The Shift from Fountas & Pinnell to Research-Aligned Reading Instruction

In the wake of the troubling EdReports reviews of Fountas & Pinnell and Reading Workshop, many districts are considering a switch away from balanced literacy programs, to materials that better align to reading research.

Given the popularity of these programs, many districts worry that this will be a difficult shift to make. Previously, we hosted a webinar on the shift from Reading Workshop, in which our colleagues shared their stories from their first year of making this transition, and the conversation seemed valuable to the field.

In this event, we hear about the experiences of educators who’ve made the shift from F&P: 

  • What concerns about F&P – or about balanced literacy generally – prompted the change?
  • What did school teams experience when shifting to high-quality curricula?
  • How did school and district leaders build support for the change? How did they support educators in making the shift?

On Wednesday, February 16, Jennifer Hogan led a conversation with education leaders who have seen these shifts firsthand. You can watch a recording of their conversation below and download the presentation.

Speakers:

  • Moderator: Jennifer Hogan, Pentucket Schools
  • Victoria Thompson, Principal, UP Academy Holland
  • Elizabeth Wolfson, Reading Specialist/Instructional Coach, UP Academy Holland
  • Mandy Hollister, ESL Teacher/Coordinator/Instructional Coach, UP Academy Holland
  • Michael Paff, School Psychologist

Watch a Recording

Download the Presentation