Welcome to The Grimes Reading Institute



			Upcoming Events Open to the General Public
		Sponsored by Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology "Beyond the Basics: Assessment and Remediation of Older Students' Reading Gaps" Instructor: Sally Grimes, Ed.M. Dates: Monday, March 22 & Saturday, March 27, 2010 Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Program No: RG10 CE Credits: 10 Tuition: $245 Location: MSPP 221 Rivermoor Street \| Boston, MA 02132 COURSE DESCRIPTION: Given the recent emphasis on demonstrating positive outcomes in academic skills, school psychologists must be informed—and informative—about instructional intervention. This two-day workshop will review current models for understanding the reading process, as a gateway to knowing the critical skills to assess in the areas of word identification and language comprehension, and how analysis of students’ reading deficiencies relate to intervention. The focus will be on reading remediation needs of students in the upper elementary and middle school range (i.e., Gr. 3-8). To Register: Click here for more information & registration form Sponsored by The Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association Back by popular demand! The Nuts and Bolts of Response to Intervention or " RtI " Two-Day Institute Instructor: Sally Grimes, Ed.M. Course #: 10-228 Dates: March 30 and April 13, 2010 Time: 8:30 AM– 3:30 PM Registration and coffee: 8:00am – 8:30am Register by: March 16, 2010 Click here for registration form This workshop will provide an overview of RTI and its implications for providing reading instruction that is jointly planned and monitored by general education and special education administrators and staff taking "collective responsibility" for all students. The focus is K-4. The presenter will describe: • how this desired framework can be set up by a literacy team working together • what curricula, assessment tools and professional development support it • how a multi-tiered continuum of instruction uses scientific research-based interventions that link remedial and preventive efforts within a school or district What is Response to Intervention? Response to Intervention (RtI) is a school-wide system for improving student achievement by directly linking ongoing assessment to instructional decision-making to accomplish three important goals: • Ensure that every student in need of intervention receives high-quality, research-based instruction as soon as the need is detected and reallocate resources so that consistency in instruction is provided • Provide progress-monitoring tools to ensure that teachers are making data-based decisions about interventions and adjusting interventions based on the data • Provide a practical and scientifically defensible method of qualifying students as eligible for special education services based on their response to the interventions being provided Presenter: Sally Grimes • Speaker, Educational Consultant, Provider of Professional Development in the area of Reading Development for over 15 years for administrators, teachers, parents, community groups, state initiatives and private entities • Served on development team - MA Licensure Test, Foundations of Reading • Served as one of three Lead Trainers for the Massachusetts Reading First and Bay State Readers grants & designer of the professional development plan • Public school special educator, adjunct university professor and author of course work for literacy, as well as articles on reading and differentiated curriculum • First Admissions Director – Landmark School, Prides Crossing, MA • Ed.M. Reading and Human Development – Harvard Graduate School of Education Sponsored by The Reading Institute in Williamstown, MA (Director Janet Stratton) Reading Research in the Classroom Why Should I Care? Presented by Peggy McCardle, Ph.D. and Sally Grimes, Ed.M. April 7, 2010 - Black Rock Country Club - Hingham, MA April 8, 2010 - The Reading Institute - Williamstown, MA Click here for more information and registration form Workshop Description Peggy McCardle, nationally known researcher and author of Reading Research in Action, among other publications, and Sally Grimes, her colleague and veteran provider of professional development and consultant in literacy, will discuss why research matters to the classroom teacher. They will provide information and ways to implement the “Magnificent Seven” with related hands-on instructional activities and resources. Oral Language, Decoding (Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, Alphabetic Knowledge), Reading Fluency, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Spelling, and Writing. Some of the issues to be discussed: • Myths about intervention for struggling readers & Dual Language Learners • Early intervention successes - What We Have Learned • Recent brain studies - “Cliff’s Notes” • How reading research has changed in the past 15 years • “Research-based” versus “Evidence-based” - What’s the difference? • Why “Literacy” includes Language Development • Why Teachers must have a firm knowledge base from which to draw • PLUS…A “GPS” to Implementation: Activities, Websites, Resources, Free Webinars, Tool Kits The Presenters: Peggy McCardle, Ph.D. Peggy McCardle holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from Pennsylvania State University, a masters of public health from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), and has been a nationally certified speech-language pathologist. She has held academic positions at South Carolina State College, the University of Mississippi, and has taught at various other universities. She has held clinical positions at Womack Army Community Hospital and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Since 1992, she has worked at the National Institutes of Health in various positions; currently she is a Branch Chief and research program director at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, where she has built and managed research programs in various areas of reading, reading disabilities, language development and bilingualism. Sally Grimes, Ed.M. • Speaker, Educational Consultant, Provider of Professional Development in the area of Reading Development for over 15 years for administrators, teachers, parents, community groups, state initiatives and private entities • Served on development team – MA Licensure Test, Foundations of Reading • Served as one of three Lead Trainers for the Massachusetts Reading First and Bay State Readers grants & designer of the professional development plan • Public