Higher Ed Literacy Community of Practice
Are you a university professor wanting more ideas for your course syllabus to align it with the science of reading?
Join us for a six-week community of practice with other reading professors to learn more about teaching educator prep candidates about evidence-based literacy instruction.
You will:
- Explore key theories and instructional practices aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction.
- Receive access to journal articles and learning activities to include in your course syllabi that are aligned with the science of reading and educator certification standards.
- Expand your network by connecting with peers from other institutions.
Community of Practice Objectives:
By the end of this six-week community of practice, you will be able to:
- Articulate key theories and instructional routines connected to evidence-based literacy instruction.
- Design a course syllabus that is aligned with evidence-based literacy.
- Teach a course on foundational reading instruction to PreK-2nd grade teacher prep candidates that is aligned to the research on literacy instruction.
CLASSES
Details
This course includes weekly synchronous sessions to collaborate and share ideas with other participants
and weekly pre-work to explore research and resources to add to your course syllabus.
Starts Fall 2024
Price: $150
Class Dates:
- October 21: Foundational Knowledge
- October 28: Phonemic Awareness
- November 4: Decoding and Encoding
- November 12: Oral Language and Vocabulary
- November 18: Reading Fluency
- November 25: Reading Comprehension
Course Instructors
Course Instructors
Seema Tejura
Course Instructor | Founder / Managing Director
The Literacy Architects is led by founder and managing director Seema Tejura. Seema has over twelve years of experience leading students, teachers, and leaders towards literacy success, influencing over 150,000 students in 350+ schools. She has held various positions in urban school districts, including reading specialist, literacy coach, reading/language arts director, and chief academic officer.
Seema has rolled out the Common Core State Standards to elementary schools in the District of Columbia, changed mindsets in Dallas by showing teachers the power of students citing evidence from the text to support their answers, made the case for writing instruction at every grade level, and raised student achievement through teacher use of close reading modules and text sets. She has structured the inaugural year for two instructional coaching programs and has implemented countless district-wide initiatives. She has experience leading literacy programs for general education, ESL, and special education students.
Seema holds master’s degrees in reading and education leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University and The George Washington University. She is also a reading specialist, Wilson® Dyslexia Practitioner, and Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP).
Caitlin Deckard
Course Instructor | Science of Reading Specialist
Caitlin is a Science of Reading Specialist and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Vanderbilt University. She has held various positions in rural and urban school districts, including elementary classroom teacher, literacy interventionist, gifted and talented teacher, RTI coordinator, strategic planning board member, and Title Services program coordinator.
Caitlin prioritizes evidence-based best practices within the MTSS framework, while making research both accessible and approachable to educators. Her belief that literacy is a civil right and a prerequisite for survival and success within our society influences her work designing professional development and social media content for The Literacy Architects.
When not working, you can find Caitlin curled up with a book and a dog, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, or enjoying the majesty of the San Juan mountains.
Karen Betz
Course Instructor | Assistant Professor of Literacy at Marian University in Indianapolis
Dr. Karen Betz is an Assistant Professor of Literacy and Coordinator of Reading Science Programs at Marian University in Indianapolis. She graduated from Mt. St. Joseph University’s Doctoral Program with a concentration in Reading Science. She is a former elementary teacher, gifted interventionist, and school and district literacy coach. She is an Orton-Gillingham trainer for the M.A. Rooney Foundation. She enjoys supporting schools, districts, and higher education institutions in their journey to learn more about the science of reading as a consultant in her business, KB Literacy Consulting.