2024 RISE Conference

Session focus will be on planning for small group instructional for all students using all data sources and the shift between fall/winter small group focus and spring focus. Tasks and discussions will be around 3rd Grade Reading.

Morphology, the study of word structure and formation, is a powerful tool that empowers students to unlock the meaning of complex words, enhance vocabulary acquisition, and improve reading comprehension. Participants will explore the fundamentals of morphology and its significance in literacy development for upper elementary students while exploring the CCS resources to make morphology instruction interactive and enjoyable for students.

Do your students struggle to start writing tasks? Do final products never reach initial expectations? Do you avoid writing instruction due to time, lack of student interest, or challenges with self-confidence in your own writing? Self-regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) can support you in addressing these challenges and others. SRSD, an evidence-based practice for writing, is consistently rated as the instructional strategy for writing with the strongest impact on students’ performance (e.g., Graham et al., 2012).

The framework includes explicit instruction to support students in self-regulation throughout the writing process while addressing deficits in initial schema, genre knowledge, and self-efficacy. SRSD works for students in general education (e.g., McKeown et al., 2023), with learning disabilities (FitzPatrick & McKeown, 2021), with behavioral challenges (Ennis et al., 2013), and with Attention Deficit Disorders (e.g., Reid et al., 2014). Studies have spanned the three common genres -- persuasive, informative, and narrative. Studies have included students from first grade (e.g., Collins et al. 2023) through college (e.g., Ray et al., 2021).

In this presentation, we review the scientific findings supporting SRSD, the six stages of SRSD, share experiences and artifacts from three practitioners who implemented SRSD in their classrooms, model lessons, and have practitioners conduct portions of the lessons themselves. We will provide digital resources, text recommendations, and contact information for further exploration. Participants will have a clear understanding of the framework and access to additional resources if they choose to implement in their classrooms.

Summary Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to spread facts and dispel myths about dyslexia in school-age students. We hope to spread awareness about how general education and special education teachers can continue to support these students in their schools.

Objectives:
To increase awareness of the 2019 Dyslexia Topic Brief, including using the term “dyslexia” in schools and with parents
To dispel misconceptions and misinformation about dyslexia and share research-based information
To provide some profiles and characteristics of dyslexia in students, and discuss our obligations as educators to support and refer for special education when necessary
To provide both instructional and social/emotional resources for students, teachers, and families that will help support students with dyslexia

Engaging: We will engage participants using a slides presentation, and walking through several websites and resources. We will elicit participation through open-ended questions and direct feedback. The content is expected to be directly linked to teachers’ work with students and thus they are expected to connect newly learned information with how they can implement it immediately.

Resources:
https://www.dpi.nc.gov/documents/ec/dyslexia-topic-brief/download?attachment
https://dyslexiaida.org/
https://fcrr.org/
NC Policies and Procedures Manual for Children with Disabilities

Embark on a transformative journey with our conference dedicated to revolutionizing vocabulary instruction through the power of morphology in 4th and 5th grade classrooms. Morphology holds the key to unlocking students' vocabulary acquisition and comprehension skills, paving the way for deeper understanding and academic success. Participants will collaborate with fellow educators to share insights, resources, and best practices for implementing morphology instruction in diverse classroom settings.

The purpose of this session will be to provide strategies that help to create an environment where students love to read. We will engage the audience with multiple ideas to use in their classrooms to help students enjoy reading and become better readers. Attendees will receive slides and handouts with research based strategies to implement into their reading. Participants will be encouraged to share their success stories with this concept.

K-3 Teachers will learn the importance of syllable instruction and the direct relationship word parts have with nonsense word fluency. Teachers will know more about the 6 syllable types, syllable division and how to connect syllable fluency to nonsense word fluency. Teachers will be able to show students the real world connection between syllable fluency and nonsense word fluency. Teachers will spend time breaking multisyllabic words into syllable parts and practice the nonsense word fluency strategy with other members of their group. Teachers will be provided resources from LETRs manuals, amplify instruction materials and lists of multisyllabic words that are appropriate for each grade level.

We will provide several engaging strategies for using robots while supporting literacy and engaging learners in the K-5 setting. Participants will get a chance to experience Ozobots, Code and Go Robot Mice, Beebots, and Dash Robots, while brainstorming ways to incorporate their use into their own classrooms. These robots can be used for writing, summarizing, retelling, and much more! We will provide a list of books as well as resources related to using the robots with them. We will share some of the successful projects we have had with our students using the various types of robots. Attendees will be able to have hands-on experience with the different robots and ask any questions they may have. This breakout session would also showcase how classroom teachers can successfully collaborate with their media specialists.

