The 4th Annual
Essential Adolescent Literacy Conference
Highlighting Common Core Implementation
Conference Sponsors:
SERESC
The Southeastern Regional Education Service Center (SERESC) is a nonprofit center for educational support. Our mission is to "Inspire innovation and excellence in education and professional practice".
Keys to Literacy
Founded by Joan Sedita in 1998, Keys to Literacy has an exclusive focus on literacy. Keys to Literacy offers consulting, professional development, and publications related to: literacy planning, research-based reading and writing instruction, and comprehension and vocabulary strategies in the content classroom.
Wilson Language Training®
is dedicated to providing educators with the resources they need to help their students become fluent, independent readers. Wilson is a provider of research-based reading and spelling curricula partnering with universities and colleges, public and private schools, as well as clinics and adult education centers across the country to deliver teacher education linked to student achievement.
New England League of Middle Schools
With 600 member schools in six New England states,
NELMS is committed to offering quality professional development, advocacy for the important and unique middle years, networking, colleague support and educational services.
Who Should Attend?
Instructional Leaders, Reading/Literacy Specialists, Classroom Teachers,
Special Educators, Pre-service and Graduate Educators and Students.
Topics:
- Academic Vocabulary
- Science Literacy and Difficult Texts
- Multi-Tiered Instruction
- Open and Extended Responses
- Career and College Ready Writers
- Reading, Writing and Comprehension across the Disciplines
- Applying Webb’s DOK for Greater Understanding
- Literacy Assessment to Drive Instruction
- Critical Reading and Writing - Mathematics
- Close Reading
- Low/No Cost Technology to Support Struggling Readers & Writers
- Arts, Literacy and the Common Core
Schedule:
8:00-8:55 am Registration, Continental Breakfast
9:00-10:15 am Morning Sessions A, B, C, D
10:30-11:45 am Morning Sessions E, F, G, H
11:45-12:45 pm Lunch at SERESC, Browse Sponsor Tables, Move to Afternoon Sessions
12:45-2:00 pm Afternoon Sessions I, J, K, L
2:15-3:30 pm Afternoon Sessions M, N, O, P
Session A: 9:00 to 10:15 am
Common Core State Standards and Multi-tiered Instruction: How Do These Impact Individuals with Dyslexia?
Presenter: Deanna Fogarty, Wilson Language Training
Description: The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) state that students eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Educations Act (IDEA) must be challenged to excel within the general curriculum and be prepared for success in college, careers and other post-school endeavors. The session explores important considerations and describes how CCSS and multi-tiered implementation models may impact successful instruction of individuals with a language based learning disability or dyslexia.
Session B: 9:00 to 10:15 am
Best Practices for Teaching Academic Vocabulary in All Subjects
Presenter: Maureen Murgo, Keys to Literacy
Description: The Common Core State Standards emphasize teaching students the vocabulary they need to access grade level complex texts with a focus on “academic vocabulary”. Academic vocabulary is referred to as the language of schooling and is organized into two categories: general academic words (e.g., distribute, network, range, regulate) and subject specific academic works (e.g., polynomial, cytoplasm, federalism). This session will preset strategies for selecting academic words to teach and how to teach those words in-depth, including use of vocabulary templates and how to generate “user friendly” definitions. Participants will also be introduced to The Academic Word List (Coxhead 2000), a List of the 570 most common general academic word families.
Session C: 9:00 to 10:15 am
Science Literacy – Instruction for Comprehending Difficult Text
Presenter: Sandy Kent, SERESC
Description: The presenter, a former science teacher and SERESC NHREADS Consultant, will begin by reviewing differences in text structure, and then describe tools for helping students who are having difficulty comprehending material that is challenging because of text organization and vocabulary. Mapping, graphic organizers, pre-, during and after reading strategies will be applied to middle and high school content.
Session D: 9:00 to 10:15 am
Keys to Argument Writing
Presenter: Lisa Klein, Keys to Literacy
Description: Aligned to the Common Core opinion/argument writing standards, this workshop will present strategies for teaching this type of writing. Workshop topics will address: what is argument writing and how is it different from persuasive writing; the components of argument writing (claim, counterclaim, reasons, evidence, rebuttal); introductions, conclusions and transitions for argument writing.
