"A" Sessions (Mornings)
A1) Reading Mastery Signature Edition Level K Reading
This session will prepare participants to implement Reading Mastery Signature Edition Grade K, a beginning reading program for non-reading children. The Grade K program teaches all the prerequisite skills children need to master the fundamentals of beginning literacy including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Children in the Grade K program learn sounds for letters and read words composed of sounds they have learned in a carefully programmed sequence of skills. Lessons include pre-reading exercises, rhyming, beginning decoding activities, symbol identification, comprehension activities, and more.
A2) Reading Mastery Signature Edition Level 1 Reading
This session will prepare participants to effectively implement Reading Mastery Signature Edition Grade 1, which is the second level of Reading Mastery. Vocabulary and instructional details that are presented at the beginning of RMSE Grade 1 are carefully geared to what children learned in Grade K. Participants will learn how students in RMSE Grade 1 develop strategies for decoding difficult words, increase fluency in passage reading, and develop strategies for answering a range of oral and written comprehension questions. Participants will also learn how RMSE Grade 1 develops basic reasoning skills such as making inferences, drawing conclusions and working independently.
A3) Reading Mastery Signature Edition Levels 2 and 3 Reading
Participants in this session will learn how the daily lessons in RMSE Grade 2 and Grade 3 emphasize reasoning and study skills through the application of rules in various contexts. Participants will understand how RMSE Grade 2 introduces many complex sentence forms and a range of vocabulary activities. In addition, participants will see how Grade 3 students learn to evaluate problems and solutions, learn facts about the world, interpret maps, graphs and timelines, and complete research projects. As a result of this session, participants will develop knowledge of daily reading selections that include realistic fiction, fantasy, and factual articles.
A4) Connecting Math Concepts: Comprehensive Edition Level A
Connecting Math Concepts Level A teaches the component skills and operations required to provide a solid foundation in number skills. Children who complete CMC Level A will have a strong understanding of the fundamental logic of math as it applies to addition, subtraction, word problems, and the relationship of base-10 numerals to addition. The program includes tracks on money, geometry, measurement, data classification and organization. The program addresses all the standards specified in the Common Core State Standards for kindergarten mathematics.
A5) DISTAR Arithmetic I
DISTAR Arithmetic I teaches students to perform the basic operations of addition, algebra addition (missing addends), and subtraction. Upon finishing the program, learners are able to work simple story problems involving those operations, solve simple problems based on the more-than or less-than signs, derive new arithmetic facts based on an understanding of approximately 35 facts, and apply ordinal counting to simple picture problems.
A6) Corrective Reading Decoding A and B1
The Corrective Reading program provides systematic reading instruction to students performing below grade level expectations in grades four and above. Decoding A addresses non-readers by teaching sound-spelling relationships. Students are taught reading strategies for sounding out words and applying those strategies in context.
Decoding B1 refines word-attack skills by introducing new vocabulary and promoting word discrimination. There is a strong emphasis on fluency-building as well as comprehension.
A7) Road to Success: Classroom Routines and Expectations
One of the features of a successful implementation of DI is a common, clear set of routines, procedures, and expectations for student behaviors. This includes passing in halls, transitions within the classroom, work-check procedures, and other expectations that make classrooms (and therefore a school) run smoothly and consistently.
This session will provide a framework for the development of these procedures and information on how to teach these procedures systematically to students. Monitoring student compliance and motivating students to cooperate will also be addressed.
"B" Sessions (Afternoons)
B1) Reading Mastery Signature Edition Level K Language
Grade K Language of Reading Mastery maximizes vocabulary acquisition through direct teaching of word meanings and word relationships. The daily lessons teach students the words, concepts, and statements important to both oral and written language. Grade K focuses on the language of instruction—following directions, answering questions, sentence production, comparatives, classification and if-then reasoning. Grade K Language is appropriate for kindergarten and primary school aged children who have not acquired the language knowledge and skills for their age. It is also appropriate for preschool programs and primary-aged students in bilingual and ELL settings.
B2) Reading Mastery Signature Edition Level 1 Language
The Grade 1 level of the Language strand of Reading Mastery emphasizes language concepts, story grammar, age-appropriate literature, and writing. Word skills (opposites, definitions, synonyms, contractions), reasoning skills (same/different, true/false, analogies), map reading, and calendar skills are taught and practiced extensively. Story grammar and literature exercises contain interesting and amusing stories that allow students to learn about character development and become proficient in story-related writing.
B3) Reading Mastery Signature Edition Levels 2 and 3 Language
The Grade 2 level of the Language strand of Reading Mastery teaches comprehension skills (such as formulating deductions, finding ambiguous words in sentences, and classification), story grammar (application and extrapolation) and writing (clarity, organization, and editing). Students learn to write paragraphs that tell the main idea and supporting details of what occurred in a given illustration. Other writing-related skills in the program include parts of speech, conventions, punctuation, and editing.
The Grade 3 language program has a strong focus on writing. The program teaches writing as a process that integrates previously taught skills. The main tracks of the program include sentence analysis, mechanics, editing, reporting, inferring and drawing conclusions, expanded story writing, using resource materials in writing, study skills, and outlining.
B4) DISTAR Arithmetic I
DISTAR Arithmetic I teaches students to perform the basic operations of addition, algebra addition (missing addends), and subtraction. Upon finishing the program, learners are able to work simple story problems involving those operations, solve simple problems based on the more-than or less-than signs, derive new arithmetic facts based on an understanding of approximately 35 facts, and apply ordinal counting to simple picture problems.
B5) Connecting Math Concepts: Comprehensive Edition Levels B and C
Levels B and C of Connecting Math Concepts introduces the component discriminations and skills required to provide a solid foundation in operations involving place-value, money, geometry, algebra, measurement, data and word problems. CMC Levels B and C help students understand mathematical procedures and concepts and develop the ability to work the full range of problems and applications that define mathematics at this level. Students learn not only the basics but also higher-order mathematical concepts. Levels B and C of the program address all standards specified in the Common Core State Standards.
B6) Corrective Reading Decoding B2 and C
Decoding B2 continues the instructional sequence of Level B1 with student practice in word attack and spelling, vocabulary development, and daily reading of decodable connected text. Practice for rate and accuracy and charting of daily fluency progress are features that help students catch up with peers.
Decoding C teaches students to apply the skills they have learned in prior levels to a broad range of material—textbooks, newspapers, magazines, and other forms of print. Comprehension is emphasized, including skills such as identifying cause and effect, main idea, sequencing, summarizing/retelling, and referencing text for specific factual information.
B7) Road to Success: Classroom Routines and Expectations
One of the features of a successful implementation of DI is a common, clear set of routines, procedures, and expectations for student behaviors. This includes passing in halls, transitions within the classroom, work-check procedures, and other expectations that make classrooms (and therefore a school) run smoothly and consistently. This session will provide a framework for the development of these procedures and information on how to teach these procedures systematically to students. Monitoring student compliance and motivating students to cooperate will also be addressed.
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One of the most critical roles in a successful Direct Instruction implementation is the peer coach. With good, careful peer coaching, teachers will become more skilled and proficient in teaching the program, and students will excel with improved instruction.
