Effective Literacy Instruction in the Middle and Senior Classes

Course Overview

Teaching reading is rocket science! Providing effective research-based literacy instruction that meets the diverse learning needs of all students in middle and senior classes is incredibly challenging. In this course, teachers will consider the fundamentals of literacy instruction for older students and explore how to align classroom practices and instruction with the science of reading.

Participants will explore models of reading and consider how this aligns to the Primary Language Curriculum in a practical manner. Through a blend of knowledge and practical implementation, teachers will learn how to establish routines and procedures which elevate student voice and engagement across all curricular areas. Topics include comprehension instruction, vocabulary, morphology, differentiated instruction, spelling, writing and cultivating a joyful reading community. In all areas, participants will examine both research and practice, while also availing of high quality resources to aid in implementation in middle and senior classes. At the end of this course, participants will be more confident in cohesively planning effective instruction that aligns with the science of reading and most importantly meets the needs of all students.

Our learning outcomes

• Identify and explore research-validated elements of literacy instruction in the middle and senior classes.
• Develop an understanding of an effective programme of literacy development for middle and senior class pupils and the instructional implications for informing the whole school self-evaluation process.
• Identify and examine approaches to develop students’ oral language and vocabulary both formally and informally.
• Develop an knowledge of the explicit nature of Comprehension Strategy Instruction across a variety of text genres and examine its use in all curricular areas.
• Understand how explicit writing instruction can advance thinking across all subject areas.
• Consider how assessment data can be used to inform literacy instruction and identify misconceptions.