Effective organization is essential for maximizing learning opportunities and fostering a positive and productive learning environment. This session offers tips and techniques for creating visually appealing and functional classroom displays that support learning objectives and celebrate student achievements. Participants will explore strategies for organizing classroom materials, resources, and supplies to enhance accessibility and promote student engagement.

We will be sharing tips on how to make your classroom engaging and accessible for students. We will specifically discuss how when classroom teachers collaborate with media coordinators to do this work that classroom libraries can really transform.

Reciprocal teaching is a powerful approach that empowers students to become active participants in their own learning journey. Through this dynamic method, students develop critical thinking skills, deepen comprehension, and enhance metacognitive awareness. Participants will explore the foundational principles and research behind reciprocal teaching and dive into practical strategies for implementing reciprocal teaching in diverse classroom settings.

The objective of this session is to equip participants with practical strategies for implementing differentiated learning menus to foster student autonomy and engagement. Participants will have the opportunity to view examples of menus that are currently used in the upper elementary classroom. They will then engage in hands-on activities to design menus tailored to their specific content areas and grade levels.

This session is designed for teachers who have completed LETRS training. The session will give a refresher on key models, concepts and strategies taught in LETRS. Participants will have time to explore resources on the county's LETRS Library in order to gain ideas on how to apply the LETRS learning directly to their classroom.

This session will help participants build an understanding of what fluency is and why it is important. They will gain knowledge of practical strategies and activities that will strengthen their instruction of fluency. Participants will have time to explore the Fluency Instructional Guide that is linked on the CCS Canvas Course as well as participate in some activities that build fluency throughout the instructional day.

Purpose: The purpose of this session is to enable teachers to manage the time given to them throughout the day to ensure that all whole group instruction is completed as well as small group instruction.

Objective: After this session, teachers will be able to chunk their schedule to enable them to meet all students' needs during the day.

Engagement: Teachers will bring their planned master schedule for their school and we will work together in groups to plan how we can "fit it all in". Last year when I hosted a small group planning session, time was the biggest concern brought up. I want to work with the schedules that teachers bring in to help them see that if you prioritize differentiation, there is time! We will then dig into iReady resources and UBD resources in order to create small groups. Finally, teachers will plan a mock small group with data given to the group.

Resources: Teachers will be shown where they can find different resources on iReady for small groups as well as how UBD resources can be used for small groups.

Objective: Integrate vocabulary, syntax, and grammar into reading instruction.

Outcome: Teachers will learn skills to use deconstructed sentences that intertwine vocabulary, syntax, and grammar in their read-aloud instruction.

Isolating vocabulary is not the best practice and doesn’t allow students to build a deeper understanding of word use in their reading or writing. When students understand how the words they are learning transfer to other contexts, the experience is more impactful. In Scarborough’s Reading Rope, the strands are interconnected and mutually supportive. By weaving vocabulary and language comprehension strands teachers help students build skills in vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and the ability to make inferences and draw conclusions. Readers also develop the ability to extract meaning from and comprehend challenging texts.
So, how can we institute valuable learning experiences that show students how vocabulary knowledge transfers to both reading and writing? Focus on the Language comprehension strand, through daily high-energy interactive vocabulary lessons that support grammar, syntax, and writing, reading mini lessons engage student curiosity and excitement for reading. Using techniques from LETRS training such as deconstructed sentences to improve syntax and comprehension.

Attendees will receive:
1. A copy of sentences to be used for deconstructed sentences.
2. Stone Fox vocabulary.
3. A list of activities to engage students in vocabulary learning.
4. A copy of Kagan table grouping model.

Participants will walk through the phases of Comprehension Instruction: Before Reading, During Reading and After Reading using the LETRS Comprehension Checklist. They will explore examples of a comprehension plan using the LETRS Comprehension Checklist along with ideas on how and when to implement the checklist.

In this session, I will share how students can take ownership in their learning during literacy and math. I will share with teachers how I have gone from the traditional timed-center rotations to students working at their pace with choice and how they are held accountable for their work with self-reflection. I will explain my rational and backstory to how and why I developed this approach along with management tips.