Let’s look at the English Learner through a linguistic lens and consider two different constructs: language acquisition and literacy development. These two are independent constructs with their own characteristics and phases of development.

There has been much debate about high-stakes testing in this past year and particularly as students have returned to in-person learning with the uncertainty of remaining in person.

Structured Literacy (SL) approaches share a focus on certain types of content, and they exemplify specific instructional features.

One pervasive myth about dyslexia is that students with this neurobiological difference can’t or won’t learn to read. Fortunately, research indicates that this is not the case.

Dyslexia, the most common learning disability, affects as much as 15% to 20% of the population. What exactly is this learning difference? How can educators better understand dyslexia? And how can we best meet the needs of students with dyslexia today?

Reading disorders, including dyslexia, are an important issue meriting our attention. As of this writing, almost all 50 states have legislative rules and guidelines for identifying dyslexia (National Center on Improving Literacy). As someone who has spent over 30 years developing and researching assessments for the purpose of preventing reading disabilities, I believe it is time to reflect on what is known about screening and assessment and ask, “How does screening specifically for dyslexia differ from best practices in screening to prevent reading difficulties?”