About the Webconference
Researchers have long examined how the brain learns to read and what this means for reading instruction. However, most administrators and elementary reading teachers are unaware of this research and its implications for the classroom. As a result, more than half of today’s fourth grade students struggle to reach reading proficiency.
While professional development may seem like the perfect opportunity for teachers to develop the expertise their teacher preparation programs failed to provide, professional development often falls short of supporting teachers. A review of the impact of professional learning on student achievement found that 14 or more hours of teacher development are needed to have a positive and significant effect on student achievement.
Supportive and knowledgeable school leadership is also critical to ensuring the lasting success of any initiative. But principals do not always have a background in reading instruction and are often lacking the same knowledge their teachers are.
Districts need to create clear and consistent structures that will ensure teachers know how to translate this knowledge into practice and that will support them in doing so. Explicit implementation guidance and frequent feedback can help teachers and principals make sure their students benefit from scientifically-informed reading instruction.
This on-demand webconference is designed to build school and district consensus around the importance of a science-based approach to reading instruction. We will explore the most up-to-date research on reading instruction and will discuss how brain imaging has provided a clearer understanding of how students learn to read.