Advancing Student Literacy and Numeracy (ASLAN)
Consolidating and continuing work over the past three years to support the use and dissemination of research in literacy education, in July 2007 the Center launched new efforts to support similar work in mathematic education. In addition to our annual symposia ("Partners in Literacy: Enhancing Teaching Quality in New England"—2006 and "Promoting Student Literacy Through Comprehension: Enhancing Teacher Preparation and Professional Development"—2007), one math education and four literacy education projects are now underway:
Literacy Education
- The State Education Agency literacy leaders network brings leaders together to communicate, share knowledge, and solve problems related to state efforts to advance literacy education collectively.
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To address the need for literacy leadership among principals, NECC supports a regional workgroup, the
Principals’ Literacy Leadership Network, that is developing
tools to guide principals in assessing their schools’ literacy capacities and identify ways to strengthen
literacy education in their schools.
Download the flyer
- NECC engages state leaders in dialogue and knowledge dissemination about the use of research to advance Teacher Program Approval and Certification policy. State leaders from Maryland and Colorado have shared details of their states’ policy efforts to infuse literacy teacher pre-service and licensure policy with current research in literacy education. NECC also works with the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (NCCTQ) to disseminate information and offer online opportunities to state leaders to strengthen the use of research in teacher preparation, licensure, and professional development.
- The use of Instructional Coaching as a strategy for improving teaching and learning in literacy and mathematics has increased exponentially in recent years. In consultation with the Regional Educational Lab-Northeast and Islands, NECC engages state leaders in examining research and best practice on the use of instructional coaches in both reading and mathematics.
Mathematics Education
The NECC Mathematics Education Leaders Network brings state mathematics education leaders, mathematics educators in higher education, and district mathematics leaders together in dialogue about state and national efforts to advance the knowledge base in mathematics education. Through webinars, online discussions, and face-to-face meetings, participants hear from and interact with mathematics education researchers.
- In April, 2008, NECC sponsored a webinar with national mathematics expert Deborah Ball on “Building Teachers’ Math Content Knowledge: Implications for Policy and Practice” and is offering a second webinar with Ball, “Knowing Mathematics for Teaching: Implications for Professional Development,” on November 25, 2008. A January 2009 webinar, co-sponsored with the Regional Educational Lab, on “Elementary Math Education Practices for Students with Disabilities” will take place later this winter.
Contact
Cerelle Morrow: cmorrow
edc.org
Kathy Dunne: kdunnewested.org
Related events
New England Math Leaders Network Meeting
Newton, MA
Education Development Center
State-level math leaders from the six New England states met in the first of a series of meetings to explore common challenges, strategies, and solutions for improving mathematics teaching and learning.
An invitation-only event.
Contact: Fred Gross
Email: fgrossedc.org
Webinar: Continued Exploration of Professional Learning Communities
Tales from the Field AND Getting the Unions Involved
12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Online
Susan Kennedy of the Connecticut State Department of Education discussed getting unions involved in state-sponsored professional learning communities. Joining her was Amy Brodesky of the Education Development Center, who discussed research and work with schools in Massachusetts and New York that formed internal communities and work collaboratives to help students with disabilities learn math.
Contact: Joe Trunk
Email: jtrunkrmcres.com
Webinar: Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness
The What, How, and Why of Educator Evaluation
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Eastern time
Online
As states shift their focus from teachers' qualifications to classroom effectiveness, and as teacher evaluations play a larger role in teacher advancement and compensation decisions, what constitutes an appropriate evaluation method assumes increased importance.
Researchers Douglas Harris of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Laura Goe of Educational Testing Service and the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (NCCTQ) presented an overview of existing and emerging research on teacher evaluation methods, including value-added models and observational protocols. Tricia Coulter of NCCTQ moderated the session, which included a question and answer period.
Contact: Carol Keirstead
Email: ckeirsteadrmcres.com
Webinar: Focusing State Standards
The Next Step toward a Coherent K-12 Experience for All Students
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Online
This Center on Instruction webinar examined the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics PK-8 Focal Points and how they may affect state standards. Cathy Seely of the Charles A. Dana Center for Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Texas discussed the challenges of creating a more robust and coherent PK-12 mathematics learning experience that will prepare all students for college and workplace demands.
