6 Powerful Ways School Leaders Can Champion Early Literacy

When it comes to early literacy, all eyes are usually on the classroom teacher—and rightfully so. Systematic, explicit reading instruction is essential if students are to develop strong reading skills. But in many important ways, principals and assistant principals act as the guardians of early literacy. They can create an environment in which teachers, students, and families are empowered to focus on building those foundational skills.

Chris Rangel, EdD, is principal of Ann Windle School for Young Children in the Denton Independent School District in Texas, where early literacy is a prime focus for educators and families. Denton, TX, like most urban school districts, has a wide range of household incomes and economic markers. Some children come to school with experiences of poverty, and Dr. Rangel emphasizes that it’s crucial to ensure all students have access to engaging literacy interventions. 

“The formative years are critical in the development of young learners for a multitude of reasons, but when focused on academics, their early development in literacy can impact the long-term success they obtain in subsequent years,” Dr. Rangel says.

Here’s a look at the strategies Dr. Rangel and her team use to encourage early literacy achievement schoolwide. 

Focus on essential learning standards.

Many pre-kindergarten teachers work alone, and they’re often charged with teaching many, many standards over the course of a school year. In the state of Texas, where the Ann Windle School for Young Children is located, pre-K standards are outlined in a document that spans more than 80 pages. Some states identify essential standards; others do not. In districts that do not identify essential standards, teachers may feel overwhelmed and uncertain.

Dr. Rangel says one way to determine which standards will lead to the largest impact is to ask questions like these:

• How enduring is each standard? How valuable is it for life and lifelong learning? 
• Does it prepare students for the next level of learning? 
• Does it have value across many disciplines?

Evaluated this way, it’s clear that early literacy standards are among the most essential.  

Protect literacy time.

For Dr. Rangel, this includes protecting professional development time. It also includes intentional, structured times for literacy development every day. What might that look like in a teacher’s daily lesson plan? 

• At least three read-alouds across a variety of subjects  
• Two modeled, shared, or interactive writing or writing-readiness activities  
• Time for independent writing 

To lay the groundwork for these daily activities, teachers can take steps like these:

• Make books available in each classroom center. 
• Encourage students to label what they draw. 
• Label items throughout the classroom. 
• Place letters in high-visibility spots.
• Ask students to “write” letters in the air.
• Ensure that writing tools are available readily.
• Provide beads, clay, and other materials with which students can shape letters. 

Read aloud with purpose.

The joy of sharing a picture book with young readers is hard to match—and in an early learning setting, even more can be gained from this happy practice.

“We know that reading to students is without exception critical for literacy development,” Dr. Rangel explains. “Within a read aloud, there are numerous opportunities that can occur for this development—concepts about print, letter/sound association, oral language and vocabulary development, questioning, making connections, etc. If a teacher is not maximizing these opportunities during read-aloud time, support in the form of coaching, modeling, observation, and/or professional development might be needed. My job as the instructional leader is to not only facilitate this support, but then provide follow-up feedback.” 

Include activities to support social-emotional literacy.

Pre-school, kindergarten, and early elementary are environments in which social–emotional learning is continuous. Children use social language and practice social skills like empathy at recess, in reading circles, in classroom centers, and in the cafeteria. When educators talk about conflicts, name emotions, and provide comfortable places for dysregulated students, they are modeling important skills.  

In many districts, skills such practicing empathy, interpreting other people’s needs, and using ‘soft hands’ are explicitly taught as part of ‘conscious discipline,’ Dr. Rangel says. These watchwords—Be safe, Be kind, Be ready—provide an opportunity for students to “use words to explain what each means,” she says.  

Provide the training teachers need.

Opportunities for systematic, explicit instruction are plentiful in early learning settings. To ensure that teachers feel equipped and supported, opportunities for training are also plentiful. That’s a key responsibility for administrators, Dr. Rangel believes. 

“We spend a great amount of time supporting the development of our teachers, so they feel equipped to maximize student learning,” she says. “For example, when essential learning standards are determined, there is then a series of backward planning that occurs to ensure we know what the end goal is and that we have planned for rich and purposeful experiences to support our students in reaching that goal. One of my jobs is then to support the teachers by building their capacity in effective instruction.” 

Training like this is not a one-time yearly task. “This work is never done, as we are continuously refining our practices—but building the capacity of teachers is always a way administrators should be supporting student learning,” she says. 

Recruit families and communities in literacy-building. 

This can be a challenging endeavor, especially if families are reluctant to trust school leaders and systems. “By nature, our beliefs and prior experiences form how we view situations,” Dr. Rangel explains. “If your own experiences in school were not positive, this is how you might view your child's entrance into school.  As a result, it is our responsibility to potentially change that mindset.” 

For educators and administrators at the Ann Windle School, change begins with frequent, positive communication. “When we only communicate negative information or we miss opportunities to try and engage our families, the relationships either suffer or are never built,” Dr. Rangel says. “As a result, we encourage positive contact with families–positive notes home for each child by week three of the year, electronic portfolios where artifacts are uploaded weekly, opportunities for families to serve on committees and attend afterschool campus events throughout the year, Meet the Teacher and Family Information Nights within the first two weeks of school, and conferences and home visits twice a year.”

Family, community, and cultural assets can also be valuable tools for building literacy. They can be leveraged to build more meaningful and trusting connections between home and school. Here are a few opportunities to share varied languages, values, traditions, and assets:

• Parent conferences provide a chance for parents and educators to set goals together.  
• Volunteer opportunities can help parents feel included and valued.  
• Family literacy and STEM nights offer opportunities to connect and learn.  
• Parent surveys give families a voice in sharing their needs and priorities. 
• Resources such as health screenings and training opportunities can be offered through libraries, community centers, and recreation facilities. 

“We know many of our families are single-income families where the parent might be working more than one job” she points out. “Our families might not be able to volunteer their time during the school day, but engagement and involvement can look different than that, and it is okay!  We also blast out flyers and videos of activities to do at home with students—cooking, reading, crafts, etc.—so that they can support the development of their child in any way they can, whenever they can.” 

When families and educators join in the effort to prioritize early literacy, outcomes for students can change in meaningful ways. Dr. Rangel says, “We are beginning to see our students more prepared as they move into the comprehensive elementary campuses with the intentional work we are conducting. Our students are gaining critical skills in their development that are imperative for their continued success.” 

The Key Message

Principals and other school leaders have a vital role to play in shaping literacy development in the early years. They can empower teachers, focus instructional aims, prioritize literacy in classroom spaces and schedules, and support literacy-related family connections. When administrators champion literacy in these ways, the results for students can be life-changing because of the rapid skill development that takes place in early learning.

“What occurs during these two years directly correlates to the trajectory of their progress as they move forward,” Dr. Rangel says. “It is actually quite remarkable to watch and to get to be a part of.”