5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful resource for reaching every learner!

J. · June 2, 2025

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } Nancy Young and Jan Hasbrouck’s Climbing the Ladder of Reading and Writing is a powerful resource for educators, administrators, and caregivers alike. They emphasize the importance of differentiation, along with diagnostic and prescriptive methods, to meet the diverse needs of all learners. The book is packed with practical strategies for managing instruction, making data-informed decisions, and working with a wide range of students, including those who need enrichment, those with intellectual disabilities, and multilingual learners, to name just a few. Throughout, they share tons of practical tips that really work in the classroom, encouraging meeting kids at their level and adapting instruction to support all learners. It’s easy to read, super useful, and one of the best books I’ve found for helping every child succeed. Highly recommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great informative read!!!

E.A. · June 20, 2025

This is a great read for teachers!

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Read" for any educator

D.B. · September 26, 2024

"Climbing the Ladder of Reading and Writing: Meeting the Needs of ALL Learners," co-edited by Drs. Jan Hasbrouck and Nancy Young, is an outstanding resource that seamlessly blends depth of knowledge with accessibility, making it an invaluable tool for educators at all levels. The authors have meticulously crafted a guide that not only covers the theoretical underpinnings of literacy development but also provides practical strategies that can be implemented in the classroom. Their extensive expertise shines through in every chapter, offering insights into the complexities of reading and writing instruction while remaining approachable for educators who may be new to these concepts.What sets this book apart is its commitment to addressing the diverse needs of students. The authors recognize that every learner is unique, and they provide a wide array of strategies tailored to different strengths, difficulties, and backgrounds. One particularly noteworthy chapter focuses on programming for students in advanced reading, where Dr. Nancy Young uncovers the often unnecessary instruction that can hinder rather than help these learners.The book’s inclusivity ensures that all educators can find relevant approaches to support their students' growth in literacy. Whether you are a seasoned teacher or just beginning your journey in education, Climbing the Ladder of Reading and Writing is a must-read. It not only equips educators with the tools they need to foster literacy development but also inspires a deeper understanding of the reading and writing processes.I highly recommend this book to all educators who strive to meet the diverse needs of their students. Its blend of research-based insights and practical applications makes it an essential addition to any educator's library. With Climbing the Ladder of Reading and Writing, you will feel empowered to enhance your students' literacy skills and nurture a lifelong love for reading and writing.

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for educators seeking to learn how to differentiate and impact learning trajectories

D.T.a.L.L. · May 12, 2024

Climbing the Ladder succeeds in translating seminal and current literacy research into an accessible book for teacher educators, school leaders, and parents. Drs. Hasbrouck and Young know from their own professional and personal journeys that all students can progress up the ladder of reading and writing as long as teachers are equipped with the knowledge of how to differentiate instruction. Not one profile of learner is left behind in their book including students who reach the top of the ladder in early elementary school. Each chapter features guest experts delving into the research and provides practical guidance and resources to effect change. Students with Developmental Language Delays, Intellectual Disabilities, Deaf or Hard of Hearing, ML learners, for example, each have their own chapters that include guidance to differentiate instruction to move them up the rungs of the ladder to proficient reading and writing.Relevant for parents, the book equips them with information to help advocate for evidence-based instruction for their children. If I was creating a syllabus for preservice educators, this would be required reading for general and special education majors.

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay

S.M. · September 15, 2024

Some good info not what I was hoping for looking for more strategies

5.0 out of 5 stars Encompasses Everything You Need to Know to Support All Learners in Reading and Writing

L.S. · May 2, 2024

As a Reading Interventionist and former classroom teacher, I cannot express how much I wish I would have had this book at the very beginning of my career! Young and Hasbrouck have collaborated with subject-area experts to bring the most current and relevant information on how to address the reading and writing needs of ALL of our learners.This book has been written for teachers, school administrators, instructional coaches, and parents and caregivers- ranging from our new educators to our retirees. Personally, I think this resource should be shared and discussed in our higher education programs as we prepare our future teachers.Key highlights include:-Analysis and discussion around Nancy’s infographic-Clear description of how to effectively differentiate instruction in the classroom-How to use data to make informed decisions about instruction-Exceptionalities in the classroom (Dyslexia, ADHD, Deaf/Hard of Hearing) and how to meet these students’ needs-Other issues that impact student learning (age, language, home environment)As you can see, this resource encompasses everything in the world of literacy. Well worth the read!!

