Rethinking Literacy for the 21st Century
Literacy in the 21st century is no longer limited to decoding and comprehending printed text. Students are expected to navigate multimodal information, think critically, collaborate, and communicate with clarity and purpose. In this rapidly shifting landscape, conferring with students about their reading and writing has become one of the most powerful tools teachers can use to nurture independent, thoughtful, and resilient learners.
Drawing inspiration from the work of Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris of Burkins and Yaris — Think Tank for 21st Century Literacy, conferring emerges not as a scripted event, but as a responsive, human conversation. It is through these intentional, personalized exchanges that teachers can bridge the gap between students and the complex literacies demanded by today’s world.
What Makes Conferring So Powerful?
Conferring is more than checking in on whether a student finished a chapter or completed a writing draft. It is a deliberate practice grounded in curiosity, respect, and a belief that every learner has something to say and the capacity to grow. When teachers sit beside students and listen carefully, they signal that the learner’s thinking matters.
In the spirit of Burkins and Yaris, conferring is powerful because it:
- Centers the learner — The focus shifts from coverage of curriculum to the needs, strengths, and goals of the individual student.
- Surfaces invisible thinking — Through conversation, students articulate strategies, confusions, and insights that might otherwise remain hidden.
- Invites agency — Students co-construct goals and next steps, building a sense of ownership over their learning journey.
- Builds relational trust — Consistent, authentic dialogue helps students see their teacher as a partner rather than a judge.
A 21st Century Lens on Conferring
When viewed through a 21st century lens, conferring becomes less about fixing problems and more about teaching students how to navigate complexity. Instead of rushing to correct, the teacher asks questions that encourage reflection, self-monitoring, and flexible problem-solving. Conferring becomes a place where growth mindsets are nurtured and where students are supported in persevering through productive struggle.
For example, rather than telling a reader exactly what a word means, the teacher might ask, “What clues can you use here to figure this out?” or “When you got stuck, what did you try first?” These questions not only address the immediate challenge but also deepen the student’s repertoire of strategies for future reading.
Core Principles of Effective Literacy Conferences
Conferring is most effective when it rests on clear, intentional principles. Inspired by the thinking of Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris, teachers can frame their conferences around a few foundational ideas.
1. Start with Listening
Conferring begins long before the teacher offers feedback or instruction; it begins with listening. When teachers invite students to talk first — about their reading choices, their writing decisions, or the questions they are holding — they gather invaluable formative data. This listening stance supports responsive teaching, rather than one-size-fits-all mini-lessons.
Listening also communicates respect. When learners feel heard, they are more willing to take risks, reflect on their thinking, and consider new strategies or perspectives.
2. Teach One Clear Thing
A common challenge in conferring is the temptation to teach too much at once. Effective conferences are lean and focused. The teacher identifies a single, high-leverage teaching point that can be named succinctly and practiced immediately. Over time, these small, focused moments accumulate into substantial growth.
By concentrating on one teachable point, teachers protect students from cognitive overload and ensure that conferences are both memorable and actionable.
3. Honor Strengths Before Addressing Needs
A strengths-based stance is central to conferring for 21st century literacy. Before addressing what is challenging, teachers notice and name what is working. This does not mean ignoring difficulties; it means framing feedback in a way that builds confidence and supports a positive identity as a reader and writer.
For instance, a teacher might say, “I notice that you chose a strategy to visualize the scene. That helped you stay engaged. Let’s build on that by thinking about how visualization can also support your comprehension when the text becomes more complex.”
Planning for Conferring in a Modern Classroom
Although conferring is deeply relational and responsive, it also benefits from thoughtful planning. In busy classrooms, intentional systems help ensure that all students receive meaningful one-on-one attention.
Creating a Sustainable Conferring Schedule
Teachers might design a rotating schedule so that every student is conferred with regularly. Some learners may need more frequent conferences for a period of time; others might be well served by less frequent but still consistent check-ins. Flexibility is key, but a written plan supports equity and prevents quieter students from being unintentionally overlooked.
