Vocabulary instruction
Importance of a Responsive Practice
There used to be a joke that many older teachers have their lesson plans laminated and could pull out their week plans based on the timing within the year. As teachers we know that every student and group/class is different, has different challenges and need to be supported in various ways. Using an array of assessments to fully understand where students are at in their learning offers teachers the chance to adjust the scope and sequence based on the students in the room (Lexia Learning, 2025).
Including Culturally Diverse Texts within the Classroom
While building your classroom library and read-a-loud collection it is important to ensure you are accessing a variety of different cultures, socio-economic, diverse, and identities (among others). The guiding recipe for this approach is for every child within the class to be able to identify with many books and see themselves reflected in the words (Miller, 2023). There are many different tools you can use to ensure you are meeting the needs of your students in this way.
- https://shop.scholastic.com/teachers-ecommerce/teacher/subject/diversity.html
- https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/
- https://www.readingrockets.org/books-and-authors/diverse-bookshelf/finding-diverse-books
Explicitly Teaching Skills
Whether within a large group setting or small support group it is important to include explicit instruction of skills as a portion of your literacy program. Setting aside time throughout your day to directly teach a new skill develops the overall understanding of students (Lexia Learning, 2025). Building on this idea, this explicit instruction should follow an outlined scope and sequence of skills.
- The Science of Reading movement outlines the explicit instruction of phonics.
- Whole-language Instruction focuses more on the direct instruction of comprehension and fluency techniques.
Key Instructional Components
skills for students. Each section has a sequence of skills that build on each other to highlight that specific component. Check out my infographic for the Components of Literacy for a more over-arching view.
- Oral language development
- Phonological and phonemic awareness
- Systematic phonics instruction
- Reading fluency
- Vocabulary and language comprehension
- Writing and spelling integration
Know Your District’s Literacy Resources
Curriculum frameworks and scope & sequence
- Government or district approved programs
- Vertical alignment and grade-level expectations (often seen in continuums)
Assessment tools available
- Universal screeners
- Running records
- Benchmark assessments
- Formative classroom assessments
Professional resources and support
- Coaches, intervention specialists, teacher leaders
- District professional learning
- Workshops and online modules
Designing Your Literacy Program
Step 1 — Start With Standards & Student Data
- Review government/district literacy standards
- Analyze incoming assessment data (strengths & gaps)
Step 2 — Establish Long-Term Goals
- Grade-level outcomes
- Literacy growth targets
- Specific needs (e.g., foundational skills vs. comprehension focus)
Step 3 — Map Out Instructional Time
- Daily literacy block
- Small group instruction (guided reading, strategy groups)
- Independent reading and writing time
Step 4 — Choose Core Curriculum Materials
- Select district-approved core literacy curriculum
- Align structures to research-based practices
- Supplement as needed (e.g., decodables for phonics, high-interest leveled texts)
Step 5 — Plan Assessment & Progress Monitoring
- When & how often to assess
- Use data to group students and adjust instruction
- Documenting growth and intervention needs
Step 6 — Integrate Differentiation for All Learners
- Small group rotations
- Tiered instruction (RTI/MTSS framework)
- Strategies for EALs, struggling readers, and advanced learners
Step 7 — Reflect and Adjust Instruction
- Weekly checks on student progress
- Team collaboration and feedback
- Iterative adjustments based on data
Practical Examples & Templates
- Example of a weekly literacy block within my ebook LINK COMING SOON
- Example guided reading lesson plan LINK COMING SOON
- Assessment and planning template LINK
Conclusion
Before building your program, it is important you understand the foundations of literacy so you can organically and intentionally incorporate these systems. From there, focusing your teaching on the components will solidify a strong program. Of course, there is always the caveat to include programs and structures the way your district suggests but once you understand the foundations of literacy you will better understand where the intentions of these mandates are coming from. Overall, following these steps will support you in building your own program and develop a strong foundation for your learners. I believe in you!!
Remember to start small, plan with purpose and always reach out if you need support.
References
Lexia Learning. (2025). The science of reading vs. balanced literacy: Why evidence-based instruction wins out. https://www.lexialearning.com/blog/the-science-of-reading-vs-balanced-literacy
Miller, R. (2023). Finding and utilizing culturally relevant texts. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/finding-culturally-relevant-texts/
Student Achievement Partners. (n.d.) Guidance for educators using a balanced literacy program. Reading Rockets: Launching Young Readers. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/assessment-and-evaluation/articles/guidance-educators-using-balanced-literacy-program