Research-Informed Instruction for Success and Equity (RIISE) was developed in response to data showing that NJ pre-service teacher programs are not teaching the Science of Reading, as put forth by the National Reading Panel, The Reading League, and the International Dyslexia Association.
RIISE graduates will be fully prepared to pass the nationally administered Knowledge and Practice Exam for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI), which measures an educator’s knowledge of the principles and practices of Structured Literacy™. By passing the KPEERI exam, a RIISE graduate will earn their national certification as a Structured Literacy Practitioner.
Program offered both in-person and virtually to school districts.
Required Materials:
- Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills Activity Book, 4th Edition Judith R. Birsh, Suzanne Carreker (not included)
- Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills Text Book, 4th Edition Judith R. Birsh, Suzanne Carreker (not included)
Course: Domains of Language for Literacy Instruction
Participants will explore the domains of language processing and how it influences decoding, reading comprehension, and written expression. Participants will be able to identify brain structures that support language and ultimately reading. They will be able to identify the seven language domains to better inform their own instruction of reading and writing skills. This knowledge will then help educators identify students in all grades who require intervention. Participants will also explore methods and materials for assessment and data collection used for designing diagnostic instruction. Focus will center on the need to identify when to intervene, especially with preschool students.
Course: Comprehension Connections
Participants will explore the historical and current research concerning best practice in helping students make meaning from print. They will identify that oral language is critical in this process, and they will identify benchmarks for oral language that will facilitate reading comprehension. Assessments designed to measure decoding, vocabulary, fluency, listening and reading comprehension will be explored and practiced.
Course: Dyslexia 101
Participants will explore historical and current brain research related to language- based learning disorders including Dyslexia. Participants will be able to identify the structural and functional brain differences in good and poor readers and how the brain makes sense of print. Participants will be able to identify the characteristics of Dyslexia and co-morbid conditions such as ADHD, Executive Functioning difficulties and other communication disorders. They will explore characteristics and research concerning the presenting indicators and consequences of Dyslexia through the lifespan, beginning with pre-k. Case studies will be presented.
Course: Literacy Assessments for the General Education and Special Education
Participants will learn best practices for assessing all domains of literacy beginning with pre-k. They will learn typical benchmarks for listening, reading and written expression including handwriting. Participants will explore and use a variety of diagnostic assessments including screeners, formative and summative assessments for students in pre-k through adulthood. The importance of early identification of language/literacy disorders will be addressed. Error analysis will be undertaken so teachers can provide diagnostic instruction.
Course: ACT on It: Data-Based Decision Making
Once you have adopted a Universal Screener, how do you leverage the results to make meaningful changes in your students’ literacy skills? For too many educators, the data is collected, but not acted upon. It is important to understand the “why” of each measure in a screener, “how” to use each benchmark to set goals for students identified as ‘at risk,’ and “what” the intervention should look like.
Course: Structured Literacy in Action
Participants will explore the necessity for structured literacy for all learners. They will learn to identify and write the components of a lesson plan, and implement the lesson plan. Participants will learn the elements of a typical structured literacy scope/sequence and understand the necessity for including all elements for reading and spelling. Grade levels kindergarten through adulthood will be addressed. They will explore a variety of well-respected structured literacy curricula and contrast these with balanced literacy approaches.
Course: Written Expression
Participants will explore the connections between spelling, written expression, reading fluency and comprehension. Current research about spelling, written expression, and handwriting will be discussed. Methods for building written expression, from the simple sentence to paragraph writing and larger compositions, will be explored. Pre-Writing and editing techniques will also be discussed. Writing samples will be evaluated to diagnose specific remediation techniques in order to build better written expression.
Course: Early RIISE
This half-day workshop, now offered virtually, will inform early childhood educators about the latest research findings and best practices in early childhood literacy and numeracy. Participants will learn about the latest Early Literacy and Math Screening tools designed to measure early literacy and math foundational skills. Persistent myths about what and how to teach our youngest students will be busted! Participants will practice with some of the newest Screeners, and then discuss how the results of such screeners can lead to targeted instruction for kids in need. Activities that specifically address phonological awareness and numeracy will be shared and practiced with participants. Finally, participants will be provided with an overview of the latest early childhood math/literacy curriculums developed to explicitly teach foundational literacy/numeracy skills.