conference chair - connecticut reading association · donalyn miller: voice and choice: fostering...

Connecticut Reading Association 65th Annual Conference • NOVEMBER 2 & 3, 2016 • Radisson Hotel Cromwell, Cromwell, CT 2

Conference Chair Catherine Mastrianna Program Chair Sandy Potts Registration Coordinator Susan MeaneyVendor Coordinator Gina Kotsaftis Author Luncheon Chair Judy McCardleGently Used Book Drive Eilis LockwardCRA Membership Promotion Jane Logie Adrienne SnowTechnology Katie GordonSigns Adrienne SnowWeb/Graphic Design/Registration Adina Alexander

2016 CRA CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

Pens: Alison Weber

www.alranbooks.com

Lanyards: Claritza Colon

www.mheducation.com

Tote Bags: Michael Pink & Marcie Doll

www.pearson.com

Folders & Sponsored Speakers:(Pam Allyn, Ernest Morrell, & Laura Robb)

Julie Dyson

www.scholastic.com

Nancy Boyles Recognition AwardPlease join us during the Conference

Kick-Off on November 2nd as the CRA honors Nancy Boyles for her contributions

to literacy education.

The Connecticut Reading Association is Pleased to Welcome:

Commissioner Dianna Wentzell! She will bring greetings from the State Department of Education

during the Conference Kick-Off November 3rd!

SPECIAL EVENTS:

http://www.mheducation.com

http://http://www.mheducation.com

http://www.scholastic.com

Connecticut Reading Association 65th Annual Conference • NOVEMBER 2 & 3, 2016 • Radisson Hotel Cromwell, Cromwell, CT

CRA’S 65th Annual Conference is Sponsoring the 6TH ANNUAL GENTLY USED CHILDREN’S BOOK DRIVE!In collaboration with New Haven Reads, Waterbury Reads, the Department of Children and Families, and the Conference of Churches

PLEASE BRING YOUR GENTLY USED BOOKS TO THE CONFERENCEso you can drop them off in our Donation Box!

The purpose of this Drive is to promote early-age reading while encouraging engagement between Connecticut Children and their parents/caretakers to help bridge the academic achievement gap.

DROP-OFF LOCATIONS: New Haven Reads, 45 Bristol St., New Haven The Kolesnik Law Firm & Lux Financial, 49 Leavenworth St., Waterbury

OR If you have 200+ books, call 203.752.1923 or 203.574.5233 and we’ll be happy to pick them up!

Alderwoman Stephanie E. Cummings, Esq., Book Drive Chair • [email protected]. William Bumpus, Book Drive Vice-Chair • [email protected]

Amy Cobb, Book Bank Manager • [email protected]

www.newhavenreads.org • www.lvgwct.org/family_literacy.html

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS4 Registration Information

4 Schedule of Events

5 Keynote Speakers

6 Author Luncheons

7-12 Featured Speakers

13 Wednesday’s Agenda

21 Thursday’s Agenda

31 Map of the Radisson Hotel Cromwell (formerly the Crowne Plaza)

mailto:AlderwomanCummings%40waterburyct.org?subject=

mailto:avatarwgb%40msn.com?subject=

mailto:amy%40newhavenreads.org?subject=

http://www.newhavenreads.org

http://www.lvgwct.org/family_literacy.html


REGISTRATIONRegister online at: http://tinyurl.com/craconference2016

Full-Time Undergraduate Students may register for a reduced rate ONLY AS A WALK-IN the days of the event. Only full-time, undergraduate college students are eligible for a student discount for conference registration. You must have a minimum 12 credits in your current semester to be considered full-time status. Students must provide a valid college ID and schedule as proof of current full-time status. Failure to provide both forms of proof will result in your having to pay the regular registration fees. Refunds will not be given if already registered online as a regular member. Student CRA members’ registration fee is $110 for two days or $55 for one day. Non-Members must pay an additional $15 to become a CRA member.

If you are registering with a purchase order (P.O.), please note the following:1. You must include the P.O. number, school name, district, district contact name, phone number, and mailing address for billing.

P.O.s will not be accepted if you omit any of this required information. You will be able to upload your P.O. during your registration. 2. If the P.O. is issued for the early bird rate, you must complete your registration by 11:59pm, October 30, 2016 to

receive this rate. Otherwise, your school/district will be charged the full registration price.3. If your school/district is not covering your CRA membership fee, you are responsible for your CRA membership fee and

must become a member first at www.cvent.com/d/bcqs7v/3W before you register for the Conference.4. If your P.O. is not available to you when you register, please either: Have your district send your P.O. to the following address

so that we can send an invoice OR mail a check payable to Connecticut Reading Association with your P.O. number in the Memo section to: Connecticut Reading Association c/o Catherine Mastrianna, 109 Far Horizon Drive, Cheshire, CT 06410

Questions? Visit www.ctreading.org/conference/purchase-ordersor email Catherine Mastrianna at [email protected]

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Wednesday, November 2nd7:00am-8:15am Registration (Including Walk-Ins - please arrive early to expedite check-in!)8:30am-9:00am Conference Kickoff (including the Nancy Boyles Recognition Award)9:00am-10:00am Keynote Address by Donalyn Miller: Voice & Choice: Fostering Reading Ownership 10:20am-12:40pm Institutes and Sessions12:45pm-1:30pm Author Luncheon Marc Tyler Nobleman: Heroes With and Without Capes12:45pm-1:30pm Lunch and Vendor Browsing1:40pm-3:40pm Institutes and Sessions

Thursday, November 3rd7:00am-8:15am Registration (Including Walk-Ins - please arrive early to expedite check-in!) 8:30am-9:00am Conference Kickoff (Greetings from Commissioner Dianna Wentzell)9:00am-10:00am Keynote Address by Steven Layne: Confessions of a Reading Arsonist10:20am-12:20pm Institutes and Sessions12:45pm-1:30pm Author Luncheon: Ernest Morrell: Developing Powerful Readers and Writers in Diverse 21st Century Classrooms12:45pm-1:30pm Lunch and Vendor Browsing1:40pm-3:40pm Institutes and Sessions

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONby October 1, 2016

REGISTRATIONStarting October 2, 2016

2-dayWed AND Thu

1-day Wed OR Thu

2-dayWed AND Thu

1-day Wed OR Thu

ACTIVE MEMBERS $220 $135 $235 $150New/Renewing Members (Does not include $25 Membership Fee. You must be a CRA member to attend.)

$245 $160 $260 $175

4

http://tinyurl.com/craconference2016

http://www.cvent.com/d/bcqs7v/3W

http://www.ctreading.org/conference/purchase-orders/

mailto:cmastrianna%40waterbury.k12.ct.us?subject=Questions%20about%20paying%20with%20Purchase%20Order%20for%20CRA%20Convention


KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

WEDNESDAY 9:00am-10:00amDonalyn Miller: Voice and Choice: Fostering Reading Ownership

While students are learning the skills of reading, they must also develop a positive reading identity to remain readers. By negotiating both academic and personal reading goals, empowering students’ reading choices, and providing opportunities for students to share and promote their responses to what they read, we can increase young readers’ engagement and effort. Independent reading expert, Donalyn Miller will share classroom examples, relevant research, instructional moves, and strategies for supporting young readers as they grow into lifelong readers.

Donalyn Miller taught upper elementary and middle school students in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and was a finalist for 2011 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. In her popular book, The Book Whisperer, Donalyn reflects on her journey to become a reading teacher and describes how she inspires and motivates her middle school students to read 40 or more books a year. In her latest book, Reading in the Wild, Donalyn collects responses from 900 adult readers and uses this information to teach lifelong reading habits to her students. Donalyn co-founded the community blog, The Nerdy Book Club and co-hosts the monthly Twitter chat #titletalk. Her articles about teaching and reading have appeared in publications such as Education Week Teacher, The Reading Teacher, Educational Leadership and The Washington Post. Donalyn serves as Scholastic Book Fairs’ Manager of Independent Reading and Outreach.

THURSDAY 9:00am-10:00am Steven Layne: Confessions of a Reading ArsonistWith his trademark combination of humor and heart, Steven Layne tackles one of the most significant issues in reading instruction today: How to engage reluctant readers. Teaching the skill of reading is viewed by many educators as a major objective; teaching the will of reading is too often an afterthought. Based on his books Igniting a Passion for Reading and In Defense of Read-Aloud, Dr. Layne’s address features a charismatic blend of anecdotes and practical suggestions for building an instructional repertoire to successfully engage all readers and is sure to fan the flame of literacy into a raging inferno—inspiring teachers as well as their students to keep the bedside lamp on just a little bit later into the night.

Steven L. Layne serves as Professor of Literacy Education at Judson University in Elgin, IL, where he directs the university’s masters and doctoral programs in Literacy Education. Dr. Layne’s research and writing focus on the affective domain as well as on public speaking. He is a fifteen-year veteran of public education—serving as a classroom teacher in grades two, three, five, six, seven, and eight. Dr. Layne is a respected literacy consultant, motivational keynote speaker, and featured author who works with large numbers of educators and children during school visits and at conferences held throughout the world each year. His work has been recognized with awards for outstanding contributions to the fields of educational research, teaching, and writing from organizations such as USA Today newspaper, The Milken Family Foundation, The National Council of Teachers of English, and the International Reading Association.

