ELAX 506   Write On! Using Personal Narrative in the Classroom 3 credits

Personal narrative writing is a common writing unit found in K-12 classrooms but it can feel like there are a million different pathways and methods for teaching it! While some students hunger for opportunities to complete personal writing, other students recoil at the idea of writing about their own lives. In order to meet all students’ diverse needs and feelings about personal narrative writing, a variety of strategies and approaches are necessary to best support them—that’s where this course comes in! In this course you will examine a variety of strategies for teaching personal narrative writing in the classroom. Then, examine the potential risks of personal writing for students, and discover ways to be intentional about introducing personal writing tasks in your classroom. Discover how to practice developing and adapting personal narrative writing lesson plans by viewing creative writing activities and mentor texts to scaffold student learning. By the end of the course, you will know fresh strategies for personal narrative, like podcasting and oral storytelling, and will have revolutionized your personal narrative writing unit to best meet students’ needs. Write on! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 508   Cultivating Creativity with Literacy 3 credits

Creativity and literacy are essential skills necessary for success in the 21st Century. To foster communication, cooperation, and critical thinking among students in today's world, it is important to weave these two skills together seamlessly. In this course, you will explore the link between creativity and literacy, as well as important thinking habits that serve as a foundation for both. You will learn strategies to integrate the arts into your literacy block, analyze how student choice and self-direction facilitate students’ creative agency, and you’ll even get to explore your own creativity through the review of an art piece of your choice. Ultimately, by combining creativity and literacy, you will empower students to become proficient communicators, cooperative collaborators, and discerning critical thinkers who can navigate the challenges of our rapidly evolving society. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 510   Learning Life Lessons with Literature 3 credits

This course will focus on the importance of emotional intelligence (EI) and social and emotional learning (SEL) including the use of literature to teach it. As a participant, you will learn how to assess SEL and EI, create a new routine to do so, and then use the assessment results to plan the next right instructional step. Through a variety of resources, you will explore diversity, equity, and inclusion in social and emotional learning. After creating your own list of literature to disrupt bias, stereotypes, and prejudice of traditionally marginalized groups, you will plan a lesson to include a children’s book to teach a non-academic concept. Complete the course with a new vision for using literature to teach and positively impact your students. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 511   Innovative Makerspaces for All Students 3 credits

Imagine a room full of carefully selected tools and materials that students can tinker and play with, then use to create! Makerspaces are exceptionally beneficial to education by allowing students to drive their own learning through design processes, so they can change the world! In this course you will understand the purpose, application, and benefits of maker spaces, and identify ways to ensure the space is accessible, and representative of all students. You’ll know the right tools and materials with which to stock your makerspace, and learn both the Design Process and SCAMPER to help students frame their ideas. Whether you work with a makerspace or want to create one, this course will help you to bring additional innovation to your students’ learning experience. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 513   Content Writing Skills for College Readiness 3 credits

Reading and writing are fundamental skills needed to thrive in college, and in life. With a focus on disciplinary literacy in the secondary classroom, educators can invite students to engage deeply in the academic disciplines like science, history, the arts, and even math. In this course, you will learn the importance of disciplinary literacy in the acquisition of academic knowledge and explore specific strategies to enhance reading, writing, listening, and speaking in your content area. Design opportunities to implement writing conferences, provide formative feedback, and utilize mentor texts to model disciplinary thinking. You’ll leave this course with applicable strategies to teach students how to read, write, think, and talk like an expert in the field. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 514   Building Literacy Through Read-Alouds 3 credits

A classroom read aloud provides opportunities for teachers to model and develop key components of reading development. Through this course, you will learn to plan engaging and interactive read alouds to build background knowledge, support language comprehension, develop vocabulary, and increase verbal reasoning. Explore the components of an interactive read aloud, including strategies for before, during and after reading. You’ll also learn how to use the read aloud routine to support social emotional learning, including empathy and understanding about identity differences. By mastering the art of interactive read alouds, you can nurture reading development, and also cultivate empathy and empower your students to become confident, compassionate learners. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 515   Visualize Success with Graphic Novels 3 credits

