Science of Teaching Reading

How To Teach Reading As Both a Science and An Art

October 11, 2023  |  8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Presenter: Dr. Chase Young

Grade Level: K–8

Dr. Chase Young, a former elementary teacher and literacy coach, is a professor in the School of Teaching and Learning at Sam Houston State University, co-author of Artfully Teaching the Science of Reading, and current editor of Literacy Research and Instruction. His research primarily aims to develop fluent readers, support struggling readers, and integrate art into the science of teaching reading. 

Session Summary: Teaching reading is more than a science—it’s also an art. Teachers can use reading research to engage students in artful, engaging, and authentic instruction. We examine the evidence in major components of reading instruction, and explore innovative ways to teach them. A primary theme of this session is to promote the importance of teacher agency and how it can be associated with more effective instruction.

Learn more here.

How to Teach Big Words to Young Readers: Decoding, Understanding, and Spelling Multisyllabic, Multi-Morphemic Words

November 2, 2023  |  8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Presenter: Dr. Heidi Mesmer

Grade Level: K–2

A former classroom teacher, Dr. Heidi Mesmer works extensively with teachers, schools, and young readers, directing school-based initiatives to improve reading instruction. She studies beginning reading instruction and text difficulty and her work has been published in Reading Research Quarterly, The Educational Researcher, Elementary School Journal, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, and other outlets. Her recent books include Letter Lessons and First Words: Phonics Foundations that Work (Heinemann, 2019) and Alphabetics for Emerging Learners: Building Strong Reading Foundations in PreK (Routledge, 2021).

Session Summary: Participants will leave this session equipped with (a) information about how word parts of big words work (syllables and morphemes); (b) a scope and sequence for teaching word parts, with special attention to addressing appropriate parts K–1; (c) strategies and techniques for teaching the many different word parts that advance students’ decoding and understanding (e.g., inflections, derivational morphemes, bound roots, compounds, affixes). Learn more and register here.

Concrete Ways to Teach Argumentation

January 17, 2024  |  8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Presenter: Kathy Glass

Grade Level: 4–12

Kathy Tuchman Glass empowers teachers to maximize student potential. She is a consultant, trainer, and former classroom teacher with more than twenty-five years of experience in education. Additionally, she is an accomplished author of over a dozen books including The Art and Science of Teaching Writing co-authored with Robert J. Marzano, (Re)Designing Argumentation Writing Units, and more.

Recognized for her expertise in myriad areas around curriculum and instruction, she provides dynamic and interactive professional learning to 4-12 educators.  Among her topics include differentiated instruction, standards work around English language arts, instructional strategies, assessments, and backward planning for unit and lesson design.

Session Summary: Kathy Glass will differentiate between argumentation and persuasive writing, share ways to launch an argumentation writing unit, show how to teach students to write an effective thesis statement for articulating their position or viewpoint, and provide ways to use student samples to improve writing. Additionally, she will share templates for crafting an argumentation writing prompt, provide an argumentation checklist and rubric, and explain how to use these tools within instruction. The use of laptops or Chromebooks is encouraged in order to fully participate in this session. The valuable and useful resources shared in this session are from Kathy Glass’s book (Re)Designing Argumentation Writing Units. Learn more and register here.

STR and the Brain

February 20, 2024  |  8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Presenter: Dr. Carolyn Strom

Grade Level: K–5

Dr. Carolyn Strom is a clinical professor, reading specialist, and former first grade teacher.  Her work centers on bridging the disconnect between neuroscientific research and instructional practices used in public schools, preschools, and daycare settings. She collaborates widely with districts, teachers, and ed tech organizations; currently, she is leading an initiative for early childhood educators and families called 'Cortex in the Classroom,' which centers on the practical application of reading science in early childhood. Carolyn is a recent recipient of NYU Steinhardt's Teaching Excellence Award (2023) and has published her work in The Reading Teacher, The Reading League Journal, and The Handbook of Learning Disabilities.  She maintains a clinical practice in New York City, where she works with children who have dyslexia and related reading difficulties.

Session Summary: What do findings from cognitive neuroscience mean for early reading instruction? Most importantly, what are the concrete implications for classroom practice? During this session. Dr. Strom will focus on the science behind early reading and spelling development - and how to apply findings to classrooms. We will center our discussion on three key design principles of the brain and their implications for educators. This session will be interactive and participants will leave with actionable insights, frameworks, and methods to apply in their work with early readers and with teachers of reading.  Learn more and register here.

Concrete Ways to Teach Narrative Writing
March 20, 2024  |  8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Presenter: Kathy Glass

Grade Level: 5–12

Kathy Tuchman Glass empowers teachers to maximize student potential. She is a consultant, trainer, and former classroom teacher with more than twenty-five years of experience in education. Additionally, she is an accomplished author of over a dozen books including The Art and Science of Teaching Writing co-authored with Robert J. Marzano, (Re)Designing Argumentation Writing Units, and more.

Recognized for her expertise in myriad areas around curriculum and instruction, she provides dynamic and interactive professional learning to 4-12 educators.  Among her topics include differentiated instruction, standards work around English language arts, instructional strategies, assessments, and backward planning for unit and lesson design.

Session Summary: In this interactive virtual session, participants will receive materials, resources, strategies, and assessments for how to teach narrative writing in grades 5-12. Kathy Glass will briefly review the genres within the narrative text type, share ideas to launch a narrative writing unit, provide ways to use student samples to improve writing, and model engaging lessons with aligned assessments. Additionally, she will share ideas for how to craft narrative writing tasks, provide a narrative checklist and rubric, and explain how to use these tools within instruction. The use of laptops or Chromebooks is encouraged in order to fully participate in this session. The valuable and useful resources that will be shared are from Kathy Glass’s book (Re)Designing Narrative Writing Units. Learn more and register here.

Understanding How to Implement the Science of Reading

May 8, 2024  |  8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Presenter: Sharon Vaughn

Grade Level: K–12

This session will provide clear guidance about the Science of Reading and how it can be used to bring effective practices for students to life in classrooms.  How to use explicit instruction with practice within all of the critical foundation skills of reading (e.g., phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) will be described in practical ways that are immediately applicable in your classroom.  Look forward to an engaging time learning how to make teaching reading for comprehension an exciting process.

Session Summary: This session will provide clear guidance about the Science of Reading and how it can be used to bring effective practices for students to life in classrooms.  How to use explicit instruction with practice within all of the critical foundation skills of reading (e.g., phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) will be described in practical ways that are immediately applicable in your classroom.  Look forward to an engaging time learning how to make teaching reading for comprehension an exciting process. Learn more and register here.