This newsletter has been created by Wayne RESA literacy consultants for literacy educators. In each issue, you will find Literacy Learning Network updates and information, statewide initiative updates, book synopses, teaching and coaching strategies, and upcoming professional learning opportunities. We look forward to partnering with you as we engage in best practices in literacy instruction for all students.
Literacy Learning Network Updates
Upcoming Literacy Learning Network Events
UFLI Foundations Two-Day Training Program
UFLI Foundations is an explicit and systematic program developed by the University of Florida Literacy Institute for teaching foundational reading skills. This summer, Wayne RESA will be hosting the initial two-day training.
Day 1: The University of Florida Literacy Institute Essential Background Knowledge training will provide educators with the necessary knowledge to support the development of foundational literacy skills. The session will include an overview of research on reader development and principles of effective reading instruction and intervention. We will then take a closer look at the key foundational reading skills UFLI Foundations addresses: phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge, decoding, encoding, and oral reading fluency. The intended audience for this session includes teachers, interventionists, building leaders, central office staff, and literacy leaders.
Day 2: The University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) will deliver a comprehensive look at the UFLI Foundations explicit and systematic phonics program. This will include a brief overview of the program, a review of essential background knowledge needed for implementation, as well as an overview of the manual and materials needed. Each lesson step will be covered in-depth with an opportunity to practice the newly learned strategies. Finally, there will be a brief overview of progress monitoring and differentiation. Lunch and coffee will be provided on both days. Registration is open!
In addition to these summer dates, we will also be hosting the following sessions this fall (registration will be available soon):
- October 7 & 8: Introduction Training
- November 12: Year 2 – Thinking about Assessment
- December 9 & 10: Introduction Training
- December 11: Year 2 – Thinking about Assessment
Summer Learning Blitz
Developed and nurtured by Michelle Wagner, Manager of Educational Services, our Annual Summer Learning Blitz is entering its fifth year! As in previous summers, each one-hour professional learning session is free and open to all educators. This year, we are also offering sessions that are entirely asynchronous in an effort to attend to the busy lives of our Wayne County educators, especially during the summer months. The overarching theme of the Blitz centers the importance of building conceptual knowledge in our students. Hwang et al.’s (2021) meta-analysis “support[s] challenging the current status quo, the separation of literacy and content-area instruction, and shifting to more fully integrate the two” (p. 19). Furthermore, Alexander and Fox (2010) assert that “those that do not have basic conceptual knowledge” of concepts taught across content areas will struggle as readers. Since such struggles will continue to diminish students’ love of reading and learning, this year’s Blitz will engage educators in deep conversation about this critical component of instruction, allowing us to embrace the coming school year with energy and enthusiasm. By exploring effective practices and strategies that enhance our skills, we renew our commitment to our students. Register for one or more sessions! As a reminder, sessions will be recorded, and registered participants will have access to both recordings and resources following each session.
Detroit Institute of Arts
Seated in the heart of the Cultural Center Historic District in Detroit, most Wayne County residents will agree that the Detroit Institute of Arts is a cultural and architectural gem. However, local educators may not be aware of all of the advantages the DIA offers. First, it is worthwhile to apply for the Educator Pass, which provides free admission, 10% off at the Museum Shop, 20% off DIA memberships, and a subscription to the online newsletter for educators. To receive (or renew) your free DIA Educator Pass, use the link above, scroll down to Educator Pass, and click “Join Now.” Next, click “Place Order” at the bottom of the page and enter the coupon code: DIAK12PASS (all caps). Additionally, FREE field trips including bus transportation are available to all Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb teachers and students. Without even going to the museum, teachers also have access to DIA Delivered, a program that brings a toolbox full of lessons, artifacts, replicas of artistic works, books, and more right to their classrooms. The DIA Learning page details several other opportunities for student and professional learning, but our favorite is the Refresh, Restore, and Revitalize Educator Morning. Offered five times a year, educators can partake in a yoga or mindfulness session followed by art-making and a complimentary smoothie bar!