Get ready to embark on an exciting journey into the world of graphic novels! This engaging experience will show you how to unlock the immense potential of graphic novels as a powerful educational tool. You’ll develop a sell sheet to showcase the merits of graphic novels, and explore innovative techniques in visual learning to boost student learning. Take the time to discover a treasure trove of captivating graphic novels to use with students, along with teaching tips and strategies tailored specifically to graphic novels. To top it all off, you'll create an activity that guides students through the basics of crafting their very own comics or graphic novels. Prepare to transform your teaching and captivate your students with the artistry and wonder of graphic novels! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 521   Demystifying the College Application Essay 3 credits

The college application process can seem like a brave new world with a different set of rules and expectations, but that is not the case! This course aims to demystify the college application essay and empower educators and students to use writing skills they already possess in order to write an engaging, dynamic, and successful narrative. Throughout the course, participants will learn tips and tricks for teaching students how to write college application essays using a variety of information from universities and will explore activities for teaching about the college application essay in the classroom. Educators will reflect on topics that have implications for the college essay process like using mentor texts to spark creativity, using artificial intelligence (AI) when writing college essays, and will even discover how the Supreme Court’s recent rulings impact the purpose of the college application essay. By the end of this course, teachers will have a variety of approaches to teach about the college application essay as well as new awareness around its increasingly complex future. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 522   Empowering Students to Create Persuasive Arguments 3 credits

Unlock the critical components of argumentation and gain essential vocabulary to dissect, comprehend, and construct persuasive arguments in this compelling course all about persuasion. Learn how to create engaging activities, lead dynamic discussions, and how exercises in argumentative writing teach logic, reasoning, evidence, evaluation, and persuasive communication. Design a mini lesson based on respectful discourse that fosters constructive conversations with differing points of view. You’ll leave the course understanding how persuasive communication can be a transformative skill in students’ academic and personal life. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 524   Refresh Your Grammar Instruction 3 credits

Grammar instruction has evolved beyond the traditional diagramming sentences and "drill and kill" lessons. Research suggests that grammar should be infused within context and writing skills, making it applicable, enjoyable and engaging for students of all ages. In this course, you'll learn engaging strategies that focus on parts of speech, mentor sentences, and punctuation. We'll provide you with creative resources, such as memes, beloved texts, and engaging activities, that you can use to improve your students' writing skills while reinforcing grammar instruction. Both teachers and students will have fun while learning, and you'll finish the course prepared to refresh your grammar game for students. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 534   Focus on Phonics for Effective Reading, Writing and Spelling 3 credits

Go back to the basics with a fresh focus on phonics. Effective phonics instruction requires specific teaching and learning targets bolstered by understanding reading development and the instructional models used historically. Through a review of reading fundamentals and direct phonics instruction, teachers will learn proven strategies of practice and repetition to support readers struggling with letter and word decoding automaticity. By investigating formative assessments for phonemic awareness and phonics, teachers will activate reading, writing, and spelling tools and teaching strategies with an eye on student engagement for better overall reading comprehension and achievement. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 535   Writer's Workshop:Engaging Students Using Mentor Texts and Writer's Notebooks 3 credits

What’s up with writer’s workshop? Even though it’s a proven framework for writing instruction, successful implementation remains a mystery and challenge for language arts teachers at all grade levels. This course will help teachers renew their intentions to make writer’s workshop a classroom reality. Focus on background and strategies for implementing writer’s workshop, then connect the writing process with two powerful tools: the writer’s notebook and mentor texts. Explore options and applications to create a workshop model based on current classroom structure and needs. How do I create and maintain an effective writer’s workshop to support students’ writing development? This course will spark energized answers and opportunities for improved teaching and learning of writing! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 536   Building Successful Readers: A 3 credits

Tired of your students’ eyes just "glossing over" the pages as they read? This course will enable teachers of all content areas to teach their students how to be better readers. Examine 40 proven strategies that help students develop their vocabularies, comprehend informational and narrative texts, and engage in meaningful discussions of what they read. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 537   Building Successful Readers in all Content Areas 3 credits

Tap into a wealth of techniques to help your primary students improve reading comprehension. Real-life reading comprehension strategies and dozens of scenarios demonstrate effective ways to: select the perfect books, model think alouds, assist students in making important connections, and empower your students to having a meaningful conversation about the texts they are reading. Watch your students become thoughtful and independent readers! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 538   Literacy and Learning 3 credits

