Rethink and Revise

A Roadmap to Brave Change in K-2 Reading Instruction

As schools navigate the new landscape of reading instruction, educators are wondering how to move forward in big ways to align their practices to the science of reading. In this book, Lizzie Hetzer brings those questions to life, sharing how she has revised her own teaching, and the tools and strategies she’s learned along the way.

As schools navigate the changing landscape of reading instruction, many educators are left wondering how to move forward in big ways to better align their practices to what they are learning about the science of reading. They wonder, “Which teaching practices should we continue, and which should we change or even let go of?” In Rethink and Revise: A Roadmap to Brave Change in K-2 Reading Instruction, Lizzie Hetzer brings those questions to life, sharing the ways she has revised her own teaching and the tools and strategies she’s learned along the way.

In each chapter, Rethink and Revise takes on a different part of reading instruction and examines ways teachers can rethink and revise their practice, including:

• Literacy Assessment Tools: Move beyond guided reading levels to choose and use assessments that help us better understand the profiles of readers in our classrooms
• Whole-Class English Language Arts Instruction: Consider powerful ways to build comprehension not only through strategies, but also through study-centered reading, meaningful discussion, and connected writing
• Whole-Class Foundational Skills Instruction: Fine-tune foundational skills routines with thoughtful fidelity to strong instructional practices
• Small-Group Reading Instruction: Form and teach differentiated groups based on students’ evolving reading skills. Refine instructional routines and classroom systems to support meaningful learning for all

Lizzie Hetzer invites us to reflect on goals and get curious about new possibilities, recognizing that change is hard—but feels easier to navigate when we keep our goals for students at the center.