Dr. Layne has authored 27 books including multiple award-winning titles in both the picture book and young adult genres including his beloved classic—The Teachers’ Night before Christmas, the teen thriller This Side of Paradise and the heartwarming picture book Love the Baby. Dr. Layne’s first professional book for educators, Igniting a Passion for Reading: Successful Strategies for Building Lifetime Readers was released in 2010 to wide acclaim. Newer titles include the YA novel Paradise Lost, the picture book Stay with Sister, and a new edition of his bestselling gift book Life’s Literacy Lessons: Poems and Stories for Teachers. In February of 2015, Dr. Layne’s newest professional book—In Defense of Read-Aloud—was released. He lives with his wife Debbie—who is a K-12 curriculum coordinator—their four children: Grayson, Victoria, Jackson and Candace + one very adorable 65 lb. collie named Shelby in St. Charles, Illinois.

5


AUTHOR LUNCHEONS:

NOTE: Each Luncheon is an additional $25 and must be signed up for before the conference dates.

Please contact Cathy Mastrianna directly with any food allergy concerns at [email protected]

WEDNESDAY 12:40pm-1:30pm Marc Tyler Nobleman: Heroes With and Without Capes Author Marc Tyler Nobleman reveals secrets he uncovered and mysteries he solved while researching his unprecedented biographies of the creators of Superman and Batman, the world’s two most popular superheroes; one of the books changed pop culture history. A real-life detective story, riveting even for those who couldn’t care less about men in tights. Part educational, part motivational, all entertaining.

Marc Tyler Nobleman is the author of Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman (which made the front page of USA Today) and Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman (which inspired a TED talk and changed pop culture history). New and upcoming titles include Brave Like My Brother, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon, Fairy Spell, and The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra. The Maryland author has been invited to speak at elementary, middle, and high schools internationally (from Thailand to Tanzania) and blogs about adventures in publishing (from research victories to enthusiastic librarians).

LUNCHEON CHOICES: Salmon Salad OR Pan-seared Gnocchi (vegetarian) both with salad (except Salmon Salad), sides, and dessert.

THURSDAY 12:40pm-1:30pmErnest Morrell: Developing Powerful Readers and Writers in Diverse 21st Century Classrooms How can we get students excited about literacy learning while also imparting essential academic skills? This talk explores a socially, culturally, and technologically relevant model of literacy education that draws upon digital media and youth popular culture to engage students as civic agents while also developing powerful readers, writers, and users of emergent digital technologies.

An award-winning author, teacher, and researcher, Ernest Morrell is the Macy Professor of English Education and Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Ernest is also past-president of the National Council of Teachers of English, a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and an appointed member of International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. In 2016, Ernest was ranked among the top 100 university-based education scholars in the RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings. Ernest was an award winning English teacher and coach in Northern California and

he now works with schools and after school programs across the country to infuse social and emotional learning, digital technologies, project based learning, and multicultural literature into empowering literacy practices in K-12 classrooms. Ernest is the author of more than 75 articles and book chapters, and eight books including Every Child a Super Reader, New Directions in Teaching English, Linking Literacy and Popular Culture and Critical Media Pedagogy: Teaching for Achievement in City Schools, which was awarded Outstanding Academic Title for 2014 by Choice Magazine of the American Library Association. Ernest has earned numerous commendations for his university teaching including UCLA’s Department of Education’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Morrell earned his Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Culture from the University of California at Berkeley where he received the Outstanding Dissertation Award. Ernest also proudly sits on the Executive Boards of LitWorld and the Education for Democracy Institute.

LUNCHEON CHOICES: Pan-seared Chicken or Harvest Pasta (vegetarian) both with salad, sides, and dessert.

6

mailto:cmastrianna%40waterbury.k12.ct.us?subject=CRA%20Conference%3A%20Luncheon%20allergy%20concerns


FEATURED SPEAKERS:

Pam AllynWEDNESDAY 10:20am-11:20pm Session 1-1: Every Student a Super Reader: Creating Transformational Literacy Communities (Gr. K-8)Pam Allyn maintains that when we build on children’s key strengths and immerse them in an intellectually invigorating, emotionally nurturing, literature-rich community, we grow “super readers”—avid readers who consume texts with passion, understanding, and a critical eye. In this session, Pam will share best practices and inspirations for a profound and innovative way to ensure that every child reads passionately, powerfully and proficiently for the new era of literacy.

WEDNESDAY 1:40am-2:40pm Session 3-1: The Power and Magic of Independent Reading and How to Make it Matter (Gr. K-8)In this session, Pam Allyn will present effective structures and routines for Independent Reading that will help us motivate all students to become lifelong readers. She will discuss the synergy between reading and the digital tools of today that make it possible to share one’s reading life with many others. Pam will discuss the role of children’s books as mentors for the kinds of writing our children can do both inside and outside of school. She will lead us to think about how foundational authentic text can be the lever that brings all readers into a reading community.

Pam Allyn is a nationwide expert on the teaching of reading and writing. She is the author of more than twenty books for teachers and families on literacy. Pam is the founder of LitLife, an organization dedicated to professional learning for teachers, and LitWorld, a global nonprofit advancing literacy for all. She is a Kellogg Foundation Fellow in Racial Equity and Healing. Pam has won many awards for her work, including The Scholastic Literacy Champion of the Year in 2013. She and her team founded World Read Aloud Day, now celebrated by millions every February. She is widely seen in the media as an advocate for children and a thought leader on quality education.

Nancy BoylesWEDNESDAY 10:20am-12:20pm Institute A2: Depth of Knowledge: What Does Rigor Look Like in Literacy Instruction and Assessment? (Gr. K-8)How do we define rigor—and what does this have to do with Depth of Knowledge? More importantly, what will Depth of Knowledge look like on new standards-based assessments? This session will identify potential assessment items for each DOK, how we can plan for maximum DOK impact, and what this new era rigor will look like in the classroom for both teachers and students. Handout will include question stems, sample texts, and a summary of key points from the session.

WEDNESDAY 1:40pm-2:40pm Session 3-2: Reach Out and TOUCH Reading: Making Comprehension Skills ACTIVE and INTERACTIVE (Gr. K-5)What does it take to teach a comprehension skill so students not only understand it, but can apply it independently? In this session, explore the critical components of explicit comprehension instruction that result in reading independence. Discover easy-to-implement strategies that make thinking active and interactive, and recognize how to avoid practices that cause comprehension to go off-track.

Dr. Nancy Boyles was a classroom teacher for many years and is now Professor Emerita at Southern Connecticut State University where she was Professor of Reading and Graduate Reading Program Coordinator. She currently consults with districts and other organizations and agencies, providing workshops, modeling best practices in classrooms, and assisting with curriculum development. Workshop topics include Close Reading, Small Group Differentiated Instruction, Rigorous Assessment, and Depth of Knowledge. Nancy is the author of three books on

7


close reading all published by Corwin: Closer Reading, Grades 3-6, Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, Grades 3-6, and Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, K-2. Nancy has also written six other books related to comprehension. She has an article titled Pursuing the Depths of Knowledge in the ASCD October 2016 issue of Educational Leadership.

Debbie Diller THURSDAY 10:20am-12:20am / 1:40pm-3:40pm Institute C4 / D4: Growing Independent Learners: From Literacy Standards to Stations in K-5 (Gr. K-5)Writers approach a text with an eye for more than, “What’s the story here?” Writers look for structure, craft, intention, bias, and authenticity of content in any text. Learning to read like a writer has many important implications for literacy. Explore ways to help your students look at text and question the credentials and knowledge base of the writer, identify craft examples in that text, pay attention to structure, and then transfer what they have learned to their own writing. Teach your students how good writing is more than just beautiful language. Work with some of the best children’s literature available and become grounded in the craft lessons contained in those books. Return to your classroom and use those same books and identified craft lessons as curriculum for a successful year of teaching writing.

Debbie Diller has been an educator since 1976. How time flies, and how teaching has changed! Debbie has taught PreK through 10th grade in public schools in Pennsylvania and Texas. Her experience ranges from being a classroom teacher to a Title I reading specialist to a migrant education teacher to a literacy coach, as well as a national consultant and author. She is the author of many books for Stenhouse Publishers, including Math Work Stations, Spaces & Places, Making the Most of Small Groups, Literacy Work Stations, and Practice with Purpose. She has several videos on literacy work stations and small group instruction. Look for her newest book Growing Independent Learners in fall 2015! Debbie has a B.S. from Millersville University and an M.Ed. from Temple University in PA. She uses her strong understandings of child development and literacy and math development to address the differentiated needs of all students in her work with teachers and administrators. Debbie builds upon current research and theory to provide practical, realistic applications in today’s classrooms.

Steven LayneTHURSDAY 10:20am-11:20am Session 4-4: In Defense of Read-Aloud (Gr. K-12)Nonfiction writing should be filled with a variety of writing forms and styles that spotlight interesting sentence structures, strong images, and jaw-dropping descriptors. Anchored in explicit teacher modeling, lessons that focus on craft show students how a competent writer reports facts while never forgetting that the goal is to showcase content in a way that captivates a reader. Writing that has been constructed for craft as well as content sizzles with powerful verbs, enticing imagery, and diverse sentence structures.


Dr. Layne has authored 27 books including multiple award-winning titles in both the picture book and young adult genres including his beloved classic—The Teachers’ Night before Christmas, the teen thriller This Side of Paradise and the heartwarming picture book Love the Baby. Dr. Layne’s first professional book for educators, Igniting a

8


Passion for Reading: Successful Strategies for Building Lifetime Readers was released in 2010 to wide acclaim. Newer titles include the YA novel Paradise Lost, the picture book Stay with Sister, and a new edition of his bestselling gift book Life’s Literacy Lessons: Poems and Stories for Teachers. In February of 2015, Dr. Layne’s newest professional book—In Defense of Read-Aloud—was released. He lives with his wife Debbie—who is a K-12 curriculum coordinator—their four children: Grayson, Victoria, Jackson and Candace + one very adorable 65 lb. collie named Shelby in St. Charles, Illinois.

