Michigan Learning Channel Update

Winter greetings for 2025! As we begin 2025, we want to extend our thanks for your interest in learning about the work of the Literacy Essentials and MAISA's partnership with Michigan Learning Channel (MLC). This work helps to bring the Literacy Essentials to life through the MLC/PBS literacy broadcast series, Read, Write, ROAR!

Read more about the Literacy Essentials here!

If you have any questions about this content, please contact Annie Spear, MAISA Project Director, Michigan Learning Channel (aspear@gomaisa.org).

Thank you, Kristen Kariainen, (Copper Country ISD Literacy Coach/MTSS Coordinator), for inviting Annie to join 25 Kindergarten to Grade 5 teachers to talk about Michigan Learning Channel and Read, Write, ROAR! In the short 30 minute session, Annie walked through a bit of background on what Michigan Learning Channel is, what Read, Write, ROAR! is, and outlined snapshots of each series for educators. This was an introduction to get teachers to know this resource exists and also see the skills instructional goals of lessons that educators could use for Tier 1, 2, or 3 instruction or for family engagement.

Link to presentation is here.

Please reach out if you would like Annie to share these no-cost resources that are aligned to our #MichiganLiteracy PreK to Grade 5 Essential Instructional Practices for your group! (aspear@gomaisa.org)

Annie presented to the state-wide coaching network in-person at Saginaw Valley State University to share actionable ways to use Read, Write, ROAR! to support instruction for Grades K-5. Notably, Annie connected research from Dr. Laura Tortorelli's presentation on multisyllabic word decoding for grades 4-5 to readily-available Read, Write, ROAR! lessons. When Annie provided onboarding training for RWR teachers prior to production, the strategies outlined for this series were aligned to two specific resources. In the presentation, these resources and the now-available aligned lessons were shared with the coaching network. Please review and utilize these materials as you would like.

Presentation from 2.5.25 linked here.

Resource 1: Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9 (WWC 2022007). Vaughn, S., Gersten, R., Dimino, J., Taylor, M. J., Newman-Gonchar, R., Krowka, S., Kieffer, M. J., McKeown, M., Reed, D., Sanchez, M., St. Martin, K., Wexler, J., Morgan, S., Yañez, A., & Jayanthi, M. (2022).

Resource 2: Helping Students with Dyslexia Read Long Words Using Syllables and Morphemes (Kearns and Whaley, 2018)

Two presentations were selected for the Michigan Reading Association Conference taking place in Grand Rapids March 7-9. If you are there, please join us!

Session 1: Lit Everywhere: Dynamic Research-Supported Literacy Tools for Learning In and Out of School

• Presenters: Erin Pell and Annie Spear
  

• Description: Seeking a literacy resource to enhance instruction & engage families? There's an app, a show, and a Michigan platform for that! Explore the PreK-Grade 5 literacy program, Read, Write, ROAR!, aligned with Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy. Discover ways to support literacy development in and out of school (e.g., summer learning & family engagement efforts) with this free resource!
  

Session 2: Science of Reading + Birth to Age 5 Educator, Family, and Community engagement = Building a Reading Brain

• Presenters: Robin Pizzo (WKAR), Annie Spear (MAISA), and Dr. Laura Tortorelli (MSU)

• Description: Interested in a public media resource that promotes family engagement in literacy development? Join us for a session featuring the free WKAR documentary, Building the Reading Brain. We'll explore how we learn to read, backed by brain science and linguistics. Through the film and guided discussion, we'll highlight Literacy Essentials and share resources for educators and community organizations to support children's reading proficiency.
  

Be on the lookout for the Facilitator Guide Toolkit for Building the Reading Brain in the March newsletter!

Production for Read, Write, ROAR! Upper Elementary (Grades 4-5) is wrapping up! The new series offers several segments within one episode and aligns to Literacy Essentials practices.

• Find the latest full episodes on PBS (26:46 minutes)
• YouTube Playlist - now with 41 segments! (each segment ranges from 2:00 - 6.5 minutes)

Feedback from educators is telling us these modules are supporting them to learn more about the Literacy Essentials, Read, Write, ROAR!, and ways to use these lessons in their classrooms!

Take a FREE EduPaths course to learn more!

Please reach out to Annie Spear, MAISA, Project Director, Michigan Learning Channel: aspear@gomaisa.org.

Connect on social media:

• MLC: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram
  
• Literacy Essentials (MAISA): @MAISA_ISDs & #MichiganLiteracy

Past issues of our newsletter...keeping you in the know!

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~June

~Summer

~September

~October

~November

~December