Happy Holidays to IDLL and SOEL!

SOEL and IDLL Holiday

4T Virtual Conference!

The 4T Virtual Conference: May 21-23, 2016

Apply to present

Register to Attend

December

The IDLL Network

The Inquiry into Disciplinary Literacy and Learning met November 19 on the topic of disciplinary writing.  Our article for that day was Teaching with a Disciplinary Stance, examining the difference between content area literacy and disciplinary literacy. This will prepare the group for the Disciplinary Literacy Showcase on January 14, 2016 at EMU with professors and students.   

Teachers have SOEL! 

Classroom Snapshot #1: Study of Early Literacy elements of Vocabulary, Authentic Purposes for Literacy, & Integration

Text Set

In a collaboration between a K and a 1st grade SOEL teacher, their combined classroom spent time on a very intentional, and relevant project of campaigning and the election process.  Students learned to read, write, and speak about the election process using specific vocabulary words such as campaign, polling booth, debate, election, registration, and ballot, all collected in a journal.  The teachers acted as candidates themselves, modeling slogans and announcement speeches in their running for best Pumpkin Baker. After learning about the election and campaign process through modeling, text sets, and real world examples, students were able to sign up for specific jobs to run a campaign and election process, such as debate team, registration team, and being in charge of ballots. 

   At the end of the project, students created brochures to explain the election process which were then made available to voters on election day, since their school was used as a polling location.  This is purposeful and authentic literacy in action with our youngest learners!

Winter 2016 Professional Development 

BLiC-  Blended Learning in the Classroom 

*One face-to-face meeting January 20th 4:30-7:30, followed by 15 weeks online.

 This free Blended Learning in the Classroom course is led by a highly trained instructor and will prepare participants to effectively create their own blended environment. Through active and timely praxis, participants will engage in learning, application, review, and revision of their own blended environment. This course is for classroom teachers of students of all ages, covering the theory, pedagogy, and technical elements of online work in the blended classroom. Please see the informational video here.

*SCHECHS available 

 Register HERE 

Reading Apprenticeship Training:5 Day Cross Content 

This training is a full five days: February 22, 23, 24 AND March 22, 23  REGISTER HERE 

This updated training includes five full days of content with three trained facilitators, a binder of materials to use during and after the training, and a copy of the best-selling and newly updated book, Reading for Understanding, which describes the Reading Apprenticeship framework with examples from many subject area classrooms, ranging from middle school through community college.

 Reading Apprenticeship® is a research-based and research-proven instructional framework for improving the academic literacy of middle school, high school, and college students.

Three recent randomized controlled studies found that students in Reading Apprenticeship classrooms made significant gains in literacy and disciplinary knowledge. They also developed more positive academic identities and dispositions for reading and learning.

$250     SCHECHS Available  

November

Connected Reading

  On October 8th, Dr. Troy Hicks led a workshop on approaches for digital texts. As we adopt smartphones and tablets for 1:1 instruction, we need to review our efforts at comprehension instruction for all kinds of digital texts. Based on a survey of over 800 adolescents, Troy and participants discussed principles of "Connected Reading" and how we can adapt existing comprehension strategies in digital spaces, and explored new opportunities for finding, managing, and reflecting on digital texts. See our whole day documented on the companion Wikispace.

The SAT Essay  

4T Virtual Conference Needs Presenters!

     We are seeking motivated, imaginative, and forward-thinking educators to present at our 4T (Teachers Teaching Teachers about Technology) Virtual Conference in May 2016. These K-12 teachers and administrators use technology to enhance communication and learning in their classrooms and schools. Read more and apply HERE!

     Upcoming Professional Development

October

The IDLL Network

Our Inquiry into Disciplinary Literacy and Learning (IDLL) group met for the first time on September 24. With our foundation of Reading Apprenticeship and Writing Collaborative, we are coming together to take a deeper dive into the latest work around disciplinary literacy in grades 4-12. We read Collaborating for Success: The Vital Role of Content Teachers in Developing Disciplinary Literacy with Students in Grades 6-12.  Read with us if you'd like to get a taste for what IDLL is all about!

A Network with SOEL

The Study of Early Literacy (SOEL) network welcomed new members on September 30, launching our third year of learning and practice around early literacy instruction in grades PreK-3.  Some of our studies will include Dr. Tanya Wright's (MSU) All About Words and Dr. Nell Duke's  (UM) Information in Action.   

Finding Informational Text

Research has proven that students in all grades should be reading informational text throughout their day, but sometimes it is difficult to find appropriate informational texts outside the textbooks. ReadWorks.org has a collection of K-12 science articles, searchable passages by topic and lexile and grade level articles.

Upcoming Professional Development

SAVE THE DATE for the 4T Virtual Conference!

2015-2016 Literacy Professional Development Offerings

September

International Literacy Day

This happens to fall on our first day of school this year!  The International Literacy Association has named this year "People Power: Start a Literacy Movement." ILA provides an activity kit for all ages inspired by their focus country, the Philippines. You can also build a Little Free Library as a service project to celebrate literacy all year round. If you celebrate International Literacy Day, ILA asks that you share on social media with #ILD15 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

Michigan Reads! One Book One State Children's Book Program

This year's book is Do Unto Otters: A Book about Manners by Laurie Keller.  Are you new to Michigan Reads?  Check out the video , overview, and programming guide available from the Library of Michigan. 

Upcoming Professional Development

At Eastern Michigan University

EdCamp EMWP:

Total Contact Literacy

October 24, 2015

8:00am-4:30pm

Pray-Harrold Hall

Eastern Michigan University

More details at

http://edcampemwp.blogspot.com

August

 Back-to-School 

What's Your Name?

     Summer isn't quite over yet, but with August here, many of us will begin to think about starting the next school year.   Every year the vignette"My Name" from Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street  serves as a perfect piece to read and do a name activity with new students.  I first learned this activity in a teacher education class at MSU, but there are many adaptations.  Here are two covering various grade levels. These can also be shortened to one class period or less.

• ReadWriteThink: Investigating Names to Explore Personal History and Cultural Traditions. ( MS and HS)
• Using Literature to Prompt Writing Across the Grades-  My Name and Kevin Henkes's Chrysanthemum.  (Younger grades)

Upcoming Literacy Professional Development

Writing Collaborative in Literacy Today July/Aug 2015

Writing Collaborative was just published in the International Literacy Association's Literacy Today!



Literacy Today July/Aug 2015

July

Summer Reading for Educators

We share summer reading lists with students to keep them reading over the summer, but what about educators?  There are lists for you, too!  Education Closet's Summer 2015 Reading List has suggestions for professional learning, pleasure reading, family reads, and a look ahead to titles for your classroom next year.  

What are you reading this summer?   Share your titles in the comment section.   

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Summer Professional Development

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Echoes and Reflections:  Holocaust Education

August 27, 2015   8:30-3:30 at WISD

FREE and open to ALL Social Studies teachers in grades 6-12  

SCHECHS available

Lunch not provided

Echoes and Reflections is a comprehensive Holocaust education program that delivers professional development and a rich array of resources for middle and high school teachers. Echoes and Reflections prepares educators to teach about the Holocaust in a way that stimulates engagement and critical thinking while providing opportunities for students to see the relevance of this complex history to their own lives.
See more information HERE 

REGISTER HERE

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Fall 2015 Professional Development