Penn Literacy Network

Early Childhood Seminars | Elementary, Middle, and Secondary Seminars
Math Seminars | Whole-School Reform Efforts | Online Courses
Forming & Reforming Reading/Writing/Talking Across the Curriculum
(PLN 1, K-8) (EDCE533)
Through collaborative, hands-on experiences, participants explore the interconnected nature of literacy across the curriculum and develop ways to actively engage students in developmentally appropriate, research-based literacy activities that cross and combine content. Participants investigate the PLN Frameworks of The Critical Literacy Experiences and The Lenses of Learning, apply these concepts and frameworks to their classrooms, and make adaptations based on their own contexts and curriculum frameworks with a focus on depth of learning. Educators learn how to engage students in transacting, composing, and investigating texts, and in learning to learn activities that encourage them to metacognitively reflect on their own learning.

Critical Reading and Writing in Support of Learning (PLN 1, 5–12) (EDCE533)
A focus for secondary school teachers (MS and HS) is increasing students’ active reading and writing about content area texts. PLN 1 Secondary offers practical strategies and applications that help establish a literate classroom environment in support of learning that links subject areas, with a focus on depth of learning. Teachers, specialists, and administrators learn approaches to create learning experiences that are rich in problem-solving, critical thinking, and logical reasoning.

PLN Literacy for School Leaders (PLN 1, PreK-12)
This seminar is designed to help school leaders develop, implement, and assess the effectiveness of their balanced reading/writing or math literacy programs. The program is tailored to the needs of each district and school. School leaders also learn about how to observe and give feedback to teachers who have participated in PLN seminars.

Integrating Teaching/Learning/Assessment in Reading/Writing Literacy (PLN 2) (EDCE564)
This seminar brings participants to the next level of involvement with The Critical Literacy Experiences of PLN 1. Participants collaborate with colleagues and reflect on the PLN literacy frameworks and their current practice as they engage in goal-planning and congruent assessment approaches in their classrooms and schools for the year (or years) to come. The seminar emphasizes curricular planning, discussions about classroom/district/state benchmarks and standards, curricular problem-solving, document review of student work, and revisiting and extending reading/writing literacy approaches from PLN 1.

Implementing a Literature-Centered Classroom for Children and Adolescents (PLN 3) (EDCE680)
In this seminar, participants explore the significant role of good literature in classrooms and try out practical suggestions for initiating independent and group activities using literature and oral/written composing. At the elementary school level, the seminar focuses on integrating children’s literature across the curriculum, supporting independent and collaborative reading, and analyzing author’s craft and book art as scaffolds for students’ own writing. At the secondary level, participants investigate the use of young adult fiction for building student engagement, connecting to curricular themes, and addressing social issues. One particular emphasis of the PLN 3 seminar is the implementation, management, and assessment of literature discussion groups using rich literature for children and adolescents.

Investigating Language Using Explicit and Systematic Learning Experiences (PLN 4, K–8) (EDCE670)
In this seminar, elementary and/or middle grade teachers learn about the implementation of Critical Experience 4: Investigating Words and Sentences using evidence-based concepts and resources in the areas of decoding, grammar, and spelling. The focus is on the integration of explicit and systematic instruction of decoding, spelling, and Standard English sentence patterns. Educators learn how to help students develop word attack skills, spelling knowledge, and context-appropriate use of Standard written and oral English.

Participants explore the use of Word Making and Sentence Making with students as well as other active learning approaches that focus on best practices: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Informational Reading and Writing (PLN 5) (EDCE611)
(K-5):
In this seminar, participants use PLN frameworks to explore the genre of non-fiction and they discuss strategies to increase opportunities for students to read and write using informational texts. Areas of focus include: investigating features of informational texts and the relationship between fiction and non-fiction, using textbooks and primary source materials, and building and assessing student engagement with text through note-making, response-building, and research writing. Participants themselves engage in critical inquiry around the validity and perspectives offered by informational texts (including internet resources), and discuss ways of fostering this inquiry stance with their elementary students.

(6-12)
In secondary schools, the vast majority of reading and writing students do is informational: they must navigate the demands of reading and writing in content areas such as science, social studies and mathematics. In this seminar, secondary teachers use the PLN frameworks to develop strategies for helping students access and produce the academic language of content area texts. Areas of focus include using reading textbooks, primary source materials, writing informational and persuasive papers, note-making, response building, and research writing. Teachers also gain experience incorporating non traditional texts into their content areas such as photographs, cartoons, audio, and visual media.