Contact: Fred Gross
Email: fgrossedc.org
Webinar: School Practices to Improve Elementary Mathematics Teaching and Learning for Students With Disabilities
12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time
In conjunction with its Mathematics Education Leaders Network, NECC co-sponsored a webinar with the Regional Educational Laboratory - Northeast and Islands (REL-NEI) on math education for students with disabilities and other struggling students. Researchers Amy Brodesky and Josephine Louis described a recent REL-NEI Fast Response Study on practices in schools with exemplary math teaching and learning. Senior REL-NEI researcher Michelle LaPointe and NECC math specialist Fred Gross facilitated a discussion on connecting this research to practice and applying the findings in schools.
Contact: Fred Gross
Email: fgrossedc.org
Webinar: New Resources for Elementary Reading: Materials, Administration, Coaching
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. EST
Online
Dr. Debby Houston Miller, deputy director of the Center on Instruction's Reading strand, presented an interactive WebEx to introduce four recently released Center on Instruction products on elementary reading instruction. Reviewing a Reading Program guides users in selecting high-quality core and intervention reading programs. Principal's Reading Walk-Through: K-3 offers principals and other instructional leaders a systematic approach to observing high-quality reading instruction in the classroom. Leading for Reading: An Introductoy Guide for K-3 Reading Coaches is a comprehensive guide for K-3 reading coaches. Using Student Center Activities to Differentiate Instruction is a teacher's guide to more than 500 reading-related activities for students of all abilities.
Contact: Andrea Reade
Email: areadermcres.com
Webinar: Research Study of Rural Middle School Math Teaching
Online Algebra Access in the Northeast
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Online
This presentation, by the Regional Educational Laboratory: Northeast and Islands (REL-NEI), reported on its "Pathways to Math Achievement" study. The three-year study is examining efforts to improve access to Algebra I by 8th grade students in rural Maine and Vermont schools. The webinar outlined the study and design of an online algebra course and the moderator facilitated a discussion among participants.
Pamela Buffington, Maine REL-NEI liaison, was the moderator. Presenters were study participants Cheryl Tobey, Implementation Coordinator, Peggy Clements, Co-Principal Investigator, and Jessica Heppen, Evaluation Director.
Contact: Fred Gross
Email: fgrossedc.org
Webinar: School Practices to Improve Elementary Mathematics Teaching and Learning for Students With Disabilities
12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Postponed because of weather-related school closings in the area.
New date: March 4, 2009, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
In conjunction with its Mathematics Education Leaders Network, NECC co-sponsored a webinar with the Regional Education Laboratory - Northeast and Islands (REL-NEI) on math education for students with disabilities and other struggling students. Researchers Amy Brodesky and Josephine Louis described a recent REL-NEI Fast Response Study on practices in schools with exemplary math teaching and learning. Senior REL-NEI researcher Michelle LaPointe and NECC math specialist Fred Gross facilitated a discussion on connecting this research to practice and applying the findings in schools.
Contact: Fred Gross
Email: fgrossedc.org
Webinar: Knowing Mathematics for Teaching: Implications for Professional Development
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Online
Deborah Ball, Dean of the University of Michigan's School of Education and member of the National Mathematics Panel, discussed findings from her recent work in mathematics instruction, including recommendations from the National Mathematics Panel Report. Dr. Ball was NECC's webinar guest last April and returned at our constituents' requests to continue the conversation.
Contact: Kathy Dunne
Email: kdunnewested.org
Adolescent Literacy Institute
New Orleans, LA
Maison Du Puy
This meeting featured two Center on Instruction initiatives: a pre-publication discussion of a new document on assessment to guide adolescent literacy instruction and a program on effective intervention for adolescent struggling readers, based on a meta-analysis of 31 studies of interventions. Read the meta-analysis on effective interventions for adolescent struggling readers.
Webinar: Relationship between Reading Difficulties and Problem Behaviors
3:00-4:30 p.m. EDT
This Center on Instruction webinar featured recent research linking elementary school students' reading scores and discipline referrals in the earlier grades to discipline referrals in grade 5. Download the source document. Guest speaker: Ken McIntosh.
Principals' Literacy Leadership Meeting
Online
Work Group 1 completed its evaluation of all resources.
Principals' Literacy Leadership Meeting
Online
Work Group 2 reviewed progress on assessment tool.
Using Coaches to Improve Adolescent Literacy Instruction: A Seminar Series
Literacy Coaching Seminar Two:
Improving Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Concord, NH
NH Department of Education
Ongoing literacy instruction and development needs to be a key part of the broader effort of improving secondary schools. This seminar aimed to assist educators with this by:
- Examining the literacy demands of specific content areas and discussing what literacy skills are unique to each;
- Looking at what teachers need to know about the content areas and what commonalities exist among them; and
- Sharing the research and best practices in secondary literacy coaching being implemented in other states.
