Science of Reading

The Science of Reading
Course Overview:
The Science of Reading:
A Practical Approach for Educators

NYSUT is proud to introduce The Science of Reading: A Practical Approach for Educators. This comprehensive reading education course is offered free of charge and designed to equip educators with the most current, research-based strategies for teaching literacy. Built on a balanced and blended approach, this course incorporates key methods from various reading education philosophies, ensuring that students can thrive in their reading development.

Designed for educators at all levels, this course delves into evidence-based instructional techniques rooted in the latest literacy research, empowering teachers to elevate their classroom practices. Participants will learn from renowned experts and explore key models like the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough's Reading Rope, to understand how to improve students’ reading fluency, comprehension and word recognition.

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Who is this course for?

Who is this course for?

  • Educators at All Levels
  • Literacy coaches
  • Special education teachers
  • Administrators aiming to support literacy instruction
What you'll gain from this course

What you'll gain from this course:

  • A deep understanding of the Science of Reading framework
  • Practical strategies to support reading fluency, comprehension and word recognition
  • Tools to integrate the latest research into everyday classroom practices
  • Confidence to align literacy instruction with New York State Education Department (NYSED) guidelines
  • 25 Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) hours toward state teacher certification requirements
The Science of Reading
Course Details:
  • Cost: FREE
  • Format: 9 modules (5 synchronous, 4 asynchronous)
  • Duration: Approx. 25 hours
  • Assessments: Module quizzes, reflective discussions, practical assignments
  • Completion: Participants will receive a certificate of completion, equipping them to apply research-based reading strategies in the classroom.
Detail on Modules
  • Module 1: Introduction to the Science of Reading (Synchronous)

    Learn the foundational principles of the Science of Reading and explore the ongoing debate between phonics and whole language instruction. This module provides an overview of NYSED's literacy initiatives and includes reflective group discussions on current teaching practices.
    • Key Topics: Reading debates, Simple View of Reading, Scarborough’s Reading Rope
  • Module 2: Oral Language Development (Asynchronous)

    This module focuses on the critical role of oral language in literacy development. Explore strategies such as interactive read-alouds and phonological awareness activities to boost students' language comprehension.
    • Key Topics: Phonological skills, vocabulary, syntax, interactive reading
  • Module 3: Phonological Awareness (Synchronous)

    Dive into phonological awareness, emphasizing phonemic awareness, a critical skill for reading proficiency. Interactive strategies will help educators better assess and develop these foundational literacy skills.
    • Key Topics: Blending, segmenting, manipulating phonemes
  • Module 4: Phonemic Awareness (Asynchronous)

    Building on the previous module, participants will explore advanced strategies for developing phonemic awareness and its role in early literacy development.
    • Key Topics: Phoneme articulation, sound manipulation, phonemic awareness activities
  • Module 5: Phonics Instruction (Synchronous)

    Learn evidence-based techniques for teaching phonics, decoding and encoding. This module provides practical tools for strengthening students’ ability to connect sounds and letters, ultimately improving spelling and word recognition.
    • Key Topics: Alphabetic principle, decoding strategies, word ladders
  • Module 6: Word Recognition (Asynchronous)

    Discover strategies for teaching sight words, high-frequency words and decoding text. Learn to integrate phonics into your classroom to develop automaticity in word recognition.
    • Key Topics: Phoneme-grapheme correspondences, Ehri’s Phases of Reading
  • Module 7: Language Comprehension (Synchronous)

    Language comprehension is a vital part of skilled reading. This module explores how background knowledge, vocabulary and verbal reasoning contribute to understanding both spoken and written language.
    • Key Topics: Vocabulary instruction, building background knowledge, text analysis
  • Module 8: Fluency (Asynchronous)

    Fluency bridges decoding skills and reading comprehension. Participants will learn how to develop fluency through strategies such as repeated readings and Readers Theater.
    • Key Topics: Accuracy, automaticity, prosody, fluency assessments
  • Module 9: Reading Comprehension (Synchronous)

    The final module ties together all components of the course, focusing on reading comprehension strategies. Educators will learn how to assess and improve students’ comprehension through evidence-based practices.
    • Key Topics: Summarization, questioning the text, activating background knowledge
Enroll Today!

Transform your literacy instruction with The Science of Reading: A Practical Approach for Educators. In this NYSUT course, you'll gain the tools, strategies and confidence to help your students succeed. Sign up now to begin your journey toward mastering the art of teaching reading!

 

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