Chris LehmanTHURSDAY 10:20am-11:20am Institute C1: The Power to Build Big Ideas: Book Club Practices That Give Students Ownership and Push Their Thinking (Gr. 4-12)Christopher Lehman, Founding Director of The Educator Collaborative, will support you with practical and powerful methods for making book clubs not just work, but invite deep thinking and strong conversations. Truly supporting the development of independent learners, book clubs can transform how reading is taught and practiced in your classroom.

THURSDAY 1:40pm-2:40pm Institute D1: Reading Books and the World: Building a More Loving Society One Classroom At A Time (Gr. K-12)Christopher Lehman, Founding Director of The Educator Collaborative, will help you find opportunities in your reading instruction to support not just deep reading work, but also the habits and mindsets for creating a more just, empathetic, and connected world. You will think carefully about book selection and adapt instruction you are already using to support bigger thinking about the global community we live in.

Christopher Lehman is the Founding Director of The Educator Collaborative. He is an international speaker, consultant, and New York Times best-selling author. He holds degrees from UW-Madison, NYU and Teachers College, Columbia University. Chris has been a middle-school teacher; a high-school teacher; a literacy coach; and a Senior Staff Developer with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. Now with The Educator Collaborative, he is working to innovate the ways educators learn in-person and online, providing opportunities for teachers, coaches, and administrators to share their expertise so students can hold their brightest futures.

Donalyn MillerWEDNESDAY 1:40pm-3:40pm Institute B1: Read Well, Write Well (Gr. K-8)Providing students opportunities to respond authentically to what they read increases reading motivation and comprehension, but what does authentic reading response look like in today’s world? In this engaging session, Donalyn Miller examines the research basis for reading response, authentic models and student examples, and invites participants to reflect and respond to their own reading experiences.


9


Ernest MorrellTHURSDAY 1:40pm-3:40pm Session 4-1: Every Child a Super Reader: 7 Strengths to Open a World of Possible (Gr. K-8)Every child deserves the opportunity become a 24/7, 365 days a year super reader! Our 7 strengths model, built on a social-emotional framework that honors children’s languages, cultures, communities, and stories, builds a safe and loving environment in which to cultivate super readers who believe in themselves and are ready for college, career, and civic engagement.

An award-winning author, teacher, and researcher, Ernest Morrell is the Macy Professor of English Education and Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Ernest is also past-president of the National Council of Teachers of English, a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and an appointed member of International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. In 2016, Ernest was ranked among the top 100 university-based education scholars in the RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings. Ernest was an award winning English teacher and coach in Northern California and he now works with schools and after school programs across the country to infuse social and emotional learning, digital technologies, project based learning, and multicultural literature into empowering literacy practices in K-12 classrooms. Ernest is the author of more than 75 articles and book chapters, and eight books including Every Child a Super Reader, New Directions in Teaching English, Linking Literacy and Popular Culture and Critical Media Pedagogy: Teaching for Achievement in City Schools, which was awarded Outstanding Academic Title for 2014 by Choice Magazine of the American Library Association. Ernest has earned numerous commendations for his university teaching including UCLA’s Department of Education’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Morrell earned his Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Culture from the University of California at Berkeley where he received the Outstanding Dissertation Award. Ernest also proudly sits on the Executive Boards of LitWorld and the Education for Democracy Institute.

Marc Tyler NoblemanTHURSDAY 1:40pm-3:40pm Session 1-2: From Pilots to Fairies: New Titles Taking Flight (Gr. K-8)There’s more to author Marc Tyler Nobleman than superheroes...though most of his upcoming books also involve some kind of flying: the redemptive story of a WWII Japanese pilot whose famous first is not yet famous (nonfiction picture book); the wistful story of two girls whose photographs of allegedly real fairies captivated the world for decades (nonfiction picture book); the hilarious story of a group of goats that sets out to confront their greatest fear, the legendary chupacabra (fiction picture book); and the inspirational story of an American soldier in WWII England who shares his war experiences (including an historic secret mission) with his 10-year-old brother via letters (novel).


Laura RobbTHURSDAY 10:20am-12:20pm Institute D3: Read Talk Write (Gr. 4-8)In this active learning workshop, participants will learn strategies that quickly move students into reading texts deeply so they can identify multiple themes and use themes to develop claims. Participants will review criteria for an analytical essay and see how criteria supports peer-and-self-revision and editing as well as enables the teacher to offer specific feedback

10


and know which mini-lessons to teach or review.. Participants will also learn specific ways to begin and end essays that argue for a claim. In addition, Robb will show the importance of planning and participants will observe Robb plan an essay as modeling is the key to students’ learning the process. Then, partners will plan an essay and discuss the process with the group. Included in the handout will be a form that supports peer revising and editing as well as a student handout that acts as a reminder because it outlines the process of analytical writing. Robb will also discuss grading and why teachers should support students as they complete a first draft but read and provide feedback for the second draft.

THURSDAY 1:40pm-3:40pm Institute D3: Interventions Matter (Gr. 4-8)Participants will deepen their knowledge of responsive teaching and instruction for students in Tiers 1, 2, and 3. Robb will introduce a framework with five types of interventions: 2-3-minute conversations, 5-minute exploratory conference, series of 5-minute conferences, 10-15 minute conferences, and 20-30 minutes meetings. Robb will also discuss documenting all types of interventions and the importance of preparing possible scaffolds if the intervention lesson derails. In addition, Robb will stress how crucial it is to continually enlarge students’ vocabulary. Participants will discuss, analyze, and design interventions for diverse student scenarios as well as plan scaffolds. Robb will discuss how crucial tier 1 instruction is for meeting the diverse needs of all students.

Laura Robb is the 2016 winner of NCTE’s Richard W. Halle Award for an outstanding middle level educator. Author, teacher, coach, and speaker, Laura Robb has completed more than 43 years of teaching in grades 4-8. She presently coaches teachers in grades K to 8 in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Robb always works with those students who need the most support from teachers. Laura Robb has written more than 25 books for teachers. In 2016, two new books were published: The Reading Intervention Toolkit, Shell Education, April 2016 and Read Talk Write: 35 Lessons That Teach Students to Analyze Fiction and Nonfiction, Corwin Literacy, October 2016. Corwin Literacy also published Robb’s Vocabulary Is Comprehension: Getting to the Root of Complex Texts, September 2014. Her newest for Heinemann is a First Hand Curriculum: Smart Writing: Practical Units For Teaching Middle School Writers and a book, and a professional book, Teaching Middle School Writers: What Every English Teacher Needs to Know. For Scholastic, Robb has completed Unlocking Complex Texts; the book provides teachers with detailed reading and writing about reading lessons. Robb has designed classroom libraries for Scholastic for grades 3 to 9. She developed, with Jeff Wilhelm, XBOOKS for middle school readers: nonfiction print texts with an online curriculum organized by themes such as forensics, tyrants, war, medicine, and strange. Robb is a keynote and featured speaker at conferences and leads workshops all over the country and in Canada. She writes articles for education journals. Her blog for MiddleWeb, “Our # 1 Reading Problem: Persistent Inequalities” was published in April 2014, another MiddleWeb Blog, “Ten Motivators to Promote Playful Learning” was published in March 2016. Her article on motivation and engagement was published in the fall, 2015 issue of Literacy Today.

Jennifer SerravalloWEDNESDAY 10:20am-12:20pm Institute A1: Reading Strategies for Goal-Directed Instruction (Gr. K-8)As students work toward reading goals, they can benefit from strategy instruction that helps to unpack and break down the invisible, automatic work of reading into series of actionable steps. In this session, you’ll learn about the importance of focusing your differentiated instruction in individual goals based on formative assessment information. Then, you’ll learn how to craft your own strategies and prompts to support readers’ ongoing practice. Jen will also explain how to know when to teach which strategies to whom, how strategies align to levels of complexity, and how to tier practice of strategies over time to support readers toward skilled practice.

WEDNESDAY 1:40pm-3:40pm Institute B2: Writing Strategies to Support Process, Skills, and Qualities of Good Writing (Gr. K-8)In this session, participants will learn about Jen Serravallo’s Hierarchy of Goals for writing instruction


-- goals that include habits and processes, skills, and qualities of good writing. You’ll learn how to assess student writing, craft strategies to support students with goals, and how to coach students with prompts and feedback as they practice working.

Jennifer Serravallo is the best-selling author of the new Reading Strategies Book as well as other popular Heinemann titles, including Teaching Reading in Small Groups; Conferring with Readers (coauthored with Gravity Goldberg); and The Literacy Teacher’s Playbook, Grades K–2 and Grades 3–6. She is also the author of the Digital Campus Course Teaching Reading in Small Groups: Matching Methods to Purposes where you can watch dozens of videos of Jen teaching in real classrooms and engage with other educators in a self-guided course.

Jen worked for eight years as a staff developer and national consultant at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. In this capacity, she helped urban, suburban, and rural schools implement exceptional literacy instruction through reading and writing workshops. Before that, she was a New York City public school teacher in two Title I schools with large class sizes, high numbers of ELLs, and an enormous range of learners. These experiences galvanized her to write her Heinemann professional books as well as other professional resources for teachers, including the award-winning Independent Reading Assessment for fiction (Scholastic, 2012) and nonfiction (Scholastic, 2013).

Jen holds a BA from Vassar College and an MA from Teachers College, where she has also taught graduate and undergraduate classes on urban education reform and children’s literature.

