How does authentic meaning-making with students who are truly engaged in thinking look and sound and feel? Is this level of engagement truly possible in this day of standards and testing? And, how does a teacher ensure all kids are “on level”? Join Debra in this webinar series to explore how we can support all of our students to think and talk in ways that ensure both engagement and achievement.
These webinars, recorded from November 2019-March 2020, are designed to provide support for educators looking to study their own instructional practice. They offer practical ideas alongside the theoretical basis for decision-making.
Shared Reading: Session 1 – Good First Teaching for All Pre-K, K, and 1st grade Readers, Using Lift Off to Literacy Copy
This session focuses on the intention behind the Shared Reading Approach. What is the purpose of Shared Reading in a rich thinking and talking curriculum? What is the role of repeated readings in Shared Reading to develop and expand language? What do we consider when choosing texts for engaging and thoughtful Shared Reading? How do we design lessons to [...]
Shared Reading: Session 2 – Extending Shared Reading for Emergent and Early Readers, Using Lift Off to Literacy Copy
This session focuses on the kinds of instruction that occur once the text has become familiar to students. What happens after we read the shared reading book? What opportunities for learning does the book offer? extending oral language and comprehension through discussions developing vocabulary knowledge exploring how words work applying foundational skills in context How can we determine appropriate [...]
Shared Reading: Session 3 – Extending Shared Reading for Emergent and Early Readers Through Writing, Using Lift Off to Literacy
This session focuses on how to bridge reading and writing instruction using Shared Reading texts. What else happens after we read the shared reading book? What opportunities for learning through writing does the book offer? Modeled Writing Shared Writing Extensions How can we support students to apply foundational skills through writing? How can we determine appropriate teaching points within [...]
Guided Reading: Session 1 – Collaborative Meaning-Making in Small Group Copy
This K-5 session focuses on coming to a common definition of guided reading designed to support student meaning-making.What is Guided Reading?What best practices are critical for an engaging and effective small group lesson?What does it mean to co-construct meaning?What role does purposeful talk play in small groups? How is talking well about a text taught?
Guided Reading: Session 2 – Focusing on Learners
This K-5 session focuses on assessments and grouping for guided reading. What assessments are necessary to inform instruction? How do I use a continuum of reading behaviors to assess and group students? How does instruction in small group change over the year and across the grades? How do I group my students and how often should I change my [...]
Guided Reading: Session 3 – Learning about Supports and Challenges in Texts Copy
This K-5 session explains the use of supports and challenges within leveled texts. What are supports and challenges in leveled texts? What does a “level” mean? What is the difference between a leveled text and a text that has been leveled? How does a teacher look beyond the level when selecting a text?
Guided Reading: Session 4 – Lessons with Emergent Readers Copy
This session focuses on lesson structure and facilitation for discussion. It highlights readers working in Levels A-D. (Grades K-1) What reading behaviors, understandings, and attitudes describe readers at these reading stages? What supports and challenges are built in to leveled texts for these readers? What does a lesson with students reading at these levels look and sound like? What [...]
Guided Reading: Session 5 – Lessons with Early/Transitional Readers Copy
This session focuses on lesson structure and facilitation for discussion. It highlights readers working in Levels E-H. (Grades K-2) What reading behaviors, understandings, and attitudes describe readers at these reading stages? What supports and challenges are built in to leveled texts for these readers? What does a lesson with students reading at these levels look and sound like? What [...]
Guided Reading: Session 6 – Lessons with Fluent Readers Copy
This session focuses on lesson structure and facilitation for discussion. It highlights readers working in Levels I-N. (Grades 2-5) What reading behaviors, understandings, and attitudes describe readers at these reading stages? What supports and challenges are built in to leveled texts for these readers? What does a lesson with students reading at these levels look and sound like? What [...]
Guided Reading: Session 7 – Lessons with Advanced Readers
This session focuses on lesson structure and facilitation for discussion. It highlights readers working in Levels O+. (Grades 3-5) What reading behaviors, understandings, and attitudes describe readers at these reading stages? What supports and challenges are built in to leveled texts for these readers? What does a lesson with students reading at these levels look and sound like? What [...]