Embracing Literacy 2025 Events

Introduction:
In this presentation aimed at district coaches, teacher leaders, school leaders, and admin, we will dive into Structured Literacy Coaching and how it can transform and support literacy instruction at your school site. In this training, we explain the what, why, and how of this student-focused. Coaches will learn how to partner with teachers using dialogical communication tools, support their understanding of evidence-based Structured LIteracy practices, and upskill them on how to use data-based decision-making, a key tool in student literacy progress. Structured Literacy coaching is the key to taking teachers knowledgeable in the Science of Reading and getting them to effectively implement those practices with students. 

Objectives:
Recognize elements of Structured Literacy coaching, understand the dialogical approach, and reflect on your current coaching practice and determine how you might add dialogical tools to your coaching toolkit. 

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

If you have ever worked with middle or high school students with unfinished learning in reading, then you’ve likely struggled to identify evidence-based, age-appropriate, high-quality lessons or materials. This interactive session will introduce and model the key elements every secondary literacy intervention should incorporate into daily lessons and unit plans, as well as provide a step by step guide for how to create these lesson components. During the session, learners will participate in the hands-on creation of a weekly lesson plan for a literacy intervention class, and use resources to develop daily materials for students. Participants will leave with a process for developing their own curriculum moving forward, access to free resources, and the beginning of a unit to use with students that will accelerate their reading growth!

Objectives:
1. Review the key components of an evidence-based literacy intervention model for secondary students 
2. Learn the steps and processes for creating an integrated literacy intervention unit 
3. Develop and create literacy intervention lesson plans rooted in the Science of Reading 
4. Locate resources and develop “high-schoolized” materials to use with students. 

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
  
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
  
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?
  

What do phonemic awareness and letter knowledge have in common? They both contribute to the development of the alphabetic principle. Children's reading development depends on their understanding of this important principle – the idea that letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of spoken language. This fundamental knowledge and integration of phonemes and graphemes prepares children for reading and spelling. Utilizing key findings from research, educators will build on this understanding and leave with practical tools aligned to structured literacy principles to embed multisensory instruction of letter names, shapes, and sounds into their daily instruction. 

Objectives:
•   Define the alphabetic principle
•   Discuss considerations for integrating phonemic awareness and letter/sound instruction early on to promote reading •   Discuss the importance of letter name accuracy and automaticity
•   Identify iconic and non-iconic letters
•   Discuss the benefits of teaching letter formation using a continuous stroke and how explicit instruction helps                 children anchor letter names into memory 

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Introduction:
Secondary educators often face the challenge of supporting students who struggle with decoding and fluency, yet professional development in the Science of Reading is largely focused on elementary instruction. This session bridges that gap by providing research-based strategies tailored for middle and high school students.

Participants will clearly understand how the Science of Reading applies beyond the early grades and explore practical, age-appropriate methods for teaching decoding, fluency, and comprehension. The session will cover effective instructional approaches, adaptable interventions, and high-quality resources designed for secondary learners.

1. Understand how the Science of Reading applies to middle and high school students. 
2. Recognize the challenges faced by adolescent struggling readers and their impact on learning. 
3. Apply evidence-based decoding and fluency strategies in secondary classrooms. 
4. Utilize practical tools and resources to support older students in mastering foundational literacy skills. 
5. Support a schoolwide literacy approach by integrating structured literacy strategies across disciplines.

Objectives:
By the end of the workshop, attendees will leave with actionable strategies to implement in their classrooms, tools to assess and address literacy gaps, and a deeper understanding of how structured literacy can support struggling readers in content-area learning. Whether you are a classroom teacher, literacy coach, or administrator, this session will equip you with the knowledge and resources to enhance instruction and improve student outcomes. Conference attendees will find this session particularly valuable as it addresses a critical but often overlooked need—helping older students develop the foundational literacy skills they require for academic success.
Understand how the Science of Reading applies to middle and high school students. Recognize the challenges faced by adolescent struggling readers and their impact on learning. Apply evidence-based decoding and fluency strategies in secondary classrooms. Utilize practical tools and resources to support older students in mastering foundational literacy skills. Support a schoolwide literacy approach by integrating structured literacy strategies across disciplines.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Looking to enhance your MTSS skills but unsure where to start? Discover how we transformed and optimized our district-wide MTSS processes within just one year by leveraging the innovative features of Branching Minds, a proud partner of the Wyoming Department of Education. We streamlined our approach, making it easier for educators to implement effective interventions and support systems. Join us as we share our journey, the challenges we faced, and the strategies we employed to achieve impactful results. Whether you're a seasoned educator or new to the concept of MTSS, there's something valuable for everyone in our experience. Let’s explore how you can elevate your own MTSS practices and make a difference in your district!  

Objectives:

1. Identify Key Features: Recognize the essential features of Branching Minds that facilitate the implementation of MTSS in educational settings.
2. Explore Data Utilization: Analyze how Branching Minds enables the collection and utilization of student data to inform decision-making processes within MTSS frameworks.
3. Examine Intervention Strategies: Investigate the intervention strategies and tools available within Branching Minds that support tiered instruction in the MTSS model.
4. Evaluate Collaboration Mechanisms: Assess how Branching Minds promotes collaboration among educators, specialists, and families to enhance student support and engagement.
5. Implement Best Practices: Develop strategies for effectively implementing Branching Minds in your district to streamline MTSS processes and improve student outcomes.
6. Monitor Progress: Learn how to use Branching Minds to monitor and assess student progress on an ongoing basis within the MTSS framework.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?