All Groves workshops and events are free and open to the public unless indicated otherwise. Please join us! Continuing education credits (CEUs) are provided at Groves workshops. Throughout the year, more workshops will be added; please check back to find the newest updates to our schedule. Space is limited so please register in advance - call 952.920.6377 or email moranda@grovesacademy.org.
THE FIVE STRANDS: WORKSHOPS ABOUT READING
Learning to read can be a complicated process, but thanks to over twenty years of scientific research, there is now very little debate about what skills a child needs to be a fluent reader. We know that the requisite skills to become a good reader need to be taught directly and sequentially. We know that reading is not a natural process as is the acquisition of oral language. Most children will not learn to become skilled readers just through exposure to print; they rely on expert teaching to become proficient readers. As Louisa Moats, a national expert on reading, puts it, “
Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness is a term heard often in schools and in conversations with teachers of reading. What is phonemic awareness and why is it a critical skill for an emerging reader? This highly-interactive workshop will explore these questions and the importance of children having a strong phonemic foundation before learning to read. Thursday, Sept. 24 at
Phonics
During the 1970s and 1980s, the reading wars pitted proponents of phonics against whole language advocates. Who was correct and what is phonics anyway? This workshop will explore the critical importance of phonics in a reading program and will answer the questions, “How much phonics is enough?” and “Do all students require phonics instruction?” Thursday, Oct. 22 at
Fluency
There are two components to becoming a fluent reader—word reading accuracy and word reading rate. If a child is struggling with either accuracy or rate, he or she will likely struggle with comprehension as too much mental energy will be spent on reading the words on the page. This workshop will examine both word accuracy and rate and will give suggestions to improve a child’s fluency. Thursday, Nov. 19 at
Vocabulary
Vocabulary acquisition is an important factor in preparation for both school and for life in general. As students move through school, more and more of their vocabulary will be acquired through their reading. Is that enough or can/should vocabulary be taught in a systematic way? This workshop will explore the importance of vocabulary acquisition and how it can be addressed in the classroom. Thursday, Feb. 4 at
Comprehension
The goal of reading is for the reader to gain an understanding of
what the author is conveying via the printed word. With respect
to comprehension, are all texts created equal? Or does the reader
approach texts in different ways depending upon the type of text
that he/she is reading? Comprehension is an incredibly complex
process dependent upon many requisite skills. This workshop will
explore how readers approach different tasks, the requisite skills
needed to achieve understanding, and how comprehension skills
can be taught in the classroom. Thursday, March 4 at
Co-sponsored by Orton-Gillingham of Minnesota, Groves Academy and Hamline University, the summer 2010 course will begin in June. Please see documents and links on the right for more information including registration and payment details.