Kristin ZiemkeTHURSDAY 10:20am-12:20pm Institute C2: Read the World: Literacies for a Digital Culture (Gr. K-6)Today’s digital classroom seeks to combine rich literacy instruction with 21st century tools to engage students in meaningful learning experiences. New devices invite students to read beyond the text and use multimedia--images, video, infographics--to add layers to their thinking. In this new learning landscape, we rethink what it means to “read” and craft lessons that explicitly teach students to analyze a photo, closely read a video clip and read the world. We’ll investigate new entry points for all learners and share ideas for empowering students to author their own messages as content creators in this participatory digital culture.

THURSDAY 1:40pm-3:40pm Institute D2: Mindset Shift: Makers, Memes and Micro-writing (Gr. K-6)Today’s classroom is a place where STUDENTS guide the curriculum as kids of all ages are empowered to ask questions, seek information and collaborate with peers. We move from having 1 teacher and 30 students, to an environment where everyone plays the role of both teacher and learner and expands the traditional tools of literacy to include social media, science and the digital arts. New tools invite all learners to enter where they’re able and make it easier than ever before to do the real work of readers and writers. Learn practical strategies you can use tomorrow to connect learners, capture student thinking and build agency across the grades.

Kristin Ziemke has spent her career teaching and learning from children in both urban and suburban school districts. As a teacher of primary age learners in Chicago, Kristin engages students in authentic learning experiences where reading, thinking, collaboration and inquiry are at the heart of the curriculum. Author of Amplify: Digital Teaching and Learning in the K-6 Classroom and co-author of Connecting Comprehension and Technology, Kristin pairs best practice instruction with digital tools to transform learning in the classroom and beyond. An Apple Distinguished Educator, National Board Certified Teacher and Chicago’s 2013 Tech Innovator of the Year, Kristin seeks opportunities to transform education through technology innovation. She collaborates with educators around the globe as a staff developer, speaker and writer.


WE

DN

ESD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 2nd

AGENDA DESCRIPTIONS & PRESENTERS

WEDNESDAY MORNING INSTITUTES – 10:20am-12:20pm

Institute A1 • Gr. K-8 • Reading Strategies for Goal-Directed Instruction Jennifer SerravalloAs students work toward reading goals, they can benefit from strategy instruction that helps to unpack and break down the invisible, automatic work of reading into series of actionable steps. In this session, you’ll learn about the importance of focusing your differentiated instruction in individual goals based on formative assessment information. Then, you’ll learn how to craft your own strategies and prompts to support readers’ ongoing practice. Jen will also explain how to know when to teach which strategies to whom, how strategies align to levels of complexity, and how to tier practice of strategies over time to support readers toward skilled practice.

Jennifer Serravallo is the best-selling author of the new Reading Strategies Book as well as other popular Heinemann titles, including Teaching Reading in Small Groups; Conferring with Readers (coauthored with Gravity Goldberg); and The Literacy Teacher’s Playbook, Grades K–2 and Grades 3–6. She is also the author of the Digital Campus Course Teaching Reading in Small Groups: Matching Methods to Purposes where you can watch dozens of videos of Jen teaching in real classrooms and engage with other educators in a self-guided course.

Jen worked for eight years as a staff developer and national consultant at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. In this capacity, she helped urban, suburban, and rural schools implement exceptional literacy instruction through reading and writing workshops. Before that, she was a New York City public school teacher in two Title I schools with large class sizes, high numbers of ELLs, and an enormous range of learners. These experiences galvanized her to write her Heinemann professional books as well as other professional resources for teachers, including the award-winning Independent Reading Assessment for fiction (Scholastic, 2012) and nonfiction (Scholastic, 2013). Jen holds a BA from Vassar College and an MA from Teachers College, where she has also taught graduate and undergraduate classes on urban education reform and children’s literature.

Institute A2 • Gr. K-8 • Depth of Knowledge: What Does Rigor Look Like in Literacy Instruction and Assessment?Nancy BoylesHow do we define rigor—and what does this have to do with Depth of Knowledge? More importantly, what will Depth of Knowledge look like on new standards-based assessments? This session will identify potential assessment items for each DOK, how we can plan for maximum DOK impact, and what this new era rigor will look like in the classroom for both teachers and students. Handout will include question stems, sample texts, and a summary of key points from the session.

Dr. Nancy Boyles was a classroom teacher for many years and is now Professor Emerita at Southern Connecticut State University where she was Professor of Reading and Graduate Reading Program Coordinator. She currently consults with districts and other organizations and agencies, providing workshops, modeling best practices in classrooms, and assisting with curriculum development. Workshop topics include Close Reading, Small Group Differentiated Instruction, Rigorous Assessment, and Depth of Knowledge. Nancy is the author of three books on close reading all published by Corwin: Closer Reading, Grades 3-6, Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, Grades 3-6, and Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, K-2. Nancy has also written six other books related to comprehension. She has an article titled Pursuing the Depths of Knowledge in the ASCD October 2016 issue of Educational Leadership.

Institute A3 • Gr. K-6 • Engaging Students in the Assessment Process Tammy Mulligan & Clare LandriganThe student’s role in the assessment process is a critical component of learning. We need to elicit feedback

13


WE

DN

ESD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 2nd

from students and teach students to be self-reflective learners. From sharing data with students, to supporting students setting, monitoring and celebrating learning goals, this session explores ways to engage students in the assessment process.

Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan have been working the field of professional development for the past 22 years. They now run a private staff development business, Teachers for Teachers. They work with various school systems to implement best practices in the field of literacy and to engage in institutional change through shared leadership. They have written a book for Stenhouse Publishers titled, Assessment in Perspective: Focusing on the Reader Behind the Numbers. Visit the authors at www.teachersforteachers.net.

Institute A4 • Gr. 2-8 • Big Ideas in Small Groups Michael Rafferty, Colleen Morello, & Paraskevi RountosDon’t get stuck in your own small group. Teachers in Grades 2-8, will learn how to build small group lessons that are about big ideas. Lessons that release teachers to juggle small groups, conferring and partnerships. Attendees will learn the power of setting and designing more powerful small groups.

Michael Rafferty, Director of Teaching and Learning in Region 14 School, has worked as a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, reading consultant, and curriculum. He works with schools to develop coherence from curriculum to classroom. He is the author of 30 Big Idea Lessons from Corwin Literacy.

Colleen Morello and Paraskevi Rountos are Language Arts Specialists for Fairfield Public Schools. They coach and model for teachers as well as work with struggling readers and writers. They also regularly present at district wide professional development sessions. They are the co-authors of 30 Big Idea Lessons from Corwin.

WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSIONS – 10:20am-11:20am

Session 1-1 • Gr. K-8 • Every Student a Super Reader: Creating Transformational Literacy Communities Pam AllynPam Allyn maintains that when we build on children’s key strengths and immerse them in an intellectually invigorating, emotionally nurturing, literature-rich community, we grow “super readers”—avid readers who consume texts with passion, understanding, and a critical eye. In this session, Pam will share best practices and inspirations for a profound and innovative way to ensure that every child reads passionately, powerfully and proficiently for the new era of literacy.


Session 1-2 • Gr. K-8 • From Pilots to Fairies: New Titles Taking Flight Marc Tyler NoblemanThere’s more to author Marc Tyler Nobleman than superheroes...though most of his upcoming books also involve some kind of flying: the redemptive story of a WWII Japanese pilot whose famous first is not yet

14

http://www.teachersforteachers.net


WE

DN

ESD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 2nd

famous (nonfiction picture book); the wistful story of two girls whose photographs of allegedly real fairies captivated the world for decades (nonfiction picture book); the hilarious story of a group of goats that sets out to confront their greatest fear, the legendary chupacabra (fiction picture book); and the inspirational story of an American soldier in WWII England who shares his war experiences (including an historic secret mission) with his 10-year-old brother via letters (novel).


Session 1-3 • Gr. 6-12 • Reading Diagnostics and Intervention in the Secondary Classroom Gail Duffy & Jodiann TenneyIn this presentation, participants will explore various reading assessments to assist in diagnosing reading behaviors at the secondary level. Participants will review an actual case study and learn quick diagnostic reading protocols to address specific student intervention needs. Participants will learn how to analyze results of multiple assessments to create a targeted instructional plan.

Gail is the Literacy Coordinator at Terryville High School. She previously was a Reading and Math Specialist with the Cheshire Public Schools. She began her career in Cheshire as a classroom teacher where she taught grades 2, 4 and 5. Gail has a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. Gail is also Co-Chair of the Southington Education Foundation.

Jodiann is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Plymouth Public Schools. Prior to that, she worked as a staff developer, literacy coach, and ESOL and English teacher, primarily at the secondary level. She has a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from SCSU.

Session 1-4 • Gr. K-8 • Text Sets are the New Super Story Katie Egan CunninghamWe are living text-set lives and so are our students. In this session, the presenter will share ways to use children’s literature, online texts, images, songs, and poetry to build text sets that promote our diverse society and that support students to see themselves and learn about others.

Katie Egan Cunningham is an Assistant Professor at Manhattanville College and literacy consultant with LitLife. She is the author of Story: Still the Heart of Literacy Learning (Stenhouse, 2015) and co-author of Literacy Leadership in Changing Schools (Teachers College Press, 2015). She is also the co-author of the popular blog, The Classroom Bookshelf.

Session 1-5 • Gr. PK-5 • Blended Learning vs. Technology Integration: Personalized Literacy Growth for ALL Students Lisa Somoza HawesBlended Learning is more than teaching with technology for technology sake. It requires a well-designed instructional model and continuously adaptive diagnostic tools. In this session learn how the right mix of teacher led lessons, small group and online instruction, and adaptive technology can help build students fundamental literacy skills.

