Grading may be the most commonly used indicator, but it is an effective one. Grades may not reveal the whole picture, but they do provide a quantitative evaluation of a student's (or class's) progress in learning reading and writing. Teachers can chart grades on reading and writing activities and cross-check them with teaching practices that were employed to determine what worked best for an individual student or group of students.
One-on-one interviews with students serve as useful indicators because they individualize the research and probe into questions directly. For example, during or after a reading or writing unit or course, sit down with students individually and interview them about their perceived progress. Don't hesitate to ask specific questions about what teaching practices worked best for them, and which didn't. Aggregate the interview results for an overall picture of the ideal practices.
Progress reports are an individualized, longitudinal tracking method in which the teachers record quantitative and qualitative data about students' writing and reading skills. Such reports can be completed at the individual or class level, although individual data provides more detailed information. Progress reports, of course, serve to chart progress, enabling educators to trace the effectiveness of different pedagogical methods during the length of a class.
Not all indicators have to be empirical or quantitative. Teachers can draw on the feedback and experience of other teachers as a way of indicating their progress in teaching reading and writing. For example, teachers (or other staff members, such as school reading skills specialists or administrators) can sit in on another teacher's classroom and evaluate the practices employed.