Session E: 10:30-11:45 am
Applying Webb’s DOK to Promote Deeper Understanding
Presenter: Lyn Healy, SERESC
Description: Are you familiar with Webb’s DOK? Do you know how it aligns with Bloom’s Taxonomy? How do you make your lessons and assignments contribute to students’ understanding of your instruction? Come learn and be ready to share strategies for achieving this goal of the CCSS. Topics for discussion include Webb’s DOK and what it looks like as well as examining instruction and assessment strategies to provide students with the opportunity to reach a deeper understanding of content.
Session F: 10:30-11:45 am
Career and College Ready Writers – Helping Students Get Ready for the 21st Century Workforce
Presenter: Fred Wolff, SERESC
Description: Once students leave school and enter the workforce, either after high school or college, far too many are not prepared for the writing expectations they face. Both the types of writing they’ll be expected to create and the expectation to produce error-free writing often overwhelm many young employees. As the College Board’s National Commission on Writing stated in its 2004 Publication, Writing: A Ticket to Work…or a Ticket Out , “Writing is a threshold skill for both employment and promotion…In most cases, writing ability could be your ticket in, or it could be your ticket out.” So how much time do professionals spend writing in fields like chemistry, engineering, and auditing? And what types of writing do they create? This session will explore these questions and examine what schools can do to better prepare students for the world they will enter.
Session G: 10:30-11:45 am
Literacy Assessment Planning to Drive Instruction
Presenter: Joan Sedita, Keys to Literacy
Description: A school-wide plan for literacy assessment is necessary in order to provide multi-tiers of literacy instruction that addresses the needs of students with grade-level, advanced, and below grade-level reading skills. This workshop will provide an overview of a process for developing an assessment plan that includes creating a building-wide literacy planning team, conducting a self-study of current assessment practices, identifying assessment gaps, and prioritizing action steps to develop a long-term assessment plan. Types of assessments that address all five reading components (i.e. comprehension vocabulary, fluency, phonics, phonemic awareness) will be reviewed.
Session H: 10:30-11:45 am
Universal Design for Learning – Preparing the Way for All Students to Meet CCSS Literacy Standards
Presenter: Carol Kosnitsky, SERESC
Description: Learner variability and the increased expectations of the CCSS literacy standards can present challenges to even the best of teachers. In addition to learning the standards and reconsidering instructional strategies, teachers need to become keenly aware of the many barriers students may experience in classrooms – barriers that can adversely impact their ability to have meaningful engagement with the material. Universal Design for Learning provides a framework to help teachers identify and minimize these barriers, paving the way for increased student engagement. This session will provide an overview of the framework and the strategies and tools teachers can use right away to prepare the way for all students to meet these standards.
Session I: 12:45-2:00 pm
Planning a Writing Assignment in Any Content Area
Presenter: Lisa Klein, Keys to Literacy
Description: This session will present an overview of the “Writing Assignment Guide” (WAG) that is used by Keys to Literacy in professional development programs. The guide helps teachers of any subject develop writing assignments that set clear expectations for students. Participants will learn why it is important to plan the following aspects of a writing assignment: unit of content study and standards alignment; identification of authentic audience and purpose; identification of content, text structure, source, length and format requirements; writing scaffolds; and models of sample mentor writing. Samples of classroom WAGS will be provided.
Session J: 12:45-2:00 pm
What’s the Problem? Building the Critical Reading and Writing Skills Needed in Math
Presenter: Bill Atwood, Collins Education Associates
Session K: 12:45-2:00 pm
Close Reading: Teaching Students to be Metacognitive While Reading
Presenter: Joan Sedita, Keys to Literacy
Description: The Common Core literacy standards emphasize the use of challenging text and teaching students close and careful reading strategies in order to gain critical thinking skills. This session will present a routine for planning and delivering a close reading lesson. Participants will learn to select a sample text passage, insert text-based questions and annotations, and then use a think-aloud to conduct a close reading lesson.