15


WE

DN

ESD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 2nd

Lisa Somoza Hawes is the lexia Learning Account Executive and a former Implementation Manager for the state of Connecticut.

WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSIONS – 11:40am-12:40pm

Session 2-1 • Gr. 3-6 • Written Response to Text (and the practical lessons to make that happen!) Barbara MaricondaThe latest standards require students to read closely, deconstruct text, and write in response to a variety of texts in order to demonstrate deep comprehension. This is a complex process, one that can feel overwhelming to many students - and feel cumbersome to teach. In this session we’ll break this process into a series of manageable steps necessary to read more closely and to respond effectively in writing. Practical strategies include lessons on turning questions into responses, using informative verbs to summarize and paraphrase, and sentence structures to cite the source text. Demystify this process with the lessons that provide the “how.” This practical session will include a comprehensive handout with the actual lessons and strategies students need to become strategic readers and writers.

Barbara Mariconda, a 22 year teaching veteran, is the co-founder of Empowering Writers and the author of scores of professional books for teachers as well as books for young readers. Her books have received numerous awards including an Edgar Allan Poe nominated middle grade novel, a picture book that was a National Best Books and Children’s Choice finalist and a Moonbeam Award Gold Medal winner, and a middle grade novel named a 2013 Children’s Book Committee/Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year. Her latest novel for young adults is titled Bird with the Heart of a Mountain. She has presented to tens of thousands of teachers across North America.

Session 2-2 • Gr. 7-12 • Text Complexity and Adolescent Readers Monique Frasier Join me for a rich interactive discussion about how to enhance reading comprehension as well as reading stamina for struggling adolescent readers using complex texts. We will focus on research based reading strategies, by analyzing data derived from the use of such strategies in a 9th grade English literature course.

Monique Frasier is an eleven-year veteran English/Reading teacher. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at California State University Fresno, and completed her Master of Science in Education at Southern Connecticut State University and her Sixth-year degree as Reading Specialist/Language Arts.

Session 2-3 • Gr. 2-8 • Writing Literacy for the Struggling Reader Tony AbbottAs a lifelong poor reader and long-time author of children’s books for elementary and middle-school students, I will discuss the use of writing instruction and plot and character creation for struggling readers who may advance to greater literacy through creative thinking and writing rather than in traditional reading of texts.

Over a twenty-year career as a writer of books for young people from 2nd to 8th grade, Edgar-Award-winning author Tony Abbott has penned over 100 books, including the series, The Secrets of Droon, Underworlds, Cracked Classics, and the novels Kringle, Firegirl, The Postcard, and Lunch-Box Dream. He was a faculty member at Lesley University’s MFA in Creative Writing for Young People, and is a frequent visitor to classrooms and conferences, where he speaks on writing, creativity, and writing techniques useful to reading specialists and classroom teachers of students whose reluctance in reading hides an intense creative streak.

16


WE

DN

ESD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 2nd

Session 2-4 • Gr. K-5 • Crafting Classroom Conversation for Academic Success Janine CoxA child’s ability to access academic vocabulary can determine their success in school. This interactive session immerses participants in strategies which bridge student’s everyday language (Tier 1) with advantageous school language (Tier 2). The presenter will share research-proven ideas that give students scholarly words through engaging reading, writing, and oral language experiences. Participants will walk away with engaging, interactive activities that can be used immediately.

As a learner and teacher...Training in Reading Recovery, a Masters in School Administration from Central Connecticut State University and a Masters in Curriculum with a Specialty in Literacy from Lesley University. Janine specialized in teaching at-risk students. Janine began successfully advising school administrators with result driven strategies in schools across Connecticut and North Carolina. Janine applies the training received from Dr. Spencer Kagan’s The Dynamic Trainer. With exceptionally high marks from educators in training Literacy First, Differentiated Instruction , Cognitive Coaching, Guided Reading, Direct Vocabulary Instruction.

As a consultant and author…Janine has co-developed One Stop Word Shop which increases student’s comprehension and teacher efficacy through effective research based vocabulary resources.

Session 2-5 • Gr. K-3 • ReadConn: The power of K-3 Foundational Reading Knowledge and Skills Dr. Melissa K. Wlodarczyk Hickey & Joanne R. White - CT State Dept. of EdThe ReadConn K-3 Reading Skills Professional Development Series is a state funded effort focused on identifying students’ needs related to critical early literacy skills and delivering explicit instruction regardless of reading approach or instructional program.

The goal of ReadConn is to respond to the needs of Connecticut K-3 literacy teachers and literacy leaders around foundational reading skills by providing professional learning that encompasses the Reading Foundational Skills of the Connecticut Core Standards (CCS) in English Language Arts - www.ctcorestandards.org. Additionally, ReadConn aims to build capacity in teachers, literacy leaders, and school and district leaders that can be sustained and expanded. Conference attendees will have an opportunity to learn about the various components of ReadConn, what literacy leaders and teachers are currently experiencing as ReadConn Cohort 1 participants, and how to participate in future ReadConn events.

Audience: K-3 teachers, including teachers of K-3 special education and English learners, district administrators, principals, literacy leaders (i.e., reading specialists, literacy coaches, teacher leaders).

Dr. Melissa K. Wlodarczyk Hickey is the Director of Reading/Literacy at the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE). As Director, she oversees and manages the Academic Team leading projects related to K-3 Literacy, Connecticut Core Standards, content area standards implementation, Mastery-Based learning and Career and Technical Education. She has been an educator in Connecticut for over 20 years with a wide range of central office and building experiences such as director of humanities, literacy coach, science coordinator, middle school reading/writing teacher, and second grade teacher.

Joanne R. White is a consultant in the Academic Office at the Connecticut State Department of Education where she supports curriculum and instruction, and assessment, and is responsible for the implementation of policies carried out through State Board of Education rule and Connecticut statute.

17

http://www.ctcorestandards.org


WE

DN

ESD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 2nd

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INSTITUTES – 1:40pm-3:40pm

Institute B1 • Read Well, Write Well (Gr. K-8) Donalyn MillerProviding students opportunities to respond authentically to what they read increases reading motivation and comprehension, but what does authentic reading response look like in today’s world? In this engaging session, Donalyn Miller examines the research basis for reading response, authentic models and student examples, and invites participants to reflect and respond to their own reading experiences.


Institute B2 • Gr. K-8 • Writing Strategies to Support Process, Skills, and Qualities of Good WritingJennifer SerravalloIn this session, participants will learn about Jen Serravallo’s Hierarchy of Goals for writing instruction -- goals that include habits and processes, skills, and qualities of good writing. You’ll learn how to assess student writing, craft strategies to support students with goals, and how to coach students with prompts and feedback as they practice working.

Jennifer Serravallo Jennifer Serravallo is the best-selling author of the new Reading Strategies Book as well as other popular Heinemann titles, including Teaching Reading in Small Groups; Conferring with Readers (coauthored with Gravity Goldberg); and The Literacy Teacher’s Playbook, Grades K–2 and Grades 3–6. She is also the author of the Digital Campus Course Teaching Reading in Small Groups: Matching Methods to Purposes where you can watch dozens of videos of Jen teaching in real classrooms and engage with other educators in a self-guided course.

Jen worked for eight years as a staff developer and national consultant at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. In this capacity, she helped urban, suburban, and rural schools implement exceptional literacy instruction through reading and writing workshops. Before that, she was a New York City public school teacher in two Title I schools with large class sizes, high numbers of ELLs, and an enormous range of learners. These experiences galvanized her to write her Heinemann professional books as well as other professional resources for teachers, including the award-winning Independent Reading Assessment for fiction (Scholastic, 2012) and nonfiction (Scholastic, 2013). Jen holds a BA from Vassar College and an MA from Teachers College, where she has also taught graduate and undergraduate classes on urban education reform and children’s literature.

Institute B3 • Gr. K-5 • A Fresh Look at Conferring: Honoring Student and Teacher AgencyJennifer Scoggin & Hannah SchneewindWe will address common questions and tensions that arise as teachers strive to conduct meaningful reading conferences. After digging deeply into the value system and processes behind effective conferring, we will propose a new lens to view conferring, as well as related strategies, that honor student and teacher agency.

18


WE

DN

ESD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 2nd

Jennifer is the director of LitLife CT and has consulted in schools across New York and Connecticut for the past six years. Previously, she taught in Harlem. Jennifer is the author of two books and the creator of a teacher advocacy blog. Jennifer holds a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Teachers College.

Hannah taught first grade in Brooklyn, New York and in Westport, Connecticut. She worked for the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project for ten years. She is currently a literacy consultant with LitLife. She is interested in the role of read-aloud and reading conferences as a way to nurture young readers.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SESSIONS – 1:40pm-2:40pm

Session 3-1 • Gr. K-8 • The Power and Magic of Independent Reading and How to Make it Matter Pam Allyn In this session, Pam Allyn will present effective structures and routines for Independent Reading that will help us motivate all students to become lifelong readers. She will discuss the synergy between reading and the digital tools of today that make it possible to share one’s reading life with many others. Pam will discuss the role of children’s books as mentors for the kinds of writing our children can do both inside and outside of school. She will lead us to think about how foundational authentic text can be the lever that brings all readers into a reading community.


Session 3-2 • Gr. K-5 • Reach Out and TOUCH Reading: Making Comprehension Skills ACTIVE and INTERACTIVE Nancy BoylesWhat does it take to teach a comprehension skill so students not only understand it, but can apply it independently? In this session, explore the critical components of explicit comprehension instruction that result in reading independence. Discover easy-to-implement strategies that make thinking active and interactive, and recognize how to avoid practices that cause comprehension to go off-track.