Research, Non-fiction Reading, Writing and Technology (PLN 6) (EDCE620)
This seminar explores the relationship between inquiry-based learning and technology. Participants investigate the process of developing essential questions to guide research through a variety of techniques, such as I-Search and We-Search. The skills and processes of technology are examined as an integral part of non-fiction reading, writing, and the presentation of information.

Participants critically reflect on the role that technology plays to support, enhance, and change literacy teaching and learning as they adapt classroom instruction to the learning needs of their students. The seminar provides practical, hands-on experiences with graphic organizers, Internet research techniques, web page development, and multimedia presentations.

Basic computer skills are recommended for PLN 6 participants.

Reading/Writing/Science: Implementing an Integrated Curriculum (PLN 7)(EDCE625)
This seminar provides support for educators as they implement a dynamic science program that blends discussions of current theoretical concepts with hands-on science activities. The focus is on integrating developmentally-appropriate literacy activities within content curriculum frameworks. At the elementary level, work includes development and/or enrichment of thematic science units across the curriculum. At the secondary level, there is a focus on scaffolding academic literacy activities (such as lab reports, observation notebooks, and science journals) as tools for deepening the learning of science concepts. Throughout the seminar, teachers explore and problem-solve issues of practice that arise from their implementations.

Designing WebQuests (PLN 8) (EDCE508) ONLINE COURSE
This seminar provides opportunities for teachers to create bridges for their students between the Web and relevant and related content areas. A WebQuest integrates the PLN framework with a compelling problem/question or challenge for students to investigate utilizing online and offline resources. Participants develop original learning experiences for students through the scaffolding WebQuest structure. A WebQuest enables educators and students to experience the Web as more than a fact-finding encyclopedia because it encourages them to analyze and synthesize information to make meaningful connections in an authentic context, and to increase their understanding of concepts in a variety of content areas. This seminar can be conducted online to provide flexibility for participation. ...More online courses

Forming and Reforming Reading/Writing/Talking Across the Curriculum: Addressing the Needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) (PLN 9) (EDCE612)
In this seminar, participants learn how to address the language, literacy, and learning needs of English Language Learners in their classes through active, hands-on experiences that model the concepts and strategies that are to be applied in their schools. Practical activities are informed by research on second-language acquisition, bi-literacy development, and content-based second language instruction, and they are blended with discussions of current research-based literacy concepts as presented in many state language arts frameworks. Teachers explore strategies to teach reading/writing/talking across all content areas to ELLs, and work to establish literate classroom environments that are accessible to all students. This seminar is designed to foster collaboration between mainstream teachers and ESL teachers within and across schools while strengthening collegial support and problem-solving in the implementation of the PLN frameworks. Participants get an overview of the management and evaluation of a literate environment that is accessible to ELLs while focusing on the development of curriculum plans that integrate
content and language.

Inquiry into Student Learning to Inform Practice (PLN 10) (EDCE630)
In this seminar, participants take a closer look at what it means to be a teacher and a student in a PLN classroom. Participants examine the learning experiences of two specific students and reflect on the implications of this seminar learning for all students in their classrooms. Based on The Critical Literacy Experiences and The Lenses of Learning, participants explore ways to construct learning experiences that help their students grow to be co-constructive, resilient problem solvers. Participants draw on teacher observations, samples of the students’ work, and any additional sources of information to create a portrait of two students. During the seminar, participants explore ways to engage students in reflective dialogue and writing. They also participate in Curriculum Problem Solving, Document Review and Reviewing a Child with Care based on the integrated work of Pat Carini (The Prospect School) and Dr. Morton Botel (PLN/University of Pennsylvania).

Prerequisite: 2 PLN Seminars preferred (PLN 1 and an additional seminar. PLN 1 is required.)

Re-Energizing Our School Communities: Helping Teachers and Administrators Manage School Stress through Mindfulness Training (PLN 11)(EDCE615)
The rewards of teaching and school leadership are diminished by the stress that educators face each time they walk into their classrooms and schools. At times, the insistent demands in and outside of the classroom can overshadow the joys of education. This seminar focuses on learning to successfully manage the stressors that face educators and recapture the deeper satisfactions of teaching and school leadership.

