We're delighted to be holding regular webinars in collaboration with literacy experts to talk about how our amazing tools help you teach literacy in your classrooms, and to answer your questions about how to improve your own use of these tools. Participants in these free webinars will have the option to ask their questions live on video (you will need a microphone and webcam) or by submitting them through a Q&A Panel within the webinar. Our moderator will present the submitted questions to our experts. Be advised we may not have time to answer everyone’s questions, so we'd suggest thinking in advance about what questions you may have.
Below is our upcoming schedule for topics to be discussed. Don’t see a topic you’d like to learn more about? Let us know! Use this form to submit your ideas and perhaps you’ll see it in an upcoming session. Be sure to check back often as new topics will be added. Don’t worry if you miss a session; we’ll record each session and offer them for viewing afterwards.
Upcoming Webinars
Stay tuned!
Data-Driven Decision-Making around Word Study and Vocabulary Watch Webinar
High-Leverage Moves to Support Visual Analysis and Word Solving Watch Webinar
Teaching Phonics Explicitly and Systematically during Guided Reading Watch Webinar
Adjusting the Gears: Teaching Readers to be Phrased and Fluent Watch Webinar
Guiding Writers: Teaching with Intention and Intensity Watch Webinar
Watch Previously Recorded Webinars
November 9, 2023, 4pm EST: Transformative Teaching Strategies, moderated by Dr. Sam Bommarito with panelists Tim Rasinski, Kathy Roe, and Penny Slater Watch Webinar
- Download Record of Attendance [PDF]
In this special session, Dr. Sam Bommarito brings together an exciting panel of literacy experts to discuss strategies for improving student reading comprehension, fluency, accuracy, and reading stamina. Bestselling author and fluency scholar Tim Rasinski shares some important research on fluency. Penny Slater and Kathy Roe shows how they have used Tim’s research to develop a Reading Fluency Project in the UK that has led to struggling readers achieving more than 1.5 years of growth in comprehension/fluency in just eight weeks of small-group instruction.
To learn even more about Penny and Kathy’s intervention, please visit HFL Reading Fluency Project (hfleducation.org).
September 21, 2023, 4pm EST: Phonics Instruction: Anchoring Systematic Teaching in Decodable Text, featuring Karen Cangemi and Michèle Dufresne Watch Webinar
- Download Anchoring Systematic Teaching in Decodable Text [PDF]
- Download Record of Attendance [PDF]
In this session, Karen Cangemi and Michèle Dufresne will discuss the benefits of using high-impact decodable books as a foundation for building effective phonics instruction. When phonics instruction stands on the shoulders of quality decodable books, new learning is meaningfully transferred to authentic reading and writing. Learn how the new Phonics Solutions from Pioneer Valley Books support and engage all learners. Join us for an exciting kickoff to the new school year!
May 18, 2023, 4pm EST: The Future of Literacy: Refining and Clarifying the Science of Reading, featuring Dr. Andy Johnson Watch Webinar
In this session, Dr. Andy Johnson of Minnesota State University discusses what qualifies as scientific research and provides a simple overview of balanced literacy, evidence-based practices, the three-cueing system, eye movement during reading, word identification, word recognition, phonics instruction, phonemic awareness, direct instruction, and educational research.
Dr. Andy Johnson is Professor of Literacy Instruction and Distinguished Faculty Scholar at Minnesota State University, Mankato. After teaching in the elementary classroom for 9 years, he received a PhD from the University of Minnesota in Literacy Instruction in 1997. He has been working in higher education for 27 years. He is the author of 15 books and over 50 book chapters and academic articles related to literacy, learning, and the human condition. He is also the host of the podcast, The Reading Instruction Show at https://rss.com/podcasts/drandy.
February 9, 2023, 4pm EST: Finding Common Ground to Establish Best Practices in Literacy Instruction, featuring Dr. Sam Bommarito, Michèle Dufresne, and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
In this session, Dr. Sam Bommarito takes us through some of the media’s misleading information on reading instruction and discusses how research on reading is becoming misconstrued. He offers ideas for how proponents of the science of reading can find common ground with the proponents of balanced literacy.
Dr. Sam Bommarito has a 51-year career in education, teaching every grade from kindergarten through graduate school. He has served as chair of both the St. Louis and Missouri ILA affiliates and made numerous presentations at ILA/IRA conferences, including national conferences. In spring 2022, he was a featured speaker at the LitCon conference and will be the main speaker at an an upcoming ILA conference in Albany, New York. Most of his career was spent working in Title 1 buildings as a reading specialist and/or staff developer. He writes a weekly blog about literacy at doctorsam7.blog and tweets daily about literacy issues @doctorsam7.
