The Science of Reading

The term Science of Reading is everywhere! But what does it really mean and how can educators best leverage the research findings’? Let the Engaging Learners team of experts help you answer these important questions:

What key instructional practices build better readers, writers, and thinkers?

How do we bridge the gap between state and district policy and our classrooms?

Science of Reading models encompass five key areas: phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. While many initiatives focus heavily on phonics and phonemic awareness, the corpus of research indicates that effective grade 4-12 classroom instruction encompasses all five aspects of reading. This comprehensive approach serves as a vehicle for learning from text and leveraging text to deepen academic subject study.  

Check out the The Science of Reading in Grades 4-12 Podcast: Join Dr. Katie McKnight and Dr. Jenny French for a podcast especially for 4th -12th grade teachers, literacy coaches, and school and district leaders who need information, tools, and resources to grow literacy achievement. Click here to listen.

 

Free Resource

Keynote

What the Science of Reading REALLY Is

The term, Science of Reading is everywhere today – but it’s not a new idea. How do we bridge the gap between state and district policy and our classrooms?  And even more importantly, what key instructional practices build better readers, writers and thinkers?

Gain insights from Dr. Katie McKnight and Dr. Jenny French. Finally, REALLY understand the term Science of Reading - what it is, and what it is not - so you can go beyond K-5 with foundational literacy for all students, even the “big kids” in middle school and high school.

  • Explore the basics of Scarborough’s Reading Rope

  • Examine the levels of reading comprehension

  • Discover which strategies best support student reading at the Inferential and Evaluative levels

  • Learn to empower students to monitor their own comprehension

Katie and Jenny bring the latest evidence-based research and years of experience to support classroom teachers, literacy coaches, curriculum directors, and administrators at the school- and district-level.

Format: 60-90-120 minute presentation, Half Day session, or Full Day session

Workshops

Do This, Not That to Develop Reading Comprehension (grades 4-12)

For educators of 4th-12thgrade students, there’s no denying the importance of reading in student success. As a result, it’s only right to make sure that education programs are based on the most up-to-date science of reading principles. What works for an elementary student won’t necessarily work for those slightly older – and specific adjustments may be necessary. This session aims to look at the “do’s and don'ts” when teaching reading to grades 4-12 within the context of scientific research by reviewing what we should do. We'll go through key considerations for classroom instruction to improve reading comprehension in adolescent students.

Resources and teacher tips are included.

Format: 60-90-120 minute presentation, Half Day session, or Full Day session

Science of Reading: District-level Strategies for Middle & Secondary Schools

Administrators start this session by more fully exploring the term Science of Reading and learning how to adapt the model’s principals on a district-wide basis. Discover how to go beyond K-4 foundational literacy by expanding fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in middle and secondary schools. Join Dr. McKnight and Dr. French to explore tangible strategies for bridging the gap between your state and district policy language, and your teachers’ in-the-classroom work with students.

Format: 60-90-120 minute presentation, Half Day session, or Full Day session

 

Bring the Science and Research of Evidence-Based Writing to Your Classroom

In this session, participants will find out how to prepare students in all content areas to write arguments and support claims with reasoned evidence and gain confidence in teaching a challenging skill that is important for students' career/college readiness and subject area study. Elevate students' evidence-based reading and writing skills through a proven methodology that includes reading comprehension lessons and grammar instruction in a 10 week, scaffolded instructional sequence.

Format: Half Day session, Full Day session, or two Full Day sessions with coaching and practical application

Suggested Companion Material: Short, Short, BIG!

What Does the Science of Reading Mean for Content Area Teachers? (grades 4-12)

Distill the term Science of Reading and identify how it relates to every classroom. Explore research-based strategies that will help teachers and students identify breakdowns in understanding and address them quickly. Learn how to use essential questions and strategic inquiry-based questioning techniques as helpful tools that ultimately lead to improved comprehension. Offer your “big kids” the reading strategies they need now so they can avail themselves of all the learning opportunities available to them through deep subject study.

Format: Keynote, 60-90 minute session

Collaborating with Dr. Jenny French

Dr. Katie McKnight’s Engaging Learners is pleased to collaborate with Dr. Jenny French on the Science of Reading topic. Dr. French’s expertise helps us ensure that our professional development reflects the latest research and understanding of the Science of Reading model.

Dr. Jenny French is an educator and leader with a career spanning various facets of education, with her journey in literacy beginning as an elementary classroom teacher and middle school language arts teacher.  

Dr. French held roles including secondary literacy coach, university associate professor, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent of schools. Each step of the journey marks a contribution to the field, shaping educational practices, curriculum development, and policy implementation. Her personal journey of having a son with dyslexia drove her participation as a previous board member for the International Dyslexia Association and grew a passion for helping students with dyslexia to find their college and career path. 

Her expansive career also includes a notable publication, Help! My Students Write Like They Text: Teaching Code-Switching to Improve Writing, shedding light on contemporary communication challenges in the classroom. As a sought-after school improvement consultant, she continues to share her wealth of experience, culminating in the groundbreaking creation and development of ThinkCERCA's Foundational Reading & Linguistics program, which addresses the unique needs of struggling adolescent readers, transforming lives through enhanced reading and linguistic skills.

Want to bring Jenny to your school or conference? Send us a message! Dr. French is available for onsite and virtual PD. Check out the Booking Info page to learn more.