ADOLESCENT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT:
ONLINE COURSES

In the past, we have delivered online graduate credit courses on a variety of topics related to adolescent literature and content-area literacy. The online courses—which included engaging, hands-on, facilitated activities—lasted six weeks. For some, the online courses were paired with face-to-face introductory and follow-up meetings. Participants who registered for the online and face-to-face courses received graduate credit or professional development points (PDPs) through Framingham State University, Framingham, MA.

Courses:

1. Helping Struggling Readers Improve Comprehension
   
   This workshop focused specifically on supporting the academic development of students who are competent decoders but who struggle to understand the meaning of that they read. We explored the different types of comprehension difficulties students may face and will introduce a number of research-based strategies to improve comprehension skills. Instructional strategies focused on building vocabulary skills, using teacher modeling, having students work collaboratively, and building comprehension monitoring skills. As a final project, participants designed and implemented a lesson plan focused on improving students' reading comprehension.
   

2. Improving Reading and Writing in the Content Areas
   
   In order to be successful in content area classes such as social studies, science, and mathematics, students must be able to read a variety of informational texts and produce written documents. This workshop gave teachers the tools they need to integrate literacy strategies into content learning to help raise student achievement. Participants used the Literacy Matters web site as an anchor throughout this workshop for exploring instructional strategies. By the end of the workshop, participants were able to locate web-based tools, strategies, and lessons that foster literacy skills in all content areas. They also have developed a preliminary lesson plan incorporating these tools and strategies.
   

3. Making the Most of Adolescent Literature
   
   When teachers integrate adolescent literature into the curriculum, students are given an opportunity to learn about themselves and the world during a critical time in their development. Recent research on reading development suggests a growing number of evidence-based practices that can help students with the complex process of reading to make meaning. In this workshop, participants learned how to select literature for students of varied needs and how to improve students' reading comprehension. They also explored a wide range of literature response strategies and techniques for assessment. Throughout the workshop, participants usde the Literacy Matters web site as a source of information about adolescent literature. As a final product, participants created a classroom lesson based on the strategies learned in this workshop.
   
   
4. Teaching Students How to Conduct Online Research
   
   This workshop explored the skills and processes students need in order to successfully conduct online research. Using resources from the Literacy Matters web site, participants learned how to help students locate, evaluate, and cite online information. The workshop also addressed safety factors and potential pitfalls teachers should know about before using the Internet with their students. Participants explored numerous tools and strategies to help them maximize the potential of the Internet for student research and create a classroom-based research project. As a final product, participants designed a classroom lesson, using the tools and strategies they learn about in this workshop.