"To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark."

Victor Hugo

"Every Arizona child will learn to read proficiently by third grade and remain a proficient reader through the twelfth grade."

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as "the Nation's Report Card," is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas.

Information about Best Practices in the areas of assessment, instruction, and professional development, as well as teacher resources.

These materials include reading passages, integrated reading lessons, trade book lessons and links to science and social studies lessons that focus on comprehending informational text.

Resources for teachers including formative assessment for Arizona standards.

ASCD Vocabulary Research
The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) announces new research that helps document the connection between standards-based vocabulary instruction and future academic achievement.

Carnegie Adolescent Literacy Report
Adolescent Literacy and the Achievement Gap: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go from Here?

Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy

Literacy Coaches: An Evolving Role
Carnegie Corporation: The concept of literacy coaches dates back to the 1920s-but they are increasingly in demand in 21st century schools.

National Reading Panel
An evidenced-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction.

The Neglected "R": The Need for a Writing Revolution
"American education will never realize its potential as an engine of opportunity and economic growth until a writing revolution puts language and communication in their proper place in the classroom." The National Commission on Writing.

Neuhaus Education Center
Neuhaus Education Center is a nonprofit foundation that was established in 1980 and is dedicated to providing professional development for educators in research-based methods of literacy instruction. A good resource for teachers who work with dyslexic readers.

Reading Next
A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York; a vision for action and research in middle and high school literacy.

Reading Research Quarterly

The Reading Teacher

Research on the 6+1 Trait Writing for Improving Student Writing
The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of professional development for teachers in the 6+1 Traits Writing model with respect to improving writing skills.

Seeing themselves as Capable, Engaged Readers: Adolescents and Re-Mediated Instruction
"Adolescents who, for whatever reason, are not motivated to engage with school-related reading can be said to be illiterate in that domain. These are the students for whom content-area reading seems irrelevant, not worth their time and effort."

Writing to Learn, Learning to Write
Revisiting writing across the curriculum in northwest secondary schools - NWREL.

Writing: A Ticket to Work...Or a Ticket Out
A survey of 120 major American corporations employing nearly 8 Million people concludes that in today's workplace writing is a "threshold skill" for hiring and promotion among salaried employees.

Please note: While the following sites have been identified as containing quality information for social studies education, teachers need to review individual materials for content quality and alignment.

Alliance for Excellent Education
The mission of the Alliance for Excellent Education is to promote high school transformation to make it possible for every child to graduate prepared for postsecondary education and success in life.

ALA Best Books for Young Adults
Lists of award-winning books for adolescents.

ALA | Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938-Present

ALA | Children's Notable Lists

ALA | Outstanding Books for the College Bound
Book lists by category.

Arizona Young Readers

Awards for Children's and YA Literature By State
Lists of award-winning children's books.

AZ READS Resources

BalancedReading
Researched-based information for teaching reading K - 12, including diagnostics.

Delivering a Persuasive Speech - Lesson Plan
Two-day lesson on persuasive speaking.

Discovery School - elementary lessons
Grades 3 - 5.

ERIC Clearing House - Listening and Speaking
An overview of listening and speaking, including assessment options.

Language Arts, Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)
Over 100 resources for teaching language arts, including integration in content area subjects.

Listening activities
Use this link to go to the first of two pages that provide teachers with information on teaching and assessing listening in the classroom. Page 2 Listening

Literacy Matters
Sponsored by the Education Development Center, this site offers resources to teachers, parents, and students.

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning
McRel provides various resources through its ongoing research, professional development, and support of education.

National Geographic School Publishing Teacher Store
Resources for supplemental reading K - 8.

Neuhaus Education Center
This site offers research and information about the dyslexic reader.

Newberry Honors and Medal Awards
Award-winning books for children.

Northwest Regional Education Lab
NWREL provides various resources through its ongoing research, professional development, and support of education.

One Book Arizona
Sponsored by the Arizona State Library to promote reading.

OneBookAZ for Kids
Sponsored by the Arizona State Library to promote reading.

OneBook AZ & 6 Traits
Writing ideas to use in conjunction with OneBook AZ.

ReadWriteThink
Resources for teachers, parents, and students in language arts.

Resources for Teaching Writing
Books for writing instruction.

Six Essential Reading Strategies
Researchers have identified six essential reading strategies for developing comprehension abilities.

Speaking activities
Use this link to go to the first of two pages that provide teachers with information on teaching and assessing speaking in the classroom. Page 2 Speaking

Web English Teacher
This web site offers various resources for literacy and reading skills to support instruction; includes readability formulas.

Writing Fix
This interactive site provides writing topics for students that are tied to 6 Trait instruction.