Professional Development Modules

Learning Modules

The WORDS Project professional development learning modules offer teachers practical reading development strategies to use in the classroom.

  • Modules cover a variety of topics related to effective reading instruction.
  • Modules can be adapted to the needs of your school or district.

Sample Modules

Below is a sampling of the kind of professional development learning modules that can be developed and tailored to your school or district.

Science of Reading

This module includes a definition and explanation for the concept of reading science. Teachers will learn theories of reading development and why some students have difficulty learning the alphabetic principle due to lack of phonological awareness and phonics skills. Teachers will learn terminology to discuss reading development theory and science, as well as how to identify evidence-based practices using different levels of evidence.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Identify theories of reading development, including the simple view of reading.
  2. Describe reasons why some children have reading difficulties.
  3. Use terminology to describe evidence-based practices in terms of empirical research evidence.

Phonological Awareness

This module includes principles for teaching children phonological awareness skills. Teachers will learn about different levels of phonological awareness, including units of sound, such as phonemes, onset/rime, syllables and words. Teachers will also learn how to teach students skills, such as rhyming, segmenting, and blending. Principles of assessment and data-based decision-making for instruction will also be discussed.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Plan phonological awareness instruction for different levels of skill and units of sound.
  2. Identify games and activities to use in their phonological awareness lessons.
  3. Tailor phonological awareness instruction to meet students’ specific needs.

Phonics

This module highlights systematic phonics instruction. Teachers will learn how to use explicit instruction and modeling to produce efficient decoding skills. This module includes information on how to plan instruction ahead of time to systematically introduce and practice skills surrounding alphabetic principle, decoding, and sight words. Teachers will also learn how to sequence instruction, provide immediate corrective feedback, and incorporate many opportunities to practice while teaching phonics.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Describe why specific components of phonics instruction are important.
  2. Model and practice teaching decoding skills explicitly, with an eye on efficiency.
  3. Develop a plan and schedule for teaching phonics systematically using the school’s curriculum/program.

Syllabication

This module focuses on syllabication, or the process of forming or dividing words into syllables. Teachers will learn and practice multiple teaching strategies related to this reading skill, such as decoding unknown words using knowledge of syllables and morphemes and procedures to help students decode multisyllabic words, among other related practices. After receiving information and guided practice on instructional strategies, teachers will have the opportunity to develop an instructional plan to teach syllabication using their core curriculum.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Be able to define and teach the six types of English syllables; teach procedures for decoding unknown words using knowledge of syllables and morphemes; and teach procedures for decoding multisyllabic words.
  2. Practice the above skills.
  3. Develop a plan for teaching syllabication, morphemes, and decoding of multisyllabic words at grades 1, 2, 3, or 4 using your curriculum materials.

Spelling

This module includes principles and best practices for teaching students to spell. Teachers will learn the “Four Big Ideas of Spelling” (phonology, orthography, morphology, and the typical sequence of spelling development) and receive guided practice on best practices in spelling instruction. Assessment of spelling will also be discussed. The final parts to this module will allow teachers to create instructional plans related to spelling with their core curriculum.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Consider four big ideas in the spelling of English words and how they guide the teaching of spelling.
  2. Plan routines for spelling instruction and designing assessment for instruction.
  3. Plan for instruction of spelling within and across grade levels using core curriculum materials.

Assessment

This module includes principles for assessing students’ reading skills. Teachers will learn about different measurements of assessment. Teachers will learn how to assess students’ skills, such as phonological awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, spelling, and reading comprehension. Teachers will learn how to interpret cut scores and how to use assessment data to plan for Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction. Principles of data-based decision-making for instruction will be incorporated.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Plan and implement assessment of reading skills for different levels of students.
  2. Identify and interpret assessments and cut score data.
  3. Use assessment data to plan for Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction.

Reciprocal Teaching

This module includes principles for teaching cognitive comprehension strategies using reciprocal teaching methods. In addition to specific strategies and roles, the module includes training for how to teach students to take ownership for these comprehension strategies by taking on the role of the teacher and leading the discussion for their small group. Teachers will learn how to introduce these strategies and provide a good model for students, with gradual release of responsibility for taking over the roles, until the students can apply the strategies independently in small groups. We also discuss principles of using small group instruction to make more efficient use of instructional classroom time and provide students with more individual attention.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Plan instruction to teach students the roles (i.e., predictor, summarizer, clarifier, questioner).
  2. Provide a strong model and think-aloud for each role.
  3. Plan for small group instruction using a gradual-release model.

Writing to Read

This module includes an overview of research evidence for how writing can be used to improve reading instruction. Teachers will learn how to develop writing activities to have students remember, comprehend, and synthesize information in their reading. Teachers will also learn how to teach specific writing skills that improve reading skills (e.g., teaching spelling skills to improve word reading skills). The module will also include strategies for teachers to incorporate writing into the day more often (without overloading schedules), which has also been shown to improve students’ reading comprehension.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Identify and teach strategies for using writing to improve students’ text comprehension.
  2. Teach writing skills to improve reciprocal reading skills.
  3. Implement writing in ways that foster reading development.

Multi-Sensory Theories

This module includes principles for teaching students through multi-sensory approaches. Teachers will learn how to use visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile experiences to instruct and reinforce children’s learning of reading and writing skills. Teachers will learn how to teach specific skills, such as sequencing sounds in writing to reinforce knowledge of graphemes. Teachers will learn concepts of multi-sensory approaches to learning, including the concept that students may learn best when different or multiple modalities are presented in the classroom.

Teachers will be able to:

  1. Plan instruction to teach reading and writing skills through use of visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile activities.
  2. Plan instruction to sequence sounds in writing to reinforce knowledge of graphemes.
  3. Tailor reading and writing instruction to meet their students’ specific needs.

Sustainable Design

The modules are designed to be used flexibly depending on your schedule and professional development goals — and will be revised as needs emerge or change.