The following article is Part 1 of a series on early literacy instruction through remote
learning. Parts 2 and 3 will follow in upcoming issues of Literacy Today.
eachers of every grade and discipline begin each new school year intending
that the instruction they share will result in each of their students acquiring
one year or more of learning. In the early years, instruction focuses heavily on
teaching students to read. Although various pathways may be needed to ensure
differentiated learning, all pathways should guarantee that every student acquires
the skills and language needed to become a successful reader who is able to
comprehend the message of the target text.
This past school year was unique for us and our students. There is also
uncertainty regarding when we will return to a regular instructional schedule.
When we do, there could be staggered attendance and teaching schedules.
It is likely that we will continue reaching our students using online platforms
that many of us have just started to explore during the last few months. The
early 2020 shift to distance learning and digital/remote instruction, done under
emergency needs, has been especially hard for those of us who are less than tech
savvy, but it has also offered opportunities for growth.
Thinking ahead for the next school year, let’s reconsider three points that,
regardless of the delivery platform, will enable the continuation of expert teaching.
1. Support yourself: Commit to providing comprehensive
distance literacy instruction.
It has always been important for teachers to share an array of authors and books
that expose students to various topics and author styles, topically related words,
their meanings, their use in the text, and their morphological and contextual
families. We can continue doing this by providing explicit instruction, reading
aloud, and sharing a variety of carefully selected books in print and digital
formats that comprehensively address the literacy needs of our learners. Our
instruction delivered through distance learning platforms undoubtedly involves
new and innovative ways of addressing phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, comprehension, writing, background knowledge, motivation, reading
engagement, and joy.
We applaud the teachers, reading/literacy specialists, literacy coaches,
administrators, community members, publishers, and authors for continuing
this important work and helping to improve and refine it, even during these most
challenging of times. In many states, such as New Jersey and California, the state
literacy associations used the WeVideo, YouTube, and Zoom platforms as ways of
connecting remotely and digitally with students, families, and teachers. Be sure
to check with your state literacy organization to identify how they are supporting
teachers’ use of digital instruction.
The digital collection of New Jersey Literacy Association videos can be found
at tinyurl.com/njlaonyoutube. Professional development materials shared by the
California Reading Association are available at californiareading.org.
Distance learning is forever emblazed as our teaching
reality
NO LONGER
DISTANT
By Kenneth Kunz & Diane Lapp
Kenneth Kunz (kunz
.kenneth@gmail.com), an
ILA member since 2008 and
a current Board member-
at-large, is an assistant
professor of literacy and
language arts at Monmouth
University in West Long
Branch, NJ, and a literacy
consultant.
Diane Lapp (lapp@sdsu
.edu), a longtime ILA member
and the current chair of ILA’s
Literacy Research Panel, is
a distinguished professor
of education at San Diego
State University and an
instructional coach at Health
Sciences High and Middle
College, San Diego, CA.
LITERACY
LEADERSHIP
8
literacyworldwide.org | July/August 2020 | LITERACY TODAY