Special Education Summer Institute 2025

Helping students improve their writing skills can feel like the ultimate boss battle. In this session, we’ll break down writing into manageable moves using evidence-based practices that really work. Learn how to build strong sentences and paragraphs with The Writing Revolution, and tackle longer writing pieces with the SRSD model. We’ll also draw from The Writing Rope to connect foundational strands into a cohesive instructional game plan. Walk away with lesson templates and strategies that help students power-up their writing—no cheat codes required.

This professional development session, Introduction to Dyslexia, provides educators with a foundational understanding of dyslexia, including its characteristics, early signs, and impact on learning. Participants will explore evidence-based strategies for identification and classroom support. The session aims to build awareness and equip educators with practical tools to foster a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Level-Up Labs: Delivering Foundational Literacy Support in Supplemental SDI Settings

This session is designed for teachers of Focused Reading and Writing (middle school) and Power English or Learning Transitions (high school)—courses that provide supplemental specially designed instruction (SDI) in foundational literacy. We’ll focus on the “how” of lesson planning: designing effective, age-respectful instruction that addresses decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. You’ll explore high-leverage instructional routines, discuss how to sequence lessons based on student data, and consider how to balance skill-building with student engagement. Leave with practical tools and planning strategies to strengthen your SDI and help students make meaningful progress.

Non-speaking does not mean non-reading. This dynamic, hands-on session empowers educators with practical strategies to deliver phonics and literacy instruction to students with complex communication needs. Participants will rotate through engaging stations that model accessible tools like AAC, eye-gaze boards, and alternate pencils. You’ll learn how to build phonological awareness, support independent reading, and assess literacy without relying on oral responses. Walk away with materials, ideas, and confidence to help every learner find their voice through literacy.

To level up instruction, you need to know your players. This session dives deep into writing assessments designed for real classrooms. We’ll explore new curriculum-based measurement (CBM) tools—including picture prompts—and introduce rubrics tailored to older students and longer writing pieces. More than just scoring, you’ll use flowcharts to connect diagnostic data to instructional action. Whether you’re tracking progress or identifying learning gaps, this session ensures you’re equipped to assess with purpose and plan with precision.

Decode Mode: Unlocking Words with Morphology

In this session, we’ll explore morphology instruction and its powerful impact on students’ word recognition and language comprehension. We’ll start by defining key elements of morphology instruction, then dive into strategies for selecting high-leverage words and word parts, and implementing engaging practice activities that help students master them. You'll leave with a teachable routine for decoding unfamiliar multisyllabic words and ideas for incorporating morphology into instructional planning and data analysis.