AGENDA

TBD

Rebecca Harper

Words Everywhere: Strengthening Vocabulary Inside and Beyond the ELA Classroom (4-8)
This session will present research on the link between vocabulary and comprehension, model an adaptable vocabulary routine, and share strategies for reinforcing word learning across content areas and beyond the classroom.

Danielle Kreassig

From Comprehension to Composition: Connecting the Science of Reading to the Science of Writing (K-5)
This session will begin with a brief overview of research on the science of writing and its connections to the science of reading, including an explanation of the Simple View of Writing. The primary focus will be on the intersections between reading and writing, particularly in the areas of text structure, writing craft, and syntax and practical ways to connect reading and writing instruction in the classroom. Participants will explore how genre and text structure both support reading comprehension and writing, with practical suggestions for using graphic organizers as scaffolds. Next, the session will examine the role of vocabulary in comprehension and writing, highlighting strategies that help students deepen their vocabulary knowledge and integrate rich word choice into their own texts. Literary devices will then be considered as tools to deepen understanding of texts and to spark student’s use of craft in their writing. Finally, attention will be given to text complexity, with a focus on how sentence structure contributes to it. Participants will learn how microprocesses influence both comprehension and text generation and will engage with instructional strategies for teaching sentence types, combining sentences, and using sentence anagrams. Throughout the session, mentor texts will be shared to illustrate how teachers can bridge reading and writing in ways that are meaningful and accessible for K-5 students.

Jennifer I. Hathaway & Paola Pilonieta

Virginia Literacy Act: Implications for Middle Schools (6-8)
This session will present information from a research and policy brief conducted by the VCU’s Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium. It provides an overview of the VLA’s legislative expansion into the middle school grades (Grades 6-8). It includes comparative state and district-level literacy data trends for middle school students, a brief analysis of nationwide policy trends from other states, a synthesis of VLA policy document information that pertains to middle schools, and a scoping literature review of what research says about literacy intervention structures and instructional practices, diagnostic screening at the middle school level, and the differences between Tier I and Tier II instruction. It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations. Middle school policy requirements went into effect at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. The presentation serves as a resource to support middle schools across the commonwealth as they implement policy requirements related to intervention and diagnostic screening into their existing support systems.

Candace Bechtold, Joan Rhodes, Kendall Hunt & Valerie Robnolt

Active Learning for Active Minds: Increasing the Explicitness of COMPREHENSION Instruction (K-8)
In this session, we will cover what explicit instruction is and look specifically at opportunities to respond when teaching language comprehension. When teachers increase opportunities to respond, they increase engagement, practice opportunities, and the overall effectiveness of their lessons.

Amy Wolford & Kacey Sterne

Teaching Multilingual Learners: Evidence-Based Literacy Strategies and Collaborative Practices
This session will present findings from randomized controlled trials of BELLA, a K-2 professional learning program for teachers of multilingual learners. Content includes program design, three core components: evidence-based literacy strategies, asset-based instruction, and ESL's classroom teacher collaboration and illustrative classroom videos, parent interviews, and student interviews that demonstrate changes in teacher practice and multilingual learner outcomes.

Jennifer Mann & Leslie M. Babinski

Literacy Instruction for Students

Matthew Newton & Julie Monday

K-5 Author Panel

TBD