Designed to provide a balanced approach to early childhood literacy, this course explores strategies for teaching oral language, vocabulary, phonological awareness, word recognition, comprehension, and writing skills. Learn ways to engage young learners through play and technology integration, as well as suggestions for how to connect with families and to encourage literacy at home. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 539   Solving the Reading Puzzle: Using Assessment to Drive Intervention 3 credits

Learning to read is a challenge, and teaching reading is too! This course will help you boost student achievement in reading especially with those students struggling to learn to read and read to learn. Participants will learn about reading assessment including screening, diagnostic assessment and progress monitoring. Additionally, they will connect assessment data to differentiating instruction and intervention in the five areas of reading. Course participants will come away with a better understanding of how reading assessment drives remediation and instructional planning, as well as many resources to help students solve the puzzle of reading! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 540   Vocabulary Instruction and Word Learning for Secondary Content Areas 3 credits

Vocabulary development is a critical skill for all academic achievement, yet it’s an often-overlooked part of instruction, especially in the content areas. This course offers a review of research to support vocabulary instruction using words carefully selected from existing curriculum and standards in any content area. Direct instruction leads students to vocabulary growth, improved comprehension of challenging texts, and word-learning skills that will extend beyond high school. Word mastery and confidence is built from daily routines that engage students with new words in a classroom environment that promotes and practices word-learning skills. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 541   Increasing Comprehension with Close Reading in Your Classroom 3 credits

Close reading is a vital literacy skill for meeting Common Core standards that require students to answer text-dependent questions and understand complex texts. This course offers an opportunity to study and practice a powerful literacy framework using six Notice and Note Signposts for fiction. Explore the signposts (text features) to help you forge a deeper connection between your students and the fiction they read. Join the journey that will lead your students to increased engagement, reading comprehension, and productive independent reading through a transformational practice of close reading of fiction. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 542   Victorious Vocabulary Instruction for Remarkable Reading 3 credits

Vocabulary development is an essential skill for reading and overall academic achievement, yet it’s a commonly neglected area of instruction. This course provides a review of research that supports daily vocabulary instruction using words selected from existing curriculum or any content area. Explicit, consistent instruction leads students to vocabulary growth and a greater love of language. Word mastery and confidence is achieved from daily routines that engage students with new words in a classroom community that promotes academic risk-taking. Planning, teaching, and assessing components are covered for teachers who want to inspire their instruction with a love of words their students need to know. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 543   Five Keys to Reading Instruction 3 credits

Learning to read is a critical process for all students, and finding the best strategies to teach it can be a challenge. This course will look to research from the National Reading Panel and other literacy experts to strengthen your teaching practice and increase young students’ mastery of the key areas of reading-- Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension. You’ll explore tried and true teaching strategies that can support all tiers of the Response to Intervention (RTI) framework, including the unique needs of your English Learners. Build a strong foundation in teaching reading and reading development! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 544   World Language Teaching Methods 3 credits

Rediscover foundational theories and practical strategies for second language acquisition. Focus on reading, writing, listening, and speaking methods that successfully encourage learners across ages, experience levels, and language backgrounds. This course is designed to expand awareness of practical resources, including appropriate use of student-centered activities for language instruction. Whether you are new to teaching foreign languages or ready for new inspiration, this course will take you to the next level! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 545   Magnifying Reading Intervention Through Science and Research 3 credits

Looking for evidenced-based instruction and intervention methods to assist learners with reading challenges like dyslexia? Course 5150: Magnifying Reading Intervention Through Science and Research is filled with content to better equip you as you plan and implement interventions and develop lessons and strategies for your learners. In this course, you will investigate the science of reading, multi-sensory intervention, and the importance of phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and decoding. Dig into the use of explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to reading instruction and discover strategies and methods to use with students with disabilities including ideas for adaptation and modification of content. As a course participant, you will construct lessons using the gradual release of responsibility model and implement these multi-sensory lessons with your learners for next day impact. Join us as we take a closer look at reading intervention and instruction for students with and without disabilities. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 546   Headings, Highlights and Other 3 credits

