WIN LITERACY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUMMER
SESSIONS (2014)
Launching Readers’ Workshop and Making Teaching Decisions On the Go
Date: Monday, June 9, 2014
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Presenter: Sheri Pentecost, Ph.D.
In this session participants will learn about the Readers’ Workshop structure and
how to launch the workshop framework into everyday instruction. Topics to be
covered in this workshop include:
 Components and foundational principles of a Readers’ Workshop
 Types of reading contexts and mini lessons during readers’ workshop
(Balanced Literacy Menu)
 Using anchor charts to support student learning
 Importance of Independent Reading
 Comprehensions strategies that develop deep thinking
 Integrating word work/language development
 Organization of Reader’s Notebook
 Teacher and Student roles during reader’s workshop
 Student work and visuals will be shared
 Interconnectedness of Writing and Reading (Balanced Literacy)
Heinemann book included with registration: Thinking for Comprehending and
Fluency: Thinking, Talking and Writing About Reading, K-8 by Irene C. Fountas
and Gay Su Pinnell
Implementing Research Based Small Group Reading Instruction
Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Presenter: Debbie Jarzombek
Effective small group reading instruction involves accelerating reading progress
through close, careful observation of students’ reading behaviors and utilizing
prescriptive strategy based comprehension instruction. Skilled analysis of
students’ reading behaviors provides a window to students’ thinking and
comprehension. Strategic reading instruction focuses on students reading
increasingly challenging texts with accuracy, deep comprehension and fluency,
not simply moving students through levels. Small group reading instruction that
affords students the opportunity to practice comprehension strategy application
with teacher guided support results in improved reading skill. Topics to be
covered in this session include:
 Small group reading instruction for the advanced reader and the
developing reader
 Utilization of targeted reading prompts to promote student thinking and
text comprehension
 Impact of oral language development on reading comprehension
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Planning for guided reading based on students’ observable reading
behaviors
Identifying reading behaviors to teach for at various levels
Identifying an appropriate teaching focus in guided reading
Utilizing strategic actions for processing texts
Viewing videos of small group reading instruction to analyze teaching
behaviors
How to teach the reader, not the text
Matching books to readers based on observable reading behaviors, not
levels
Heinemann book included with registration: The Continuum of Literacy Learning
by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell
Teaching to Achieve Deep Level Reading Comprehension
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2014
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Presenter: Debbie Jarzombek
Reading involves lifting meaning from the printed page. Comprehension occurs
when skilled readers interact with the text and self-question, infer, make
connections, summarize, synthesize and relate. Topics to be covered in this
session include:
 Guidelines for powerful reading instruction
 Developing strategic actions for comprehending texts
 Implications of modern brain research for reading instruction
 Strategies that promote students’ self-monitoring of comprehension
 Utilizing think alouds to model effective comprehension strategy use
 Recognizing the power of writing in comprehension skill development
 Creating a vocabulary rich classroom environment
Heinemann book included with registration: Teaching for Comprehending and
Fluency by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell
Launching a Writing Workshop and Strategic Conferencing
Date: Monday, June 16, 2014
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Presenter: Debbie Jarzombek
The organizational structure of a Writer’s Workshop affords students the
opportunity to engage in authentic writing with the teacher acting as a coach who
models and confers with students as they move through the writing process. In
this session participants will learn about the structure of a writer’s workshop
including the components, instructional strategies and classroom procedures.
Topics to be covered in this workshop include:
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Specific components and foundational principles of a writer’s workshop
Types of mini lessons and instructional focus selection
Attributes of an effective writing conference including video analysis
Viewing and analyzing conferencing videos
Organization of Writer’s Notebooks
Using anchor charts to support student learning
Heinemann book included with registration: Writing Workshop: The Essential
Guide by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi
Independent Reading: Finding the Minutes and Making the Minutes Count
Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Presenter: Sheri Pentecost, Ph.D.
