Collaborative Literacy Highlights

Comprehensive, research-based reading instruction that systematically develops both foundational skills and comprehension

Whole-class, student-centered writing instruction that teaches process, conventions, and a wide array of genres using a workshop model

High-quality, high-interest fiction and nonfiction texts selected not only to support the instructional focus of each lesson, but also for equitable representation

Selected units at each grade use texts connected by a science or social studies topic that build students’ knowledge across the grade level and across their years of instruction

English Learner pre-teaching, extension, and point-of-need supports that help teachers provide scaffolding and prepare English learners to participate confidently in lessons

Integrated social skills development that creates a caring, supportive classroom community and nurtures students’ sense of responsibility for their own learning and behavior

Embedded, continuous professional learning that empowers teachers to expand their content knowledge and deepen their pedagogical expertise as they teach

Meaningful formative and summative assessments that support instructional decision-making for the class, groups of students with similar points of need, and individual students

How Collaborative Literacy Works

Each component of Collaborative Literacy puts K–5 students’ thinking at the center of learning, creating curious, self-motivated, and enthusiastic learners.

Reading Component 

Being a Reader follows a continuum of reading development to meet each student at their instructional point of need and take them to their next level of literacy.

Through whole-class, small-group, and individualized approaches to teaching both foundational skills and reading comprehension, students develop as proficient, competent readers who love to read, learn from, and talk about books.

For students who need more practice developing phonics and decoding skills and strategies, Being a Reader is designed to work with SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words) moving students seamlessly between Tiers 1 and 2 in a powerful multi-tiered approach to intervention. 

Writing Component

Being a Writer intrinsically motivates students through choice and independence. Rich, engaging mentor texts introduce students to a wide range of genres, and integrated social skills development gives students the tools needed to respectfully confer with one another, while developing ideas and sharing writing samples.

Through daily independent writing with teacher and peer conferring, children grow into enthusiastic, skilled writers who write for authentic purposes and audiences.

Comprehensive Digital Resources

The Learning Portal 

Collaborative Literacy includes a seven-year license to the Learning Portal, which gives teachers access to comprehensive and essential digital teaching resources.

In the Portal teachers can easily manage program resources, download and print all student consumables and reproducibles, build and share paperless assessments and reports, and get the very latest communications, updates, and instructional pacing notifications.

Learn more about the power of the Learning Portal.

Research-Based and Standards-Aligned

Collaborative Literacy is the result of years of research on literacy development, best practices in literacy instruction, and child development. 

Explore research for our programs and use our correlation tool to download a comprehensive alignment to your state standards.