Teacher Module Workshops

The Teacher Workshops are short 2-hour sessions that reinforce core knowledge and focus on topics addressing a significant component related to content and/or instruction in order to develop students' proficiency in reading and writing. These workshops support the implementation of all California adopted K-6 core language arts programs. Modules can be customized and delivered to meet the needs of your district/site. Contact Doris Abbott to schedule a Teacher Module Workshop at your district or school. Topics include . . .

Aspects of Academic Language

Explore the aspects of academic language
Examine the role of academic language in students' school success
Identify academic language used in core lessons across grades K-6
Identify unique needs of English learners relative to academic language

Creating a Context for Student Engagement

Define student engagement
Explore the teacher's role in creating the context with both management and instructional interactions
Study four interactive lesson factors that contribute to student engagement
Practice specific participation strategies to engage ALL learners

English Learners: Power in Preteaching

Study the guidelines and research-based recommendations for teaching English learners
Discuss the characteristics of powerful preteaching
Identify ways to maximize preteaching during the language arts block
Practice preparing a preteaching lesson to increase English learners' engagement and success

High-Quality Vocabulary Instruction

Study ways students learn new words
Examine characteristics of high-quality vocabulary instruction
Learn and practice strategies that enrich the vocabulary lessons in the district-adopted reading/language arts program

Improving Comprehension with Quality Questions

Why asking questions from all levels of Bloom's taxonomy improves comprehension
How questioning that takes students back to the text fosters improved achievement on standardized assessments
How framing questions and responses engages students at all reading and language levels

Morphology: Unlocking Words

How morphology supports spelling and vocabulary acquisition
What academic language and concepts are required to explicitly teach morphology
Where and how morphology is taught in the core
What morphological structures in English might be problematic for English learners

Prewriting: Well Begun Is Half Done

Why prewriting is a worthy investment
What critical supports to include in every prewriting lesson
How elaboration on core lessons ensures successful writing by all students
How prewriting supports English learners

Routines: Power in Procedures

The role that procedures play within a routine to create a successful learning environment
How to identify and explicitly teach procedures to strengthen instructional routines
Why consistency of instructional routines is critical for special needs students and English learners

Sounds & Spellings: Principles to Teach By

Why it is easier and more logical to teach phonics from sound to spelling
How to teach, review, and practice the information on the Sound/Spelling Cards
Why sounds in English may be challenging for English learners

Spelling: Beyond the List

Why spelling is an important skill for proficiency
How to teach spelling beyond the list
What strategies will help struggling spellers

Text Structure: Get the Message?

How knowledge of text structure improves comprehension
How to use graphic organizers as tools for exposing text structures
How linguistic clues (signal words) support students in using text structure as an aid to comprehension
How to preteach opportunities for English learners and struggling readers

Universal Access: Practice With a Purpose

Universal Access—what it is, why we provide it, and when
Steps to plan purposeful independent student work
Ways to vary and differentiate independent work

Universal Access: Teaching Small Groups

What universal access requires
Why small-group teaching is critical for ensuring universal access
How to identify needs, content, and adjustments that maximize differentiated instruction during teacher-led groups
Which students need more explicit and intensive small-group teaching

Verbs: To Be or Not To Be

What grammar is and why understanding it is worthwhile
Kinds of verbs, verb tenses, and subject/verb agreement
Verbs across the K-6 Reading/Language Arts standards
Student writing to identify grammatical errors
Grammatical errors made by English learners to determine any connections to primary language structures and to consider appropriate feedback

Vocabulary: Wake Up to Words

Word Consciousness—what it is, why it is important
Ways teachers can foster word consciousness
Opportunities for word consciousness in the core program
Techniques that support English learners with word consciousness

Writing Fluency

Define the component skills of writing
Identify how the component skills contribute to writing fluency allowing students to focus on composition
Examine how the instructional materials support teaching the component skills

Questions? Contact rlcsupport@scoe.net