Take a peek inside our Literacy Masterminds PD! ??
The Literacy Architects
We break down complex literacy routines into bite-sized steps and host communities of practice on structured literacy.
This spring we wrapped up our series on Targeting Reading Needs with Advanced Decoding Instruction with DCPS teachers after spending twelve incredible weeks together. (Spring 2024 cohort, if you’re reading this – we miss you!) If you aren’t familiar with our Mastermind model, these PLCs are a mix of weekly meetings and asynchronous resources that provide teachers with the time and space to learn, adapt strategies to their classroom, collaborate with grade-level peers, and work towards full implementation of literacy routines that align with the science of reading.
This specific course addressed how to systematically target students’ needs in the area of multisyllabic word decoding in grades 3 and above. Participants learned about the six syllable types, syllable division patterns, and morphology.?
And they walked away with a host of ready-to-use resources, including:
- Decoding and encoding routines to use immediately with students
- Sample lesson plans
- Ideas for instructional activities and scaffolds
- Specific prompts to support students while reading
Here are a few takeaways from the teachers:
“This course has provided me with valuable tools to support my students in decoding and to get on the path to becoming fluent readers. I am able to use a variety of strategies to determine what works best for individual students and to enable them to move forward with their fluency so that they can move on to comprehension.†– Fourth Grade Teacher
“This course is insightful and will improve your instruction of advanced decoding. The strategies that I learned in this class helped me to get my students excited about syllables, morphemes, and even the etymology of words.†– Third Grade Teacher
“This is the training you need in your toolkit as an educator. You will walk away with all the learning and tools you need to facilitate strong literacy instruction.†– Multilingual Learners Teacher
“I highly recommend joining a Literacy Mastermind series to connect with colleagues and learn or refresh your learning on decoding, encoding, and morphology. This series was extremely helpful to bring new ideas for my practice and ensure I am teaching my students the best I can!†– Third-Grade Teacher
After the series ended, we were excited to see that 95% of teachers wanted to continue their learning with us next year and signed up to join our Literacy Masterminds Community portal.
We can’t wait to see how these teachers continue to implement their advanced decoding routines in the classroom next year!
If your school or district is considering how to support the multisyllabic word reading skills of students in 3rd through 12th grade, this 12-week PLC is the perfect opportunity to strengthen your skills while receiving the support you need to effectively implement literacy best practices. Reply to this email or fill out this form to learn more about this Literacy Masterminds PD series!
What We're Working On
?? Announcing June’s Literacy Leadership Network Topic: It Takes a Village: Engaging Families in Literacy Learning
??? Here's what's on the Literacy Leadership Network Calendar:
?? June 3: Live webinar to help you translate reading research into concrete plans for instructional change.
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?? June 4: Webinar recording + members-only resources and downloads so you can take your learning with you.
?? June 10: 2–4 short videos aligned to this month's topic so you can further your learning.
?? June 17: Live consultancy meeting to give you the time and space to receive feedback from and exchange ideas with peers.
?? Week of June 24: Office hours to ask our literacy specialists questions about your specific school or district situation.
New Self-Paced Courses!
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of three phonemic awareness self-paced mini-courses! These one-hour courses are live and only cost $9, however, this introductory pricing ends on May 31! Here are the details:
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
?Explain the relationship between phonological and phonemic awareness.
?Articulate the key principles of phonemic awareness instruction, according to current research.
?Segment words into phonemes.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
?Articulate the need for a phonemic awareness diagnostic survey.
?Administer a phonemic awareness diagnostic survey to your students.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
?Analyze data from a phonemic awareness diagnostic assessment.
?Utilize assessment data to determine students' instructional needs.
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