Blended Literacy

Thanks in part to the Covid-19 pandemic and the following infusion of Federal rescue funds, many schools and districts have new and enhanced technology infrastructure, capacity, and use case for technology in the classroom. 

Blended learning programs (i.e., electronic and/or online materials and instruction are used in combination with traditional, paper-pencil instruction) is a contemporary reality- and in many cases it is an expected learning path made available to students by schools and districts. 

CenterPoint and the Robin Hood Learning and Technology Fund viewed this as an opportunity. In partnership, we asked:

How can EdTech be better leveraged for learning?

In what areas can blended learning have the greatest impact on student achievement? 

The answer: blended literacy.

Blended literacy refers to the intentional integration of high-quality, content-rich literacy curriculum and instruction designed to build students’ word and world knowledge with blended learning, utilizing technology with intention to tailor learning experiences to students’ individual literacy needs in order to deepen learning and advance achievement.

This approach to instruction has shown great promise through a blended literacy initiative with Community School District 19 in Brooklyn, NY. Along with their universal implementation of high-quality literacy curriculum, Wit & Wisdom®, the district has integrated personalized learning programs and different models for instruction that leverage technology to support students’ individual literacy learning, particularly in foundational literacy skills. 

To that end, CenterPoint is designing a transition playbook with corresponding educator toolkit aligned with the Blended Literacy Implementation Rubric to support school and district leaders as they transition to a blended literacy model.

The rubric reflects our core belief that a coherent system of curriculum, assessments, and implementation support boosts teacher effectiveness, maximizes student learning, and advances equity.  

In total, the rubric emphasizes six areas:

• Instructional content
• Instructional design
• Student culture of learning
• Student demonstration of learning
• Assessment design and implementation
• Educator learning for a culture of collaborative inquiry

Education leaders are encouraged to consider the essential questions of each component with deep reflection on their school or district’s current assets and opportunities. The guidance section of the rubric supports these leaders in setting priorities and goals for implementation and establish a transition plan as well as metrics for gauging success. 

The Blended Literacy Implementation Rubric is part of a comprehensive educator toolkit and transition playbook to guide schools and districts on their own continuous improvement journey toward a literacy instructional model that reflects the 21st century and post-COVID shifts necessary to meet the current and future needs of their students.  

To learn more about the rubric and model for blended literacy implementation, watch our webinar with Learning Forward recorded on May 25 and read this blog post from CenterPoint’s Director of Implementation Katie Shuman providing more detail on what literacy instruction looks like in the 21st century. You can also review the full draft rubric and instructional planning tool here.