Beyond Scripts: Why Structured Adaptations Are Key to Scaling Literacy Programs
During National Teacher Appreciation Week, we showcase guest author Susan B. Neuman, who is Professor and Chair of the Teaching and Learning Department at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University and a Shanker Institute Board Member.
I’ve had a front-row seat to decades of curriculum reforms—each promising to close gaps, accelerate learning, and transform instruction. I’ve seen the excitement of a new initiative, the careful design of pilot studies, and the early gains that spark real hope. But I’ve also seen something else: how quickly that promise can fade when programs meet the messy, beautiful, and unpredictable reality of classrooms. Curricula do not teach students to read - teachers do. Without supporting teachers, even the most evidence-aligned programs won't be able to deliver on their promise.
The truth is, many of our most effective interventions never make it beyond the lab or the pilot stage—not because they don’t work, but because they weren’t built to meet the learning environments they were designed to help. In fact, one of the biggest challenges we face is how to take successful small-scale interventions and implement them across dozens—or even hundreds—of classrooms without losing their impact. This is especially true for vocabulary-building programs designed to reduce opportunity gaps for children in low-income communities.
But here’s the big question: How do we maintain fidelity to a program’s core while allowing room for teacher voice and expertise to address classroom realities? The answer lies in something called structured adaptation—and it might be the missing link in making good programs great at scale. But what is structured adaptation?
Structured adaptation is a middle path between a rigid, word-for-word scripted curriculum and a loosely guided one. Think of it as a soft script: teachers are provided with clear objectives, key vocabulary, and suggested questions—but they’re also empowered to adapt the language, pacing, and delivery based on the needs of their students.
In the recent study on the World of Words program, teachers were encouraged to stay true to nonnegotiable core elements (like introducing target words and linking them to big ideas), while also adjusting scripts to encourage conversational turn-taking, scaffold questions, and make room for spontaneity and joy.
Why Structured Adaptations Work
- Supports Teacher Agency Teachers know their students best. Allowing them to tweak how questions are asked or how concepts are introduced boosts their confidence, ownership, and ultimately implementation quality.
- Builds Consistency Without Uniformity: Instead of enforcing a one-size-fits-all model, structured adaptations create a shared foundation while honoring the unique context of each classroom.
- Improves Language Gains: In the study, classrooms that maintained high fidelity to the core elements—even with adapted language—saw meaningful gains in children’s vocabulary and expressive language, especially among English Learners.
- Boosts Interactivity: Teachers who moved beyond the script to engage in responsive, back-and-forth talk saw a direct relationship between conversational turns and language growth. In fact, this back-and-forth dialogue was one of the strongest predictors of vocabulary development.
What This Means for Schools and Curriculum Developers
If we want literacy programs to work not just in one classroom—but in every classroom—they need to be both anchored and adaptive. Here’s how:
- Define the non-negotiables: Identify which components of your program must be implemented with fidelity (e.g., vocabulary introduction, use of visuals).
- Give teachers room to breathe: Scripts should offer support, not confinement. Let them be tools, not rules.
- Train and trust: Provide professional development that models how to make smart adaptations—and trust teachers to do what’s best for their students.
- Measure what matters: Focus on quality interactions, not just checklist compliance.
Scaling up doesn’t have to mean dumbing down. In fact, when done right, it can mean leveling up—amplifying what works, while tailoring it to fit the realities of classrooms. So if you’re leading a curriculum rollout or supporting literacy reform, remember this: structured flexibility isn’t a compromise. It’s a strategy. Let’s build systems that honor both evidence and educators. Because that’s where real impact happens.