Donna Scanlon

To comprehend and learn from written text, readers need to be able to identify all or nearly all the words with ease to focus on meaning construction. The vast majority of words that proficient readers can identify effortlessly are learned through effective word-solving while reading. Phonological and orthographic skills, coupled with a focus on meaning construction, enable accurate word solving. However, because of the variability in the relationships between printed letters (and letter combinations) and their pronunciations (e.g., give/dive; steak/streak), effective word solvers need to be somewhat flexible in their attempted pronunciations – trying different pronunciations for some the letters/graphemes, especially the vowels, until they identify a real word that fits the context. This ability to “correct” mispronunciations is referred to as having a Set for Variability (SfV, Gibson & Levin, 1975). Contextually accurate pronunciations of initially unknown words enable readers to (begin to) add words to their sight vocabularies (the set of words that can be identified effortlessly on sight). This presentation will focus on the role of SfV in the context of the Interactive Strategies Approach (ISA) to instruction. SfV is one of several strategies learners are taught to us n solving unfamiliar words encountered in context. Federally-funded ISA research demonstrated the efficacy of the approach in reducing the number of learners who experienced reading difficulties when implemented in classroom and intervention contexts in primary grades and in intervention contexts in intermediate grades.

Sinead J. Harmey

Learning to write is a complex developmental process that is about producing meaning. It involves language, cognition, and physical skills that occur within different contexts and different communities. Early writing instruction requires a noticing educator who can intentionally support the child based on their understanding of writing development and knowledge of the child. This session focuses on how early years educators can do this to best support young children to make meaning with text.

Jamie Lipp

Move over, “animal book report!” This session moves beyond the typical ways that informational writing occur within the primary classroom.  Participants will engage in fun and innovative ways to teach our most emerging writers about informational texts and research, and will be challenged to think about these processes in the smallest, most practical steps to ensure our youngest students begin to value their role in creating and sharing factual information through composing print.

Lisa Pinkerton

Discover how picturebooks can transform reading instruction into joyful, meaningful experiences. This session explores how exemplary picturebooks can serve as mentor texts for teaching reading standards while fostering curiosity, conversation, and connection within classroom literacy communities. Participants will explore practical strategies for designing mini lessons that authentically grow from interactive read-aloud experiences and celebrate the artistry of books themselves.

Matt Renwick

School leaders face tough decisions as they navigate literacy mandates. Should they implement state-approved programs with problematic content? What if “science-based” approaches prove less effective than promised? Former principal Matt Renwick shares five practical principles for leading literacy within the Science of Reading movement. Participants will understand the motivation behind state reading laws and receive a leadership toolkit for implementing effective, equitable literacy instruction school-wide.

April Severino

Make writing a powerful part of every school day! These energizing strategies complement your Writers Workshop with standards-aligned lessons that span genres and content areas. Join April as she shares practical, easy-to-implement techniques that help students write with clarity, structure, and confidence. Boost writing fluency and achievement as you integrate writing into science, social studies, math, expository, narrative, and more. Walk away with a treasure trove of ready-to-use writing tasks, anchor charts, and classroom routines designed specifically for K–8 learners. April will also model how to lead easy to implement guided writing groups, use formative assessments to inform instruction, and align writing tasks to Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels, the five components of reading, and your state standards. Whether you’re looking to reignite your writing block or embed literacy throughout the day, this session will help you bring joy and rigor back to classroom writing—one purposeful routine at a time.

Susan Vincent

We all know fluency and comprehension go hand in hand, but it’s easy to forget that comprehension can actually drive fluency, too. In this lively session, we’ll dig into practical, meaning-centered ways to help students read with confidence, expression, and purpose.

Together, we’ll look at how to teach students to spot meaningful word groups that support natural phrasing, how to use the action and emotion in a text to build prosody, and how these elements ultimately support a more efficient reading rate—without turning everything into a race against the clock.

You’ll walk away with ready-to-use instructional strategies, smart text-selection tips, and assessment approaches that keep the focus exactly where it belongs: on making meaning.