Leading the Shift to Science of Reading: A District Case Study

Outline

The content for the session will include:
1. A case study: the history of Literacy in Bedford Central School District and how we made the change
2. Latest research on Science of Reading and expert advice on how to make the shifts in practice
3. A research process for analyzing literacy curriculum to match your District's priorities
4. An action plan template on how to create the change in your district (3-5 year plan).
5. A learning walk structure to observe and inform classroom practices.
6. A professional development plan to build consistency, coherence, and common language.

Time:
1. Presentation: Case Study & Current Research (30 minutes)
2. Peer-to-peer interactions - reflection on case study (10 minutes)
3. Guided Practice/Working Session: Templates for creating change [action plan, learning walk structure, professional development plan] (20 minutes)

Throughout the presentation, participants will have opportunities to process the information in table groups, discuss ideas and reflections in partnerships, and begin creating their own action plans for their Districts.

Supporting research

Building Knowledge Can Help Build Reading Success, International Dyslexia Foundation (https://dyslexiaida.org/building-knowledge-can-help-build-comprehension-success/)

Building Phonemic Awareness: Know What Matters, International Dyslexia Foundation (https://dyslexiaida.org/building-phoneme-awareness-know-what-matters/)

Embracing Reading for Understanding: Expanding our Vision of Science of Reading, Literacy Today, September/October 2020, p. 26-28 (https://publuu.com/flip-book/24429/91003/page/28)

Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science, Louisa Moats, American Educator, Summer 2020 (https://www.aft.org/ae/summer2020/moats)

The Science of Reading Comprehension, by Joan Sedita, Keys to Literacy, October 2021 (https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/the-science-of-reading-comprehension/)

The Science of Reading Comprehension Instruction, by Nell Duke, Alessandra E. Ward, P. David Pearson, International Literacy Association, The Reading Teacher, Volume 74, No. 6, p.663-672, 2021 (https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/trtr.1993)

What Every Parent and Educator Should Know About Reading Instruction, by Joan Sedita, Reading Rocket (https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/curriculum-and-instruction/articles/what-every-educator-and-parent-should-know-about-reading)

What Constitutes a Science of Reading Instruction by Timothy Shanahan, International Literacy Association, Reading Research Quarterly 55 (S1), 2020 (https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rrq.349)

How the Science of Reading Informs 21st‐Century Education by Petscher et al., International Literacy Association, September 2020 (https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rrq.352)

Guidance for Educators Using Balanced Literacy Program, Student Achievement Partners, Achieve the Core (https://achievethecore.org/content/upload/Guidance%20for%20Educators%20Using%20a%20Balanced%20Literacy%20Program.pdf)

Tier 1 Instructional Strategies to Improve K-4 Reading Comprehension, James S. Kim & Zhongyu Wei, EdResearch for Recovery Brief No. 25, Harvard University, June 2022 (https://annenberg.brown.edu/sites/default/files/EdResearch_for_Recovery_Brief_25.pdf)

The Science of Learning to Read Words A Case for Systematic Phonics Instruction by Linnea Ehri, International Literacy Association, August 2020 (https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rrq.334)

A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relations Between Motivation and Reading Achievement for K–12 Students by Toste et al. , Sage Journals (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3102/0034654320919352)

English Language Learners: Reading Wars, Reading Science, and English Learners by Claude Goldenberg, ILA, September 2020 (https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rrq.340)

A Call to Action: The State of Early Literacy in New York / NYSED Science of Reading Literacy Briefs, January 2024 (https://newyork.edtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ETNY-Literacy-Report.pdf)

Colorin Colorado: A bilingual site for educators and families of English Language Learners (https://www.colorincolorado.org/)

Mass Literacy: Components of Core Literacy Block, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (https://www.doe.mass.edu/massliteracy/literacy-block/default.html)

The Reading League: Joint Statement on the Science of Reading and English Learners/Emergent Bilinguals (https://www.thereadingleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Joint-Statement-on-the-Science-of-Reading-and-English-Learners_Emergent-Bilinguals-24.pdf)

Recognized Experts critical to our evaluation process:
1. Dr. Molly Ness, Literacy Researcher, Author, Professor (https://drmollyness.com/)
2. Angela Lalor, Educational Consultant (https://adlalorconsulting.com/)
3. Haskins Global Literacy Hub (https://haskinsglobal.org/)
4. Mario Palma, Bilingual, biliteracy expert (https://palmamledsolutions.com/)