Digital reading...our students do it all the time: infographics, blogs, digital texts, and websites, but do they really understand what they are reading? In this course, you will learn techniques for improving online reading comprehension by designing digital texts with best practices in mind. You will discover active learning strategies to fully engage students in their reading. Finally, you will uncover tricks and tools to invigorate student collaboration around digital content through group annotation and academic discourse. You’ll come away with simple, actionable ideas for next day implementation, and your students will love it. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 547   Crack the Shakespeare Code 3 credits

Whether you are new to Shakespeare, or need a refresh of your Shakespeare instruction, this course challenges you to set the stage for a positive and engaging experience for your students using the Bard’s classic plays. You’ll connect Shakespearean themes to our current world, and create an interactive assignment to help students decipher Shakespeare’s language. Use collaborative routines like Hexagonal Thinking to examine connections between characters and plot lines. Finally, you’ll investigate Shakespeare’s relevance in the world today, and consider the use of more representative texts to teach universal themes. This resource-packed course will breathe new life into your Shakespeare instruction, and connect students with this giant of European literature. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 548   The Legacy of Racial Injustice 3 credits

Learning about racial injustice and teaching about race takes courage. It is not a simple task to look at our nation’s history and to explore the truth. Films are a powerful teaching tool, and in this course you will watch the documentary, “True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality,” which describes, explains, and teaches about the legacy of racial injustice in the Black community during specific times in our nation’s history. As teachers, we must learn about racial injustice in the Black community so we can teach students, so we don’t repeat our mistakes, and so we can work towards healing. In this brave, honest course, teachers will go on an eye-opening exploration of resources that support teaching hard history. Designed for all educators and humans who seek to understand the roots of racism and what we can do to create a brighter future. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 549   Shifting Your Focus to the Science of Reading 3 credits

The excitement and intrigue around the Science of Reading has many educators looking for clear and concise guidelines on just what to teach and how. This course helps to sort through the research, providing a pathway toward more impactful instructional practices. With 6 manageable, yet powerful shifts grounded in decades of research, you’ll learn to apply high-leverage practices to support oral language development, phonemic awareness, phonics, and word-solving skills– all key components for comprehension. You’ll develop a systematic phonics scope and sequence including formative assessment opportunities that create a framework for early reading instruction. Dive into the science of reading to help unlock the alphabetic code that enables students to read with greater confidence and less struggle. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 550   Best Practices in Teaching Expository Writing 3 credits

What's one skill you could impart to students, that willclarify their thinking, improve learning, and be used daily throughout theiradult life too? The humble expository essay: 5 paragraphs of structured andfactual information supporting a thesis. This course provides guidance for ELAand content area educators looking for engaging ways to improve both studentexpository writing, and writing instruction. Using key resources and examples,you’ll learn to differentiate between the typical structures of expositorywriting, deep dive into each component of the expository essay, and navigatethe use of AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance your writing instruction. Resourcesare also included for scaffolding and support for struggling writers, Englishlearners and students who are neurodiverse, along with strategies and insightsto refresh your writing instruction. Let’s ensure students can master thislifelong and essential skill through the expository essay! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 551   Building Compre w/ Sci Reading 3 credits

If you are a new or experienced educator grappling with how to teach reading comprehension, this course was designed for you! Grounded in the research on the Science of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope, the course leads participants to a deeper understanding of comprehension and offers practical strategies to strengthen instruction. You’ll explore evidence-based instructional practices to nurture skilled reading focused on vocabulary, syntax, text structures, background knowledge, and levels of understanding. Learn to design lessons aligned with the Blueprint for Reading Comprehension and adapted to the needs of diverse learners. Ideal for K-8 educators, this foundational comprehension course will give you the knowledge you need, so you can determine where to start and what to teach. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 552   Assessment of Literacy 3 credits

This course on literacy assessment will help you become a proficient consumer and user of classroom-based assessment and assessment data. Participants will explore the purposes of assessment and the types of assessment tools, learn how to administer and use valid and reliable, formal and informal assessments of literacy and related skills, examine how to effectively interpret the results of assessments, and learn how to communicate assessment results in a variety of contexts. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 553   Instruction in Literacy 3 credits

