Embracing Literacy 2024

In this session, Paul Black (School Psychologist) will discuss the complexities of learning, reading as a trigger to physiological stress and anxiety, and how to identify and manage this stress response so effective learning can take place. Attendees will leave with a greater appreciation for considering the emotional and physiological stressors associated with reading difficulties and simple solutions for managing these stressors.

Zoom Link  Passcode 221726
Descrption:
The Lost Children, Hello from the Other Side is designed to share the stories of two families and their dyslexic children. We will share the stories, heart wrenching at times, of how their children were lost in Wyoming public education system. One story encompasses the path of a student and parent who decided the best way to advocate for her child was to continue her education and obtained her masters degree in reading science. The other story is of a young man who never came home from the first day of his IEP in fifth grade. Despite no longer having a dyslexic child the parents are determined to partner with teachers and help the Wyoming education system do better. This will be a presentation from the eyes, mind and hearts of the other side of the table during parent teacher conferences, intervention meetings, and being a part of the IEP team. What teachers see on the surface is often the tip of the iceberg for these students. We will dispel the myths of what dyslexia looks like with the reality we and others have faced at home and at school.


Learning Objectives:
-Empathize with parents and understand the reality of a struggling student outside of the classroom;
-Understand the effects being lost in the education system has on their mental health;
-Help them learn what they can do to not lose and leave these children behind;
-Understand the parents’ perspective from the other side of the table where parents are trying to be the best advocate for their children in a system they do not understand

Credit Reflection Questions:
1. True or False: A family history of reading difficulties increases a child's odds of having it as well. 
2. True or False: Families in Wyoming have spent nearly $1 million out of pocket for struggling readers. 
3. True or False: You have at least one dyslexic student in your class each year. 


 

Recent research suggests that many educators know that rapid naming (RAN) predicts later reading, but many need clarification about how to use RAN data to make instructional decisions. During this session, we will learn what research has and has not uncovered about RAN. Then we will explore the implications of slow RAN for young learners, and we will dispel the myths surrounding rapid naming. Finally, we will take a journey from kindergarten to second grade with a student experiencing slow RAN and reveal the importance of the educational decisions we make for these students.

After this session, participants will be able to apply their knowledge of rapid automatized naming as part of data-driven decisions for early learners.


Questions to Consier:
1. What is RAN and what are the implications of slow RAN?
2. How can RAN inform the decisions we are making for our students?
3. What misconceptions about RAN do we need to be aware of and avoid?

When reviewing curricula for Tier I instruction, it is essential to ensure they do not include instructional practices that are not aligned with the scientific evidence base of how children learn to read.
The Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines are designed to highlight any non-aligned practices, or “red flags,” that may be present in the areas of:

• Word Recognition (phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and phonic decoding)
• Language Comprehension (background knowledge, vocabulary, knowledge of language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge)
• Writing (handwriting, spelling, composition)
• Fluency, Reading Comprehension, & Assessment

As The Reading League has recently published the Curriculum Navigation Reports, we will also briefly discuss this resource. For more information: https://www.thereadingleague.org/compass/

Questions
1) What is the purpose of TRL's Defining Guide?
2) What is meant by the term Red Flag in TRL's Curriculum Evaluation Guidlines?
3) How do TRL's new Curriculum Navigation Reports differ from the CLGs?

Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to a) introduce the evidence-based key instructional features of structured literacy, b) describe the specific language targets that can be addressed in multi-tiered, explicit, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and diagnostic language instruction and intervention, c) provide an overview of a general scope and sequence of structured literacy for language instruction/intervention, and d) provide participants an opportunity to practice implementing structured literacy for language.

Content: Participants will be introduced to evidence-based research which highlights the extent to which structured literacy for language can yield significant, large effect sizes on oral and written language outcomes. The methods used to implement multi-tiered, structured literacy for language in the research will be outlined in clear terms that can be readily applied to the classroom setting. Free resources will be shared with the participants so that they can immediately begin implementing structured literacy for language.

Goals and Outcomes:
Participants will be able to:
1. Understand a general scope and sequence for structured literacy for language instruction/intervention.
2. Identify specific language targets that can be addressed in multi-tiered, explicit, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and diagnostic language instruction.
3. Implement 10-30-minute large group and small group instruction/intervention for structured literacy for language.

When reviewing curricula for Tier I instruction, it is essential to ensure they do not include instructional practices that are not aligned with the scientific evidence base of how children learn to read.
The Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines are designed to highlight any non-aligned practices, or “red flags,” that may be present in the areas of:

• Word Recognition (phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and phonic decoding)
• Language Comprehension (background knowledge, vocabulary, knowledge of language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge)
• Writing (handwriting, spelling, composition)
• Fluency, Reading Comprehension, & Assessment

As The Reading League has recently published the Curriculum Navigation Reports, we will also briefly discuss this resource. For more information: https://www.thereadingleague.org/compass/
Questions
1) What is the purpose of TRL's Defining Guide?
2) What is meant by the term Red Flag in TRL's Curriculum Evaluation Guidlines?
3) How do TRL's new Curriculum Navigation Reports differ from the CLGs?