school special educator, adjunct university professor and author of course work for literacy, as well as articles on reading and differentiated curriculum • First Admissions Director – Landmark School, Prides Crossing, MA • Ed.M. Reading and Human Development – Harvard Graduate School of Education Previous workshops Sponsored by The Reading Institute in Williamstown, MA (Director Janet Stratton) A Roadmap for Reading Initiatives October 21, 2009 – Williamstown, MA Designed for Administrators and other Educators Administrators, in their roles as educational leaders, are more and more invloved in the details of reading instruction, but the learning curve involved can be daunting since it is difficult to stay current due to the greats strides that have been made in understanding reading and “best practices”. In addition, it is very difficult to find professional development in reading that is specifically designed for educational leaders and allows them to focus on the aspects of reading instruction that will help them spearhead changes in literacy practices. This workshop will serve as a “primer” that will focus on the key components of successful, evidence-based literacy initiatives and some central issues involved in evaluating reading practices. It will provide a kind of “road map” to guide leaders and help them find the resources they seek in making change in terms of curriculum, infrastructure, professional development, and assessment. It will outline the “hot button” issues such as a formative assessment, and the key consideration for literacy teams. Importantly, participants will be able to pose questions in a comfortable atmosphere with their colleagues and hear about successful practices of other adminstrators. Some of the topics briefly addressed in this workshop: • Why fluency issues contribute widely to reading failure. • What are the barriers to reading comprehension? • How recent brain research in reading influences decisions in differentiating instruction. • The five components of reading and how oral language plays a role. • How DIBELS and AIMSweb data can guide instruction. • The Three Tier Model of Reading and “Response to Intervention” •The infrastructure needs of truly differentiated reading instruction. It is suggested that central office adminstrators attend this workshop along with their building principals, reading, special education, and Title 1 leaders so that the benefits from the group work will be maximized. This workshop will be geared to K-4, but others will benefit. Film clips of interviews with public school adminstrators and teachers involved in a reading intiative will be shown. The Nuts and Bolts of Language Development for Dual Language Learners and Others (Pre-K to Grade Two) October 22, 2009 – Williamstown, MA Pre-K to Grade 2 This workshop will provide a brief overview about “the nuts and bolts” of oral language development as it relates to vocabulary development, listening comprehension, phonemic awareness and other foundational skills for reading instruction. The presenter will provide examples of helpful activities that embellishes lecture, discussion and films that address many of the following topics: • Why and how spoken language is foundational to written language. • Why language foundations develop in the very early years and how do we assess it? • How is this different for Dual Language Learners, for improverished children, for those with pre-cursors of language disabilities. • How to build vocabulary (eg. choosing the right words) - how to teach it both implicity and explicity. • Determining which children benefi t from which kind of instruction (explicit and direct or implicit and incidental?) Why? • How to choose books for oral reading and why are those choices critical. • How to help children elaborate on ideas in stories using hands-on materials. • How to form flexible groups for the “pre-teach, teach, re-teach” activities. • How to stimulate a child’s oral language. (templates & examples provided) • How to create and maintain a shared conversation. • How to build a child’s verbal confi dence. • How to provide language modeling and a “rich language” classroom. • How to provide “scaffolding” when a child is attempting a new challenge with language. • How to help parents help children’s language development. • What does “code switching” mean for children when learning a new language? • How do children with expressive or receptive language problems become identifies. • Which sounds that are difficult for English Language Learners? Who Should Attend? Classroom teachers of pre-schools and k-2, special educators, paraprofessionals, parents, teacher assistants, day care workers, administrators, Title 1 educators, librarians and policy makers. Building Sustainability by Building Expertise Professional Development for "Teacher Leaders" A "Training of Trainers" to Coach, Deepen, Enrich and Differentiate Reading Instruction K-5. Course Credits: 3 Graduate Credits Faculty: Sally Grimes, Ed.M. (sallygrimes@comcast.net) (Friday evenings and Saturdays) COURSE DESCRIPTION: This four part- series is designed to deepen the knowledge of reading specialists, teachers, teacher-leaders, and others by providing a school district with "building experts" to serve as resource people, coach-like people, and "go to people" in the area of reading K-5. The series provides a review and an overview of evidence-based reading instruction in oral language, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, fluency, phonics and phonemic awareness, and quickly moves to the application of these practices with "make and take" ideas for immediate use. The goal is to help leaders and teachers "drill down" to where the gaps exist in struggling readers’ backgrounds and reading profiles, and then prescribe flexible small group instruction, progress monitoring systems, curriculum supplements, learning center activities, technology assistance, and scaffolding that can address those areas. Another goal is to help teachers build common language in their buildings and a collection of agreed upon practices for their struggling readers by linking General Education, Special Education and Title 1, building "collective responsibility". Rationale: This course meets new federal standards that require that funds be spent in a way that "builds capacity" and replicates "best practices". The Focus Is On Practical Applications used in: Setting up Learning Centers and small flexible groups to help differentiate instruction Using RtI-friendly practices Designing infrastructures that support "collective