Reading instruction for all learners

A.S. · March 22, 2025

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } The Ladder of Reading and Writing is a great infographic that enables us to visualise the learners we might find in front of us in our classes. But it does much more than that. It describes and contextualises reading and writing instruction for the entire cohort of learners in our school system. When Nancy introduced her review some years ago, I stayed up past midnight to hear her talk about it ‘live’ (I am based in the UK). It was worth the late night and tired eyes.So, I was an early purchaser of the book Climbing the Ladder of Reading and Writing and was not disappointed! it is an exceptional book that unpicks literacy instruction, describing what it should look like for individual learners who have differing responses to teaching and a range of barriers to accessing the literacy curriculum. Through the book we are treated to clear and thorough explanations of how (and why) instruction can and should be adapted to enable access and gives specific strategies that teachers can adopt in their day-to-day practice.With chapters on specific areas of need by experts in their fields, teachers finally have a reference point for supporting learners with a range of needs, including ADHD, hearing loss, intellectual disability, comprehension difficulties, and early advanced readers (AIR) that offers guidance and a practical framework.This won’t sit on my bookshelf and remain pristine. It’ll be well-thumbed and tatty as it gets lots of use as a reference and source of information.Climbing the Ladder of Reading and Writing shows how literacy instruction can be made accessible to all pupils. A fine piece of work!Ann SullivanCreator of the Phonics for SEN and Pathway to Phonics programmesAuthor of 'Access to Phonics' and 'A Parent's Guide to Phonics'

Excellent book for understanding the why and how of differentiation when teaching literacy.

L.K. · March 16, 2024

This book explores in detail the elements that make up Nancy Young’s famous Ladder of Reading and Writing. It is a compilation of chapters by different authors, each experts in their fields, that are brought together to deliver some clear and important messages about how we can best help all of our students.The key there is in the word “all,” rightly placed in capitals in their book title. The chapters take you through the wide variety of challenges students may face – dyslexia, dysgraphia, DLD, ADHD, ID etc. - and what they can mean for what is seen in the classroom and how a teacher should respond to those challenges. They take a step further though, which I think is particularly notable in this book beyond others: they recognise the need to differentiate teaching to meet the needs of advanced readers as well, including the need for Tier 2 intervention for these learners.They also explore the impact of variance in dialect, socioeconomic background, having English as a second language, helping older students, building home-to-school connections, technology, and teacher professional development.A stand-out chapter for me personally, was Steve Dykstra’s on socioeconomic factors. Knowing he’d contributed a chapter was a major motivator for me purchasing the book, and I wasn’t disappointed. Dykstra has a gift for finding powerful ways to express truths, and for not mincing his words when it matters. Though his chapter was directed at the impact of socioeconomic factors, it spoke wider to the serious mental and life-long impacts of struggling with reading, regardless of the cause.What the book tries to cover is very broad, and it feels more like an overview and introductory text in many places, rather than an in-depth exploration of any particular issue. It does regularly include recommendations for further readings.The book itself is beautifully presented and highly accessible, with a large number of photos and graphics to support the accompanying text. I normally wouldn’t comment on font size, but it is notable in this book, because it’s clear that careful consideration has gone into the selection and lay-out of the font. The whole book has that careful, considerate feel to it – the way in which chapters are grouped, the guidance at the start for which audience would benefit the most from reading which sections, and the notes at the start of each chapter indicating what you will learn, book-ended by the key takeaways at the end – it’s a well-thought-out text.I would happily recommend this book, most especially to anyone who wants to better understand the importance and possibilities of differentiation to meet the needs of all students. Understanding that differentiation needs to occur, even at Tier 1, and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach if you’re truly going to meet that diversity of needs, is probably the key takeaway. It is a message that I don’t think has been heard enough; this book goes a long way towards getting those conversations started.