Guide and Checklists for a School Leader's Walkthrough during Literacy Instruction in Grades 4-12

This tool was developed to assist school leaders in observing specific research-based practices during literacy instruction in grade 4-12 classrooms and students' independent use or application of those practices. The tool aims to help school leaders conduct brief and frequent walkthroughs throughout the school year. The tool consists of three parts to be used with students in three grade bands: grades 4 and 5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12. The first is the Pre-Walkthrough Meeting Guide, for use in all grade bands, to facilitate conversation between school leaders and teachers before the walkthrough. The second is a set of eight walkthrough checklists, differentiated by grade band and classroom type (that is, whole class, English language arts class, content area class, and literacy intervention class), which are based on best practices in literacy instruction. The third is the Post-Walkthrough Meeting Guide, for use in all grade bands, to facilitate debriefing between school leaders and teachers.