Course Overview
Course description:
Through this course, teachers and leaders will learn how to incorporate the most effective, science-based reading practices into their instruction to ensure students can read proficiently by the start of 3rd grade. Participants will leverage current science of reading research to plan for and practice proven methods for individual, small group, and whole-class phonics and comprehension instruction. Scientific research shows there are five essential pillars of reading that children must be taught in order to learn to read: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Participants will study each of these pillars and learn practical methods for incorporating them into their literacy blocks. Additionally, during the course we will introduce five core systematic phonics routines that will help readers decode with accuracy. These phonics routines can work alongside any current systematic phonics curriculum. As part of this in-depth course, participants will also learn concrete methods for studying student reading data and creating action plans to support students in their own classrooms. Participants will leave confident in their own understanding of the science behind how children learn to read , and be ready to support all students in reading proficiently.
Recommended for:
Teachers and leaders in Grades K-3 eager to learn best practices for ensuring instruction is aligned to the latest science of reading research and the methods that will help students read on grade level.
Topics include:
- Gaining an understanding of the core tenets of the science of reading research and how children learn to read
- Deepening your understanding of the Five Pillars of Reading: Phonemic awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Comprehension and Fluency
- Practical methods for bringing the research into your daily literacy instruction
- Learning key qualities of effective phonics and comprehension classroom practices
- Analyzing beginning of the year student assessment data and student progression to adjust student groups on an ongoing basis
- Diagnosing readers and determining their highest leverage goals
- Understanding the purpose and structure of phonics and comprehension small groups
- Exploring high-interest decodable books to plan for targeted instruction
- Setting a clear vision for how to set goals and provide aligned individual coaching for students
- Planning and practicing a variety of small group structures aligned to the science of reading