Guided Reading Institute: A 5-Day Saturday Series for K-8 Teachers
Learn how to use small group reading instruction to teach comprehension, phonics, word study, and fluency in your K-8 classroom.
Join us for this five-day Saturday institute to learn how to plan for and teach intensive small group, differentiated instruction. The sessions will take place on Saturday, March 29, April 5, April 12, May 3, and May 10. Earn 30 clock hours or opt to take for 3 graduate credits.
- Classroom Teachers K-8
- Interventionists/Specialists
- Literacy Coaches/Teacher Leaders
- Separate cost for graduate credit, please see “Graduate Credit Options” tab for more details
- Literacy Collaborative Affiliation Discount available
Are you feeling constrained by one-size-fits all reading instruction? Join us for 5 Saturday sessions to accelerate your students’ reading growth through small group, differentiated instruction. You will learn how guided reading is an instructional approach in which teachers work with small groups of students to support and expand each student’s reading ability. You will take an in-depth look at how to use guided reading to support readers in the primary, intermediate, and middle grades.
Examine how each element of a guided reading lesson presents opportunities for teaching and learning that supports each reader’s development of oral language, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension skills.
Outcomes
- Build knowledge of the reading process
- Learn how to observe and assess students’ reading behaviors for individual strengths and needs
- Form flexible groups based on assessment data
- Analyze and select appropriate texts for your students
- Plan small group lessons that address the needs of each reader within a group
- Guide readers to apply their knowledge of phonics, fluency, and word solving skills to comprehend texts
Learn how to provide a management system that allows for whole group, small group, and individual teaching.
Nikki Drury, Literacy Trainer
Nikki worked as a literacy coach and teacher in public school for many years before joining the Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Collaborative as an Intermediate Trainer. She has experience as a primary and intermediate classroom teacher and literacy instructional coach at the intermediate level. Over the years, she has worked with students, educators, and administrators to improve literacy outcomes.
Required Materials
You are responsible for purchasing/having access to the following professional texts for this course:
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2017). Guided reading: Responsive teaching across the grades. Heinemann.
- Either version of The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum:
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2022). The Fountas & Pinnell literacy continuum: A tool for assessment, planning, and teaching, grades prek-8, second edition. Heinemann.
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2016). The Fountas & Pinnell literacy continuum: A tool for assessment, planning, and teaching, grades prek-8, expanded edition. Heinemann.
Recommended Texts
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2012). Fountas & Pinnell prompting guide, part one for oral reading and early writing. Heinemann.
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2012). Fountas & Pinnell prompting guide, part two for comprehension: Thinking, talking, and writing. Heinemann.
Cancellation Deadline & Refund Policies
Non-Credit
You have until one week before the first day of this offering to cancel your registration. The cancellation deadline is Saturday, March 22, 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.
Graduate Credit
Review the university’s cancellation and refund policies for credit bearing courses.
Registration Deadline
The registration portal closes on March 28, 2025 at 5pm.
Requirements for Participation
Non-Credit Attendees
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.
Graduate Credit Attendees
Graduate Credit participants will be expected to complete additional assignments.
In-Person 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.
Graduate Credit Option
With additional assignments, this course can be taken for 3 graduate credits. During the registration process, you will have the option to register as a Graduate Credit attendee and you will only be charged the graduate credit fee listed below.
When your registration is complete, contact CRRLC@lesley.edu to finish the required secondary registration process for grad credits through Lesley University.
- $2,700 ($875*/credit + $25*/credit comprehensive fee) *subject to change
On-site Professional Development
We can deliver this training to your school/district. This option can be delivered virtually or in-person for a group within your school/district. For detailed costs, complete our online form to request this training for your school/district and we will contact you.
Interested in professional learning at your school or district? Schedule a meeting with one of our trainers.
Words Matter: Engaging Vocabulary Instruction That Sticks for Grades 3-8
Ready to make vocabulary instruction stick? During this two-day workshop, you will learn evidence-based strategies to build deep word knowledge, foster curiosity, and create meaningful opportunities for students to use and apply new vocabulary for lasting academic success.
Spelling: So Much More Than Memorization
No more test on Friday, misspell on Monday! During this two-day workshop, you will learn about the multifaceted, frequently misunderstood concept of spelling and how you can teach for strong spelling skills.
Thinking Beyond the Page: Strategies for 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.