Online Academy
Knowledge Blocks
Our online classes, called Knowledge Blocks, provide educators with a unique and highly specialized professional development experience. Learn from an expert in a small group, intimate, online setting with others who are serious about making the Science of Reading come to life.
Foundations of the Science of Reading
Choose one:
April 12 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
April 12 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
April 13 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
We recommend starting with this Knowledge Block if you have unfinished learning about these anchors and how they can sharpen your thinking about assessment and instruction. Our Foundations Knowledge Block also addresses transformative versus additive change, and what it takes to transform the culture of practice in a school system.
Description:
The Science of Reading embodies over 40 years of research findings from multiple fields of study that shine a light on key fundamental principles of reading instruction. At The Reading League, we ground all of our professional development in three “anchors” that have emerged from this research. You may recognize the Simple View of Reading equation (Gough & Tunmer, 1986), but have you plugged in the numbers and talked about what it really means for different types of readers? You may have seen Scarborough’s Reading Rope (2001), but are the details etched in your long-term memory so you can use it as a lens for viewing instructional decisions? You may have heard of the Four-Part Processing Model for Word Recognition (Seidenberg & McClelland, 1989), but can you explain how it functions in skilled readers?
Who should take this:
This Knowledge Block is appropriate for all educators.
Instructor: A member of the TRL Professional Development team
Phonological Awareness: What, Why, and How?
Choose one:
April 19 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
April 19 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
April 20 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
Description:
This Knowledge Block will help untangle a bunch of “ph” terms associated with the Science of Reading and clarify the role of phonological awareness in skilled reading. Participants will learn how to assess phonological awareness, and learn planning strategies and instructional approaches that can be used to teach phonological awareness in face-to-face and virtual settings.
Who should take this:
This Knowledge Block is appropriate for K-5 teachers and administrators, as well as middle and high school teachers who work with long-term developing readers.
Instructor: A member of the TRL Professional Development team
Phonic Knowledge: What, Why, and How?
Choose one:
January 25 or April 26 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
January 25 or April 26 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
January 26 or April 27 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
Description:
Do you know a digraph from a diphthong? How about the six major syllable types of English? This Knowledge Block will help you brush up on your own knowledge of phonics and give you a way to assess the phonic knowledge of your students. Participants will also learn how to analyze this data so that it can inform instruction.
Who should take this:
This Knowledge Block is appropriate for:
- K-5 Teachers
- Administrators
- Middle and High School Teachers (who work with long-term developing readers)
Instructor: A member of the TRL Professional Development team
TRL 6-Step Plan for Decoding, Spelling, and Fluency
Choose one:
February 1 or May 3 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
February 1 or May 3 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
February 2 or May 4 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
We strongly recommend taking both the Phonological Awareness and Phonic Knowledge, Knowledge Blocks prior to this 6-Step plan, but it is not required.
Description:
In this Knowledge Block, participants will learn how to plan and implement 40-60 minute engaging, evidence-aligned, 6-Step lessons to teach the phonemic and phonic skills necessary for efficient decoding, spelling, and fluency. You will receive a collection of practical resources and ideas for using the TRL 6-Step approach in face-to-face and virtual instruction.
Who should take this:
This Knowledge Block is appropriate for:
- K-5 Teachers
- Administrators
- Middle and High School Teachers (who work with long-term developing readers)
Instructor: A member of the TRL Professional Development team
Reading and Spelling Multisyllabic Words
Choose one:
February 8 or May 10 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
February 8 or May 10 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
February 9 or May 11 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
We strongly recommend taking both the Phonic Knowledge and 6-Step Lesson Plan Knowledge Blocks prior to this session, but it is not required.
Description:
Do you have students who struggle with decoding multisyllabic words? Do they often look at the first letter and guess, even though they can read single syllable words quite well? This Knowledge Block builds upon the Phonic Knowledge session. We begin by briefly reviewing the 6 major syllable types in English and other key terminology. Participants will learn evidence-based instructional routines for teaching students to read and spell multisyllabic words.