This seminar helps participants make fundamental changes in how they react to stress through a series of techniques grounded in a traditional form of meditation known as mindfulness. Mindfulness-based techniques are pragmatic tools that help educators re-energize their capacity to teach, learn, and lead schools while managing day-to-day stress. These techniques have been adapted for use in education and are presented in a straightforward, practical fashion. Participants learn what prevents them from maintaining relaxation and balance in their personal and professional life, discover how to undo those obstacles, and then start to actively recapture the enthusiasm that initially led them to education.

Helping Students Needing Learning Support in the Inclusive Classroom
(PLN 12 Part A) (EDCE636)
Experts encourage the education of at risk students within the least restrictive environment. This inclusive approach results in classroom communities of learners with a range of learning styles and needs, many of whom are diagnosed with special needs or are thought to be exceptional. The purpose of this seminar is to demystify the special learner; to understand what the special learner goes through in his quest to learn. Teachers understand, accommodate, modify and reach out to their special needs students from the moment they enter the classroom. Teachers learn highly adaptable strategies they can plug into their curriculum across grades and ages to foster student engagement. Application of PLN pedagogy to immediate practice empowers teachers and students from the first to the final class. In this seminar, participants learn how to address the language, literacy, behavior and learning needs of at-risk learners in their classrooms. To inform practice, journal articles and texts draw on research-based frameworks from the special education field and the PLN literacy frameworks. Teachers explore modifications and accommodations relevant to their students' learning needs, allowing them to reach all learners in their classroom.

Seminar participants weave the PLN philosophy with a variety of easy to use interactive learning strategies that can be immediately applied. Educators have the opportunity to share their adaptations with peers in order to facilitate understanding of best practices for all learners. To allow for ecologically sound practice, a wiki space is utilized in this course, where articles and strategies are stored for download and a discussion board is provided for posting and responding to journals.
Final projects provide a way for participants to pull together their understanding and application of their seminar learning and experiences.

Helping Students Needing Learning Support in the Inclusive Classroom
(PLN 12 Part B)
Experts encourage the education of at risk students within the least restrictive environment. This inclusive approach results in classroom communities of learners with a range of learning styles and needs, many of whom are diagnosed with special needs or are thought to be exceptional. Expanding upon pedagogy of The Four Lenses and their application through practice begun in PLN 12 A, PLN 12 B take a deeper cut into the curriculum addressing rich strategies to increase comprehension, engagement and success. Brain processes that derail students such as memory, attention, processing speed and executive functioning are experienced, understood and addressed to allow teachers to foster academic and behavioral gains in their students. In this seminar participants have the opportunity to explore brain based learning and behavioral issues to increase their ability to address the needs of all students. As the success of special needs students require articulation among staff members as they move through the grades, participants gain a broad understanding of how special education works and how to navigate the system to ensure no student falls through the cracks.
Educators have the opportunity to follow their own at risk students and collaborate on effective and adaptive teaching strategies, in order to facilitate their understanding of best practices for all learners. To allow for ecologically sound practice, a wiki space is utilized in this course, where articles and strategies are stored for download and a discussion board is provided for posting and responding to journals.
Final projects provide a way for participants to pull together their understanding and application of their seminar learning and experiences.

Literacy Study Group (PLN 13) (EDCE613)
This seminar provides an opportunity for educators to take an in-depth look at a research-based, professional text that focuses on best practices in reading/writing literacy or numeracy across the curriculum. Past seminars have explored texts on supporting English Language Learners, helping all students succeed through understanding cognition, content area writing, supporting special needs learners, and implementing a Writer’s Workshop in the language arts classroom. Districts may choose a variety of Study Group seminars tailored to their needs, and a professional text is selected with consideration to school/district input.

In addition to in-depth exploration connected to the content of the selected text, participants learn a variety of ways to approach book talks that encourage rich, meaningful discussions. Participants engage in a range of group reading talks and strategies for accessing text content, and are encouraged to try these techniques with their students.

