Regional Workshops

Rev Up Your Reading Conferences: Using Formative Assessments to Drive Students Forward and Cultivate Agency  (K-2) (3-6)
Aug
5
to Aug 4

Rev Up Your Reading Conferences: Using Formative Assessments to Drive Students Forward and Cultivate Agency (K-2) (3-6)

Are you ready to rev your engines and get on the fast track to becoming an expert in conferring with readers? Look no further!

In these courses, geared specifically with the grade K-2 or 3-6 student in mind, you will learn a variety of methods for gathering data on readers and providing effective, in-the-moment feedback that capitalizes on each teachable moment. You'll be able to pinpoint students' needs and keep pace with their progress by uncovering the next steps and possibilities for follow-up teaching.

Erik's techniques are designed to help students develop into independent readers, and he'll teach you how to use a variety of lenses to get a comprehensive view of each reader's unique strengths and challenges. You'll be able to stay ahead of the pack by targeting what readers need today and providing the support they require to keep growing.

This course comes equipped with valuable downloadable resources that includes various checklists to assist you in engaging in an effective reading conference.

If you're ready to take your conferring skills to the next level and become a true expert in helping students develop their reading skills, sign up for Erik's course today!

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Turbo-Charged Writing Conferences: Using Formative Assessments to Drive Student Writing K-2 & 3-6
Aug
5
to Aug 4

Turbo-Charged Writing Conferences: Using Formative Assessments to Drive Student Writing K-2 & 3-6

Love it or hate it, writing is among the most important skills that you will teach your students. Join Erik Lepis, well-known literacy expert and author, who will guide you as to how to assess student writing and use conferring to develop their writing across genres. 

Erik understands that assessing a writer involves much more than just reading a student's piece of writing. In order to truly uncover what a writer needs, we must get a complete picture of the writer -- their habits, identity, process, and the qualities of good writing that their writing exhibits. To do this, educators must look through multiple lenses and use a variety of assessment methods. 

During these courses, you will be provided the "look fors" when observing a writer, auditing their materials, interviewing them, and reading the writing. But most importantly, you will be instructed as to how to effectively conduct writing conferences to use the data you’ve gathered to help propel writers forward. In a special bonus chapter, you will also learn about the stages of the writing process, appropriate for K-2 or for grade 3-6 students, and how to assess and work with your students during these various stages.

You will be invited to participate in various “pit stops”, throughout, which contain guided self-reflection points, enabling you to reflect on your own teaching practice. You will also be equipped with course collateral that you can use to enhance your teaching practice and optimize your students’ writing. Join Erik in this practical and engaging course.

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Understanding Dyslexia: Research Supported Screeners, Strategies, and Methods that Work
Jan
15

Understanding Dyslexia: Research Supported Screeners, Strategies, and Methods that Work

In this workshop, educators will learn the most current research on how to best support students with dyslexia. Educators will look at the most commonly used screeners and what they offer, as well as signs at each grade level that students may need specific support. Educators will walk away with research-based strategies they can use to identify and effectively teach studenst with dyslexia.

Educators will learn:

  1. What dyslexia is (and is not)

  2. Signs of dyslexia at different age/grade levels from preschool to 4th grade and beyond

  3. What to look for in screeners

  4. How to give and interpret data from screeners to drive interventions

  5. Critical elements of teaching students with dyslexia

  6. Orthographic mapping routines that work for students with dyslexia

  7. How explicit instruction supports all-and specifically students with dyslexia

  8. Strategies and instructional methods that work for the dyslexic brain

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Demystifying the Science of Reading: Practical Knowledge and Strategies for Educators
Feb
4
to Apr 11

Demystifying the Science of Reading: Practical Knowledge and Strategies for Educators

This three day workshop series is designed for K-8 educators interested in the latest research on how we learn to read will leave participants feeling empowered with the knowledge and tools to support all students on their reading journey. Over the course of the three days we will study the five pillars of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics (including alphabetic principle and orthography), fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Within each "pillar” we will give recommendations and practical models for assessments, small group instruction, and progress monitoring.

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Wizards, Wands, and Whatsits: Portals to Fantasy Reading and Writing in Middle School
Feb
6

Wizards, Wands, and Whatsits: Portals to Fantasy Reading and Writing in Middle School

In this session, teachers will learn how to teach fantasy reading and writing-a genre that includes both science fiction and dystopian fiction (for older readers). In one-half of the session, teachers will learn the explicit teaching points that can clear-up common confusions and unlock deeper meaning for readers. In the second half of the session, they will learn strategies that support writers as they create fantasy stories that revisit narrative standards in ways that are fresh, engaging, and fun. Teachers will learn:
• Reading comprehension strategies that unlock fantasy and dystopian genres
• Common tropes of fantasy writing
• Methods of craft analysis that make specific narrative qualities clear to students
• To look at narrative standards with a fantasy/dystopian lens

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Exploring the Qualities of Writing Across Text Types: Strategies that Push Writers to Excellence
Mar
4

Exploring the Qualities of Writing Across Text Types: Strategies that Push Writers to Excellence

