
Literacy Professional Learning

Energize your classroom - These workshops offer fresh insights and teaching strategies that will build on your expertise and provide you with new ideas to improve student outcomes.
To book a Workshop and/or Author Workshop contact professionalservices@pearsoncanada.com
LITERACY WORKSHOPS
Foundational Skills
The Phonics Companion & Bug Club Decodables
Overview
This session supports implementation of The Phonics Companion, written by Dr. George Georgiou and Kristy Dunn. Topics that will be covered include:
What is phonics and why should I teach phonics to my students?
How can I assess my students' phonics knowledge?
What is a good scope and sequence for teaching phonics?
What does ‘The Phonics Companion’ cover? We will walk you through the content of the book and a lesson plan.
How can the Bug Club Decodable Readers be used to support the lessons?
Audience
Grade K–3 teachers
School and district literacy leaders
Outcomes
Discover how The Phonics Companion can support students’ foundational literacy skills.
Explore the lesson design.
Learn about the customizable teacher tools and how the companion site can be used to support the lessons.
Course Fee
$550
ISBN: 9780137988808
Delivery Method
Online
Bug Club Morphology
Overview
Are you using or have you just purchased Bug Club Morphology? Join us to learn more about the resource you have invested in and how to effectively implement it in your classroom.
Audience
Grade 2–6 teachers
School and district literacy leaders
Outcomes
Explore of the components, the scope and sequence, and the many connections to your curriculum
Learn about the companion website and its features.
Course Fee
$550
ISBN: 9780137988808
Delivery Method
Online
SPARK Reading
Overview
Let’s look at how we can use this digital collection of e-books to achieve literacy goals outlined in the curriculum. During the session, we will also explore how these books can be used in various instructional contexts such as Interactive Read Aloud, Shared Reading and Independent Reading. We will also talk about the addition of decodable texts and how and why decodable texts can be used.
Audience
Grade K–6 teachers
School and district literacy leaders
Outcomes
Explore how SPARK can support various instructional contexts.
Become familiar with the features and tools available in SPARK.
Course Fee
$550
ISBN: 9780137988808
Delivery Method
Online
Assessment
Literacy Success Assessment
Audience
You are probably wondering about the range of literacy skills in your grade 7-10 English classroom and how to best engage, assess, and teach. You may sense that some students are reading well below grade level and others on grade level and others somewhere in between. But how might you learn more about your students as readers and writers, so that you can tailor your teaching to meet students' individual needs? This session will introduce you to Pearson's new Literacy Success Assessment, to support reading comprehension and communication for students in grades 7-10.
Audience
Grade 7–10 teachers
School and district literacy leaders
Outcomes
Become familiar with the Literacy Success Assessment resources and how it can inform next steps in instruction.
Learn about the companion website and its features.
Course Fee
$550
ISBN: 9780137988808
Delivery Method
Online
Benchmark Assessment System – Coding, Scoring, Analyzing, and Assessing
Overview
This professional learning opportunity provides an overview of The Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System 1, 3rd Edition (Grades K-2, Levels A-N). Using theFountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment Systems (BAS) to determine student independent and instructional reading levels, teachers are able to observe student reading behaviors one-on-one, engage in comprehension conversations that go beyond retelling, and make informed decisions that connect assessment to instruction. Participants in this session will learn how to administer, score, analyze, and interpret results from the BAS System 1. Participants will also explore how to use the data from the BAS along with The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum to inform instruction during whole class, small group, and individual teaching opportunities.
Audience
- Classroom teachers
- Principals
- Literacy Leaders/ Consultants
Outcomes
- Become familiar with the administration, scoring and analysis of the Benchmark Assessment System 1.
- Explore how to use assessment data to inform instruction during whole class, small group and individual teaching opportunities.
- Explore ways to use assessment results to group students and monitor student progress for change over time.
Course Fee and Number of Participants
- $3,300 (virtual)
- $3,800 (in-person) - maximum number of participants 50
Delivery Method
- Virtual or Face to Face
Leveled Literacy Intervention Primary, Grades K-2 – Orange, Green and Blue Systems
Based on the PD resource, Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention.
*1-, 2- and 3-day PD options available.
Overview
The groundbreaking Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) is a research-based, supplementary intervention system designed to help teachers provide powerful, daily, small-group instruction for the lowest-achieving students in the early grades.
LLI Professional Development for the Orange, Green, and Blue Systems includes up to three days of training (two days of intensive learning plus one follow-up day) to give participants an in-depth understanding of each of the three primary grade LLI Systems:
- Orange, Levels A-C
- Green, Levels A-J
- Blue, Levels C-N
Audience
- Classroom teachers
- Principals
- Literacy Leaders/ Consultants
Outcomes
Topics covered include an overview of the Lesson Framework, assessing and grouping students, teaching within the LLI lessons, using the Prompting Guide, understanding the demands of texts, and documenting progress. In addition to learning how to implement LLI, participants will deepen their understanding of many research-based techniques to help struggling readers make accelerated progress.
Course Fee and Number of Participants
- $3,300 (virtual)
- $3,800 (in-person) - maximum number of participants 50
Delivery Method
- Virtual or Face to Face
Leveled Literacy Intervention Primary, Grades 3+ – Red, Gold and Purple Systems
Based on the PD resource, Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention.
*1-, 2- and 3-day PD options available.
Overview
Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) Red, Gold and Purple Systems are designed for students who are reading below grade level.
Designed to bring children up to grade-level performance in as little as 18-24 weeks, LLI Red, Gold, and Purple Systems form a powerful, research-based early intervention program designed specifically for intermediate students who have been struggling and lagging behind their peers for a number of years.
