Reading Beyond the Basics: Key Routines for Engaging, Research-Informed Instruction in Grades 2–6

Practical methods for effective reading instruction

Grounded in research-informed strategies, this book helps educators refine literacy instruction for grades 2–6. Explore lesson planning, text selection, and structured reading strategies across three parts, with techniques for before, during, and after reading, along with methods to foster a supportive classroom.

Teacher and literacy coach Catlin Goodrow offers research-informed strategies and personal reflections to help older elementary school students engage with complex, vocabulary-rich texts. Grounded in effective tools and routines, her approach focuses on the teacher-supported reading of worthy texts. Teachers will find practical resources, templates, and examples of lessons to foster student engagement, accelerate reading skills, and support ongoing literacy development.

Grades 2–6 classroom teachers, reading specialists, and literacy coaches will:

• Shape literacy instruction around flexible principles versus prescribed programs of practice
• Analyze and select texts that both foster literacy skills and encourage personal reflection
• Develop literacy lesson structures that support students before, during, and after reading
• Implement simple, reproducible exercises as grounding routines for reading engagement
• Create safe learning environments where students can engage and explore their reading

Preview book HERE.