Elementary Online Language & Literacy Academy
Helps K–6 teachers apply Structured Literacy in ways that work for every learner.
OL&LA Elementary is a comprehensive, IDA-accredited professional learning course grounded in the understanding that spoken language is the foundation of literacy. It helps educators connect language and literacy to deliver evidence-based instruction that works for all students—including Multilingual Learners, English variety speakers, students with dyslexia, and more.
Your Structured Literacy Toolkit
Participant Outcomes:
Reach Every Student with Structured Literacy
Deliver instruction that supports all learners, instead of one-size-fits-all approaches.
Bring Structured Literacy Into Daily Practice
Apply the core components of reading instruction with evidence-based practices and tools.
Teach Reading With Deeper Clarity
Understand how spoken language supports literacy and use that insight to strengthen teaching.
Use Data to Drive Better Decisions
Make real-time instructional choices based on assessments of student needs.
Build Shared Expertise Across Classrooms
Establish a consistent, evidence-based approach to reading across your school or district.
Get a closer look at what makes OL&LA different.
Evidence-based – built on what works.
Bite-sized – built for busy days.
Actionable – built to use right away.
Get in Touch
Get the answers you need to support educators with lasting, language-informed Structured Literacy professional learning
This course is for individuals or teams of educators who want to learn effective standards-aligned and scientifically research-based reading practices for all learners. Participants will need regular access to computers with an internet connection and proficiency with email and current internet browsers.
- K–6 teachers
- Special education teachers (K–12)
- Reading specialists (K–12)
- Paraprofessionals
- Preservice teachers or classes
At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Identify the five essential components of evidence-based reading instruction.
- Identify the best practices and explicit methods to develop phonemic awareness, phonics and irregular and multisyllabic word knowledge, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and literary and informational text knowledge.
- Understand the factors that contribute to and affect reading comprehension, including the influence of oral language development.
- Identify and use techniques to support oral and academic language development for linguistically diverse students, including Multilingual Learners, English variety speakers, and students with dyslexia.
- Explore the structure of English and other language systems, including Spanish.
- Understand the definition of dyslexia, common warning signs by grade level, and evidence-based instructional practices and accommodations to meet the educational needs of students with dyslexia.
- Learn how to use informal diagnostic measures of phonological awareness, decoding, fluency vocabulary, and comprehension as a basis for instructional decisions.
OL&LA is available in several format options to meet your preferred learning style and schedule, including:
- Fully asynchronous, self-paced
- Asynchronous cohort with three CORE facilitator-led virtual live sessions
- Asynchronous cohort led by in-district facilitators who have completed the OL&LA Cohort Leader (OCL) Certification course.
Please contact us for pricing.
Participants may receive three (3) semester graduate-level continuing education units through the Dominican University of California Continuing Education Department for an additional cost of $345. These units are typically used for salary advancement. There are no additional requirements beyond successful completion of the course. Participants may register and pay for these units once the course has started.