Content-rich literacy programs are gaining in popularity, and research shows that they can powerfully support students' language comprehension. Integrated content and literacy instruction offers teachers an opportunity to engage students in strategic back-and-forth conversations in a meaningful context that can simultaneously improve vocabulary, verbal reasoning, and content knowledge. This session highlights how teachers in the early grades can make small but important shifts in their practice using the Strive-for-Five conversational framework. The presenter will share examples of responsive conversations during content-rich literacy instruction that model vocabulary, build on what students say, and push students toward more abstract thinking.
