The Power of Fluency to Accelerate Learning
An Essential Key to Literacy Success
In this fast-paced workshop, you’ll explore the key dimensions of reading fluency and learn how to assess and teach for automaticity and expression across whole-group, small-group, and individual instruction.
- Classroom Teachers & Interventionists
- Literacy Coaches & Teacher Leaders
- District & School Leaders
- Literacy Collaborative Affiliation Discount available
Join us for this energizing one-day workshop where you’ll dive into the key dimensions of reading fluency and discover practical strategies to boost students’ automaticity and expression. You’ll learn how to assess students’ reading fluency with confidence and integrate effective fluency instruction into your whole-group, small-group, and individualized teaching—all designed to help every reader build confidence, comprehension, and joy.
You will analyze recordings of students’ reading to identify strengths and areas of need and learn how to teach for fluency across your literacy block.
Topics:
- Fluency at four levels of processing: letter, word, phrase/sentence, and text
- Six dimensions of fluency
- Assessing for fluency
- Teaching for automaticity and fluency (Whole group, small group, and individual)
- The connection between comprehension and fluency
You will earn 5 professional clock hours upon completion of this training.
Heather Rodman, Literacy Trainer 
Prior to joining the Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Collaborative as a Primary Trainer, Heather was a Kindergarten, first, second, third, and fourth grade classroom teacher in Middletown, CT for 16 years. She was also a Primary Literacy Coordinator for five years where she provided literacy training and coaching to K-5 teachers. In addition, she was a member of the Connecticut Department of Education Common Core State Standards Curriculum Design Team for English Language Arts.
Required Materials
- Prompting Guide Part 1 for Oral Reading and Early Writing (mailed to you as part of registration)
Please note:
- Participants need to audio record 1-3 students reading orally for 2-3 minutes prior to this training. These recordings will be used to practice assessing fluency and planning for fluency instruction.
Cancellation Deadline & Refund Policies
You have until one week before the first day of this offering to cancel your registration. The cancellation deadline is Friday, September 26, 2025 and you will be charged a $50 processing fee. Email CRRLC@lesley.edu if you have a cancellation or substitution request. Regardless of weather conditions, if the event is held but you cannot attend, you will be billed for the full amount.
Registration Deadline
The registration deadline is 5pm on October 2, 2025.
Requirements for Participation
After the training, you will receive a certificate of attendance for your participation. To receive a complete certificate, participation during the specified times is required. Additional work may be assigned to meet the professional development hours.
In-Person at Lesley University or Virtual Attendance
You may choose to attend this training in-person at Lesley University or virtually in real time. Should any of the conditions change and it is determined the training will be offered virtually only, you will be notified as soon as possible. We recommend that you contact us before reserving travel and lodging.
If you choose to attend in-person, the training room will have Lesley University’s HyFlex Classroom Technology to support an engaging learning environment for in-person and virtual participants. If you have questions about in-person or virtual attendance, please email us at CRRLC@lesley.edu.
In-person participants are required to follow the Lesley safety protocols.
Interested in professional learning at your school or district? Schedule a meeting with one of our faculty trainers.
The Effective Instructional Coach: Leading Growth, Navigating Challenges
This 9-day training is designed for all school-based coaches including instructional coaches and those who support literacy, math, science, social studies and/or technology. You’ll learn how to better understand your role and how to effectively coach teachers at your school.
Thinking Beyond the Page: Developing Deep Comprehension
Comprehension is a complex process and the ultimate goal of reading. Join us to learn practical strategies to support your students to go from surface-level comprehension to deep, critical thinking about what they read.
Teaching Foundational Skills and Fluency Through Shared Reading
Learn how to teach explicit, systematic phonemic awareness, phonics and word study skills and support fluency development using whole group or small group shared reading.