The PLN Google Experience (PLN 14) ONLINE COURSE
The seminar integrates the PLN critical literacy experiences with Google Tools to support the use of technology as a mindtool. Participants bring communication and collaborative tools into their current curriculum instruction. They create collaborative documents and presentations to explore all content areas. Blogging and podcasting with Google Tools provides a user-friendly protected space for teachers and students to journal, share ideas and interact to enhance the social nature of learning. Google Earth’s and Maps’ interdisciplinary instructional capabilities foster geographical thinking by investigating literature road trips, examining the power of images and their impact on history and current events, and traveling the earth’s geography, explorations, migrations, and history. Guides and examples of teachers using Google Tools in innovative ways provide support for replicating and creating activities. In addition to Google applications Google power searching strategies to develop critical thinking about keywords and research skills are covered. ... More online courses

Circles of Cooperative Learning in a PLN Classroom (PLN 15)
The seminar is based on the premise that social and emotional skills go hand in hand with academic achievement. The Pennsylvania Department of Education has endorsed this approach for the foundation of classroom and schoolwide practices. The interaction that most influences students' performance in instructional situations is student to student interaction. However, social-emotional skills need to be taught. The PLN lenses focus on the social nature of learning to deliberately help children build academic and social-emotional competencies. Children learn to take risks and are praised for their contribution. They are able to see points of view other than their own. Students work with classmates who have different learning skills, cultural backgrounds, attitudes, and personalities. The seminar progressively develops classroom interdependence through morning and class meetings and gradually helps to develop cooperative groups that evolve from pairs to small teams. Through structured literature, self reflective writing, video models, creative dramatics, and conflict resolution through literature activities, teachers develop a practical approach to cooperative learning that stimulates thinking and bonds among children that carry over into their academic curriculum. The strength of the PLN approach is that it encompasses sufficient flexibility in its application so that it truly becomes part of the fabric of the learning community where it is used. Journals (including professional reading responses and classroom try outs) and a final project are the assignments for this course.

Digital Storytelling (PLN 16) ONLINE COURSE
Storytelling is a vital communication skill with seemingly unlimited applications. It can have a magical effect - moving, enlightening, or entertaining audiences. We tell stories to connect meaningful experiences to students and make abstract concepts real. The seminar presents examples to demonstrate how literature, math and social studies assignments can be transformed into digital storytelling adventures. Digital stories are communicated in several formats from the creation of basic audio offerings to multimedia projects. Several free media tools are introduced and participants select the media they are most comfortable with to create their own digital stories. No previous experience with digital multimedia tools is necessary. ... More online courses

Teaching Writing: Composing Text (PLN 17) (EDCE642)
In this PLN seminar, participants explore the writing process. Activities will focus on strategies to increase opportunities for students to write, while adapting to the required needs of teachers' varied curriculum. Using the following writing techniques, participants learn and explore practical suggestions and instruction on how to implement Writers Workshop, Kid Writing, Written Conversation, Memoir, Informational Writing, Poetry, Creative Writing/Short Stories, Guided Writing (unprompted), and
Journal Writing. This seminar will integrate the Critical Literacy Experiences and
The Four Lenses of Learning. Participants are expected to respond to assigned readings, design classroom try outs, respond through ongoing class participation, class discussion and written dialogue. The creation and implementation of a final project reflects the PLN strategies and concepts introduced in this seminar. Participants will experience and learn a variety of concepts and techniques for teaching and implementing successful and varied writing programs for their classrooms.

Teaching Writing Across the Curriculum (PLN 18)
Participants are invited to take a fresh look at writing. Through collaborative, hands on experiences, participants continue to realize the interactive partnership of how reading good, rich literature inspires students to become good writers. This seminar continues to explore making sense of the writing process with ongoing discussions of what some of the experts have to say.

Through the introduction of a variety of writing strategies, teachers have the resources to be able to guide their students to continue to meet the goal of increasing opportunities for even reluctant writers to be actively engaged in the writing process. Participants explore practical suggestions about how to implement writing techniques and their appropriate application, while adapting to meet their varied needs across the curriculum. Breathing new life into writing is an active part of this course. Some of the strategies participants explore are: Writing From Text, Poetry, Writing a Good Sentence, Descriptive Writing, Writing a Transition Sentence, Finding Focus in Student Writing, Honoring Student Writing, Using Writing Portfolios to Enhance Instruction and Assessment, Exciting the Reluctant and the “Out of the Box” writer.
Prerequisite: PLN 1 and PLN 17. PLN 3 is suggested but not a prerequisite.