Using Simple Tools for Note-Taking
Brief, consistent notes from conferences are invaluable. Whether recorded digitally or on paper, these notes capture the focus of each conversation, the strategies discussed, and the goals set. Over time, they form a narrative record of student growth and help teachers plan future instruction.
The goal is not elaborate documentation but usable information that can guide next steps and inform whole-class, small-group, and individual teaching decisions.
Conferring with Digital Texts and Multimodal Literacy
In a 21st century literacy environment, conferring extends beyond traditional print. Students read on screens, interact with images and video, and compose in digital spaces. Conferences are an ideal setting to help students think about how their strategies transfer across these varied formats.
Teachers might confer with students about how they evaluate the credibility of online sources, how they manage distractions when reading digitally, or how they integrate text, image, and sound in a multimedia composition. These conversations validate the full range of literacies students engage in and help them develop the critical habits required to navigate an information-saturated world.
Conferring as a Space for Emotional and Academic Wellness
Literacy learning is inseparable from wellness. When students struggle with reading or writing, they often internalize those challenges as reflections of their intelligence or worth. Conferring offers a powerful counter-narrative by creating a safe, supportive space where difficulties are viewed as a natural part of learning.
Through compassionate dialogue, teachers can help students reframe frustration as feedback, see effort as a path to growth, and understand that their literacy identities are still evolving. In this way, conferring supports not only academic progress but also emotional resilience and self-efficacy.
Conferring Across Diverse Learners and Contexts
Every classroom reflects a rich diversity of linguistic, cultural, and experiential backgrounds. Effective conferring recognizes and celebrates this diversity. Rather than trying to fit students into a narrow definition of “proficient reader” or “strong writer,” teachers learn about the literacies students bring from their homes and communities and build upon them.
Conferences can include questions like, “What kinds of reading do you do outside of school?” or “Who do you write for in your life?” Such invitations make room for students to talk about multilingual practices, community storytelling traditions, social media writing, and more, all of which enrich classroom literacy.
From Conferring to Classroom Culture
When conferring is a consistent part of literacy instruction, it begins to influence the broader classroom culture. Students become accustomed to talking about their thinking, setting goals, and giving and receiving feedback. Over time, they start to adopt similar practices with peers.
This shift supports a community where reflection, collaboration, and metacognition are the norm. Rather than viewing literacy as a series of isolated tasks, students come to see themselves as members of an ongoing, collective inquiry into how reading and writing work.
Practical Tips for Getting Started or Going Deeper
Whether a teacher is new to conferring or refining an already robust practice, a few simple moves can help:
- Begin small — Start with a handful of conferences each day and gradually expand as routines solidify.
- Use consistent language — Repeated phrases such as “I noticed…” or “One thing you might try is…” help anchor students and reinforce expectations.
- Invite student reflection — Close each conference by asking the student to restate the strategy they are taking away and how they plan to use it.
- Return to goals — Periodically revisit goals set in previous conferences, celebrating evidence of growth and adjusting plans as needed.
Conferring as a Professional Learning Habit
Conferring does not only benefit students; it also sharpens teacher expertise. Each conversation is a window into how learners think, what trips them up, and which instructional approaches are most effective. Over time, these observations become a rich source of professional insight, informing everything from text selection to the design of mini-lessons and assessments.
When teachers regularly reflect on their conferences, they refine their questioning techniques, strengthen their ability to listen, and become more precise in their feedback. In this way, conferring becomes a cycle of learning for both students and educators.
Envisioning the Future of Literacy Conferences
As literacy demands continue to evolve, so will the practices that support them. Yet the heart of conferring is likely to remain the same: a teacher and a learner, side by side, talking honestly about reading, writing, and thinking. These simple, human interactions carry a transformative potential that technology alone cannot replicate.
By approaching conferring as a space for curiosity, wellness, and growth, educators align their classroom practices with the vision of 21st century literacy championed by thinkers like Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris. They create environments where students are not only proficient with text, but also empowered to use literacy as a tool for understanding themselves and their world.