Literacy Programs

LITERACY NETWORK

Program 1: The Power of Growth Mindset in your Classroom

Friday, October 14, 2016 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Does “I can’t do that!” sound familiar? Learn a highly effective strategy for inspiring students to adopt growth rather than fixed mindsets in your ELA classroom. Inspired by Dr. Carol Dweck’s revolutionary book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success and the scientifically proven fact that intelligence can be grown with hard work, the course will explore the origins of the growth mindset approach and model a classroom lesson. Participants and their students will be changed for the better for life!

Target Audience: Grades K-12

Instructor: Donna Flinn, Professor of English, Brookdale Community College and Marcia Krefetz-Levine, Professor of English, Brookdale Community College

Program 2: Improving Language Arts Instruction by Strengthening the Reading-Writing Connection

Friday, October 21, 2016 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

As language arts teachers, it is important to understand the symbiotic relationship that exists between reading and writing, however, what exactly does this relationship look like in our classrooms? This workshop will address the ways in which we naturally connect reading and writing as a part of quality, standards-based instruction, but it will also introduce new ways you can strengthen this connection in order to make instruction more engaging, relevant, and rigorous for your students. Participants will leave with handouts and activities that can be used in your classrooms right away.

Target Audience: Grades 4-8

Instructor: Meghan Vaccarelli, M. Ed, Grade 5 Teacher, Monmouth Beach School

Program 3: Taming the Dreaded Research Project

Friday, December 9, 2016 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Are you dreading the annual research project? All too often we assign the research paper and then are disappointed with the results because we think that students know how to research. We can’t expect the final product to be a well written and organized project if the students do not know how to select appropriate resources, how to paraphrase, quote, and cite and how to use digital tools to organize their work. In this workshop, we will explore some tips and techniques that will make the research project more manageable for both you and your students. We will cover basics such as evaluating and selecting resources, how to use online research tools, note taking skills, and finally how to put the final project together. Participants should come with a research topic in mind so that you can leave with a unit of lesson plans that are specific to your needs.

Target Audience: Grades 6-8

Instructor: Angel Somers, Media Specialist, West Long Branch Schools

Program 4: From Song to Screen (Digital Audio and Video Production)

Friday, January 20, 2017 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Are your students tired of book work and worksheets? Let’s make your Language Arts class rock! Learn how to conceptualize, write and record an original song with your students (no musical skills required). This hands-on, voice-on workshop will address everything you need to know about creating digital audio and video. We will brainstorm topics, collaborate, write, edit and produce a hit song (maybe even an accompanying video) during this single class meeting. Your students will think you are a bonafide hip-hop mogul!

Target Audience: Grades 6-12

Instructor: Chris Ippolito, Teacher of Applied Technology at Ocean Township High School, Lead Instructor at Ignite Academy

Program 5: Differentiated Instruction in the Language Arts Classroom 2.0

Friday, February 24, 2017 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Student choice, texts at different reading levels, project choice boards, and learning contracts – these are just a few instructional strategies that may come to mind when we think about differentiated instruction in the language arts classroom. This workshop will address ways to spruce up the different ways we already differentiate our instruction, but the instructor will also share new ideas such as implementing self-paced learning, leveraging the use of technology, and forming reading and writing clubs to support engaging and effective differentiation. Participants will leave with handouts and activities that can be used in your classroom right away.

Target Audience: Grades 4-8

Instructor: Meghan Vaccarelli, M. Ed, Grade 5 Teacher, Monmouth Beach School

Program 6: Bring Reading Alive, Through Readers’ Theater

Friday, March 3, 2017 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Use drama to bring dramatic results to your reading instruction. Engage students in a fun and dramatic way with readers’ theater. The goal of readers’ theater is to improve readers’ fluency

and comprehension. During this workshop, participants will learn how to introduce dramatic reading, direct performances, and write a script. Participants will leave with a collection of existing scripts, ideas for performing and tips for creating their own plays. Bring your favorite children’s picture book to turn into a script. Come prepared to show your inner thespian! Participants are encouraged to bring their own electronic device, so websites can be explored.

Target Audience: Grades 2-5

Instructors: Angel Somers, Media Specialist, West Long Branch School District, and Megan Steel, 2nd grade teacher, West Long Branch School District

Program 7: Multi-sensory Teaching

Friday, May 5, 2017 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

This workshop will help you incorporate multisensory teaching into your daily lessons and help students with learning disabilities. The instructor will provide you with games, websites, songs and strategies that interweaves auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning into everyday teaching. This hands-on workshop will have you writing in pudding, kicking out words, singing songs and making math come alive with games. Teachers will create a lesson plan that uses visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning. You will leave with a list of activities, websites, apps and games to use in your classroom immediately.

Target Audience: Grades K-4

Instructor: Sara Stypul, M. Ed, Special Education Teacher

Program 8: Developing Reading Muscle

Friday, May 19, 2017 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Are you looking for ways to build your students’ reading muscle? This workshop will explore research-based practices for enhancing students’ engagement, proficiency, and background knowledge. Activities for developing topic floods, integrating current events, and building reading stamina will be shared. Participants will leave with strategic and differentiated interventions they can use in the classroom on Monday morning!