4 Days, 4 Ways to Impact Every Reader
Meet the diverse needs of students in every classroom.
Join us for a 4-day institute where you’ll examine practical, evidence-based ways to build content knowledge, teach for transfer, select texts intentionally, and foster meaningful discourse—enhancing literacy instruction for every reader using any curriculum or program.
- Classroom Teachers K-8
- Interventionists/Specialists
- Literacy Coaches/Teacher Leaders
- Graduate Credit Participants, please see “Graduate Credit Options” tab for pricing information
- Literacy Collaborative Affiliation Discount available
Now more than ever, teachers are tasked with combining a diverse set of mandates, practices, and programs, all while meeting the diverse needs of their students and working to differentiate instruction. Join us for this 4-day institute designed to provide you with practical strategies to support all readers, using any curriculum or program.
Delve into four essential ways to foster rich, engaging, and effective reading instruction.
- Building content and background knowledge to strengthen comprehension and vocabulary
- Teaching for transfer to help students apply comprehension and foundational literacy skills
- Making intentional text selections to meet instructional goals, strengthen background knowledge, and support the diverse learning needs of all students
- Facilitating meaningful and collaborative discussions to deepen critical thinking and student engagement
Topics will include:
- Curating text sets that build background knowledge and strengthen vocabulary and comprehension
- The importance of using a range of text types including complex texts, decodable texts, and leveled texts in a variety of genres to meet students’ instructional needs
- Concrete ways to help students move from explicit instruction to application and transfer of knowledge and foundational literacy skills to their reading and writing
- Facilitating classroom discussions that invite multiple perspectives and support students’ abilities to build on one another’s ideas leading to deeper understanding of texts
- Supporting students’ reading development by using specific language to teach for, prompt for, and reinforce effective reading behaviors
You’ll earn 24 clock hours for this training or you can register for 2 or 3 graduate credits through Lesley University.
Gen Arcovio, Literacy Trainer
Gen worked as a literacy specialist and teacher in public schools for many years before joining the Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Collaborative as a Literacy Trainer. She has experience as a Reading Recovery teacher, classroom teacher, interventionist, and literacy coach. Over the years, she has worked with many students, educators, and administrators in the area of literacy acquisition and learning.
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.
Wendy Vaulton, Associate Director for Reading Recovery & Early Interventions 
Wendy Vaulton is the Associate Director for Reading Recovery and Early Interventions at Lesley University’s Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Collaborative. Wendy serves as the Center’s Reading Recovery trainer, supporting teacher leaders in five states. She has experience as an educational researcher, professional developer, and teacher of Reading Recovery. Wendy’s recent research interests include the capacity of improvement science to support systematic, data-informed decision-making for all levels of educational improvement.
Required Materials
- Prompting Guide, Parts 1 and 2 (mailed to you as part of registration)
Cancellation Deadline & Refund Policies
You have until one week before the first day of this offering to cancel your registration. The cancellation deadline is Monday, July 14, 2025. There is a $50 cancellation fee. If you request a cancellation after the deadline, you will not be issued a refund. Substitution requests are acceptable. Please email CRRLC@lesley.edu if you have a cancellation or substitution request.
Registration Deadline
The registration portal closes at 5pm ET on July 18, 2025. If you register within the week before the start of this training, you may experience delays in receiving the required professional text included with your registration and you may incur additional fees for expedited shipping.
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 clock hours.
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.
Graduate Credit Options
With additional assignments, this institute can be taken for 3 or 6 graduate credit hours. 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.
Grades K-2 Course Number: EEDUC 6020-32
Grades 3-8 Course Number: EEDUC 6030-32
PRICING:
- 3 Credits: $2,700 ($875*/credit + $25*/credit comprehensive fee) *subject to change
- 6 Credits: $5,400 ($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 faculty trainers
Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling in the Reading & Writing Classroom in Grades 3-8
In this 8-week online graduate course for teachers, learn the importance of systematic instruction in vocabulary, spelling, and word analysis skills in the intermediate grades and middle school.
Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling in the Reading & Writing Classroom in Grades K-3
In this 8-week online course for teachers, learn about instruction in phonics, phonological awareness, vocabulary, spelling, and word study for children in grades K-3.
AI-Powered Literacy: Practical Tools to Plan, Engage, and Inspire
This hands-on training will equip you with practical strategies and the confidence to integrate AI tools into lesson planning, boost student engagement, and enhance critical thinking and creativity. Join us and take your literacy teaching to the next level with cutting-edge technology!