Instructor: TRL Professional Development Team Member
Understanding Dyslexia
Choose one:
March 7 or May 16 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
March 7 or May 16 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
March 8 or May 17 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
Description:
Participants will learn about the role of the brain in reading and dyslexia. Early warning signs as well as critical indicators and core deficits will be presented. We will review special education law with an emphasis on specific learning disability and dyslexia. A discussion of clinical diagnosis versus educational classification, and IEPs versus 504 Plans, will guide participants to consider these nuances in the contexts of schools.
Instructor: Dr. Sheila Clonan
About the instructor:
Sheila Clonan is a New York State Licensed Psychologist and also an NYS certified School Psychologist. She received her Ph.D. from Syracuse University and was a school psychologist in the Syracuse City school district for nearly a decade before leaving to direct the Syracuse University Reading Research project. There she had the opportunity to work with Dr. Benita Blachman, a renowned expert in early reading acquisition and dyslexia as well as Drs. Sally and Bennett Shaywitz from the Yale Child Study Center, investigating the influence of intensive remediation in reading on the functional organization of the brain for second and third-grade students with reading disabilities.
The Simple View of Writing
Choose one:
March 22 or May 24 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
March 22 or May 24 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
March 23 or May 25 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
Description:
We know you are familiar with the Simple View of Reading, but did you know there is also a Simple View of Writing (SVW)? In this Knowledge Block, participants will learn about the subcomponents of the SVW, and receive practical instructional guidance for each. We will also share a process that you and your colleagues may use to analyze your current approach to writing instruction, and determine how well it is aligned to the SVW.
Who should take this:
This Knowledge Block is appropriate for teachers and administrators at all grade levels.
Instructor: A member of the TRL Professional Development team
Assessing for Dyslexia
Choose one:
March 28 or June 6 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
March 28 or June 6 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
March 29 or June 7 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
Description:
In this Knowledge Block we will:
- Examine specific test measures and key interpretations needed to render a dyslexia classification.
- Discuss recommendations for interventions and accommodations.
- Conclude with evaluation tips for school psychologists.
Who should take this:
This Knowledge Block is appropriate for anyone seeking to gain a greater understanding of the school psychologist’s role in educational assessment for dyslexia, including critical evaluation areas to target.
Instructor: Dr. Sheila Clonan
About the instructor:
Sheila Clonan is a New York State Licensed Psychologist and also an NYS certified School Psychologist. She received her Ph.D. from Syracuse University and was a school psychologist in the Syracuse City school district for nearly a decade before leaving to direct the Syracuse University Reading Research project. There she had the opportunity to work with Dr. Benita Blachman, a renowned expert in early reading acquisition and dyslexia as well as Drs. Sally and Bennett Shaywitz from the Yale Child Study Center, investigating the influence of intensive remediation in reading on the functional organization of the brain for second and third-grade students with reading disabilities.
Rethinking RTI: Where Are We Now?
Choose one:
April 5 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
April 5 | 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM (EST)
April 6 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (EST)
Description:
In the world of elementary reading, Response to Intervention (RTI) was the hottest topic in schools for a stretch of years. Like many initiatives, it was a promising, evidence-based idea that struggled to be effective when enacted in schools. Where did RTI come from? What was the intent? Why didn’t it live up to its promises? What can we learn from the past, and what about RTI can we salvage to help readers thrive in today’s unique contexts?
Instructor: Dr. Heidi Beverine-Curry
“Thank you so much for all of these fabulous resources! I’ve really enjoyed the learning blocks that I’ve attended and now see how it all ties together. Thank you and The Reading League for deepening my understanding of the Science of Reading and helping me design lessons to better meet my students’ needs.”
– Darla S., RtI Teacher
Online Academy
If you are ready to make the transformation to the Science of Reading in your practice or guide a transformation in your school, this is for you. You can personalize your learning pathway by selecting your choice of Knowledge Blocks.
