Book excerpt: This essential guide to the EL Education K-5 Language Arts Curriculum is one part roadmap to the curriculum, one part orientation to its instructional practices, and one part coach--to answer your questions, relieve your stress, and put you and your students on the path to success. Your Curriculum Companion explores the foundations of the curriculum, including the principles and research it was built on and the instructional practices that make it unique. The book is designed to help you "look under the hood" at practices embedded throughout the curriculum so that you can sharpen your instruction, support students to be leaders of their own learning, and make well-informed changes necessary to best meet your students' needs. Key features of Your Curriculum Companion include: Twenty-seven accompanying videos--see the curriculum in action Task cards for guidance on how to plan when the planning has been done for you The why, what, and how of the K-2 Reading Foundations Skills Block A deep dive into the purpose and structure of close reading and close read-alouds, including two sample annotated lessons. An exploration of the relationship between reading and writing and how the curriculum is designed to help students become strong communicators, including an annotated "read-think-talk-write" lesson. Detailed descriptions of the ways in which English language learners and other students who may need additional support are challenged, engaged, and empowered throughout the curriculum. Guidance for turning evidence of student progress into usable data that can inform your instruction. Support for school leaders