Session L: 12:45-2:00 pm
Comprehension Step-by-Step
Presenter: Deanna Fogarty, Wilson Language Training
Description: This session is designed for those using the Wilson Reading System. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) call for a Staircase of Text Complexity. This is done as you progess through the Wilson Reading System with your students. This session explores more deeply this step-by-step comprehension work.
Session M: 2:15-3:30 pm
The ANSWER Key Routine to Extended Response
Presenter: Lisa Klein, Keys to Literacy
Description: This workshop will present an overview of a student routine for answering extended response question prompts. The routine includes these steps: (A) analyze the question; (N) note plan; (S) skim, read and select; (W) write the response; (ER) end by reviewing. This routine can be used to answer prompts of the type found on state assessments but participants will also be encouraged to develop their own prompts based on classroom content reading as a strategy for learning content.
Session N: 2:15-3:30 pm
Using Low and No-Cost Technology to Support Struggling Readers and Writers
Presenter: Sara Casassa
Description: Technology integration is both implied and explicitly stated in the English Language Arts Common Core Standards. Students are asked to make strategic use of media to present findings and conclusions, gather information from a wide array of media sources, evaluate different media sources, collaborate to create products, and apply learning in real world situations. In the 21st century, employing technology to foster these skills is imperative. By integrating technology as often as possible into our classrooms, we increase student engagement and build skills that every one of our students will need by the time they enter the workforce. There are dozens of free and low cost tools available that you can use to enhance students’ communication, critical thinking, and learning. In this breakout session, find out how to use blogs, wikis, concept mapping tools, live streaming and online classroom forums to help students master common core standards while growing as a collaborative learning community.
Session O: 2:15-3:30 pm
Combining Two-Column Notes, Topic Webs and Summarizing to Improve Content Reading Comprehension
Presenter: Maureen Murgo, Keys to Literacy
Description: Students need to actively engage with text in order to truly comprehend it. This workshop will review how teaching students to use topic webs and two-column notes helps them engage more while reading. Summarizing has been identified as one of the most effective comprehension strategies. Participants will also learn how webs and notes can be used to help students write summaries of what they have read.
Session P: 2:15-3:30 pm
Literacy, Arts and the Common Core
Presenter: Lyn Healy, SERESC
Description: Unified Arts teachers hold an essential key to students’ understanding of the Common Core State Standards. Attend this session to gain a deeper understanding of the standards. Then it’s time for a sneak preview - the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) is ready to release national standards for dance, media arts, music, theater and the visual arts. Come learn and discuss how the two sets of standards align and share strategies for achieving them. We will review CCSS with an emphasis on integration and discuss links between CCSS and the creative practices in the proposed National Core Arts Standards.
About the Presenters!
Friday, May 9, 2014
9:00am to 3:30pm
Check in starts at 8:00 am
Breakfast and Lunch at SERESC
Certificate of Attendance available for 5.5 Contact Hours
$145.00 early registration by 4/25/14-----Enter discount code: EARLY*REGISTRATION
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Cancellation Policy
Cancellation should be made in writing. A full refund will be made for cancellations postmarked, or sent via email, 7 days before the event.
No refunds will be given for requests received after 7 days before the event, or for "no shows". We do accept substitution of another person at our conference. 24 hours of notification is appreciated.
All received registrations are subject to Cancellation/Refund policy. Cost of registration fee is still liable whether payment is paid or unpaid, if no notice of cancellation is received at least 7 days prior to the event.
If minimum requirement enrollment is not met prior to the early registration deadline, the event may be postponed or canceled.
Location:
SERESC Conference Center
29 Commerce Drive
Bedford, NH 03110
603-206-6800
Our mission is to inspire innovation and excellence in education and professional practice, and our vision is to help organizations and individuals achieve their greatest potential as they learn, lead and grow. Our core values are innovation, excellence, integrity, and service.
Click below for directions
Email: pdservices@seresc.net
Website: www.seresc.net
Location: 29 Commerce Drive, Bedford, NH, United States
Phone: 603-206-6800