I – Professional Learning: Phonics Solutions
Phonics Solutions are professional learning opportunities created to support participants in understanding both the theory and practice of carefully sequenced, high-impact instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, reading, and writing. Each session spotlights the power of systemic phonics combined with dynamic literacy instruction. Additional follow-up options include modeling lessons and/or coaching during the implementation of the lessons. Pioneer Valley Phonics Solutions are designed to support classroom, intervention, English language learning (ELL), and special education teachers in delivering high-quality, research-based reading instruction.
1. In Tandem (Target Audience: K–2 Teachers)
This session focuses on teaching differentiated small-group instruction using In Tandem materials. Each lesson framework begins with a spotlight on fostering phonological awareness and phonics skills that are then tightly woven into reading and writing. Participants will walk away confident with both theory and practice when implementing In Tandem lessons. Half- or full-day options available.
2. Phonics Launch (Target Audience: Classroom Teachers or Interventionists for Whole or Small Group)
This session focuses on teaching differentiated small group or grade-level whole group using Phonics Launch materials. Each lesson framework begins with a spotlight on fostering phonological awareness and phonics skills that are then tightly woven into reading and writing. Participants will walk away confident with both theory and practice when implementing Phonics Launch lessons. Half- or full-day options available.
3. Phonics Storybooks (Target Audience: Classroom Teachers or Interventionists for Whole or Small Group)
This session focuses on using the Phonics Storybooks to develop phonics lessons for either whole-group or small-group settings. Following explicit demonstration of phonemic awareness and phonics activities, participants will walk away with an understanding of how to create a series of activities to complement the Phonics Storybooks. Half- or full-day options available.
4. Stepping Together: Shared Reading (Target Audience: K–2 Teachers)
This session focuses on using the Stepping Together: Shared Reading system for whole-class instruction. In this session, participants will gain confidence in delivering engaging lessons that include phonemic awareness, phonics, reading, and writing. Participants will leave knowledgeable and ready to implement Stepping Together lessons. Half- or full-day options available.
II – Professional Learning: Getting Started with Literacy Footprints Systems
Getting Started with Literacy Footprints Systems is a professional learning series designed to help participants understand the what, why, and how-to of teaching reading using Literacy Footprints systems.
Literacy Footprints systems are designed to support classroom, intervention, English language learning (ELL), and special education teachers in delivering high-quality, research-based reading instruction. Each session will highlight the stages of guided reading within each kit. Additional follow-up options include modeling lessons and/or coaching your teachers during their implementation of the lessons.
1. Getting Started with Literacy Footprints: Kindergarten–Second Grade Kits (Target Audience: K–2 Teachers and Interventionists)
Beginning readers need to build a solid repertoire of foundational skills and develop a strong processing system. This session focuses on teaching Beginner Steps, Emergent, Early, and Transitional readers using Literacy Footprints materials. Each framework follows a three-pronged approach integrating reading, word study, and writing skills and strategies, all aligned with the literacy continuum. Following explicit demonstration of each integral part, participants will engage in active participation and coaching, leaving confident and ready to teach small-group guided reading lessons. Half- or full-day options available.
2. Getting Started with Literacy Footprints: Third–Fifth/Sixth Grade Kits (Target Audience: 3–5/6 Teachers and Interventionists)
Early and Transitional readers need to solidify their self-extending processing system and develop more complex reading skills. This session focuses on teaching Early and Transitional readers using Literacy Footprints materials. Each framework follows a three-pronged approach integrating reading, word study, and writing skills and strategies, all aligned with the literacy continuum. Following explicit demonstration of each integral part, participants will engage in active participation and coaching, leaving confident and ready to teach small-group guided reading to Early and Transitional readers.
3. Getting Started with Literacy Footprints: Intervention Partner Lessons (Target Audience: K–2 Teachers and Interventionists)
The goal of the Literacy Footprints Intervention Partner Kit is to accelerate the progress of students who are not meeting grade-level expectations in literacy. Each framework follows a three-pronged approach integrating reading, word study, and writing skills and strategies, all aligned with the literacy continuum. In this session, teachers will learn ways to improve students’ foundational skills, strategic processing, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency using the Literacy Footprints Intervention Partner materials. Participants will also learn how to work in partnership with classroom teachers to connect instruction in a way that will help struggling readers consolidate new learning. Half- or full-day options available.
4. Getting Started with Literacy Footprints: Assessing Students for Guided Reading Using the Literacy Footprints Guided Reading Assessment (Target Audience: K–2 and 3–5/6 Teachers and Interventionists)
Assessing a reader’s instructional level is the linchpin for teaching successful guided reading lessons. Now more than ever, we need targeted reading instruction that is laser-focused on a reader’s strengths to build on their instructional needs. The Literacy Footprints Guided Reading Assessment framework is a three-pronged approach that matches the lesson framework, assessing reading, word study, and writing. In this session, participants will learn how to assess students and analyze the results to make data-driven instructional decisions and more accurately differentiate their guided reading lessons. Half- or full-day options available.