Discover easy-to-implement and time-efficient ways to revolutionize how you teach writing, all based in latest empirical studies and brain research. Learn an instructional framework that helps students generate fresh insights when they write about what they learn. Lead discussions in ways that invigorate close reading and deep thinking about texts, the basis of strong writing. Help your students become more strategic, independent and goal-oriented writers, and thinkers. Walk away with simple to use, practical, and powerful strategies with free resources that will help your students become more mindful, engaged and action-oriented writers.

Learner Outcomes
Understand the evidence-based framework of thinkSRSD. Learn how to use mnemonics and graphic organizers to build a well-structured piece of writing.



Credit Reflection Questions:
1) Why is thinkSRSD considered an evidence-based practice?
2)  How does the POWeR cycle promote Self-Regulation?
3) How does writing a gist statement build students' literacy skills?

Have you aimed to strengthen “Family Engagement” in your school or district, but don’t know where to start? Families play a significant role in a child’s cognitive development and are eager to support reading growth at home, yet, it can be daunting to involve families in their student’s academic goals. Come to learn how to empower ALL families to strengthen reading skills at home with simple, research-based methods and leave with actionable resources to share with families this Fall!

Learner Outcomes
Convey a concise and simple definition of the Science of Reading and its relevance -Provide families with a clear understanding of their child’s reading development and how to support at home -Share actionable home strategies and resources families can easily use at home to strengthen reading skills

When reviewing curricula for Tier I instruction, it is essential to ensure they do not include instructional practices that are not aligned with the scientific evidence base of how children learn to read.
The Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines are designed to highlight any non-aligned practices, or “red flags,” that may be present in the areas of:

• Word Recognition (phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and phonic decoding)
• Language Comprehension (background knowledge, vocabulary, knowledge of language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge)
• Writing (handwriting, spelling, composition)
• Fluency, Reading Comprehension, & Assessment

As The Reading League has recently published the Curriculum Navigation Reports, we will also briefly discuss this resource. For more information: https://www.thereadingleague.org/compass/

Session Description and Learning Objective
Teachers and administrators make countless decisions each day, from in-the-moment instructional choices to complex, long-term district planning. With this in mind, we will learn about three "anchors" to better understand big-picture ideas about the science of reading and inform educators' decisions. We will discuss various topics in the context of these enchors, including assessments and data, curriculum and text choice, and special populations such as English learners/emergent bilinguals and students with disabilities. Our learning objective is for participants to become comfortable using these anchors to guide their everyday instructional decision-making. 

Credit Reflection Questions

1. How does the Simple View of Reading help us better understand assessment data?
2. How can Scarborough's Rope help guide decisions about aligning types of texts (e.g. decodable texts, children's literature) with a lesson's purpose?
3. Using the language of the Four-Part Processing Model for Word Recognition, how can we plan instruction to meet the diverse needs of all learners?

Session Objectives: 1) Participants will be able to provide explicit note-taking instruction and facilitate oral practice strategies to help students comprehend grade-level materials. 2) Participants will be able to articulate one way they can incorporate these strategies into reading and writing instruction. 3) Participants will explain why the combination of note-taking and oral practice may be more beneficial for students than one of these strategies alone.
Detailed Description: This presentation will explain a note-taking and oral practice strategy intervention, Sketch and Speak, that has preliminary evidence of effectiveness to improve comprehension of informational texts for students who have language-related learning disabilities in later grades (i.e., grades 4-9). Studies of this intervention have been conducted with speech-language pathologists as the interventionists, primarily in 1-1 settings, though clinically this has been used with small groups of students with positive results. The goal of this session is to provide educators with an alternate strategy intervention for their toolbelt that could be useful for students who are adverse to writing notes in traditional forms. The note-taking strategies include pictography and bulleted note forms to decrease some demands of academic writing for struggling students. The addition of oral generation and practice of complete sentences to note-taking in this intervention also helps students who have difficulty with language to remember important information, including key vocabulary words, main ideas, and supporting details. By the end of this session, attendees will be able to explain the importance of this strategy combination in improving comprehension, implement the strategies on a variety of expository text types after hands-on practice, and apply this strategy intervention across the curriculum.

Reflection Questions: 1) What are the potential benefits of using pictography as a note-taking tool? 2) Why do you think teaching note-taking is hard and how could you enhance your practice with strategies you learned in this session? 3) What is one way you could use note-taking and oral practice together to improve comprehension of material?