This course is designed to prepare teachers with the knowledge and skills to design and deliver effective, research-based literacy instruction aligned to the science of reading for a diverse community of learners. Participants will learn how to design and deliver instruction focused on the core components of reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, that lead to proficient and motivated reading behavior for all students. Course participants will learn how to provide instruction focused on the core components of writing that lead to proficient and motivated writing behavior for all students. They will also discover how to manage speaking and listening opportunities that lead to more active, equitable and academically-oriented conversations for all students. In addition, participants will understand the role of classroom literacy instruction in a multi-tiered system of support and learn how to work with colleagues to provide evidence-based interventions for students who struggle as readers and writers. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 554   Materials for Teaching Literacy 3 credits

This course is designed to assist teachers in selecting and evaluating materials for teaching reading, writing, and related skills. Participants will explore characteristics of effective literacy programming and instruction. They will learn to use evidenced-based criteria to select and organize print and multimedia resources for teaching reading and writing to all children. Teachers will discover how to use a variety of print and multimedia resources to engage students as readers and writers. The course provides opportunities to examine how to best provide culturally responsive literacy instruction that promotes all students’ cultural competence through inclusive and equitable literacy learning opportunities. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 555   Processes and Acquisition of Literacy Skills 3 credits

This course is designed to provide teachers with the foundations related to literacy processes and acquisition. Effective literacy teaching begins with a deep understanding of the component processes associated with reading and writing and the ways that students develop into skilled and motivated readers and writers. The course is organized along five major themes: the component processes involved in reading and writing; the nature and structure of the English language; the ways that native English speakers and English learners differ in the ways they read and write; the developmental phases associated with learning to read and write for native English speakers and English learners; and the many factors that influence literacy development. Where appropriate, students in this course will also explore how to assess literacy processes and acquisition. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 556   Literacy in the Content Areas II 3 credits

All educators are literacy teachers especially when reading, writing, speaking, and listening can be used to reinforce learning around content area topics. From new literacies to good old fashioned vocabulary instruction, this course covers exactly what you need to implement research-based methods for literacy in the content areas. Discover how writing, reading comprehension, and discipline-specific inquiry impact student growth and motivation. Find strategies and resources aligned to topics like metacognition, inclusion, and so much more! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 557   Lit in the Content Areas I 3 credits

This course provides a base of knowledge for educators to deepen content area learning through literacy concepts. With several strategies and video examples, participants will investigate foundational concepts and extend their learning to plan and implement multimodal, standards-based lessons and activities in writing, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Take literacy and learning in the content area to the next level with reflection, resources, and classroom application. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 558   Unlocking World Languages through Comprehensible Input 3 credits

Uniquely designed by a seasoned world language teacher for world language educators, this course explores the Comprehensible Input (CI) approach, which emphasizes authentic resources and the use of the target language 90% of the instruction time. Explore ways to align and implement proficiency-based practices within your curriculum, and develop micro-goals to positively impact world language instruction. Learn how to develop intentional tasks, and use hexagonal thinking to promote interactive collaboration in the target language. The course will challenge and empower teachers in all languages, both ancient and modern, to make intentional and impactful changes to your teaching practices. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 559   What Every Educator Needs to Know about the Science of Reading 1 credit

Whether you teach at the secondary level, upper elementary, or work with early learners, you know reading is a foundational skill that has a huge impact on student achievement. This course aims to unpack the body of research known as the “Science of Reading” and provides specific evidence-based strategies for teaching reading at all grade levels and in all subject areas. You’ll learn how reading develops in the brain, review a framework for explicit, systematic and sequential instruction, and explore the 8 strands of Scarborough’s Reading Rope that intertwine to enable skilled reading, including background knowledge, vocabulary, phonological awareness, and decoding. Gather resources, view examples, and gain fresh ideas to teach reading strategies with confidence and clarity! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 560   Refresh Your Language Classroom with Active Learning 3 credits

