Resources
Media
Article: Should schools limit screen time
Los Angeles public schools are limiting computer use in classrooms over health concerns. But experts say that approach is missing the problem.
Article: Parents’ battle over screen time reaches the classroom
Parents across California are frustrated with a growing reliance on technology in the classroom for grade levels as low as transitional kindergarten.
Article: How the ‘science of reading’ is reshaping literacy education
Stanford Professor Rebecca Silverman discusses a transformative movement backed by research that is changing literacy instruction in schools nationwide.
Blog: Right to Read Project
The Right to Read Project is a group of teachers, researchers, and activists committed to the pursuit of equity through literacy. The weekly Lunch & Lit aims to bridge the research to practice divide by bring scientists and practitioners. Rebecca Silverman's recording: Jan 23, 2026, From Language to Literacy: The Critical Role of Language Comprehension in Reading Comprehension.
Policy Brief: California’s Adoption of Reading Difficulties Risk Screening
Ensuring that all California students attain reading proficiency has increasingly become a policy priority for the state.
Article: Click, read, learn: The science behind literacy edtech
A former elementary school teacher, Silverman conducted a study examining more than a decade worth of data on products promoted as literacy learning tools.
Article: Ravenswood Reads
Ravenswood Reads centers relationship in its support of local literacy
Article: Online Games and Tools
Can Online Games and Tools Really Teach Kids How To Read?
Podcast: The Future of Everything Podcast
Rebecca Silverman explains why reading is such a challenging skill to learn — and to teach.
Article: Why elementary school teachers should consider doing report cards a little bit differently
In this article, Bonnie Hallman addresses how to respectfully and empathetically address students, while offering solutions and acknowledging efforts already made.
Article: The Power of "Screen Time"
An article by Dr. Rebecca Silverman and Kristin Keane on harnessing screen time to promote language and literacy learning in early childhood and elementary school.
Podcast: Growing Great Readers
On this episode of the podcast Notes from the Backpack, Dr. Rebecca Silverman discusses how we can raise lifelong readers. She offers strategies for fostering a love of reading and guidance on what you should expect from your child at each age.
Podcast: The reading wars, explained
On this episode of the podcast School’s In, Dr. Rebecca Silverman joins GSE Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope to talk about the so-called “reading wars”— different camps of opinion regarding the best way to teach kids how to read.
Article: Getting a read on low literacy scores
In this news article featured by the Stanford Graduate School of Education, Dr. Rebecca Silverman weighs in on the debate about how to teach kids to read.
Video Interview: The Vocabulary Gap
In this video interview with Reading Rockets, Dr. Rebecca Silverman discusses the importance of strengthening academic language (the language of school) to build comprehension skills and avoid the "4th grade slump."
Podcast: Vocabulary Practices in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Classrooms
On this episode of the podcast Voice of Literacy, Dr. Rebecca Silverman and Dr. Baker discuss vocabulary practices in prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms.
Video Interview: Science of Reading
In this "Live with the Author" interview, Dr. Silverman discusses her article on "Beyond Decoding: A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Language Comprehension interventions on K - 5 Students' Language and Literacy Outcomes."
Article: What impact will the pandemic have on early literacy?
In this news article, Karen D'Souza covers the topic of early literacy and the effects the pandemic has had on children's reading skills. Dr. Silverman provides insight on the importance of supporting children with individualized learning plans and various instructional models.
Tools
Ready to Learn Initiative
Through the Ready To Learn (RTL) Initiative, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), PBS, and local PBS stations provide free, evidence-based educational resources that help teachers, caregivers, and parents build early science and literacy skills for America’s children, especially those from low-income communities.
Practice Guide for Teaching English Learners
This practice guide provides four recommendations that address what works for English learners during reading and content area instruction. This guide is geared toward teachers, administrators, and other educators who want to improve instruction in academic content and literacy for English learners in elementary and middle school.