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Literacy

Working to enhance literacy and improve learning for all by providing high-quality, teacher-focused professional learning, research and evaluation, and technical assistance services.

We value the contributions of both practice and research in improving literacy and learning. We collaborate with districts, schools, states, and colleges to consistently realize equitable, measurable impacts on teacher practice and student outcomes.

What We Do

We equip educators with evidence-based supports to help them achieve their literacy goals for learners of all ages.

Professional Learning

Our flagship service, Reading Apprenticeship, provides high-quality, evidence-based professional learning for educators from middle school through college, delivering significant results at scale. We help educators meet rigorous standards and prepare students with high-level literacy skills, including the ability to think critically, synthesize information, and construct evidence-based arguments.

Multiple studies by independent evaluators found that participation in Reading Apprenticeship deepens teacher practice and improves student learning and engagement. Reading Apprenticeship continuously seeks out and is validated by independent evaluators as a transformative approach to literacy.

Research and Evaluation

We specialize in conducting rigorous research and evaluation on the impacts of literacy policies, programs, and interventions.

We conduct a range of research, including descriptive studies, impact studies, and R&D cycles. In addition, we work with State Educational Agencies (SEAs), districts, and schools as an evaluation partner. We offer expertise in high-quality reading curricula and literacy development assessment. In addition, we work with SEAs, districts, and schools as an evaluation partner.


Our Approach

Throughout our work, we bring experienced, multidisciplinary perspectives to support educators in achieving equitable literacy outcomes for learners of all ages.

Our Reading Apprenticeship approach teaches educators to model discipline-specific literacy skills and establish routines for discussion and collaboration that tap students’ own experiences.

Four dimensions of the Reading Apprenticeship framework—social, personal, cognitive, and knowledge-building—are integrated into subject-area teaching and developed through metacognitive conversation that explores students’ thinking processes within the context of extensive reading.

Throughout our research and evaluation, we apply our experienced, multidisciplinary perspectives to help shape literacy policy and practice and systemically improve literacy outcomes for all students.

Our researchers work with partners to examine literacy programs, policies, and interventions so that we can frame relevant questions, develop and apply innovative methods, and share our findings.

Reading Apprenticeship works because it is created, and continuously improved, by teachers and researchers working together to meet the needs of today’s students, standards, and learning environments.

— Linda Friedrich, Director of Literacy at WestEd

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