Dr. Nancy Boyles was a classroom teacher for many years and is now Professor Emerita at Southern Connecticut State University where she was Professor of Reading and Graduate Reading Program Coordinator. She currently consults with districts and other organizations and agencies, providing workshops, modeling best practices in classrooms, and assisting with curriculum development. Workshop topics include Close Reading, Small Group Differentiated Instruction, Rigorous Assessment, and Depth of Knowledge.

Nancy is the author of three books on close reading all published by Corwin: Closer Reading, Grades 3-6, Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, Grades 3-6, and Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, K-2. Nancy has also written six other books related to comprehension. She has an article titled Pursuing the Depths of Knowledge in the ASCD October 2016 issue of Educational Leadership.

19


WE

DN

ESD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 2nd

Session 3-3 • Gr. 3-5 • Supporting Learners Through Connected Texts Debra CrouchIn this session, Grades 3-5 teachers will explore using texts connected by topics and ideas. Key understandings explored will be: how connected texts enable greater comprehension of a topic; how varying the genre explores different perspectives; and how varied genre supports learners to write in more authentic ways.

As an educational consultant, Debra Crouch supports schools and districts to envision professional learning opportunities that engage teachers and classroom instruction that engages children. She collaborates with districts and schools across the country serving children from diverse backgrounds, languages, and socioeconomic needs.

Session 3-4 • Gr. 3-8 • Flipping Without Flipping Out! Flipped Learning in Reading & Writing Workshop Dana Johansen & Sonja Cherry-PaulHow often have you thought, “Imagine if I could clone myself!” Come learn how flipped learning can help you differentiate, save time, and have fun! Participants will be introduced to this blended learning approach, how to create flipped lessons, and our Top 5 lessons to flip in reading and writing.

Dana teaches fifth grade English at Greenwich Academy and is a doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dana is the co-author of Teaching Interpretation: Using Text-Based Evidence to Construct Meaning and Flip Your Writing Workshop: A Blended Learning Approach. Follow her @LitLearnAct.

Sonja has taught 5th and 6th grade middle school students for more than fifteen years. Sonja is a committee member for The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. Sonja is the co-author of Teaching Interpretation: Using Text-Based Evidence to Construct Meaning and Flip Your Writing Workshop: A Blended Learning Approach. Follow her @LitLearnAct.

Session 3-5 • Gr. 2-8 • Enhancing your Literacy Classes Through Music: The Classroom Teacher and the Music Teacher Working Together Dr. Darla Shaw & Ms. Gloria CaponeStudents relate to music in a special way. When the classroom teacher uses music to enhance content, the results are usually phenomenal. This workshop will demonstrate how units on immigration, the westward movement, and the underground railroad, were greatly enhanced through music. The workshop will also include a discussion of 25 ways a classroom teacher can include music on a daily basis without much effort.

Dr. Shaw has 38 years of experience as the language arts coordinator for the Ridgefield School System and has 21 years as a full time education professor in literacy at Western CT State University. She is also a well know presenter, story teller, stand up comedienne, and women’s historian taking on the role of famous women in history. Musically she plays accordion and steel drum in four different bands and uses music regularly in her classes.

Ms. Capone is presently a grade 3 - 5 music teacher in New Milford, CT. She has also taught middle school music. In addition to her regular classes she is the choral director for three choruses, head of the Unified Arts Dept. for her school system, and on the school’s enrichment council. Always taking on new challenges, Ms. Capone likes to develop her musical units around trade books and literary themes. Dr. Shaw and Ms. Capone met when she was in Dr. Shaw’s graduate class and saw how involved Dr. Shaw was in music.

20


THU

RSD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 3rd

THURSDAY MORNING INSTITUTES – 10:20am-12:20pm

Institute C1 • Gr. 4-12 • The Power to Build Big Ideas: Book Club Practices That Give Students Ownership and Push Their ThinkingChris LehmanChristopher Lehman, Founding Director of The Educator Collaborative, will support you with practical and powerful methods for making book clubs not just work, but invite deep thinking and strong conversations. Truly supporting the development of independent learners, book clubs can transform how reading is taught and practiced in your classroom.


Institute C2 • Gr. K-6 • Read the World: Literacies for a Digital Culture Kristin ZiemkeToday’s digital classroom seeks to combine rich literacy instruction with 21st century tools to engage students in meaningful learning experiences. New devices invite students to read beyond the text and use multimedia--images, video, infographics--to add layers to their thinking. In this new learning landscape, we rethink what it means to “read” and craft lessons that explicitly teach students to analyze a photo, closely read a video clip and read the world. We’ll investigate new entry points for all learners and share ideas for empowering students to author their own messages as content creators in this participatory digital culture.


Institute C3 • Gr. 4-8 • Read Talk Write Laura RobbTeachers will learn how to use effective student discourse and discussion protocols to increase academic rigor in their classrooms. They will learn about effective student discourse, get supportive materials, view discussion protocols, and discuss ways to immediately implement their new knowledge into their classrooms.

Laura Robb is the 2016 winner of NCTE’s Richard W. Halle Award for an outstanding middle level educator. Author, teacher, coach, and speaker, Laura Robb has completed more than 43 years of teaching in grades 4-8. She presently coaches teachers in grades K to 8 in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Robb always works with those students who need the most support from teachers.

21


THU

RSD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 3rd

Laura Robb has written more than 25 books for teachers. In 2016, two new books were published: The Reading Intervention Toolkit, Shell Education, April 2016 and Read Talk Write: 35 Lessons That Teach Students to Analyze Fiction and Nonfiction, Corwin Literacy, October 2016. Corwin Literacy also published Robb’s Vocabulary Is Comprehension: Getting to the Root of Complex Texts, September 2014. Her newest for Heinemann is a First Hand Curriculum: Smart Writing: Practical Units For Teaching Middle School Writers and a book, and a professional book, Teaching Middle School Writers: What Every English Teacher Needs to Know. For Scholastic, Robb has completed Unlocking Complex Texts; the book provides teachers with detailed reading and writing about reading lessons. Robb has designed classroom libraries for Scholastic for grades 3 to 9. She developed, with Jeff Wilhelm, XBOOKS for middle school readers: nonfiction print texts with an online curriculum organized by themes such as forensics, tyrants, war, medicine, and strange.

Robb is a keynote and featured speaker at conferences and leads workshops all over the country and in Canada. She writes articles for education journals. Her blog for MiddleWeb, “Our # 1 Reading Problem: Persistent Inequalities” was published in April 2014, another MiddleWeb Blog, “Ten Motivators to Promote Playful Learning” was published in March 2016. Her article on motivation and engagement was published in the fall, 2015 issue of Literacy Today.

Institute C4 • Gr. K-5 • Growing Independent Learners: From Literacy Standards to Stations in K-5 Debbie Diller Need ideas for high-quality literacy work stations with depth in your K-5 classroom? Learn how to grow your stations from what you’re teaching in whole group and small group. Examine the process of planning for literacy workstations, starting with state standards which extend over time to meaningful partner practice in English language arts. This session will inspire fresh, new thinking on “What does the rest of the class do while I’m working with a small group?”

Debbie Diller, a national educational consultant and popular conference speaker, lives in Houston, TX. Debbie uses her experience of 40 years as a classroom teacher, Title I reading specialist, and literacy coach to teach others about sensible, realistic ways to meet the literacy needs of all students in the classroom. She is the author of many books for Stenhouse Publishers, including her newest Growing Independent Learners, as well as Math Work Stations, Spaces & Places, Making the Most of Small Groups, Literacy Work Stations, and Practice with Purpose. She has several videos on literacy work stations and small group instruction.

THURSDAY MORNING SESSIONS – 10:20am-11:20am

Session 4-1 • Gr. K-8 • Every Child a Super Reader: 7 Strengths to Open a World of Possible Ernest MorrellEvery child deserves the opportunity become a 24/7, 365 days a year super reader! Our 7 strengths model, built on a social-emotional framework that honors children’s languages, cultures, communities, and stories, builds a safe and loving environment in which to cultivate super readers who believe in themselves and are ready for college, career, and civic engagement.

An award-winning author, teacher, and researcher, Ernest Morrell is the Macy Professor of English Education and Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Ernest is also past-president of the National Council of Teachers of English, a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and an appointed member of International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. In 2016, Ernest was ranked among the top 100 university-based education scholars in the RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings. Ernest was an award winning English teacher and coach in Northern California and he now works with schools and after school programs across the country

22


THU

RSD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 3rd

to infuse social and emotional learning, digital technologies, project based learning, and multicultural literature into empowering literacy practices in K-12 classrooms. Ernest is the author of more than 75 articles and book chapters, and eight books including Every Child a Super Reader, New Directions in Teaching English, Linking Literacy and Popular Culture and Critical Media Pedagogy: Teaching for Achievement in City Schools, which was awarded Outstanding Academic Title for 2014 by Choice Magazine of the American Library Association. Ernest has earned numerous commendations for his university teaching including UCLA’s Department of Education’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Morrell earned his Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Culture from the University of California at Berkeley where he received the Outstanding Dissertation Award. Ernest also proudly sits on the Executive Boards of LitWorld and the Education for Democracy Institute.

Session 4-2 • Gr. K-3 • Music and Reading: A Noteworthy Ensemble to Enhance Oral Language and Phonological Awareness in Early Literacy Instruction Karen C. Waters, Ed.D. & Jessica NicholsA music-infused curriculum provides complementary support for teaching the foundation skills in phonological awareness, while enhancing oral language, particularly in English Language Learners. No musical expertise required! This interactive presentation includes lesson plans, video clips, and artifacts of student learning. Bring your voices; we’ll bring the keyboard.

