Building the Foundation: Core Practices in Structured Literacy

Course description

Professional development hours: 45

Strengthen your understanding of how students learn to read and how you can support every learner through this four-part, self-paced webinar series. Grounded in the Science of Reading, this interactive course introduces the essential components of structured literacy and connects research to practical classroom application.

You’ll build foundational knowledge in:

• How the brain learns to read and the principles of structured literacy
• The language systems that support reading and writing
• Phonological and phonemic awareness
• The development of reading and spelling skills
• Phonics instruction, including syllable types and decoding strategies

Through a blend of recorded webinars, interactive practice, and curated resources, you’ll gain tools to enhance your instruction and deepen your confidence in supporting all readers. This course also includes opportunities for personalized feedback and virtual coaching to support implementation and deepen instructional impact.

Topics Covered:

1. Topic One: Introduction to Structured Literacy and the Science of Reading
2. Topic Two: Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
3. Topic Three: Reading and Spelling Development
4. Topic Four: Phonics and Syllable Types

You can opt to earn three graduate credits for this course.
This series is for all educators and administrators who would like to grow or refine their knowledge of foundational reading skills and how students learn to read. The course content, activities, and strategies are applicable for educators and administrators working in grades K-5, or who support striving adolescent readers in grades 6-12.

As part of the course, participants will record and submit 3–5 instructional videos using a secure online platform called GoReact. These videos serve as a foundation for reflection and feedback, allowing you to closely examine your teaching practices in action. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to schedule personalized coaching sessions. These sessions offer dedicated time to receive targeted, actionable support tailored to your unique instructional context and student needs. During coaching sessions, you can:

• Discuss specific literacy challenges you’re seeing with your students
• Receive feedback on your developing lesson plan, instructional strategies, and submitted video(s)
• Review student work samples or course materials to inform next steps
• Explore ways to adapt course strategies for your grade level, content area, or learner population
• Ask questions, troubleshoot implementation barriers, and reflect on your learning

Your submitted videos will help guide the conversation, enabling your coach to provide more personalized support and practical next steps that are directly relevant to your classroom.

This training aligns with Standards 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, and 4G of the Knowledge and Practice Standards (KPS) from the International Dyslexia Association and may count toward continuing education requirements for educators certified through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction.