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Adolescent Literacy

 

Adolescent Literacy Leader Institute

Research shows conclusively that the greatest impediment to sustained change is the lack of consistent and effective implementation support. This institute equips district administrators, site administrators, and leadership teams with a solid understanding of the issues for leadership focused on program implementation. At the secondary level, organizational and scheduling challenges are often serious impediments to implementing effective reading programs for all students. This institute includes practice with resources used to analyze data, observe classroom teaching, monitor implementation over time, and plan intervention with teachers and students, as well as options for scheduling. It also includes research readings that focus on the pressing issues of equity and the achievement gap.

Daily Content Coverage:

• Day 1 focuses on the scientific research on reading, particularly on issues for older struggling readers, the regional vision, the leadership role in program selection and implementation, diagnosing the school’s needs, and the challenges faced by secondary schools.
• Day 2 provides instruction and practice with the use of assessment data to improve student and teacher performance. It focuses on differentiated instruction for diverse learners—especially the challenges faced by secondary English learners and struggling readers. The selection and use of intervention texts to meet diverse needs is presented.
• Day 3 analyzes implementation success stories. It provides implementation resources, including a rubric to measure the six steps of success, a degrees of implementation packet, and classroom observation protocols. A framework that addresses the different needs of students and teachers involved in a fully implemented research-based program is presented.

For optimum results, leaders need additional hands-on practice observing in their own schools, calibrating observations, analyzing their own data, and making plans for strategic intervention. For district clients, CORE District Technical Assistance or Leader Practicum provides this opportunity. (For individual school clients, this work takes place during regular site visits by the CORE Consultant.)

Participant Outcomes:

• Prepare the leadership team to understand their roles in supporting full implementation.
• Prepare leaders to lead powerful instructional changes for significant academic improvement.
• Describe a support system for reading, including intervention and content teachers.
• Demonstrate the use of assessment data to target assistance for teachers and students and plan instructional interventions.

Levels: 6–12

Audience: Superintendents, district administrators, site administrators, and leadership teams, with coaches as determined by the client

Format: Three full days

Over $125 worth of professional materials: A Participant Resource Notebook containing research studies, classroom observation forms, forms for grade-level and department meetings, and materials for understanding and analysis of assessments. Program Resource Packets are provided for selected textbooks. Two professional references are included.

Location: On-site for a group of leaders or off-site at a regional location for individual participants. Click here to see current regional dates.

Reading Leader Practicum, Adolescent Literacy

This series of support sessions and classroom visits provides district and school administrators with practice using skills introduced at the Reading Leader Institute. These sessions serve as an opportunity for leadership teams to visit classrooms implementing intervention programs or comprehensive English/reading programs as well as to observe instructional strategies in content area classrooms.

The client (district, regional organization, or state) selects sites for demonstrations and arranges classroom visits in teams. Practicum days are arranged and budgeted separately from regular Site Implementation Visits. (For individual school clients, practicum work occurs during regular site visits.)

Participant Outcomes:

• Gain new skills essential to managing successful reading programs.
• Understand how to manage a seamless implementation in concert with reading team leaders.

Levels: 6–12

Audience: District and site administrators and teacher leader teams, with coaches as determined by the client

Format: CORE recommends at least three sessions; combination site work and workshops

Prerequisite: Must have attended a CORE Adolescent Literacy Leader Institute or equivalent

 

Adolescent Literacy Coach Institute

This two-day institute is designed for teacher leaders, department heads, and literacy coaches serving middle and high schools. Coaches functioning in these settings may have different tasks than coaches in elementary settings. Coaches learn to support literacy implementation across content areas and within reading and intervention classrooms. This institute is available to districts and is offered annually at national conference sites.

Coaches learn to

• Understand the issues and challenges struggling older readers face
• Learn the stages of reading development
• Practice three different phases of a coaching cycle
• Facilitate team, grade-level, or department data study and problem-solving meetings
• Understand the different levels of implementation and readiness teachers may demonstrate and ways to provide support

Daily Content Coverage:

• Day 1 focuses on the challenges for struggling older readers, research on effects of illiteracy at the secondary level, the research on coaching and the coach role in relationship to other leadership personnel, and the three phases of a coaching cycle.
• Day 2 highlights simulations of teacher and student scenarios, assessment resources and systems, data analysis and use, and effective ways to facilitate meetings and solve literacy problems.
• Both days include modeling of active reading and active engagement procedures.

Participant Outcomes:

• Apply a three-phased coaching cycle.
• Provide support for teachers working with intervention, core, and content materials.
• Help teachers collect and analyze assessment data to increase achievement.

Levels: 6–12

Audience: Teacher leaders, department heads, and literacy coaches

Format: Two days

Prerequisite: Participants must come prepared to demonstrate a 10-minute reading-related lesson

Materials: A Participant Resource Notebook containing research studies, classroom observation forms, forms for meetings, and materials for understanding and analysis of assessments. The CORE Reading Coach Video in DVD format (available as a VCR tape by request) and a professional reference book are also included.

Note: National events include three continental breakfasts and lunches.

Adolescent Literacy Coach Practicum

For district clients, CORE staff facilitates regular support sessions following the Adolescent Literacy Coach Institute. CORE Consultants mentor the coaches as they model lessons, and observe and debrief teachers. The Practicum also helps coaches learn to analyze test data, facilitate on-site collaborative conversations, and develop solutions to implementation challenges. Practicum activities can focus on any research-based basal program a district/school has adopted. Practicum days are arranged and budgeted separately from regular Site Implementation Visits. (For individual school clients, practicum work occurs during site visits.)

Participant Outcomes:

• Fully master skills and strategies for working with classroom teachers, including lesson modeling, classroom observation, and debriefing teachers.
• Practice assessment analysis skills and intervention planning.

Levels: K–8

Audience: District coaches and others who support implementation through coaching and lesson models

Format: For every five participants, four days of on-site follow-up preparation and practice

Prerequisite: Must have attended a CORE Adolescent Literacy Coach Institute or equivalent