Professional Development Offerings

Comprehension, vocabulary, and writing training designed to support literacy instruction by K-12 educators

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The Key Comprehension Routine

This routine teaches all students a foundational set of comprehension strategies that are used consistently across grade levels and embedded in all subjects. The strategies are taught using existing content reading and instructional materials. The routine includes: main idea skills, text structure, top-down topic webs, two-column notes, summary, and question generation. (Note: Alternative versions are available for Students with Learning Disabilities or SEI and English as a Second Language.)

Comprehension | Elementary, Middle School, High School

The Key Comprehension Routine – Primary Grades

This version teaches basic comprehension to students in K-3. Teachers learn to use oral language, visuals, and read-aloud to provide comprehension instruction that is embedded in core reading and subject-area instruction. The routine includes categorizing and main ideas, text structure, top-down topic webs, two-column notes, retell and summary, and question generation. (Note: Alternative versions are available for Students with Learning Disabilities or SEI and English as a Second Language.)

Comprehension | Primary

Keys to Close Reading

Participants learn how to plan and conduct a close reading lesson for students in grades 2-12. Training topics include: definition of close reading; characteristics of a close reading lesson; how to select and prepare text, including generating text-dependent questions; stages and delivery of a close reading lesson; and scaffolds for struggling readers.

Comprehension | Primary, Elementary, Middle School, High School

The Key Vocabulary Routine

This instructional routine embeds vocabulary instruction for all students in all content areas, using existing reading and instructional material. The routine includes previewing vocabulary, activities for teaching related words, selecting words to teach in-depth, using context and words parts, and promoting word consciousness. (Note: Alternative versions are available for Students with Learning Disabilities or SEI and English as a Second Language.)

Vocabulary | Primary, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Keys to Content Writing

This routine teaches writing skills to support writing in all subjects. Participants learn instructional practices that address requirements of the Common Core. The routine includes: the writing process, quick writes, writing from sources, basic text structures for the three types of writing, and use of a Writing Assignment Guide (WAG) to plan content writing assignments. (Note: Alternative versions are available for Students with Learning Disabilities or SEI and English as a Second Language.)

Writing | Elementary, Middle School, High School

Keys to Argument Writing

This professional development extends the information about opinion/argument writing that is presented in Keys to Content Writing. Aligned to the Common Core argument writing standards, this training includes: components of an argument (claim, reason, evidence, counterclaim, rebuttal), basic text structures (introduction, transitions, conclusion), and gathering information from sources.

Writing | Elementary, Middle School, High School

Keys to Early Writing

This instructional routine trains teachers to introduce basic oral and written expression skills. Participants learn instructional practices that address the K-3 writing requirements of the Common Core. The routine includes: introduction to the writing process, engaging a community of writers, daily pre-writing and quick writes, basic text structures, and writing scaffolds.

Writing | Primary

The ANSWER Key Routine for Extended Writing Tasks

Participants learn how to teach a student routine for answering extended response question prompts and how to use extended writing tasks as a tool for learning content.

Writing | Elementary, Middle School, High School