All workshops include a face-to-face staff development offering as well as online 'just-in-time' support through online screen-cast movies, pdf files, and resources.

Workshops are Based upon the research conducted by:

(1) Marzano, Robert. Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research on What Works in Schools.
(2) Marzano, Robert. Classroom Instruction That Works
(3) Nagy, William E. Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Reading Comprehension
(4) Wiggins & McTighe, Understanding By Design

WORKSHOP LISTINGS :

1. No More Copy & Paste: You don't need fancy and expensive software to teach summarizing skills! Teach students to summarize using existing word processing software, presentation software and/or Inspiration! Move students beyond the copy-and-paste reports and projects by teaching the 4-step method for summarizing text! Learn how to implement this in the grades 3-12 classroom. This workshop is modified to match your existing software!
2. Summarizing with Inspiration! Inspiration is more than just a graphic organizer, it is also an amazing study-skills and summarizing tool! The outlining and graphic organizer functions make effective summarization strategies easy to implement. Use images, engaging text colors, and other tools within Inspiration to help students structure summarizing strategies. Splitting windows, identifying key vocabulary words within online text, and writing down the key points is covered. This workshop focuses on Marzano's summarization strategies as outlined in his book, Classroom Instruction That Works. Learn how to export Inspiration to exising word processing programs or other applications that best fit the learner/activity.
3. Effective Note Taking with Inspiration! Inspiration's underutilized outlining function offers hidden tools for note taking! Different models of note taking can easily be done through Inspiration. Learn to create and share templates that allow for easy differentation and modifications. Embed web links, images and text within the templates! This workshop focuses on Marzano's note taking strategies as outlined in his book, Classroom Instruction That Works. Learn how to export Inspiration to exising word processing programs or other applications that best fit the learner/activity.
4. Effective Note Taking Strategies! This customized workshop explores five specific note-taking techniques and strategies. Participants will create templates for immediate use in the classroom. This workshop is customized to make the most of your existing software and hardware. Software applications that can be included are word processing, presentation, note taking applications, web tools, and Inspiration.

Vocabulary Development with existing software tools

WORKSHOP LISTINGS:

1. Hidden vocabulary tools within web browsers! Learn how to utilize tabbed browsing, quality differentiated online dictionaries, pop-up dictionary & thesaurus tools, hidden search options, and find tools to work with vocabulary words.
2. Inspiration as a vocabulary instruction tool! Learn how to use the outlining function as a powerful vocabulary instruction tool. Walk away with templates ready to use in the classroom! Utilizing Marzano's and Nagy's suggested vocabulary activities within Inspiration makes vocabulary instruction engaging and interesting.
3. Presentation software as a vocabulary instruction tool: Have Powerpoint or Keynote? Then you have an engaging vocabulary instruction tool! Have students work with templates or create exciting games that engage the learner while focusing on increasing background understanding of a content area!
4. Wikis and Blogs as a vocabulary instruction tool: Blogs and wikis are a highly engaging tool for our 21st Century learners! Learn how to manage wikis and blogs in the classroom! This can move the learning opportunity beyond a collaboration within the classroom to that outside of the classroom walls. It becomes an engaging and exciting platform for students and teachers.
5. Microsoft Word's Hidden Tools for Vocabulary and Writing: MS Word has many powerful tools to assist with vocabulary words, identifying word usage, making comments, highlighting main ideas, giving feedback, voice recordings, 'talking to the text', applying literacy strategies, and much, much more!
6. Online Vocabulary Resources: Many dynamic and engaging web sites offer quality vocabulary development activities. Participants learn to identify quality web sites that can be customized by the teacher. Start utilizing the free & low-cost resources while focusing on research-proven strategies for improving vocabulary & student background understanding.

How to Lexile Web Pages and Aim Students at Reading-level Appropriate web pages! Many web sites are written for the advanced reader (college level and higher). Learn how to easily obtain reading levels via the online lexile tool!

1. Web Page Lexile Ranking via the Lexile Portal. Have you ever found students trying to read a web page that is obviously too hard to read due to the vocabulary and reading level? Learn how to examine a web page's lexile level prior to assigning the page to your class as a resource. This half-day workshop shows participants to evaluate a web page's lexile level. The lexile tool is free to use and will help teacher prevent student frustration with text that is too hard to read.
2. NetTrekker D.I. as a Teacher Tool for Lexile Ranking of Web Pages: Use NetTrekker D.I. (Differentiated Instruction) powerful lexile tool to locate web page resources that meet your students' needs. You can easily locate resources that meet your low, medium, and high level readers! Move these URL addresses out of NetTrekker and onto your own website, blog, Word Processing document or any other tool that shares it with students. NetTrekker also ranks games, video, and other media content as well! Your school does not need to have a site license. This can be done with just a teacher's license for NetTrekker! NetTrekker offers affordable single-user licenses.