This course for World Language teachers features active learning strategies, a level up in learning for, bi-lingual, multilingual, and dual immersion programs. Active learning offers major benefits to learning, including increased student motivation and retention, and improved critical thinking and interpersonal skills. Through exploration of engaging grammar activities and "sponges" to optimize learning time, you'll discover how to both incorporate new techniques into your lessons, and differentiate content for students with special needs. Additionally, the course will guide you to further your knowledge of strategies that promote active learning when teaching languages. By taking this course, you'll re-energize your classroom, taking students to a new level in language learning! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 561   Explicit Writing Instruction with the Science of Reading in Mind 3 credits

Just as the Science of Reading describes the many complex components working together to result in skilled reading, the Science of Writing details the essential elements of a comprehensive writing curriculum. Teachers of all subject areas, in elementary or secondary classrooms, can support writing instruction through evidence-based, practical strategies. You’ll explore everything from using phonics and orthography to inform spelling, to explicit routines to build sentence and paragraph composition, as well as the study of literary devices, writer’s craft, and text structure. Learn to weave writing into the content areas like science, history/social studies and even math, with strategies to teach note-taking, summarizing, and writing about reading. Full of downloadable and ready-to-use resources, this course will help you build and broaden your writing instruction skills. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 562   Effective Fluency Instruction for Skilled Reading 3 credits

Discover innovative ways to incorporate fluency practice into reading instruction! This course will empower educators with the knowledge and tools to enhance reading fluency in their students. You’ll explore the latest research on how the brain learns to read and discover how decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency interconnect to create proficient readers. Gather evidence-based strategies focused on modeling, repeated reading, coaching, and understand how the inclusion of performance can support expression and prosody. To help pinpoint underlying skill gaps, you’ll investigate the use of assessments and learn how small group instruction can help differentiate learning, providing tailored support for students with varying needs. By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the knowledge and practical skills necessary to help every student become an engaged, fluent reader. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 563   Love, Literacy, and Liberation in the Culturally Inclusive Classroom 3 credits

When asked to describe how you feel about your students, a word like “love” would come as no surprise. But, what does it mean to practice revolutionary love, the kind of love that is backed by action and intentionality? In this course, you will reflect on your own current teaching practice by participating in an audit of your curriculum and literature resources, school policies, and practices. Based on these results, you will develop a variety of lesson plans, activities, and initiatives to support students’ linguistic diversity, reading and writing development, and family and community engagement. By the end of the course, you will not only have more tools for literacy instruction, but you will also have a new understanding of what it means to be a culturally inclusive educator who not only believes in love but enacts it! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 564   Motivate, Celebrate, and Innovate with Secondary ELA Instruction 3 credits

Each secondary ELA student is unique in their own literacy skill development, relationship with reading and writing, values, beliefs, and stamina—mix all of these ingredients together and put state standards, student motivation, and engagement on top, and it can feel like a recipe for chaos. Fortunately, there are a variety of tools to streamline your instruction! In this course, participants will explore fresh instructional strategies and tools for differentiating content in the secondary language arts classroom. Prepare to fill your recipe box by exploring new grading and assessment practices, identifying motivation and engagement strategies for secondary students, and utilizing opportunities to collaborate with colleagues to make the hard work of secondary ELA sustainable. Whether you are a new or experienced ELA educator, come explore, share, and grow with colleagues who teach the same content as you! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 565   Systematic and Explicit Phonics Instruction for Early Reading and Writing Success 3 credits

Teaching phonics requires an in-depth understanding of the processes and science behind learning to read, however many educators indicate gaps in their knowledge-base. This course helps bridge the divide with opportunities to explore the foundational underpinnings of phonics– the alphabetic principle, letter-sound correspondence, spelling patterns, and more advanced phonics skills like syllable division and morphology. You’ll learn about assessment structures to evaluate the needs of individual students and use our lesson template to design differentiated whole and small group instruction. You’ll gather strategies and routines for teaching irregular high-frequency words, learn the best approaches for incorporating decodable texts in your instruction, and support student practice applying letter-sound relationships through reading and writing. Perfect for general educators, interventionists, support specialists and special educators, this transformative course ensures you’re better equipped to address student errors with explicit and targeted instruction so that students come away with a strong foundation for future reading success. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 566   The Gold Stars of Reading Instruction 3 credits

