
Overview
Maximize the Impact of Read-Alouds
Maximize the Impact of Read-Alouds
Use Read-Alouds to Build Students’ Vocabulary and Syntactic Awareness
Reading aloud to children builds their background knowledge and provides modeling of complex sentence structure (syntax) and sophisticated vocabulary. In these two webinars, you’ll learn practical routines to maximize the impact your read-alouds have on students’ vocabulary and syntactic awareness. By recording yourself then engaging in discussion with the instructor, you will be able to refine your application of these routines to make a meaningful impact on students’ language development.
Who is this course for?
This webinar series is intended for parents/caregivers, early childhood educators, K-2 classroom teachers, special educators, library staff, and anyone else who works with or cares for Preschool-aged or older children.
Course description
NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOURS: 6 hours
While reading a book aloud to children can be looked at as a pretty straight-forward task, there are easy-to-implement, evidence-based strategies caregivers and educators can use to maximize the benefit of these learning opportunities. Along with being entertaining and engaging, children’s books are often full of rich vocabulary, complex sentences, and content to deepen children’s background knowledge. Participants will explore the opportunities that present themselves during read-alouds to:
- broaden and deepen children’s knowledge of words
- enhance children’s ability to understand complex sentence structures
- help deepen children’s understanding of themes that apply to the text
- help children make connections between the text and to their own lives
Through a combination of two webinars, two synchronous virtual meetings, and two self-recorded videos and reflections, participants will gain insight into how they can maximize their use of read-alouds.
Asynchronous Webinar #1 includes:
- an overview of how children acquire vocabulary
- why it’s important to provide some explicit instruction for new vocabulary
- a framework for thinking about which words are the most impactful and should be taught explicitly
- how to teach those words in a creative and engaging way before completing a read-aloud
- interactive opportunities for application to practice
Asynchronous Webinar #2 includes:
- how to use read alouds to support children’s understanding of sophisticated sentence structure
- how to recognize potentially confusing sentences within children’s books
- how we can use sentences as opportunities to build children’s syntactic awareness
- information on using a “Juicy Sentences” protocol and variations
- interactive opportunities for application to practice
After completing each webinar, participants will be encouraged to apply their learning to their work with one or more children and record a video of themselves using strategies learned from each webinar; then, participants will watch their video, complete a self-reflection form, and share the video and completed form with their instructor.
Participants are then invited to schedule an up-to-60 minute debrief session with the instructor to discuss their experience and their learning, and ask any questions they might have.
You will earn a total of 6 professional development hours for this course, which is broken down into:
- two 1-hour pre-recorded webinars
- two video and self-reflection assignments
- two synchronous meetings with instructor, up to 1 hour each, to take place via Zoom
Webinars and video/self-reflection assignments can be completed at the convenience of participants, and follow-up meetings will be scheduled directly with the instructor. Participants need to complete all course components (watching the two webinars, two video assignments, and scheduling meetings with the instructor) by the end of the course (August 30th).
Dates
Jun. 30 – Aug. 30
Registration closes: June 16
Time
On-demand
See full description for additional details on coaching sessions.
Course Number(s)
1575
Location and Format
Cost
$720
This course is being offered at a discounted cost to participants made possible by the generosity of the Hoehl Family Foundation, in honor of Cynthia K Hoehl’s vision of teachers as lifelong learners.
Grade Level
Audience
Elizabeth Keenan, M.Ed.
Structured Literacy Coach
What Teachers Have to Say
Meet the Instructor(s)
Elizabeth Keenan, M.Ed.
Structured Literacy Coach
Elizabeth Keenan (she/her), M.Ed., Associate/OGA, is a Structured Literacy Coach for Lead to Read and provides consulting services to schools around Vermont. She holds a Special Educator (K-age 21) teaching license in Vermont, and is certified at the Associate level from the Orton-Gillingham Academy. Prior to joining the Stern Center in 2020, Elizabeth established Keenan […]
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If that is not possible for you, please get in touch with us before registering. You may still be able to take the course in some instances, but such decisions are at the course instructor’s discretion. Please refer to our Attendance & Participation Policy.
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If you wish to receive a certificate of attendance, access additional resources, and register for graduate credit (when available), you will need to pre-register with Wilson. These resources and materials are only available through Wilson.

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