Coaching Connections
The ISD Early Literacy Coaching Network Quarterly meetings have been announced for COSAs. These have been added to the Google calendar, but please save the following dates:
- Wednesday, October 16, 2024 (virtual)
- Wednesday, December 4, 2024 (virtual)
- Wednesday, February 5, 2025 (virtual)
- Thursday, May 1, 2025 (possibly in person with virtual option)
As a reminder, the Wayne County Instructional Coaching Network dates have been set for the 2024 – 2025 school year, and registration is now open! Our afternoons next year will be devoted to deeper learning in our Pathways. We look forward to another great year!
Statewide Updates
The Zekelman Holocaust Center’s 2024 Summer Academy for Educators is set for August 6-8, 2024, and it is now open for registration. The Academy will take place at The Zekelman Holocaust Center from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. It is free for all participants and includes lunch and snacks. Participants will receive classroom resources and up to 20 State Continuing Education Clock Hours. Participants can register for one or two sessions, a full day, or for the whole week. To learn more about this year’s sessions or to register, please visit the center’s website.
Join Dr. Rosalyn Shahid, Vonetta Clark-Tooles, Jennifer Snapp and Nekeya Irby for a FREE viewing and community discussion of the film Pushout on Thursday, August 15, 2024. The free event is a prelude to our Fall course offering of Cultivating the Genius of Black Girls, which is a 3-part virtual series open to all educators and available in the course catalog for the nominal fee of $40. The screening and course are open to all districts and schools.
Are you looking to spend time delving deeply into your craft with others around the state? Seeking time to plan for the intentional use of disciplinary literacy approaches to improve students’ engagement and proficiency? Then join the Disciplinary Literacy Task Force for a different kind of professional learning. This is not your typical way-too-many-presentation slides and way-too-little-application-of-learning event! We know that teachers and leaders talking with each other about research-based approaches can be the very best kind of professional learning, so members of the Disciplinary Literacy Task Force are committed to providing a two-day experience that will give you a powerful start to the 2024-2025 school year. See the flyer for additional information.
School principals and building level leaders are essential to the success of our coaches, educators, and students! Join us as we strive to increase learning in all content areas by exploring systematic and effective practices that can be implemented at the building level. We will use the Essential School-Wide Practices in Disciplinary Literacy: Grades 6-12 as a foundation of shared learning with afternoon break-out sessions targeted to various needs, and all participants will receive a bound copy of the Essential School-Wide Practices document. This event will be offered twice: September 26 and November 19. See the flyer for details.
The Building a Better Assessment Future conference is designed to inspire and equip educators to engage in assessment literate practices and to see how each individual can be that spark for their student, their classroom, building, and district — enacting change to elevate learner outcomes and successes. Featured keynote presenters are Margaret Heritage and Myron Dueck. Learn more about this year’s conference and register today to reserve your spot!
MDE is now offering Lexia LETRS Volume 2 (Units 5-8)! This course is for anyone who has completed Volume 1 (Units 1-4) independently or with another entity and does not have the opportunity to continue with Volume 2. Learn more and sign up at https://www.lexialearning.com/michigan-letrs. Note: Any educator currently enrolled in a cohort under the state aid grant is signed up for the entire course (volumes 1 and 2) and should not complete this form.
Registration for LETRS Cohort 8 is open for elementary educators, early childhood educators, and administrators. Training for Cohort 8 will start in January 2025. For more information, including registration links, please visit the Michigan LETRS website.
THF Summer Camp is selling out quickly. Secure your camper’s spot today for an unforgettable week filled with hands-on experiments, artifact exploration and behind-the-scenes experiences at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village. Spots still remain for the following weeks: Week C: July 15-19, Week D: July 22-26, and Week E: July 29-August 2. Register today!
