We know that reading comprehension isn’t a skill we can teach—it’s an outcome we must enable. Yet many of the skills and cognitive processes that fuel comprehension rarely get their due.
That’s the inspiration for our “Unsung Heroes” webinar series, which just wrapped up its 2024 season. All three episodes are available now!
Hosted by Kristen McQuillan, StandardsWork Chief Program Officer, each episode of Unsung Heroes goes deep on a reading comprehension hero that is hidden in plain sight, with expert guests from inside and outside the classroom.
- Episode 1: Writing. How does the act of writing about one’s learning deepen retention of the content? Guests Natalie Wexler (The Knowledge Gap), Doug Lemov (Teach Like a Champion), and Julia Cooper (SchoolKit) explain.
- Episode 2: Student Discourse. Why are text-focused conversations so powerful for comprehension, and how can teachers foster those discussions? Nell Duke (Stand for Children and University of Michigan), consultant Dr. Mitchell Brookins (former literacy leader in Chicago and New Orleans), and Grace Delgado (Aldine ISD) discuss.
- Episode 3: Vocabulary. What can teachers do to grow vocabulary and ensure reading comprehension grows along with it? Guests Elfrieda (Freddy) H. Hiebert (TextProject), Sonia Cabell (Florida State University College of Education), and Sean Morrisey (5th Grade Teacher) share their insights.
There’s more to come in 2025. Reading comprehension is a team sport, and while reading strategies are often treated as the MVPs, we need to honor all the players and how they work together. In future webinars, we’ll explore more unsung heroes and study the instructional playbooks of winning comprehension teams! Subscribe to find out about upcoming webinars.