
ADE K-12 ELA Newsletter
February 2022
For the Love of Literacy
ELA teachers are full of love for reading and literacy, and passionate about passing along that love to their students. In what ways do you pass along this love to your students? How do you get your students excited about reading?
One powerful strategy for encouraging a love of reading for all grade levels is: read alouds. World Read Aloud Day is February 2nd. Scholastic has provided a toolkit for celebrating read alouds in your classroom.
Thank you for all you do to help encourage a love of reading with your students!
February Office Hours
Thursday, Feb 10, 2022, 11:00 AM
undefined
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
3 Ps in a Pod Podcast: Unpacking the K-5 Literacy Endorsement
To support educators along the continuum, the Arizona K12 Center developed “3Ps in a Pod” to further dissect practice, policy, and passion in the field of education.
Listen to Deputy Associate Superintendent of Academic Standards, Sean Ross, talk about the state's new reading endorsement for grades K-5. LISTEN NOW!
Additional information coming soon by the ELA team!
Arizona Reading Fundamentals OnDemand Academy
Before you register, please watch our Introduction Video.
Check out the newest knowledge blocks!
Dyslexia Reading Fundamentals - Understanding and Recognizing Dyslexia Knowledge Block
As part of A.R.S. § 15-211 every school must have at least one teacher who has training related to dyslexia. To fulfill this requirement teachers must complete an approved course which fulfills 3 criteria. One of the required sections is Understanding and Recognizing Dyslexia. The ELA team at Arizona Department of Education has created a free course to give a more cost-efficient option and is available as part of the Arizona Reading Fundamentals OnDemand Academy.
Secondary Reading Fundamentals - Diverse Texts in the Secondary ELA Classroom Knowledge Block
Educators have a unique opportunity to provide a diverse selection of texts in their classrooms. There is a world of diverse texts available that provide multiple viewpoints of the world and allow for wider representation. The ELA team at the Arizona Department of Education has provided guidance and resources to help educators make curricular decisions.
Book Studies
It's not too late to join us in our current professional learning book studies!
Kinder-12th Grades:
Overcoming Dyslexia - 1/12 to 3/9
Contact: Maggie Velazquez
See Book Study Flyer for more information.
Secondary (6th-12th):
Fundamentals of Literacy Instruction and Assessment, Grades 6-12 - 1/13 to 3/17
Contact: Lauren Spenceley
See Book Study Flyer for more information.
General Info for our book studies:
- Virtual book chats take place via Zoom.
- All participants must register in the ADE EMS system to receive credit - each session is offered individually.
- All participants who register in EMS, read their chapter(s), and attend the book study will be given 2-hours PD credit. (For a total of 20 hours of PD!)
- More details, ordering information, etc. can be found on the flyers linked above. Please share with your colleagues!
Reading Apprenticeship Informational Webinars
As part of a federal SEED grant, WestEd will be offering the opportunity for Arizona teachers to participate in a summer Reading Apprenticeship essentials course with little to no cost.
Come join us for an informational webinar where you can learn more about this amazing opportunity!
ELA and Social Studies Collaboration
FREE BOOKS - There is an opportunity for AZ educators to receive free classroom sets of Night and Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl (for a limited time via First Book) - please email Lauren Spenceley if you are interested for more information on this opportunity.
2022 Teachers' Institute and Leading Change
Wednesday, Jun 8, 2022, 08:00 AM
JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa, West Starr Pass Boulevard, Tucson, AZ, USA
From the MOWR desk...
Universal Screening:
The window for mid-year data opened on December 1 and can now be entered into the portal. All mid-year data was due by February 1, 2022. Please reach out to Sarah Bondy with any questions.
For support on that electronic process, check out: Submitting Universal Screener Data.
Don't forget the 1,000 character count required for submission in the data narrative box!
Welcome to the Science of Reading Webpage!
Each month, we will introduce you to a new section of the ADE Science of Reading webpage. Thus far, we have introduced the homepage and Structured Literacy. Our next section is titled Brain Research. Cognitive Neuroscientist, Dr. Stanislas Dehaene, eloquently shares how the brain must be wired explicitly to learn to read. "No brain structures have been developed through evolution to make sense of letters and written words."
The ADE English Language Arts Team
Dr. Amy Boza, Director of English Language Arts and Move On When Reading
Sarah Bondy, K-3 Early Literacy Specialist
Lauren Spenceley, Secondary ELA Specialist
Maggie Velazquez, Dyslexia and Literacy Intervention Specialist