responsibility" school-wide initiatives (such as using grade level & data meetings to determine areas of need & interventions with given children, providing tiered instruction, "walk to read" models, etc.) Providing curriculum suggestions of evidence-based instruction Reviewing assessment & progress monitoring practices to inform instruction ~ "monitor and adjust" (M. Hunter) Promoting general problem solving and information-sharing regarding state-of-the-art instruction Using video examples of successful schools and practices Discussing how to provide consistency by promoting "collective responsibility" among instructors (Title 1, General Education, and Special Education) Note: This course was designed by Sally Grimes, Ed.M. and is generic in nature, thus it does not promote a single set of practices or programs. COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to: - Demonstrate knowledge of components and stages of reading development, means of stimulating language development, the relationship of language to reading development, as well as an understanding of recent and historical issues regarding the nature of reading and its instruction. -Evaluate and select a variety of practical methods, materials, and strategies for stimulating reading development for struggling readers. - Investigate formal and informal reading assessments that drive instruction and be able to carry out plans that monitor and adjust student progress. -Be familiar with many of the resources that are available to teachers, leaders and parents in the area of reading, exploring further options for instruction, assessment, professional development and curriculum. The Presenter: Sally Grimes, M.Ed. Sally Grimes, founding director of the Grimes Reading Institute, has provided consulting services and professional development to schools nationwide, as well as to federal, state, and private educational agencies in the area of reading instruction. Sally served as one of the three Lead Trainers in Massachusetts for the Reading First Grant under No Child Left Behind. The Grimes Reading Institute was one of the three entities that contracted with the Massachusetts Department of Education to design and develop the professional development component of the Reading First Grant. In addition, Sally’s experience includes teaching (pre-K through graduate school), diagnostic work, policy development, public service, and administration. Sally received her Master’s Degree in Reading and Human Development from the Harvard Gradutae School of Education, and her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Illinois. Sponsored by The Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association The Nuts and Bolts of Response to Intervention or " RtI " Two-Day Institute Instructor: Sally Grimes, Ed.M. Course #: 10-228 Date: November 19 and December 11, 2009 Time: 8:30 AM– 3:30 PM Registration and coffee: 8:00am – 8:30am Register by: November 5, 2009 (snow date February 12, 2010) This workshop will provide an overview of RTI and its implications for providing reading instruction that is jointly planned and monitored by general education and special education administrators and staff taking "collective responsibility" for all students. The focus is K-4. The presenter will describe: • how this desired framework can be set up by a literacy team working together • what curricula, assessment tools and professional development support it • how a multi-tiered continuum of instruction uses scientific research-based interventions that link remedial and preventive efforts within a school or district What is Response to Intervention? Response to Intervention (RtI) is a school-wide system for improving student achievement by directly linking ongoing assessment to instructional decision-making to accomplish three important goals: • Ensure that every student in need of intervention receives high-quality, research-based instruction as soon as the need is detected and reallocate resources so that consistency in instruction is provided • Provide progress-monitoring tools to ensure that teachers are making data-based decisions about interventions and adjusting interventions based on the data • Provide a practical and scientifically defensible method of qualifying students as eligible for special education services based on their response to the interventions being provided Presenter: Sally Grimes • Speaker, Educational Consultant, Provider of Professional Development in the area of Reading Development for over 15 years for administrators, teachers, parents, community groups, state initiatives and private entities • Served on development team - MA Licensure Test, Foundations of Reading • Served as one of three Lead Trainers for the Massachusetts Reading First and Bay State Readers grants & designer of the professional development plan • Public school special educator, adjunct university professor and author of course work for literacy, as well as articles on reading and differentiated curriculum • First Admissions Director – Landmark School, Prides Crossing, MA • Ed.M. Reading and Human Development – Harvard Graduate School of Education Sponsored by New England Reading Association 61st Annual Reading Conference Crown Plaza Hotel, Warwick, RI Sally Grimes, Ed.M. presents on Friday, September 25, 2009 This presentation explains the role of fluency in the reading process and describes three research-based strategies proven to develop fluency: teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring. The session will provide educators with a description of a program (Read Naturally) that uses these strategies, but will also address how they can be applied to materials already found in many educators’ classrooms. Title 1 Conference – Marlborough, MA “Cliff’s Notes” for Leading a Literacy Initiative: A Mini GPS to help Navigate the Land of Reading Presenter: Sally Grimes, Ed.M. Independent Reading Consultant This workshop is designed for the K-4 leader who is in the process of reinvigorating a literacy initiative. The content is consistent with Response to Intervention (RtI) and state-of-the-art, evidence-based information. The presenter will very briefly outline the key areas involved in planning “whole school change” with regard to literacy and provide a “user's manual”. The presenter will very briefly present simplified, current information from various studies, including those related to fMRI studies, which have shed light on how the five components of reading build on oral language and assist practitioners in assessment and intervention in the classroom