Research has proven that Independent Reading (IR) supports reading
development and engagement. Then, why do teachers provide so little time for
independent reading? In this session participants will discover how to find time
for independent reading and how to provide students with the kind of supports
that will make independent reading effective. Topics to be covered in this
workshop include:
 How to find time for independent reading
 Instructional Framework for supporting independent reading
 Practices that support student success during independent reading
 Genre instruction with a variety of texts
 Strategic conferencing
 Teacher monitoring, assessment and ongoing support
Heinemann book included with registration: No More Independent Reading
Without Support by Debbie Miller and Barbara Moss.
Working on Writer’s Craft
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Presenter: Sheri Pentecost, Ph.D.
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The more we read, write and talk, the more we have to say. The structure of
Writers’ Workshop will provide the avenue for writers to express themselves. In
this session participants will learn how to weave an array of ready-to-use mini
lessons into the writing workshop or into the writing you provide in science, social
studies, or mathematics. Topics to be covered in this workshop include:
 Crafting Fiction and Nonfiction
 Mini lessons that target process, traits, and craft
 Mentor texts to support writing
 Modeled Writing Samples and student sample writing
 Ongoing formative assessment
 Using a Writer’s notebook
Heinemann book included with registration: Crafting Nonfiction: Lessons on
Writing Process, Traits, and Craft by Linda Hoyt and Kelly Boswell. Teachers will
receive either the Primary (K-2) or Intermediate (3-5) book.
Exploring Text Genre through the Lens of the TEKS and STAAR
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2014 Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Presenter: Debbie Jarzombek
An Understanding of text genre contributes significantly to reading
comprehension. An attention to text structures, patterns, and characteristics
enhances a student’s understanding of the reading selection. In this session
participants will explore the relationship between text genre and deep level
reading comprehension. Topics to be covered in this workshop include:
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The role and value of genre understanding in reading and writing
Attributes of fiction and nonfiction text genres
Impact of genre study on reading comprehension
Analysis of text genre through the lens of our state standards the TEKS
How genre is assessed on STAAR
Poetry analysis and STAAR
Conducting genre based book talks
Heinemann text to be used: Fountas and Pinnell Genre Study: Teaching with
Fiction and Nonfiction Books
Thinking and Talking about Genre: Developing Genre Understandings
through Inquiry during Readers’ Workshop
Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Presenter: Sheri Pentecost, Ph.D.
The structure of readers’ workshop is particularly designed to provide the
instruction students need to gain greater depth of understanding about genres.
Using an inquiry approach students notice and name the characteristics of each
genre and constructs a working definition that guides their thinking as readers
and writers. In this session participants will learn how the structure of Readers’
Workshop allows the students to think and talk about age-appropriate texts to
deepen their knowledge of the genre. Topics to be covered in this workshop
include:
 Genre Study in Readers’ Workshop
 Exploring genre through inquiry
 Selecting texts for genre study
 Developing a shared language for talking about texts
 Using interactive read-aloud and literature discussion to learn about genre
 Mini lessons to think about text in a new way
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Develop understandings about genre through reading conferences and
independent reading
Using the Readers’ Notebook to record understandings
Interconnectedness of Reading and Writing through Genre Study
Heinemann book included with registration: Genre Study: Teaching with Fiction
and Nonfiction Books by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell
Comprehension and Collaboration: Inquiry Circles in Action
Date: Thursday, July 31, 2014
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Presenter: Sheri Pentecost, Ph.D.
Learning, understanding, and remembering content are a direct product of
knowing how to think, work together and wonder. Through inquiry circles you
teach the reader, the communicator and the researcher not merely the action of
reading, communicating and researching. When you focus on teaching
strategies the learners thrive in strategy knowledge and content. In this session
participants will explore the key comprehension and thinking strategies that
support students to investigate their questions, get more information, and infer
bigger ideas as they read and investigate. Topics to be covered in this workshop
include:
 Comprehension strategies for active readers and thinkers (The
Comprehension Toolkit – Primary & Intermediate)
 Small group inquiries
 Social strategies for proficient collaborators
 Components of an active learning environment
 Using 21st Century learning tools
 Assessing thinking and understanding using rubrics
 Management during inquiry circles
Heinemann book included with registration: Comprehension & Collaboration:
Inquiry Circles in Action by Stephanie Harvey & Harvey Daniels