Reading Language Arts
Supporting your school or district's implementation of best-practice RLA instruction.
Reading Language Arts Events, Services, and Resources
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Consultations
Content Area: Consultation
We support our clients with meeting district and campus academic goals through our educational consulting services. We partner with stakeholders to analyze quantitative and qualitative data to determine a focus for services, and we collaborate to create a plan with action steps and support.
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Professional Development
Content Areas: Custom PD
Our content area teams can provide customized teacher professional development workshops for your staff. We partner with our districts to analyze student data and determine a focus for learning and support.
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Consultations
Content Area Facilitated Planning
Our coaches partner with individual teachers or teams to provide coherent guidance while planning for instruction and formative assessment.
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Service
Texas Reading Academies
House Bill 3 requires that all K-3 teachers and administrators complete the TXRA training within 3 years: 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 2022-2023.
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In-Person
Teaching Essentials: Foundations for New Teacher Success
A 4-day cohort experience designed to equip new K–12 teachers with practical strategies, expert support, and a strong foundation for classroom success and work-life balance.
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In-Person
Elementary RLA: Tiny Writers, Mighty Ideas: Cross-Curricular Writing in Action
Explore how to intentionally integrate low-stakes, meaningful writing opportunities into all content areas.
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Online
Literacy Leadership Forum
Network with other Curriculum Directors, Coordinators, and Specialists and stay updated on TEA news.
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In-Person
Elementary RLA: SCR & ECR 101: A Teacher’s Guide to Student Responses - San Marcos
Unpack what SCRs and ECRs ask students to know and do, taking a deep dive into the language of the rubrics to better understand expectations for strong responses.
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In-Person
Secondary RLA: Making Small Groups Matter
Discover practical techniques for forming flexible groups, designing purposeful activities, and successfully managing small groups within whole-class instruction.
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In-Person
A Powerful Partnership: Elementary RLA and Social Studies
Strengthen instruction and boost student outcomes by exploring the powerful alignment between the skills-based TEKS in Elementary Social Studies and Reading Language Arts.
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In-Person
Using Questions, Discourse, and Movement to Improve Thinking in Grades 6-12
Explore how higher-level questioning, structured academic dialogue, and purposeful movement lead to meaningful written expression across every discipline.
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In-Person
Elementary RLA: From Chaos to Clarity: Differentiated Literacy Centers - San Marcos
Transform center time into a structured, meaningful, and manageable part of your classroom routine.
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In-Person
Secondary RLA: Reviving the Whole-Class Novel
Explore the various elements involved in teaching a whole-class novel, such as lesson planning, facilitating discussions, and assessing student learning.
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In-Person
STAAR Studded Event: AUSTIN
Jump into one of these full-day opportunities for STAAR Studded learning at ESC Region 13 in Austin.
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In-Person
Instructional Materials Publisher Showcase
Visit publishers and vendors in the IMRA Cycle 2025 Instructional Materials showcase and attend informative breakout sessions.
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In-Person
Elementary RLA: From Chaos to Clarity: Differentiated Literacy Centers
Transform center time into a structured, meaningful, and manageable part of your classroom routine.
View Workshop Details: Elementary RLA: From Chaos to Clarity: Differentiated Literacy Centers -
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In-Person
Elementary RLA: Tiny Writers, Mighty Ideas: Cross-Curricular Writing in Action - San Marcos
Explore how to intentionally integrate low-stakes, meaningful writing opportunities into all content areas.
View Workshop Details: Elementary RLA: Tiny Writers, Mighty Ideas: Cross-Curricular Writing in Action - San Marcos -
Online
Strengthening Tier 1 Reading Series
A practical, evidence-based online course series for K–2 educators that equips teachers with effective reading instruction strategies, interactive classroom activities, and downloadable resources to support beginning readers and Emergent Bilinguals.