MDE is opening the 2025-26 Michigan Teacher of the Year nomination window early this year! This annual program recognizes outstanding teachers in our state. Each year, 10 Regional Teachers of the Year are selected through a competitive application process, with one of the Regional Teachers of the Year named Michigan Teacher of the Year. Parents, students, colleagues, and community members are invited to nominate a teacher. To be eligible, a nominee must have a valid Michigan teaching certificate, at least five years of teaching experience in Michigan, and be in good standing with their school or district. Please make nominations using the online form, which is available until Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
Books and Strategies
Book Talk
Igniting Passion in Readers of All Ages
The COVID-19 pandemic was, and in some cases continues to be, the cause of many educational disruptions. In the past two years, though, an alarming trend has emerged across middle grade readers. In his article “Not Lost in a Book,” Dan Kois (2024) details the “decline by 9” phenomenon. Simply put, middle grade students are not reading as much as they were pre-pandemic. While the potential causes are numerous, the culminating result–a decline in reading for pleasure in upper elementary and middle school readers–has long-term negative implications. If not fostered early, the joy of reading is hard to cultivate later. The book suggestions below have been compiled by Plymouth-Canton librarians (for author information, click on a book image to activate the gallery). Share these suggestions with parents of middle graders and encourage students to read them over the summer months. Then, as we return to school in the fall, consider which selections might appeal to a wide range of students and add those to your school or classroom libraries!
Worthy Websites
Run by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Edcast is a forum for teachers, policymakers, researchers, and leaders of schools in the U.S. and around the world to discuss how education can impact learners, educators, parents, and communities. While it’s run by one of the world’s most prestigious learning universities, the idea is to “lower the barriers of education’s complexities so that everyone can understand.” Recent episodes have focused on Higher Education’s Resistance to Change, the Power of Out-of-School Learning, and, our personal favorite, Humanizing Education Through Hip-Hop. No one can get great guests like Harvard University! Whether sitting on the beach, walking the dog, or driving kids around this summer, check out over a decade of podcasts–each approximately 20 minutes long.
Noteworthy News
Read, Write, Road is an English Language Arts program, brought to you by the Michigan Learning Channel. This free program is designed to build literacy skills through phonics instruction, word-building, read-alouds, and writing exercises. While the core resources are for kindergarten through 3rd grade learners, there are also episodes for parents and preschoolers. The standards-aligned lessons are taught by Michigan teachers using Literacy Essentials instructional practices, and the videos with accompanying printable activities make the lessons easy for parents and educators to use. See the MLC Newsletter for more information and resources.
Professional Learning
| Upcoming Events at Wayne RESA |
See our interactive 2024-2025 Wayne RESA Course Catalog for links to course offerings, their descriptions, and online registrations in Learning Stream. Simply click on the catalog link above, and then click on Literacy in the Table of Contents to peruse our offerings. In addition, as part of the 35j grant, the Wayne RESA Literacy Team has developed several series and sessions for the upcoming school year. See the brochure for details; sessions and series are open to all. Finally, don’t forget to check for interdisciplinary offerings by clicking on additional content areas. Some of our professional learning events will continue to be offered virtually. If the format for a session or series is unclear, please contact any of the Literacy Team members for details. |
AI Resources: Embracing the Possibilities
If you have a little time to further investigate AI this summer, check out the Van Andel Institute You and AI course. It is self-paced, free, and informative!
Wayne RESA Literacy Team
Michelle Wagner, Manager of Educational Services
Mari Treece, Executive Director of Educational Services
If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, and you’d like to subscribe to it, please contact Laura Gabrion.
33500 Van Born Road • Wayne, MI 48184 • 734.334.1300 • 734.334.1620 fax • www.resa.net
Board of Education
James S. Beri • Mary E. Blackmon • Danielle Funderburg • Lynda S. Jackson • James Petrie
Daveda Colbert, Ph.D., Superintendent