5. Getting Started with Interactive Read-Aloud: Whole-Group Read-Aloud Lessons (Target Audience: K–2 and 3–5/6 Teachers)
Interactive Read-Aloud is a powerful instructional tool for introducing students to comprehension focuses while simultaneously engaging students in the joyful experience of listening to books read aloud. In this session, participants will become familiar with the stories, learn how to teach and scaffold the comprehension focus, explore the lesson framework, and become familiar with the steps and procedures of lesson delivery. Half- or full-day options available.
6. Stepping Together: Shared Reading (Target Audience: K–2 Teachers)
This session focuses on using the Stepping Together: Shared Reading system for whole-class instruction. In this session, participants will gain confidence in delivering engaging lessons that include phonemic awareness, phonics, reading, and writing. Participants will leave knowledgeable and ready to implement Stepping Together lessons. Half- or full-day options available.
III – Professional Learning: Focused Workshops
Focused Workshops provides professional learning opportunities designed to dig deeper into a specific guided reading topic. These segments are intended for those who are already familiar with Literacy Footprints or differentiated instruction.
1. Exploring Word Study: Digging Deeper into Emergent, Early, and Transitional Word Study (Target Audience: K–2 Teachers)
Word study is the component of the guided reading lessons that allows teachers the opportunity to provide explicit instruction for phonics and word-solving skills. By teaching a short word study activity during the guided reading lesson, teachers can prompt students who need more support in learning a skill and teach them how to transfer that newly learned skill to reading and writing. In this workshop, teachers will learn and practice word study procedures that support Emergent and Early readers in developing strong decoding and encoding skills. Half-day session.
2. Exploring Word Study: Digging Deeper into Transitional and Fluent Word Study (Target Audience: 3–5/6 Teachers)
Word study is the component of the guided reading lessons that allows teachers the opportunity to provide explicit instruction for phonics and word-solving skills. By teaching a short word study activity during the guided reading lesson, teachers can prompt students who need more support in learning a skill and teach them how to transfer that newly learned skill to reading and writing. In this workshop, teachers will learn and practice word study procedures that support Transitional and Fluent readers in developing strong decoding and encoding skills and vocabulary. Half-day session.
3. Making Intentional Instructional Decisions: Responsive Teaching (Target Audience: K–2 and 3–5/6 Teachers)
The Literacy Footprints Guided Reading lesson frameworks have three integral parts: guided reading, word study, and guided writing. The lesson parts were developed by aligning target skills, strategies, and comprehension focuses with the literacy continuum. The most effective guided reading lessons are planned and delivered by responding to student assessment data. In this workshop, participants will engage with student assessment data and lesson frameworks to modify the lessons and prompting in response to students’ needs in order to ultimately accelerate learning. Half-day session.
4. Moving Forward with Comprehension: Digging Deeper into the Comprehension Focus (Target Audience: 3–5/6 Teachers)
Each Literacy Footprints Guided Reading lesson has a comprehension focus that threads through the lesson framework. In Chapter 7 of Jan Richardson’s The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading, 12 comprehension focuses are introduced across 29 teaching modules. In this workshop, participants will take part in a mini-book study while exploring each comprehension focus through the Literacy Footprints lessons. They will learn how to use the progressive steps to differentiate the support provided to students during guided reading lessons. They will leave with a strong understanding of how to lead students toward internalizing the comprehension focus to reach the goal of constructing meaning while reading any given text. Half-day session.
5. Guided Writers: Writing with Intention and Intensity (Target Audience: K–2 and 3–5/6 Teachers)
The Literacy Footprints lesson framework includes a guided writing lesson. Guided writing provides an opportunity to support students as they write about the book they’ve just read, which in turn increases their comprehension. In this workshop, participants will learn how to analyze students’ writing to address their needs according to target skills. Participants will learn how to provide prompting and assistance during guided writing, including how to give appropriate scaffolding that helps students develop writing skills and craft. Half-day session.
6. Building Strategic Readers: The Art of Prompting for Strategic Action (Target Audience: K–2 and 3–5/6 Teachers)
A key element of guided reading involves close observation of students’ literacy processing behaviors. Learning how to listen and make quick decisions about where to prompt takes time and practice. In this workshop, participants look carefully at what strategic actions are important for students to develop at each reading stage. Additionally, they will learn the importance of using running records as a tool for observing how students are approaching reading. Finally, we will delve deeper into how to foster strategic processing as students read and reread a new book, as well as how and what to teach the group following the reading. Half-day session.
7. Using the Digital Reader: The Nuts and Bolts (Target Audience: K–2 and 3–5/6 Teachers)
The Digital Reader provides students with the opportunity to engage with over a thousand fiction, nonfiction, and decodable books that can be accessed both in the classroom and at home. This workshop includes the nuts and bolts of how to design your digital classroom, form groups, assign books, create student bookshelves, use and track student data, and so much more! Participants will leave the session all set up and ready to begin using the Digital Reader with their students. Half-day session.
8. Using the Digital Reader: Digging Deeper to Enhance Independent Learning (Target Audience: K–2 and 3–5/6 Teachers)
The Digital Reader provides a unique opportunity to engage students in meaningful literacy learning. In this session, teachers will explore ways to utilize the Digital Reader to enhance independent activities. Participants will explore the Digital Reader content and collaborate with others to develop purposeful and engaging literacy stations. Half-day session.