Karen Waters is Director of the Literacy Specialist Programs at Sacred Heart University. Her article Using Shared Reading and Close Reading to Bridge Intervention and the CCSS was published in the CRA Journal in the spring of 2014. She was a contributing author of Building Struggling Students’ Higher Level Literacy: Practical Ideas, Powerful Solutions (2010).

Jessica Nichols has been teaching for 12 years, and is currently teaching 2nd grade at Geraldine Johnson Elementary School in Bridgeport, CT. She has a Masters of Science in Elementary Education from Nazareth College in Rochester, NY, and is pursuing state reading certification at Sacred Heart University.

Session 4-3 • Gr. 6-9 • Visual Literacy: A Portal for Deepening Reading Comprehension Cheryl Dickinson & Sabine JanuskiParticipants apply a step-by-step process for integrating visual texts (paintings and photographs) as a means for deepening comprehension of written texts. Presenters model the process and illustrate with student work samples. Resources for locating and choosing curriculum-relevant texts are provided.

Cheryl Dickinson is a Professor of Literacy at Southern Connecticut State University. Her research focuses on argumentation and Socratic seminars at the middle grade level. Cheryl has worked in numerous classrooms and with many teachers throughout Connecticut.

Sabine Januski is a seventh grade language arts teacher at the Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Bridgeport. Sabine is completing graduate work at Southern Connecticut State University and aspires to become a literacy coach. Sabine and Cheryl have collaborated on various language arts projects over the last 6 years.

Session 4-4 • Gr. K-12 • In Defense of Read-Aloud Steven LayneNonfiction writing should be filled with a variety of writing forms and styles that spotlight interesting sentence structures, strong images, and jaw-dropping descriptors. Anchored in explicit teacher modeling, lessons that focus on craft show students how a competent writer reports facts while never forgetting that the goal is to showcase content in a way that captivates a reader. Writing that has been constructed for craft as well as content sizzles with powerful verbs, enticing imagery, and diverse sentence structures.

23


THU

RSD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 3rd


Dr. Layne has authored 27 books including multiple award-winning titles in both the picture book and young adult genres including his beloved classic—The Teachers’ Night before Christmas, the teen thriller This Side of Paradise and the heartwarming picture book Love the Baby. Dr. Layne’s first professional book for educators, Igniting a Passion for Reading: Successful Strategies for Building Lifetime Readers was released in 2010 to wide acclaim. Newer titles include the YA novel Paradise Lost, the picture book Stay with Sister, and a new edition of his bestselling gift book Life’s Literacy Lessons: Poems and Stories for Teachers. In February of 2015, Dr. Layne’s newest professional book—In Defense of Read-Aloud—was released. He lives with his wife Debbie—who is a K-12 curriculum coordinator—their four children: Grayson, Victoria, Jackson and Candace + one very adorable 65 lb. collie named Shelby in St. Charles, Illinois.

Session 4-5 • Gr. K-3 • Let’s Look At That Again! Jeff HelmingLearn tips and strategies to effectively use picture books and illustrations to improve student comprehension and to teach close reading skills. Basic principles of close reading, book selection, and sample lessons will be shared.

Jeff Helming has taught second grade in Newington, CT for sixteen years. He serves as Teacher Leader and co-chairs the Literacy Committee at the school which oversees its One School, One Book program and its writing contest. He has co-authored and revised the second grade language arts curriculum for the district.

THURSDAY MORNING SESSIONS – 11:40am-12:40pm

Session 5-1 • Gr. 2-8 • How Writing About Reading Can Grow Readers Cory GilletteWriting about reading is a process that can enhance our readers’ understanding of texts and the teachers’ understanding of how well our students read. However, this process can often be implemented ineffectively which results in none of the above occurring.

In this workshop, Cory will teach how this process can lift the level of your students’ ability to think critically in an organized manner. She will break down the different kinds of writing about reading and their purposes. She will show mentor examples that illustrate how this process can teach students to think critically and analytically about texts, thus moving beyond the often-seen written retelling of the text. Teachers will leave this workshop not only with an understanding of purpose, but also a scope and sequence that correlates to reading level. They will be able to see how the complexity of writing about reading grows as the text level grows and will leave this workshop with a road map for effectively integrating writing about reading into their classroom.

Cory Gillette is the Literacy and Social Studies Program Coordinator for Darien Public Schools. She is

24


THU

RSD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 3rd

a founding member of the Fairfield County Literacy Leaders Collaborative. Cory previously worked for Teachers College Reading and Writing Project as a staff developer, presenter, and reading researcher. She is the co-author of two Unit of Study books through Heinemann: Breathing Life into Essays with Lucy Calkins and Boxes and Bullets with Lucy Calkins and Kelly Boland. Currently, Cory is studying Word Study in the balanced literacy classroom. In November 2015, she presented at NCTE with Kathy Ganske on this subject.

Session 5-2 • Gr. K-4 • From A to Zeal: Differentiating Word Study in the Elementary Classroom Melissa EwersSpelling inventories are critical assessments for guiding students along the continuum of word knowledge, but varied levels of performance within a class may leave you thinking, “Now what?” This session will focus on easy routines and engaging strategies to differentiate word study to meet the varied needs of elementary students.

Melissa Ewers, a former first grade teacher, spreads her love of literacy as the Language Arts Consultant at Flanders Elementary School. She graduated with her BS and MA from the University of Connecticut and received a Sixth Year Certificate in Remedial Reading and Language Arts from Southern Connecticut State University.

Session 5-3 • Gr. 6-8 • Reaching the Reluctant Remedial Reader Jennifer Silfer, Cindy Rodriguez, & Teri MichaudThis session will address the challenges of remedial middle and high school readers. We will discuss using Lexile, sorting and organizing classroom libraries, and selecting books that will attract even the most reluctant reader.

Jennifer Slifer has 15+ years of teaching experience at the middle school level. She is currently a Reading Specialist in the West Hartford Public School system.

Cindy Rodriguez has 15+ years of teaching experience at the middle school and is currently a Reading Specialist in West Hartford Public School system. Cindy is also a published young adult author; her first novel, When Reason Breaks, was published in 2015.

Teri Michaud is a Reading Specialist in the West Hartford Public School system. She taught elementary school and has been in her position in middle school for the past 7 years.

Session 5-4 • Gr. K-12 • The Power of Talk: Articulate Speaking and Active Listening Jennifer DeRagon & Dr. Darcy FianoThis session addresses the speaking and listening standards of the CT Core, with a focus on discussion skills and active listening. Research and practical strategies for supporting students with classroom discussions, oral presentations, debates, and listening critically will be explored.

Jennifer DeRagon is the K-12 Literacy Specialist for Coventry Public Schools. She has previously been the Reading Consultant at Coventry High School and a classroom teacher in 4th and 5th grade. She holds a M.S. in Special Education from Saint Joseph’s College, a 6th year diploma in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Connecticut and her 092 certification from Sacred Heart University.

Dr. Darcy A. Fiano holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from UCONN, administrative certification from Sacred Heart, and S.Y.D. and M.A. in Reading from CCSU. Darcy spent ten years as an elementary classroom teacher and the past seventeen years as a reading consultant/literacy coach for Windsor Public Schools and Manchester Public Schools; she also serves as an adjunct instructor of reading at both UCONN and CCSU.

25


THU

RSD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 3rd

THURSDAY AFTERNOON INSTITUTES – 1:40pm-3:40pm

Institute D1 • Gr. K-12 • Reading Books and the World: Building a More Loving Society One Classroom At A Time Chris LehmanChristopher Lehman, Founding Director of The Educator Collaborative, will help you find opportunities in your reading instruction to support not just deep reading work, but also the habits and mind sets for creating a more just, empathetic, and connected world. You will think carefully about book selection and adapt instruction you are already using to support bigger thinking about the global community we live in.


Institute D2 • Gr. K-6 • Mindset Shift: Makers, Memes and Micro-writing Kristin ZiemkeToday’s classroom is a place where STUDENTS guide the curriculum as kids of all ages are empowered to ask questions, seek information and collaborate with peers. We move from having 1 teacher and 30 students, to an environment where everyone plays the role of both teacher and learner and expands the traditional tools of literacy to include social media, science and the digital arts. New tools invite all learners to enter where they’re able and make it easier than ever before to do the real work of readers and writers. Learn practical strategies you can use tomorrow to connect learners, capture student thinking and build agency across the grades.


Institute D3 • Gr. 4-8 • Interventions Matter Laura RobbParticipants will deepen their knowledge of responsive teaching and instruction for students in Tiers 1, 2, and 3. Robb will introduce a framework with five types of interventions: 2- to 3-minute conversations, 5-minute exploratory conference, series of 5-minute conferences, 10- to 15-minute conferences, and 20- to 30-minute meetings. Robb will also discuss documenting all types of interventions and the importance of preparing possible scaffolds if the intervention lesson derails. In addition, Robb will stress how crucial it is to continually enlarge students’ vocabulary. Participants will discuss, analyze, and design interventions for diverse student scenarios as well as plan scaffolds. Robb will discuss how crucial tier 1 instruction is for meeting the diverse needs of all students.

26


THU

RSD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 3rd

Laura Robb is the 2016 winner of NCTE’s Richard W. Halle Award for an outstanding middle level educator. Author, teacher, coach, and speaker, Laura Robb has completed more than 43 years of teaching in grades 4-8. She presently coaches teachers in grades K to 8 in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Robb always works with those students who need the most support from teachers.