In this session, teachers will take a deep-dive into the qualities of good writing across information, narrative, and opinion/argument writing. Understanding the specific attributes that make for quality writing allow teachers to assess writing well, select meaningful goals for student writers, construct clear teaching points, and demonstrate skills and strategies in ways that support transfer. There is no better way to feel more confident as a writing teacher than to understand what makes writing powerful! Teachers will walk away with:

• An understanding of qualities of writing that cut across text types

• Strategies for making those qualities of writing clear to students

• Methods for teaching that allow for the transfer of skills

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Understanding Dyslexia: Research Supported Screeners, Strategies, and Methods that Work
Apr
30

Understanding Dyslexia: Research Supported Screeners, Strategies, and Methods that Work

In this workshop, educators will learn the most current research on how to best support students with dyslexia. Educators will look at the most commonly used screeners and what they offer, as well as signs at each grade level that students may need specific support. Educators will walk away with research-based strategies they can use to identify and effectively teach studenst with dyslexia.

Educators will learn:

  1. What dyslexia is (and is not)

  2. Signs of dyslexia at different age/grade levels from preschool to 4th grade and beyond

  3. What to look for in screeners

  4. How to give and interpret data from screeners to drive interventions

  5. Critical elements of teaching students with dyslexia

  6. Orthographic mapping routines that work for students with dyslexia

  7. How explicit instruction supports all-and specifically students with dyslexia

  8. Strategies and instructional methods that work for the dyslexic brain

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Understanding Dyslexia: Research Supported Screeners, Strategies, and Methods that Work
Dec
13

Understanding Dyslexia: Research Supported Screeners, Strategies, and Methods that Work

In this workshop, educators will learn the most current research on how to best support students with dyslexia. Educators will look at the most commonly used screeners and what they offer, as well as signs at each grade level that students may need specific support. Educators will walk away with research-based strategies they can use to identify and effectively teach studenst with dyslexia.

Educators will learn:

  1. What dyslexia is (and is not)

  2. Signs of dyslexia at different age/grade levels from preschool to 4th grade and beyond

  3. What to look for in screeners

  4. How to give and interpret data from screeners to drive interventions

  5. Critical elements of teaching students with dyslexia

  6. Orthographic mapping routines that work for students with dyslexia

  7. How explicit instruction supports all-and specifically students with dyslexia

  8. Strategies and instructional methods that work for the dyslexic brain

View Event →
Understanding Dyslexia: Research Supported Screeners, Strategies, and Methods that Work
Dec
9

Understanding Dyslexia: Research Supported Screeners, Strategies, and Methods that Work

In this workshop, educators will learn the most current research on how to best support students with dyslexia. Educators will look at the most commonly used screeners and what they offer, as well as signs at each grade level that students may need specific support. Educators will walk away with research-based strategies they can use to identify and effectively teach studenst with dyslexia.

Educators will learn:

  1. What dyslexia is (and is not)

  2. Signs of dyslexia at different age/grade levels from preschool to 4th grade and beyond

  3. What to look for in screeners

  4. How to give and interpret data from screeners to drive interventions

  5. Critical elements of teaching students with dyslexia

  6. Orthographic mapping routines that work for students with dyslexia

  7. How explicit instruction supports all-and specifically students with dyslexia

  8. Strategies and instructional methods that work for the dyslexic brain

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Bridging Science & Research: Integrating the Science of Reading with Balanced Literacy for High Quality Literacy Instruction for All - Western Suffolk BOCES
Nov
22

Bridging Science & Research: Integrating the Science of Reading with Balanced Literacy for High Quality Literacy Instruction for All - Western Suffolk BOCES

In this one-day workshop, we aim to clarify some of the misconceptions around Balanced Literacy practices and Structured Literacy in order to create a safe space where both philosophies can live in harmony and support educators with the best tools possible to meet the needs of all students. Finding a middle ground and opening our minds and hearts to allow for inquiry, investigation, and conversation will enrich and evolve our practice aligned with a common goal — helping children become proficient and successful life long readers.

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Orthographic Mapping: Teaching Principles of Phonics and Word Study in Ways that Stick
Nov
13

Orthographic Mapping: Teaching Principles of Phonics and Word Study in Ways that Stick

In this session, educators will explore orthographic mapping - the process of forming letter-sound connections in order to commit spellings, pronunciations, and meanings of words to memory. Through morpheme and sound spelling analysis, educators will learn strategies that help students map words for automaticity.

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Content Area Literacy: Strategic Reading and Writing in Science and Social Studies
Oct
25

Content Area Literacy: Strategic Reading and Writing in Science and Social Studies

Research shows that writing about what we are learning is a way to solidify that learning in our minds. In this session, teachers will learn ways to use writing not only as a way to make content learning stick, but also as a way to teach crucial writing skills. We will explore ways to support nonfiction comprehension, allowing students to make more of their reading. Teachers will learn:

• Key, research-backed, comprehension strategies for reading nonfiction texts

• Methods to increase students' background information and vocabulary that allows learning to stick

• Low-stakes ways to use writing as a tool to learn content

• Ideas for bringing content into writing that increase students' understanding of structures, elaboration, grammar and vocabulary

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