Collaborative Classroom Expands Collaborative Literacy Program with Designated English Language Development

ALAMEDA, Calif., Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Collaborative Classroom, a leading nonprofit publisher of early childhood and K–12 curricula, announced the expansion of its comprehensive K–5 core literacy program, Collaborative Literacy, to include powerful Designated English Language Development (D-ELD) that provides English Learner (EL) identified students with rigorous, strategic instruction tightly connected to Tier 1 literacy content, ensuring they fully engage in grade-level learning. 

Collaborative Classroom President and CEO Dr. Kelly Stuart said, "Our Designated English Language Development component ensures that EL-identified students build language, literacy, and academic knowledge through rich, asset-based instruction aligned with grade-level outcomes. 

We're grateful to three California-based experts for their guidance during development of our D-ELD instruction: Dr. Pamela Spycher, one of the primary authors of the California ELA/ELD Framework and ELD Standards and a former senior research staffer at WestEd; Dr. Marianne Justus, Novellus Group Executive Director and former senior research associate at West Ed; and George Ellis, director of the California Reading & Literature Project at UC Berkeley.

"For the past 25 years, Collaborative Classroom has been a trusted literacy partner in California, thanks to the wide impact of our SIPPS^® curriculum in accelerating mastery of foundational reading skills for K–12 students," Dr. Stuart added. "We're now thrilled to introduce California educators to our comprehensive core ELA program, Collaborative Literacy, which is instructionally aligned with SIPPS and which has been recognized with a notable review by The Reading League." 

Collaborative Literacy's Designated English Language Development: Amplifying and Accelerating Instruction

"The focus of Collaborative Literacy's D-ELD component is amplification and acceleration, not simplification and remediation," said Dr. Spycher, who served as the lead Collaborative Classroom adviser in the development of the D-ELD component. "The approach draws from evidence-based instruction, research on second language development, and culturally sustaining and inclusive practices to engage children in a variety of powerful and interactive language learning experiences."

Unlike isolated language programs, Collaborative Literacy's D-ELD component is designed to build into and from the program's core lessons. By using the same high-quality, authentic texts encountered in Collaborative Literacy's core reading instruction, the D-ELD component allows students to closely examine academic language and immediately apply new skills in meaningful contexts. Collaborative Literacy's D-ELD instruction also prioritizes student talk and collaborative conversations, ensuring that language development is active, purposeful, and joyful.

"Collaborative Classroom has seamlessly integrated Designated ELD instruction into the daily lessons of an already rigorous and comprehensive literacy program, Collaborative Literacy," added Dr. Justus. "By building on the core principles of Collaborative Literacy—an assets-based philosophy and a whole-child approach—this Designated ELD component supports students' understanding of literacy content while also explicitly and methodically teaching them how language works."

Key Features of Collaborative Literacy's D-ELD Component:

• Daily 30-Minute Lessons: Dedicated, protected instructional time focused on accelerating English language proficiency.
• Research-Based Instruction: Rooted in decades of research on effective educational experiences for multilingual children, emphasizing a whole-child approach and a culturally and linguistically affirming environment.
• Metalinguistic Awareness: Lessons explicitly teach students how English works at the sentence and discourse levels, helping them understand and control language for various purposes.
• Robust Implementation Resources: These include digital access to the D-ELD Teacher's Manuals, assessments, and family support and print Language Notebooks for every student.

George Ellis, Director of the California Reading & Literature Project at UC Berkeley, said: "In my opinion, this is one of the few ELD programs that truly reflects the vision of the California ELA/ELD Framework by maintaining intellectual richness while positioning students' language, culture, and experiences as assets to build on rather than deficits to remediate."

Designed for Alignment with California's English Language Development Standards

Accelerating English proficiency through a structured focus on the language skills and strategies that EL-identified students need to engage with academic content, Collaborative Literacy D-ELD instruction centers on five priority areas that align with California's English Language Development standards:

• Meaning Making: EL-identified students build knowledge about texts and strengthen comprehension through collaborative and interactive reading and writing activities. These experiences are designed to support both deep understanding of the material and active participation in the classroom.
• Language Development: To develop academic language and the ability to use English with precision, EL-identified students engage in interactive vocabulary routines, word play, and language analysis activities. These include specific routines like sentence unpacking and collaborative text reconstruction.
• Effective Expression: Students expand their oral and written communication skills through authentic contexts. Lessons include structured discussions, formal presentations, performances, and creative activities like dramatic play.
• Content Knowledge: By working with the same grade-level informational and literary texts used in core reading lessons, EL-identified students can examine academic language closely. This allows them to deepen their understanding of the content while making meaningful connections across their instructional day.
• Foundational Skills: Students reinforce critical literacy skills through choral, paired, and scaffolded reading, as well as oral retelling. These activities specifically strengthen phonics, print awareness, morphology, reading fluency, and automaticity.

About Collaborative Literacy, A Comprehensive and Coherent ELA Curriculum

Collaborative Literacy is Collaborative Classroom's comprehensive and coherent K–5 ELA curriculum. Reviewed by The Reading League, Collaborative Literacy teaches all essential components of literacy science and reflects the latest research in both learning science and instructional science. 

The program provides teachers with the tools to build strong and knowledgeable readers and writers and to create vibrant and caring classroom communities, while simultaneously helping them deepen their teaching expertise and knowledge of evidence-based practices. 

By weaving together the latest in literacy learning research with social-skills development and embedded professional learning, Collaborative Literacy gives educators the tools they need to support students through their literacy journey.

Learn more about Collaborative Literacy.

Aligned Reading Intervention and Early Childhood Programs Complement Collaborative Literacy

Collaborative Literacy's power as a comprehensive core ELA program is further strengthened by its instructionally aligned reading intervention curriculum, SIPPS, and a choice of aligned early childhood and Transitional Kindergarten curricula, Pinecone Path™ and Every Child Ready. 

Learn how these curricula can be implemented together to form a highly coherent and effective instructional pathway for California students, from early childhood through K–5: Literacy Solutions for California Classrooms. 

ABOUT COLLABORATIVE CLASSROOM

Founded and headquartered in California, Collaborative Classroom is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization committed to ensuring that all students become readers, writers, and thinkers who learn from, care for, and respect one another. As one of the few nonprofit organizations in the country that develop, disseminate, and implement curriculum at scale, Collaborative Classroom is dedicated to putting students, educators, and research at the center of every decision and providing personalized, cutting-edge implementation supports for the schools and students it serves.

The organization's evidence-based programs and innovative professional learning are used by educators in all 50 states in more than a thousand school districts. Collaborative Classroom's portfolio of solutions spans preschool and PreK through grade 8, with some curricula extending through grades 9–12. 

Since the organization's founding, Collaborative Classroom's work has reached more than 10 million students and 440,000 educators across the country, developing fluent readers and skilled writers, supporting instructional equity, transforming discipline practices, and bolstering student and teacher engagement. Learn more about Collaborative Classroom at collaborativeclassroom.org.

SOURCE Collaborative Classroom