December 8, 2022, 4pm EST: Getting the Facts Straight on Guided Reading, featuring Jan Richardson and Michèle Dufresne Watch Webinar
In this session, Jan Richardson and Michèle Dufresne discuss misleading information being circulated about guided reading: specifically, misinformation about phonics being taught in a guided reading lesson, the cueing system, using leveled books for instruction, and the instructional purpose of leveled A and B patterned books. Jan and Michèle also discuss how phonics is effectively integrated into guided reading lessons.
Check out our Pioneer Valley Phonics Storybooks.
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Fifty-eight educators say ‘Sold a Story’ podcast series sells incomplete story about reading instruction
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Unpacking Reading Science to Inform a Different Path to Literacy, featuring Paul Thomas, Ed.D. webinar
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A Primer for Parents, Policy Makers, and People Who Care
October 20, 2022, 4pm EST: Unpacking Reading Science to Inform a Different Path to Literacy, featuring Paul Thomas, Ed.D. Watch Webinar
The “Science of Reading” (SoR) movement that began in 2018 has gained momentum and has had an outsized influence on state reading policy and classroom practice. However, the SoR movement presents two negative impacts on long-term literacy education—a commitment to the “Simple View” of Reading (SVR) and mandates for phonics-first instruction for all beginning readers. In this webinar, Paul Thomas, Ed.D. (Professor of Education, Furman University, and author of How to End the Reading War and Serve the Literacy Needs of All Students), places the SoR movement within the context of the robust but complex current state of reading science.
September 8, 2022, 4pm EST: Starting Strong with Small-Group Instruction, featuring a panel of literacy teachers moderated by Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
The power of small-group differentiated instruction is undeniable. By using assessments to form groups, establish expectations, and plan strategic lessons, you optimize the time you have to teach students. Join Karen Cangemi and a panel of teachers from across the country for an interactive roundtable discussion about launching small-group instruction. Our panel will share strategies for building a strong literacy classroom, and the chat will be open for you to ask questions and share your ideas.
May 19, 2022, 4pm EST: Data-Driven Decision-Making around Word Study and Vocabulary, featuring Jackie Wissman Watch Webinar
This session takes a closer look at the expanded analysis of visual information in running records in late transitional and fluent readers to support responsive teaching. We study the reading and writing data of a few intermediate readers and connect to some of the high-leverage moves from the previous session. In addition, we build conversations around the intersection of word solving and vocabulary as students read more complex texts.
April 28, 2022, 4pm EST: High-Leverage Moves to Support Visual Analysis and Word Solving, featuring Jackie Wissman Watch Webinar
As students move up text levels, complexity of word solving increases, placing more demands on readers. This session examines ways to support late transitional and fluent readers’ use of visual analysis and word solving before, during, and after reading. In addition, we look at a quick way to gather more detailed running record data on visual information being used and neglected by intermediate readers.
April 7, 2022, 4pm EST: Acceleration through Collaboration: Combining Forces to Accelerate Striving Readers, featuring Emily Wayman Watch Webinar
When classroom teachers and interventionists collaborate on students’ data to drive instructional decisions, fast-paced acceleration of students’ progress is the outcome. In this session, Emily Wayman, a Reading Recovery Teacher, shares her success story as an interventionist and coach working side by side with classroom teachers to benefit striving readers. Additionally, this session explores explicit ways to collaborate around targeted actions aimed for student success.
New Professional Learning Webinar Series: Taking the Next Step in Running Records
This series of webinars showcases how to link the analysis of reading errors, self-corrections, and other reading behaviors to make decisions for individual and small-group instruction.
- March 2, 2022, 4pm EST: Making Instructional Decisions for Emergent Readers, featuring Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
- March 16, 2022, 4pm EST: Making Instructional Decisions for Early Readers, featuring Maryann McBride Watch Webinar
- March 30, 2022, 4pm EST: Making Instructional Decisions for Transitional Readers, featuring C. C. Bates Watch Webinar
February 10, 2022, 4pm EST: Weaving Reading, Writing, Phonology, and Phonics Together: Shared Reading in Action, Featuring Jan Richardson, Michèle Dufresne, and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
In this session we share a lesson framework that integrates shared reading, writing, phonemic awareness and words study/phonics instruction in a large group setting. We also show and discuss videos of Jan teaching first grade students using our new Shared Reading program: Stepping Together for K–2 classrooms.
November 18, 2021, 4pm EST: Interactive Read-Aloud: Building a Literacy Classroom Community, Featuring Karen Cangemi and Allison Jurado Watch Webinar
Interactive Read-Aloud is a whole-group opportunity to expose students to intentionally selected picture books. The foundation for instruction is to introduce students to the comprehension focuses found in Literacy Footprints guided reading lessons while engaging them in the joyful experience of listening to books being read aloud. Interactive Read-Aloud lessons will also help students develop flexible ways to think deeply as they read, write, and speak about increasingly more challenging books.
