Empowering Educators to Lead Literacy Change from Within
By: Abby Burke, Ed.D., NSLA Director of Advocacy and Outreach
Teachers are natural leaders who inspire change from within the educational system. Every day, they work with students, colleagues, administrators, families, and communities to promote literacy and learning. With their deep knowledge of teaching, teachers are uniquely positioned to make decisions that directly benefit their students and schools. Leadership takes many forms, and teachers have the power to create meaningful, equitable change through intentional advocacy and collaboration.
How do teachers lead to advance literacy, equity, and student success? Change doesn’t have to be daunting—even small actions can have a big impact.
2 Minutes: Amplify Literacy Success Stories
Share a literacy success story from your classroom on social media or in a school newsletter. Highlight how evidence-based reading practices, such as phonemic awareness activities or structured literacy approaches, are transforming your students' learning. Sharing these moments not only celebrates student achievement but also fosters community understanding of the critical role of the science of reading in advancing literacy education. When educators make their work visible, stakeholders can better appreciate the vital role of evidence-based instruction.
5 Minutes: Collaborate with Administrators
Schedule a brief conversation with an administrator to share an innovative, evidence-based reading practice rooted in the science of reading. Administrators bring expertise in instructional leadership, while teachers bring in-depth knowledge of classroom strategies. Collaborating to align goals ensures that research-based literacy initiatives, such as systematic phonics instruction or oral language development, are supported and effectively implemented across the school. Together, you can create a stronger foundation for literacy learning.
10 Minutes: Advocate to Policymakers
Contact a legislative representative to share insights about how proposed policies could impact literacy instruction. Explain how adopting the science of reading—a body of research that emphasizes evidence-based strategies such as explicit teaching of decoding and comprehension skills—can positively affect student outcomes. Teachers’ expertise is invaluable for shaping education policies that address the real needs of classrooms. To make your advocacy even more impactful, provide concrete examples or invite policymakers to visit your classroom to see evidence-based reading instruction in action.
30 Minutes: Engage School Board Members
Invite a local school board member for coffee or a classroom visit to learn about a literacy instruction your students are engaged in, such as implementing structured literacy approaches or intervention programs for struggling readers. School board members are key decision-makers, and your insights can help them make informed decisions to support high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction for all students.
45 Minutes: Lead a Professional Learning Session
Present at a staff meeting on a current literacy topic grounded in the science of reading, such as phonemic awareness's importance or vocabulary's role in comprehension. Sharing your expertise creates opportunities for collective learning and demonstrates the importance of professional growth in improving instructional practices. By doing so, you build a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement among your peers.
60 Minutes: Share at the District Level
Present a successful literacy innovation at a district-level workshop. For instance, showcase how you’ve implemented a multi-sensory structured literacy program or used data-driven instruction to close reading gaps. Sharing best practices broadens the professional learning network, enabling more educators to adopt effective strategies aligned with the science of reading strengthening literacy education across schools.
Classroom teachers have a unique capacity to advocate for equitable, evidence-based literacy policies and practices that directly impact students. By sharing their knowledge, collaborating with others, and championing the science of reading, educators can drive systemic changes that ensure every student has access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
As you lead from within, remember that your voice and actions can inspire transformative change—in your classroom, school, and beyond. Together, we can create a future where literacy is recognized and supported as a fundamental human right for all.
Educators: Empower yourself to lead—and let the science of reading be the foundation of the change you create!