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Article
The Magic of Read-Alouds and Think-Alouds in K–12
Reading aloud isn’t just for little ones; it’s a superpower teachers can use in any K–12 classroom. When we mix in think-alouds, students don’t just listen—they think, wonder, and grow as readers. Why Read-Alouds Matter Reading aloud shows students what fluent reading sounds like and opens the door to texts they might not be able […]
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Service
Content Services District Partnerships
A yearlong, data-driven professional learning partnership that builds instructional alignment and content expertise for core teachers through collaborative district cohorts.
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Resource
Content Services Weekly Newsletter
Weekly resources, events, and TEA updates for Math, RLA, Science, and Social Studies delivered to your inbox.
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Printable
RLA Intervention Skills
Support targeted small-group instruction with this comprehensive overview of essential literacy intervention skills.
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Printable
Re-telling, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
Help students strengthen their comprehension and writing skills with this easy reference tool!
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Article
Oral Language Skills and Literacy: Working Together
Let’s just start with the obvious: if kids can’t say it, they’re going to have a real hard time writing it. Full stop. And no, muttering “idk” under their breath does not count as expressive language. So, let’s talk about oral language: what it is, why it matters, and how it’s the secret sauce to […]
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Article
Book Talk: Read Alouds for Kids
February is a month to celebrate love, history, and connection in the classroom. This month’s Book Talk features heartfelt Valentine’s Day stories and powerful books honoring Black History Month. From tales of kindness and friendship to inspiring narratives about cultural identity and resilience, these selections are thoughtfully categorized for elementary, middle, and high school students. […]
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Article
Engaging Books and Reading Activities for Elementary Students
Incorporating engaging activities with read-alouds can bring stories to life and deepen students’ understanding of important themes. Below are fun and meaningful reading activities for elementary students paired with books that celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., winter themes, new beginnings, and kindness. Reading Activities About Martin Luther King Jr. Martin’s Big Words by Doreen […]
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Article
The Reading List: January Picks
Must-Have K-12 Book Links for Every Classroom! January is a time for fresh starts, meaningful reflections, and the chance to inspire student resilience. The January Reading List features powerful books celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stories of new beginnings, and titles about kindness and community. The Reading Lists are categorized for elementary, middle, and […]
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Article
Winter Books for the Classroom
December Book Talk December is filled with opportunities to captivate students through winter-themed read-alouds, holiday writing prompts, and activities celebrating traditions from around the world. This month’s book talk features engaging reads tailored for elementary, middle, and high school students. These winter books are perfect for sparking meaningful discussions, fostering connections, and nurturing a love […]
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Article
Promoting Reading Activities this Winter
Ways to Nurture Literacy Over the Winter Break Looking for fresh ways to inspire your students to dive into books? This blog is packed with engaging lesson plan ideas for promoting reading activities across all grade levels. Whether you’re teaching early readers in elementary school, fostering critical thinking in middle schoolers, or guiding high school […]
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Article
3 Book Talk Recommendations
November is Family Literacy Month It’s Family Literacy Month, an ideal time to encourage students to read and discuss books with their families. To support your classroom efforts, this book talk provides recommendations for elementary, middle, and high school students, highlighting stories that foster family connection, discussions, and a love for reading. These book recommendations […]
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Article
Phonological Awareness vs Phonics: Are they the same?
While my teacher preparation program introduced me to the concepts of phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics, it wasn’t until I ventured into my role as an instructional coach that I actively applied this knowledge. The profound relationship between phonological awareness and phonics skills and their impact on students’ literacy and reading development eluded me […]
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Article
3 Tips for First-year Secondary RLA Teachers
Welcome to your first year as a Secondary Reading Language Arts teacher! Whether you just graduated from college with an education degree or you chose an alternative certification path – congratulations on landing your first teaching role! You’re gonna love it here in RLA! It is completely normal to feel both excited and scared at the same time. As […]
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![Computer screen with a preview of the downloadable PDF for the ELAR TEKS Handbook: 6-12 product.]()
Product
ELAR TEKS Handbook: 6-12 (Downloadable PDF)
The new English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) TEKS Handbook provides a vertical alignment of standards from 6th through English IV. Teachers using this resource will be able to see multiple grade levels on the same page, making note of what students learned in the previous grade level and how the TEKS progresses throughout the elementary grades. The handbook includes: Introductions to understand some of the changes done in the new TEKS. Grouped sections to show TEKS that are repeated across multiple grade levels. The ELAR handbook facilitates an increased awareness across grade-level student expectations and ensures that teachers are aware of the progression and variations within the new ELAR TEKS. ESF Alignment Supports Lever 5.1 - Effective classroom routines and instructional strategies Downloadable PDF, 15 pages The ELAR TEKS Handbook was produced and is maintained by the team of Bilingual & ESL Specialists at Region 13.