September 9, 2021, 4pm EST: The Power of Literacy Footprints Assessments: Analyzing Data for Strategic Instructional Decisions, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
Assessments are critical to planning strategic guided reading lessons. In this session, we analyze three important Literacy Footprints Assessments: running records, word study inventories, and writing samples. Then we demonstrate how to use the results to create targeted, powerful guided reading lessons.
May 13, 2021, 4pm EST: Interactive Writing: A Powerful Link in Literacy Learning, Featuring C. C. Bates and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
Interactive writing produces a meaningful and readable text. The co-construction of the text by the teacher and student affords rich opportunities to focus on language. Additionally, as teachers we can explicitly teach foundational skills like phonological awareness and phonics, making the creation of the shared text a powerful link in children’s literacy learning. In this session, C.C. Bates shares her insights on this powerful literacy link and her new book, Interactive Writing: Developing Readers Through Writing.
April 15, 2021, 4pm EST: Spring Ahead: Accelerating Learning Using the Digital Reader, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
As we work together to support our literacy learners, it is critical that we accelerate student learning rather than remediate. It is important that we provide high-quality instruction to students who may have been marginalized or underserved during the past 12 months. In this session, Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi break down the Digital Reader’s amazing new features that give you the tools to assess, track progress, and guide all students in reaching grade-level expectations and beyond.
February 25, 2021, 4pm EST: The Next Step Forward in Running Records: Using This Powerful Tool to Guide Instruction, Featuring Jan Richardson, C. C. Bates, and Maryann McBride Watch Webinar
Running records reveal the meaning-making, problem-solving strategies students are using as they process text. In this webinar, Jan Richardson, C. C. Bates, and Maryann McBride demonstrate how to use running records to identify a focus that can inform decisions during reading, writing, and word study.
January 28, 2021, 4pm EST: Teaching Phonics Explicitly and Systematically during Guided Reading, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
During the word study part of the guided reading lesson, we have the opportunity to explicitly and systematically teach students phonics and how to apply this new learning to their reading and writing. In this session, Jan and Michèle go over the scope and sequence laid out in their book The Next Step Forward in Word Study and Phonics (and used in the Literacy Footprints guided reading lessons) and then explain why guided reading is the place to teach phonics.
December 10, 2020, 4pm EST: Inspiring, Overseeing, and Supporting Teachers Teaching Remotely, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
Jesse Mettille, Manager, Literacy Support, Jefferson County Public Schools
Andrea Campbell, District Literacy Coach, Jefferson County Public Schools
Andrea Searcy, Literacy Coach, Puesta del Sol Elementary School, Victor Elementary School District
November 12, 2020, 4pm EST: Digging Deeper into the Digital Reader: Powerful Updates and Sneak Peeks, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
October 7, 2020, 4pm EST: Using the Digital Reader to Create Engaging Shared Reading Lessons, Featuring Karen Cangemi and Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
September 10, 2020, 4pm EST: Teaching Beginner Steps Lessons Online: Supporting Novice Readers in Remote and Hybrid Settings, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
August 20, 2020, 4pm EST: Assessing Students’ Reading and Writing Remotely, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
August 6, 2020, 4pm EST: Using Literacy Footprints: Hybrid Teaching, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
July 9, 2020, 4pm EST: Using the Literacy Footprints Digital Reader: Nuts and Bolts, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
May 21, 2020, 4pm EST: Using Literacy Footprints to Accelerate Literacy Achievement, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
April 30, 2020, 4pm EST: Meeting the Challenges: Teaching Reading Remotely with Digital Books, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
April 16, 2020, 4pm EST: Teaching Transitional Guided Reading Lessons Remotely, Featuring Jan Richardson and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
April 14, 2020, 4pm EST: Teaching Early Guided Reading Lessons Remotely, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
April 9, 2020, 4pm EST: Teaching Emergent Guided Reading Lessons Remotely, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
April 7, 2020, 4pm EST: Using Digital Books to Teach Guided Reading Remotely, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Karen Cangemi Watch Webinar
April 2, 2020, 4pm EST: Teaching Guided Reading Remotely, Featuring Michèle Dufresne and Jan Richardson Watch Webinar
March 11, 2020, 4pm EST: Running Records: Guiding Next Steps Watch Webinar
February 12, 2020, 5pm EST: Adjusting the Gears: Teaching Readers to be Phrased and Fluent Watch Webinar
January 14, 2020, 4pm EST: Guiding Writers: Teaching with Intention and Intensity Watch Webinar
December 16, 7pm EST: Progressive Steps: Mining a Pathway to Deeper Comprehension Watch Webinar
November 20, 4pm EST: Word Study Watch Webinar