- Red, Levels L-Q
- Gold, Levels O-T
- Purple, Levels R-W
Audience
- Classroom teachers
- Principals
- Literacy Leaders/ Consultants
Outcomes
In this session, participants will receive up to three days of intensive training (these two days of intensive learning plus one follow-up day) on LLI Intermediate Systems and will learn specific strategies to address the needs of struggling readers. In addition to an overview of the components and implementation of the LLI Intermediate Systems, this professional development delves into the advanced routines needed for the intermediate student including a focus on fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as well as book discussion times and formats, writing about reading routines, novel units, test-taking study, and silent reading.
Course Fee and Number of Participants
- $3,300 (virtual)
- $3,800 (in-person) - maximum number of participants 50
Delivery Method
- Virtual or Face to Face
The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum
Based on the PD resource, The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum, Second Edition: A Tool for Assessment, Planning, and Teaching, PreK-8
*1-, 2-day PD options available.
Overview
Where other assessment and benchmark systems leave you wondering "Now what?", Fountas and Pinnell provide a link from assessment to instruction via The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum: A Tool for Assessment, Planning, and Teaching, PreK-8. This continuum, along with The Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System, provides the basis for this professional learning opportunity.
The Literacy Continuum describes text characteristics and behavioral goals for prekindergarten through middle school, across the areas pertinent to the language arts. Drawing from this important resource, this professional learning opportunity provides an introduction in how to use the Literacy Continuum to plan for whole class, small group, and individual instruction. Participants will also learn how to use the Literacy Continuum as a bridge to connect assessment data from the Benchmark Assessment to instruction as well as monitoring student progress over time.
Audience
- Classroom teachers Grade PreK-8
- Principals
- Literacy Leaders/ Consultants
Outcomes
Course Goals for One-Day Professional Learning Opportunity:
- Explore the eight continua included in the Literacy Continuum: Interactive Read-Aloud and Literature Discussion; Shared and Performance Reading; Writing About Reading; Writing; Oral and Visual Communication; Technological Communication; Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study; and Guided Reading
- Apply the Literacy Continuum to student work and assessment data to inform instruction in reading and writing
- Explore how to support a writer's development in the areas of craft, conventions, and the process of writing.
Course Goals for Two-Day Professional Learning Opportunity:
- The three goals from the above one-day plan
- Learn how to use the Literacy Continuum to help choose appropriate texts for readers across grades and instructional contexts through text analysis and an understanding of text characteristics
- Explore the behaviors and understandings to observe, teach for, and support in getting students to think within, beyond, and about text and how these understandings shift over time.
*Please note that two full days are recommended in order to take full advantage of the Literacy Continuum for your classroom, school and/or district.
Course Fee and Number of Participants
- $3,300 (virtual)
- $3,800 (in-person) - maximum number of participants 50
Delivery Method
- Virtual or Face to Face
Guided Reading
Based on the PD resource, Guided Reading, Second Edition: Responsive Teaching Across the Grades
Overview
Participants will explore the components of a comprehensive literacy system and learn how guided reading fits within this context. In this professional learning opportunity, teachers will explore the reading process and how it is supported throughout a guided reading lesson. They will learn the components of a lesson and will build an understanding of responsive teaching throughout each component. They will also learn how to use high-quality texts to support responsive teaching. Participants will explore the use of systematic observation and assessment to form groups and inform instruction. Participants will have the opportunity to explore The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum for planning instruction for guided reading groups.
Audience
- Classroom teachers Grade K-6
- Principals
- Literacy Leaders/ Consultants
Outcomes
- Gain an overview of the components of a comprehensive literacy system as described in Guided Reading: Responsive Teaching Across the Grades, including interactive read-aloud, shared reading, independent reading, book clubs, and guided reading.
- Understand how to manage and design meaningful literacy experiences that foster independent learning.
- Learn the basic elements of a guided reading lesson through observation and discussion.
- Explore how to support and expand readers' ability to think within, beyond and about the text.
- Analyze leveled books to better understand the F&P Text Level Gradient™ and how to match books to readers.
- Learn how assessment and running records as well as anecdotal evidence help inform our instruction in guided reading.
Course Fee and Number of Participants
- $3,300 (virtual)
- $3,800 (in-person) - maximum number of participants 50
Delivery Method
- Virtual or Face to Face
Using Running Records to Inform Reading Instruction
Based on the PD resource, The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum, Second Edition: A Tool for Assessment, Planning, and Teaching, PreK-8
Recommended Grade Level: Grades K-6
Overview
This interactive seminar is designed to provide educators with information and practice in analyzing reading or running records to inform their daily instruction. Participants will identify a student to do a case study with and practice strategies taught during the seminar. Participants will practice planning for comprehension conversations with students to assess understanding of a text read. Participants will then use the data they have collected with their case study student to identify goals for teaching using The Literacy Continuum. Once goals have been identified, participants will use The Prompting Guides to identify specific language to teach, prompt, or reinforce student reading behaviors.
Audience
- Classroom teachers Grade K-6
- Principals
- Literacy Leaders/ Consultants
Outcomes
Participants will learn how to:
- Analyze and interpret the data you gather from reading or running records.
- Plan for conversations to assess comprehension.
- Make data-driven decisions about text selection, teaching goals, and intentional language to promote proficient reading.
Required Participant Resources:
- Guided Reading: Responsive Teaching Across the Grades, 2nd edition, Fountas & Pinnell (2017)
- The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum: Expanded Edition, Fountas & Pinnell (2017)
- Fountas & Pinnell Prompting Guides: Part 1 and 2, Fountas & Pinnell (2017)
Course Fee and Number of Participants
- $3,300 (virtual)
- $3,800 (in-person) - maximum number of participants 50
Delivery Method
- Virtual or Face to Face
To book a Workshop and/or Author Workshop contact