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Printable
Reading Comprehension Sentence Frames
Make your child or students' reading time more engaging and impactful with these reading comprehension sentence frames.
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![Cover images, one with a kid raising their hand, another with three kids reading a book together, and a third depcition of hand writing on lined paper on the front of the Region 13 ELAR TEKS Handbook: K-5 (Spiral-Bound) book.]()
Product
ELAR TEKS Handbook: K-5 (Spiral-Bound)
The new English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) TEKS Handbook provides a vertical alignment of standards from Kinder through 5th grade with a preview of 6th grade. Teachers using this resource will be able to see multiple grade levels on the same page, making note of what students learned in the previous grade level and how the TEKS progresses throughout the elementary grades. The handbook includes: Introductions to understand some of the changes done in the new TEKS. Grouped sections to show TEKS that are repeated across multiple grade levels. The ELAR handbook facilitates an increased awareness across grade-level student expectations and ensures that teachers are aware of the progression and variations within the new ELAR TEKS. ESF Alignment Supports Lever 5.1 - Effective classroom routines and instructional strategies Spiral-bound, 38 pages The ELAR TEKS Handbook was produced and is maintained by the team of Bilingual & ESL Specialists at Region 13.
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![Preview of the Teacher AdventureBoard (17"x34" on laminated poster) and Student AdventureBoard (11"x17" on laminated posters) along with the Teacher Guide booklet.]()
Product
AdventureBoard for Literary Writing (Instructional Classroom Set)
Literary Writing AdventureBoard helps students to write imaginative, well-constructed literary stories using flexible support for all types of student authors while deepening their understanding of the literary genre. AdventureBoard is a set of storyboards paired with literary concept-building icons on which students create and recreate literary texts. The instructional components facilitate the reading and writing connection through annotation of mentor pieces and adventurous plot construction using the basic and optional icons in the set. Students self-differentiate deepening levels of plot sophistication by adding or limiting icons and exploring various text options. This highly motivating and tactile system creates a classroom that fosters collaborative thinking about authors’ craft while equally supporting individualized learning through the use of the system. The AdventureBoard can be used with all levels and ages of student writers to make enthusiastic scholars who view themselves as writers. ESF Alignment Supports Lever 4.1 - Daily use of high-quality instructional materials aligned to instructional planning calendars and interim and formative assessments Includes: Teacher Guide Booklet (36 pages) Teacher AdventureBoard (17"x34" on laminated poster) Teacher Icons (18 reusable decals) Student AdventureBoard (set of 10 - 11"x17" in laminated posters) Student Icons (set of 10 - 18 reusable decals) Folder to store student AdventureBoards and icons Literary Writing AdventureBoards was produced and is maintained by specialists on Region 13’s Curriculum and Instruction team.
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RLA professional development and support
Our specialists empower teachers through quality RLA professional development that is reflective of campus, district, and regional needs. We are data-informed and values-driven. We create powerful learning experiences for teachers that are active, learner-centered, and responsive to student needs. Most importantly, we support teachers to create self-driven, literate Texans of tomorrow.
Additionally, our RLA professional development supports our clients with the implementation of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), and the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).
Looking for more information on Texas Reading Academies? Visit the TXRA page.
Need to get in touch?
Contact a member of our team for more information.
Cattie Hall, 512-919-5388 Kelley Weigand, 512-919-5364