In my 30+-year career in education, I have been a teacher, administrator, consultant and organizational leader. The through-line of my work has been a passion for and commitment to early literacy. Working with teachers and education leaders on school improvement initiatives in some of the most troubled systems in the U.S. I am most interested in exploring what’s possible through meaningful conversations and collaborative, sustained professional development focused on evidence-based early reading instruction.
I believe strongly that access to quality reading instruction is a social justice issue; while it is abundantly clear that the vast majority of children are cognitively capable of learning to read, in the U.S. a large percentage of children actually don’t reach proficient levels of literacy. The connections between illiteracy or low literacy to academic failure and subsequent inability to lead a thriving productive life are profound and well-documented. This failure is preventable, and it is the responsibility of those of us in the field of education to make it right.
My current role is as the National Director of The Reading League suits me well, as my passion is empowering educators to positively impact ALL students and ultimately change the course of literacy achievement in this country. I present nationally and internationally and have written for numerous organizations and publications.
Click below to read Laura Stewart’s papers on reading instruction:
A Summary for the Research Basis for Beginning Reading by Laura Stewart