2012-2013 National Professional Development Programs

2012-2013 National Webinar Programs (Continued)Literacy Series: Improving Literacy Instruction Using the Common Core State or Other Rigorous Standards for Middle GradesFALL 2012 – SPRING 2013SERIES 2: MIDDLE GRADESWHY YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATE• Learn about the CCSS for literacy for grades six through 12 and how they impactcurrent instructional practices.• See how literacy standards can be embedded into classroom assignments in socialstudies, science and exploratory courses so that middle grades programs better preparestudents for challenging high school studies.• Use prototypes of robust literacy assignments from various content areas to seeinterdisciplinary connections as a way to provide extended practice needed to advancestudents’ reading, writing and thinking skills.• Use the LDC framework to set clear expectations for student performance of specificliteracy skills on classroom assessments.• Use assessment information from the LDC to practice an efficient way of makingadjustments to the rigor of literacy assignments to differentiate instruction.• Develop an action plan for building a repository of rigorous standards-based literacyassignments to be used for sustaining schoolwide literacy efforts.Literacy Series: Improving Literacy Instruction Using the Common Core State or Other Rigorous Standards for High SchoolFALL 2012 – SPRING 2013SERIES 3: HIGH SCHOOLWHO SHOULD ATTENDParticipating teams should include English teachers from each grade level, the Englishdepartment head, the literacy coach, representatives from other subject areas and adistrict supervisor. These individuals — along with the principal, assistant principal orinstructional supervisor — will serve as professional developers by sharing the Webinarcontent with colleagues and promoting interdisciplinary efforts to advance students’reading, writing and thinking skills. Ideally, a postsecondary partner from the localcommunity or technical college should participate to build common understanding ofpostsecondary expectations and determine ways to help more graduates avoid remedialEnglish/langauge arts courses in college.WHY YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATEThis Webinar series is an ideal way for a team of teacher-leaders to begin an action planfor designing a literacy-rich high school experience. Too many high school graduates needremedial courses in college or lack the comprehension and analytical skills demanded byemployers to advance in a chosen career pathway. The Webinar series has been designedto address this gap by familiarizing high school English and core content teachers withthe CCSS and LDC framework for preparing all students to be college- and career-ready.The goal is to collaborate across disciplines to build a robust literacy environment usingpromising techniques and tools to drive the school’s literacy efforts. During the Webinarseries, participants will share lesson plans, participate in a peer-review process to improvetheir work and become part of a PLC that continues to collaborate to identify rigorousliteracy assignments. Sessions will include presentations of successful schoolwide literacyefforts and brainstorming of solutions to challenges encountered.WHY YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATE• Understand how the CCSS are organized and focus on literacy achievement.• Translate literacy standards into what we ask students to do (assignments) and how weknow they can do it (assessments).• Understand the value of new techniques and processes to accurately determinestudents’ mastery of current literacy skills needed for successful completion ofclassroom assignments and to adjust instruction to meet students’ needs.• Learn about engaging classroom strategies help students learn individually, (in smallgroups and as a whole class), make instruction more engaging and create a rich,schoolwide literacy environment.• See the value of transitional English/language arts courses for incoming freshmen andunder-prepared seniors to strengthen current programs of study.• Develop and implement an action plan to redeliver Webinar content to other faculty.15