OBJECTIVES:

Participants will be able to:

1. Explain the Four Part Processing Model (CITE) and Simple View of Reading (Gough and Tunmer 1986) the roles they play in how the brain learns to read.
2. Leverage read-aloud as an opportunity to expand oral language and build knowledge in intentional ways.
3. Design phonemic awareness instruction that leverages the most critical skills for early reading.
4. Critically assess the scope and sequence for phonics instruction, applying brain-friendly learning principles.
5. Implement a multi-day, structured phonics lesson focused on a specific phonics skill.
6. Prioritize high-frequency word lists to identify words for instruction using an explicit lesson format that engages all four processing systems.
7. Critically evaluate current practices for prompting readers, revising previous practices as needed to avoid creating dependence on compensatory strategies and align instruction to how the brain learns to read.
8. Evaluate a range of texts for beginning readers, identifying those that best align with the current instructional focus.
9. Empower students to become more self-directed through choice, growth mindset, positive messages, plans, and goals.
10. Implement and/or refine research-based teaching structures including oral language developmental, phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, high-frequency word instruction, instructional formats, responsive lesson design, and responsive teaching moves.
11. Design a personalized implementation plan to ensure the concepts of the course are carried forward into the coming academic year.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom (Stenhouse Publishing, 2021)

All other materials will be disseminated electronically. Access to the internet is critical.

TESTIMONIALS:

"THIS WAS A GREAT CLASS - PACKED WITH IDEAS AND EXAMPLES FOR CHANGING SOME EXISTING BELIEFS AND SUPPORT FOR MOVING FORWARD. NICELY DONE."

"PRACTICAL COURSE - I CAN PUT THE STRATEGIES INTO PRACTICE IMMEDIATELY."

"THIS CLASS WAS PHENOMENAL IN ACKNOWLEDGING THAT KIDS NEED PHONICS TO LEARN TO READ."

"THERE ARE SO MANY SPECIFIC WAYS THAT I CAN APPLY WHAT I'VE LEARNED WHEN I START THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR."

"THIS COURSE WAS EXCELLENT."

"THE TEACHING TIPS WERE EXCELLENT AND CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE INTERVENTIONS."

"EVERY TEACHER SHOULD TAKE THIS. I LEARNED SO MUCH AFTER 29 YEARS IN EDUCATION."

"COURSE IS FULL OF SPECIFIC WAYS TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF READING TO STUDENTS."

"THE CONTENT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND THE INSTRUCTORS WERE OUTSTANDING."

"I'M A BETTER TEACHER BECAUSE OF THIS COURSE!"

"THE COURSE WAS SO ORGANIZED WITH BEAUTIFUL & INFORMATIVE SLIDES THAT SUPPORTED THE CONTENT EXTREMELY WELL."

"I LIKED THAT THEY WENT BEYOND THE BOOK - LEARNING ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF READING AND THE BRAIN RESEARCH BEHIND IT."

"EVERY K-2 TEACHER SHOULD TAKE THIS CLASS TO MAKE SURE THEIR INSTRUCTION ALIGNS TO THE SCIENCE OF READING."

"GREAT CONTENT - OUR STUDENTS ARE SO FAR BEHIND AND STRUGGLE WITH READING, THIS WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR ALL TEACHERS."

"THE BOOK IS EXCELLENT AND THAT COMBINED WITH THE VIDEOS MADE THIS ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL CLASSES I HAVE TAKEN IN A LONG TIME.  THERE WERE ENGAGING ACTIVITIES IN THE VIDEO THAT WERE VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING SUCH AS THE MEANINGFUL LETTER STRINGS EXERCISE AND THE INVENTED ALPHABET IN MODULE 6.  THOSE TWO ACTIVITIES HIGHLIGHTED THE MESSAGE.  THE END OF MODULE RESOURCES WERE / ARE HELPFUL AND SHOWED HOW MANY OTHER RESOURCES THE INSTRUCTORS RELIED ON TO SHARE INFORMATION."

"I HAD THE BOOK, SHIFTING THE BALANCE FIRST AND LIKED IT SO MUCH THAT I FIGURED I COULD LEARN MORE FROM THE COURSE BUT WHAT I GAINED EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS."