Information about “Keys to Beginning Reading” by Keys to Literacy

The face-to-face training Keys to Beginning Reading by Keys to Literacy is organized into twelve modules that include 45 hours of content on scientifically and evidence-based practices in teaching reading. Participants will receive a 458-page, hard-copy manual and access to activity packets and handouts. Details about the topics presented in each module can be found below.

Module 1: Reading Basics

Topic Outline:

Overview of the 5 components of reading
Chall’s Stages of reading development
The Simple View of Reading, Scarborough’s Reading Rope
Language Components: phonology, orthography, morphology, semantics, syntax, discourse, pragmatics
Teaching principles, Gradual Release of Responsibility
Overview of dyslexia
Decoding Simulation

Module 2: Oral Language

Topic Outline:

The language-literacy connection
Listening and discussion skills
Talk moves
Developing language through read aloud
Extended Activities, Make and Takes through Connect to the Classroom

Module 3: Phonological Awareness

Topic Outline:

Introduction to phonology, why teach it
Word awareness, syllable awareness; instructional suggestions
Alliteration, onset/rime, and rhyme awareness; instructional suggestions
Introduction to phonemic awareness
Phoneme identification, blending, segmenting; instructional suggestions
Phoneme manipulation; instructional suggestions
Informal assessment of phonological awareness
Extended Activities, Make and Takes through Connect to the Classroom

Module 4: Phonics

Topic Outline:

The alphabetic principle, the Simple View of Reading (the decoding side)
History of phonics instruction, explicit vs. incidental instruction
Phonemic awareness and phonics connection
Guidelines for effective phonics instruction, suggested phonics lesson routine
Systematic phonics scope and sequence
Letter naming; instructional practices
Letter-sound correspondences; instructional practices
Blending and segmenting to read and spell words
Orthographic Mapping
Decodable text
Spelling rules and generalizations; using spelling inventories
Word families and word chains
Advanced word study: syllable types
High frequency sight words – decodable and irregular
Syllable types; syllable division
Schwa in unaccented syllables
Common affixes and structural analysis for multisyllable words
Connected text
Extended Activities, Make and Takes through Connect to the Classroom

Module 5: Fluency

Topic Outline:

Fluency defined: accuracy, rate, prosody, automaticity
Measuring fluency - Words Correct Per Minute; using fluency norms
Text difficulty and fluency
Fluency instruction for letter-sound association, word parts, syllables; instructional suggestions
Determining independent, instructional and frustrational levels of text
Fluency practice with connected text; instructional suggestions
Assessing and measuring fluency progress
Extended Activities, Make and Takes through Connect to the Classroom

Module 6: Vocabulary

Topic Outline:

How students learn words; effective vocabulary instruction
Previewing strategies before students read or are read to
Activities to connect vocabulary (semantic mapping, semantic feature analysis, categorizing, opposites)
Selecting words to teach in-depth; three tier model
Using read aloud and text talk to teach vocabulary
Templates for teaching words (Frayer, Concept Definition Map, Two-Column)
Using context and word parts for unfamiliar words
Developing a word-conscious classroom
Extended Activities, Make and Takes through Connect to the Classroom

Module 7: Sentence Structure

Topic Outline:

Connection between syntactic awareness and comprehension
Troublesome sentence structure
Activities to develop sentence skills: sentence scramble, sentence elaboration, sentence combining
Extended Activities, Make and Takes through Connect to the Classroom

Module 8: Text Structure

Topic Outline:

Connection between knowledge of text structure and comprehension
Narrative text structure; instructional suggestions
Informational text structure; instructional suggestions
Text features – clues to meaning
Paragraph structure; instructional suggestions
Patterns of organization (description, sequence, cause/effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution)
Transition words/phrases
Extended Activities, Make and Takes through Connect to the Classroom

Module 9: Comprehension

Topic Outline:

The Simple View of Reading (the language comprehension side)
Metacognition; instructional suggestions
Inference skills
Strategy instruction; using routines
Categorizing and main idea skills; instructional suggestions
Topic web graphic organizer; instructional suggestions
Two-column graphic organizer, instructional suggestions
Retelling and summarizing skills; instructional suggestions
Answering and generating questions; instructional suggestions
Extended Activities, Make and Takes through Connect to the Classroom

Supplemental Module: Instruction for Struggling Students

Topic Outline:

Causes of reading difficulty: environmental and neurobiological
Learning disabilities and dyslexia defined
The reading brain
Effects on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills from:
- Learning disabilities and dyslexia
- Deficits in executive function skills
- English language learning
Tiered literacy instruction

Supplemental Module: Reading Assessment

Topic Outline:

Types of assessment: reliable/valid, formal/informal; screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, summative
Assessment tasks for phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension
Assessment for students at risk
Assessment data analysis to drive instructional decisions within an MTSS framework

Supplemental Module: Course Review

Topic Outline:

Course review card sort activity and debrief
Final reflection activity
Two-Column Take Away Review – Implementations goals and action steps

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