The Assistive Technology Lab is open for business
We’re back! The Assistive Technology (AT) lab is now open in our new location on Staples Mill Road in Richmond; parking is free. As always, we have many devices that can be checked out to school teams in Regions 1 and 8. The device categories include Augmentative and Alternative Communication, play, leisure activities, computer access, […]
Scaffolding for impactful instruction
Explicit Instruction features a continuum of supports, or scaffolds, where students are guided through the learning process while the responsibility for learning is gradually released from the teacher to the students. Although the concept of scaffolding hearkens back to 1976, (Puntambekar, 2022), Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey (2023) continue to find the concept of scaffolding […]
The importance of shared reading
Once upon a time, back in 1985, a document titled, “Becoming a Nation of Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading” was published. The purpose of this document was to review and analyze the wealth of research about reading and the established process of teaching reading. From this report, the authors indicated that “the […]
Acronyms, acronyms, everywhere!
The Virginia General Assembly in 2022 passed the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) and expanded it in 2023 to include grades K-8. The VLA focuses on improving literacy outcomes for all students and requires the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to recommend instructional programs, including core, supplemental, and intervention materials related to literacy. There are many […]
Classroom refresh: Including books with respectful representations of disability
The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (2019) position statement on advancing equity in early childhood stresses the importance of all children seeing themselves positively reflected in their learning environment, curriculum, and materials. When evaluating classroom materials for respectful representations of all children, it is important to critically examine how students with disabilities […]
Providing effective coaching to co-teachers
Coaching plays a vital role in supporting and empowering co-teaching pairs. By providing ongoing guidance, feedback, and professional development, instructional coaches can help teachers develop the necessary skills and strategies to meet the diverse needs of their students. Here are four areas of coaching to consider when working with co-teachers. Establishing relationships Coaching teachers begins […]
