ABSTRACT

This book shares lessons gleaned from a two-year intervention in a high-poverty school, which was highly successful in significantly narrowing the literacy achievement gap and in raising children’s motivation and engagement in literacy both inside and outside school. Kennedy argues that there is much that disadvantaged schools can do to close the gap, but this is more likely to occur when a research-based approach to instruction (with a dual emphasis on cognitive skills and motivation and engagement), assessment and professional development is undertaken.

chapter 1|18 pages

Introduction

The Policy Context

chapter 2|20 pages

Evidence-Based Professional Development

chapter 4|26 pages

Current Research on Literacy

chapter 5|23 pages

School and Classroom Context

chapter 6|21 pages

The Change Process

chapter 7|18 pages

Impact on the Teaching of Reading

chapter 8|21 pages

Impact on the Teaching of Writing

chapter 10|20 pages

Impact on Teachers and School Community

chapter 11|22 pages

Changes in Achievement

chapter 12|31 pages

Raising Literacy Achievement

Lessons from the Research