Learning to read is a critical process for all students, and finding the best strategies to teach it can be a challenge. This course will look to research from the National Reading Panel and other literacy experts to strengthen your teaching practice and increase students’ mastery of the essential “gold star” areas of reading--Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension. You’ll explore tried and true teaching strategies that can support all tiers of the Response to Intervention (RTI) framework, including the unique needs of your English Learners. Build a strong foundation in teaching reading and reading development with the Gold Stars of Reading Instruction! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 567    Six (More) Practices to Shift Your Focus to the Science of Reading 3 credits

With the conversation about the Science of Reading centered on beginning readers, upper elementary educators have been left to wonder what the research says about intermediate reading instruction. This course presents upper elementary teachers with foundational research, practical strategies, and cheerful encouragement to meet the advancing needs of diverse learners. It is a continuation of knowledge building gathered from the author's first text, which is the anchor for course 5227: Shifting Your Focus to the Science of Reading and focuses on early reading instruction. We encourage participation in both courses (though not required) as each helps educators grow their knowledge to cover the spectrum of skills from the alphabetic principle and phoneme-grapheme connections, to listening comprehension and sight word memorization (included in the PK-3 course).This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 568   Structured Vocabulary Practices for Robust Word Learning 3 credits

One of the key contributors to language comprehension is the breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge a student brings to a text or topic. In fact, it’s the bridge! In this vocabulary course, you’ll learn about the features of evidence-based vocabulary instruction, including routines for introducing new words, protocols for prioritizing words, and strategies for active processing of vocabulary knowledge. As part of a 4-part framework for word learning, you’ll also learn ways to engage students with independent word learning actions like using context clues and unpacking word parts with morphology. And to encourage word play that builds the mental lexicon, you’ll design a fun word challenge for students! Ideal for 3-12 general educators, support specialists, and content area teachers, this foundational vocabulary course will equip you with the knowledge you need to deliver structured and robust vocabulary instruction aligned to the science of reading. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 569   Beyond the Book: Creating a Comprehensive Unit for Stamped 3 credits

Young Reader’s Editions of texts provide an incredible opportunity to teach students new ideas in developmentally appropriate ways; however, designing a unit is no small feat. Teachers rarely have time to innovate their lessons, let alone an entire unit of study…until now! This inaugural course in the Beyond the Book Series will walk you through the process of designing and creating an instructional unit for Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. Using Backwards Design and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) best practices, you will create a variety of learning activities and a final project to create a dynamic, engaging unit! Identify key themes and quotes and explore multimedia resources to support further investigation of historical events and ideas. By the end of this course, you will have a completed unit of study, and feel energized, confident, and ready to teach Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You! This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 570   Beyond the Book: Creating a Comprehensive Unit for Braiding Sweetgrass 3 credits

Young Reader’s Editions provide an incredible opportunity to teach students new ideas in developmentally appropriate ways. However, designing a unit is no small feat. Teachers rarely have time to innovate their lessons, let alone an entire unit of study…until now! This course in the Beyond the Book Series allows you to design an instructional unit for Braiding Sweetgrass. Identify key themes and quotes and explore multimedia resources to build background and content-area knowledge. Then, using best practices in Backwards Design and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), develop a variety of learning activities and a final project to create a dynamic, engaging unit! By the end of this course, you will have a complete unit of study, and feel energized, confident, and ready to teach Braiding Sweetgrass. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.

ELAX 571   Beyond the Book: Creating a Comprehensive Unit for Born a Crime 3 credits

Young Reader’s Editions of texts provide an incredible opportunity to teach students new ideas in developmentally appropriate ways. However, designing a unit is no small feat. Teachers rarely have time to innovate their lessons, let alone an entire unit of study…until now! This course in the Beyond the Book Series allows you to design and create an instructional unit for Born a Crime. Explore historical information and multimedia resources about apartheid, including connections between apartheid and present-day human rights issues. Identify key themes related to identity and belonging, and analyze the text using a variety of comprehension strategies. Then, using best practices in Backwards Design and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), create a variety of learning activities and a final project to create a dynamic, engaging unit! By the end of this course, you will have a complete unit of study, and feel energized, confident, and ready to teach Born a Crime. This course is offered through the Teaching Channel.