Laura Robb has written more than 25 books for teachers. In 2016, two new books were published: The Reading Intervention Toolkit, Shell Education, April 2016 and Read Talk Write: 35 Lessons That Teach Students to Analyze Fiction and Nonfiction, Corwin Literacy, October 2016. Corwin Literacy also published Robb’s Vocabulary Is Comprehension: Getting to the Root of Complex Texts, September 2014. Her newest for Heinemann is a First Hand Curriculum: Smart Writing: Practical Units For Teaching Middle School Writers and a book, and a professional book, Teaching Middle School Writers: What Every English Teacher Needs to Know. For Scholastic, Robb has completed Unlocking Complex Texts; the book provides teachers with detailed reading and writing about reading lessons. Robb has designed classroom libraries for Scholastic for grades 3 to 9. She developed, with Jeff Wilhelm, XBOOKS for middle school readers: nonfiction print texts with an online curriculum organized by themes such as forensics, tyrants, war, medicine, and strange.

Robb is a keynote and featured speaker at conferences and leads workshops all over the country and in Canada. She writes articles for education journals. Her blog for MiddleWeb, “Our # 1 Reading Problem: Persistent Inequalities” was published in April 2014, another MiddleWeb Blog, “Ten Motivators to Promote Playful Learning” was published in March 2016. Her article on motivation and engagement was published in the fall, 2015 issue of Literacy Today.

Institute D4 • Gr. K-5 • Growing Independent Learners: From Literacy Standards to Stations in K-5Debbie Diller Need ideas for high-quality literacy work stations with depth in your K-5 classroom? Learn how to grow your stations from what you’re teaching in whole group and small group. Examine the process of planning for literacy workstations, starting with state standards which extend over time to meaningful partner practice in English language arts. This session will inspire fresh, new thinking on “What does the rest of the class do while I’m working with a small group?”

Debbie Diller, a national educational consultant and popular conference speaker, lives in Houston, TX. Debbie uses her experience of 40 years as a classroom teacher, Title I reading specialist, and literacy coach to teach others about sensible, realistic ways to meet the literacy needs of all students in the classroom. She is the author of many books for Stenhouse Publishers, including her newest Growing Independent Learners, as well as Math Work Stations, Spaces & Places, Making the Most of Small Groups, Literacy Work Stations, and Practice with Purpose. She has several videos on literacy work stations and small group instruction.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSIONS – 1:40pm-2:40pm


In this workshop, Cory will teach how this process can lift the level of your students’ ability to think critically in an organized manner. She will break down the different kinds of writing about reading and their purposes. She will show mentor examples that illustrate how this process can teach students

27


THU

RSD

AY, N

OV

EM

BE

R 3rd

to think critically and analytically about texts, thus moving beyond the often-seen written retelling of the text. Teachers will leave this workshop not only with an understanding of purpose, but also a scope and sequence that correlates to reading level. They will be able to see how the complexity of writing about reading grows as the text level grows and will leave this workshop with a road map for effectively integrating writing about reading into their classroom.

Cory Gillette is the Literacy and Social Studies Program Coordinator for Darien Public Schools. She is a founding member of the Fairfield County Literacy Leaders Collaborative. Cory previously worked for Teachers College Reading and Writing Project as a staff developer, presenter, and reading researcher. She is the co-author of two Unit of Study books through Heinemann: Breathing Life into Essays with Lucy Calkins and Boxes and Bullets with Lucy Calkins and Kelly Boland. Currently, Cory is studying Word Study in the balanced literacy classroom. In November 2015, she presented at NCTE with Kathy Ganske on this subject.

Session 6-2 • Gr. 2-8 • Identifying and Spelling Multi-Syllable Words Steven Rosenberg, Ed.D.Participants will learn how to teach students to identify and spell multi-syllable words. This instruction will focus on types of syllables, syllable division, structural analysis, the doubling and dropping rules for spelling and their relationships to word identification and Latin roots and affixes.

Dr. Steven Rosenberg has been teaching elementary literacy courses at the University of Bridgeport for 5 years as the Director of the Elementary Literacy Program. He taught for 44 years in public schools as a regular and special educator in NYC, Ontario, Canada and Greenwich, CT and has a doctorate in reading from Hofstra University.

Session 6-3 • Gr. K-8 • Publishing the Work of Our Real Writers for Real ReadersKatie GordonWe believe that even young students are real writers. So how can we provide authentic audiences? When Real Writers visit, students sit taller, conspire with friends to be writing partners, and devise ambitious plans to write graphic novels. Why not show our students that THEY are real writers? Publish their books for the school library!

Katie Gordon is a Reading Consultant at Pomperaug Elementary School in Southbury, CT. She has worked with readers, writers, and teachers in grades K-12. She is a lead learner, and an outside-the-box thinker who looks for the joy in learning.

Session 6-4 • Gr. 4-12 • Learning to Listen and Listening to Learn Elizabeth SmithToday’s students may be very skilled at finding and viewing videos online, but many have difficulty just listening to audio. Students first need explicit instruction in how to listen, and then they need practice employing specific strategies. Participants will leave with creative ideas to integrate engaging listening activities into the ELA classroom.

Elizabeth Smith is a language arts teacher at Irving Robbins Middle School in Farmington. She previously worked as a librarian and a language arts teacher at McGee Middle School in Berlin. She has an MLS from SCSU, an MA from UConn, and a BA from the University of Hartford. After a taking a few years off, she returns for her seventeenth presentation at CRA.

28



In this workshop, Cory will teach how this process can lift the level of your students’ ability to think critically in an organized manner. She will break down the different kinds of writing about reading and their purposes. She will show mentor examples that illustrate how this process can teach students to think critically and analytically about texts, thus moving beyond the often-seen written retelling of the text. Teachers will leave this workshop not only with an understanding of purpose, but also a scope and sequence that correlates to reading level. They will be able to see how the complexity of writing about reading grows as the text level grows and will leave this workshop with a road map for effectively integrating writing about reading into their classroom.

Cory Gillette is the Literacy and Social Studies Program Coordinator for Darien Public Schools. She is a founding member of the Fairfield County Literacy Leaders Collaborative. Cory previously worked for Teachers College Reading and Writing Project as a staff developer, presenter, and reading researcher. She is the co-author of two Unit of Study books through Heinemann: Breathing Life into Essays with Lucy Calkins and Boxes and Bullets with Lucy Calkins and Kelly Boland. Currently, Cory is studying Word Study in the balanced literacy classroom. In November 2015, she presented at NCTE with Kathy Ganske on this subject.

Session 6-2 • Gr. 2-8 • Identifying and Spelling Multi-Syllable Words Steven Rosenberg, Ed.D.Participants will learn how to teach students to identify and spell multi-syllable words. This instruction will focus on types of syllables, syllable division, structural analysis, the doubling and dropping rules for spelling and their relationships to word identification and Latin roots and affixes.

Dr. Steven Rosenberg has been teaching elementary literacy courses at the University of Bridgeport for 5 years as the Director of the Elementary Literacy Program. He taught for 44 years in public schools as a regular and special educator in NYC, Ontario, Canada and Greenwich, CT and has a doctorate in reading from Hofstra University.

Session 6-3 • Gr. K-8 • Publishing the Work of Our Real Writers for Real ReadersKatie GordonWe believe that even young students are real writers. So how can we provide authentic audiences? When Real Writers visit, students sit taller, conspire with friends to be writing partners, and devise ambitious plans to write graphic novels. Why not show our students that THEY are real writers? Publish their books for the school library!

Katie Gordon is a Reading Consultant at Pomperaug Elementary School in Southbury, CT. She has worked with readers, writers, and teachers in grades K-12. She is a lead learner, and an outside-the-box thinker who looks for the joy in learning.

Session 6-4 • Gr. 4-12 • Learning to Listen and Listening to Learn Elizabeth SmithToday’s students may be very skilled at finding and viewing videos online, but many have difficulty just listening to audio. Students first need explicit instruction in how to listen, and then they need practice

29

29


employing specific strategies. Participants will leave with creative ideas to integrate engaging listening activities into the ELA classroom.

Elizabeth Smith is a language arts teacher at Irving Robbins Middle School in Farmington. She previously worked as a librarian and a language arts teacher at McGee Middle School in Berlin. She has an MLS from SCSU, an MA from UConn, and a BA from the University of Hartford. After a taking a few years off, she returns for her seventeenth presentation at CRA.

Register online at: http://tinyurl.com/craconference2016

Register by October 1, 2016: Save $15 and the first 250 registrants will get a FREE Children’s Book!

SPECIAL HOTEL RATE FOR CRA CONFERENCE GUESTS!Enjoy the convenience of staying at the same hotel that is hosting the conference!

To receive the conference rate of $119.00 per night, just call the Crowne Plaza Hotel at (860) 635-2000 and mention the Connecticut Reading Association CRA 65th Annual Conference when you are making your reservation!

NOTE: Please dress in layers, as temperatures may vary from one section of the hotel to another.

Radisson Hotel Cromwell (formerly the Crowne Plaza Hotel) 100 Berlin Rd, Cromwell, CT 06416 • 860-635-2000 / 1-888-233-0368

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE ONLINE:www.radisson.com/reservation/itineraryEntrance.do?hotelCode=USACRCT&promotionalCode=CRACRA

30

http://www.radisson.com/reservation/itineraryEntrance.do?hotelCode=USACRCT&promotionalCode=CRACRA

conference chair - connecticut reading association · donalyn miller: voice and choice: fostering...

Documents