Contact: Cerelle Morrow
Email: cmorrowedc.org
Principals' Literacy Leadership Meeting
Online
Work group 1 completed assessment questions and evaluation of all resources.
Principals' Literacy Leadership Meeting
Online
Work group 2 approved the synthesis section of the professional development tool and identified categories for assessment.
Using Coaches to Improve Adolescent Literacy Instruction: A Seminar Series
Literacy Coaching Seminar One:
Progress Monitoring and Matching Students to Text
In a series of three workshops, tools for differentiating instruction based on student assessments were presented by Dr. Andrea Kotula.
- In the first workshop, participants learned how to create, administer, score, and graph the results of two curriculum-based measures to monitor ongoing progress for adolescents: one for reading comprehension and one for content area knowledge.
- In the second, participants practiced creating, administering, and scoring tests of oral reading accuracy and silent reading comprehension with a specific piece of text.
- The third workshop then identified free or inexpensive tools for estimating the readability of trade-books, textbooks, and electronic text such as primary sources obtained from the Internet; participants practiced using qualitative judgments to fine-tune readability estimates so teachers can match students to appropriate text.
Contact: Cerelle Morrow
Email: cmorrowedc.org
Webinar: Math Education for Educators
Featuring distinguished mathematics educator and researcher Deborah Lowenberg Ball, this webinar offered participants opportunities to deepen their knowledge of current research on math content knowledge for teachers and to consider implications of the research on education policy and teacher preparation.
Webinar: Colorado's Experience with Infusing Reading Research into Teacher Preparation Programs
This webinar builds on work begun in NECC's first year to support efforts to strengthen the teaching of literacy. One aspect of this work has been to explore ways that the research on reading instruction can inform teacher education policy and practice. Representatives of the Colorado Literacy Council, which advises the Colorado Department of Education on literacy initiatives, discussed their work in infusing reading research into teacher preparation programs.
Principals' Literacy Leadership Meeting
Online
Group 2 reviewed reading research for summary section of professional development tool.
Principals' Literacy Leadership Meeting
Online
Group 1, working on "Using Data to Guide School-Based Decisions," met to review research for a professional development tool.
Principals' Literacy Leadership Meeting
Online
Group 2, working on "Methods for Professional Development Delivery and Support," met to review progress in compiling resources for data-driven decision-making.
Promoting Student Literacy Through Comprehension: Enhancing Teacher Preparation and Professional Development
A symposium co-sponsored by the New England and New York Comprehensive Centers
Albany Marriott
Albany, NY
Comprehension is the whole purpose and joy of reading. What do beginning teachers need to know and be able to do to teach it effectively?
This and related questions animated educational leaders from higher education, technical assistance, and state and local education departments at a symposium on "Enhancing Teacher Preparation and Professional Development." Featuring literacy experts Michael Kamil and Nell Duke, the two-day symposium brought educators from New York and New England together to discuss scientifically based research in literacy, teacher preparation, state standards, and collaborations to strengthen teaching quality.
Co-hosted by NECC and NYCC, the event built on the 2006 symposia on "Enhancing Teacher Effectiveness," featuring Catherine Snow. "Promoting Student Literacy Through Comprehension" occasioned expanded, deeper conversations and collaboration among a larger number of participants. It also kicked off TQ Online, an online space for teacher educators, professional developers, and policymakers in New York and New England to share ideas and resources, brainstorm solutions, and build networks.
Webinar: Teacher Quality
3:00-4:30 p.m.
This webinar, for pre-service teacher educators, in-service teacher trainers, and others with a stake in teacher education from New York and New England, was the first to be offered by the NE/NYCC Teacher Quality Collaboration Team.
Building Academic Literacy in the Content Areas: Perspectives on Practice from Literacy Coaches and Content-Area Specialists
A Regionwide Discussion
Intended for state and district personnel, this event gave participants opportunities to learn about infusing literacy skills into non-English content-area classes, explore the role of the literacy coach in embedding literacy strategies in the content areas, and develop strategies to collaborate with state and district literacy specialists, content area specialists, and coaches, especially with practitioners working with special education students and with English language learners. The keynote speaker was Dr. Nancy Shanklin, director of the IRA/NCTE Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse at the University of Colorado, Denver.
An invitation-only event.
Partners in Literacy Symposium 2006
Portsmouth, NH
This NECC-sponsored regional dialogue on teaching reading, drew more than 80 representatives from higher education, state departments of education, local school districts, and educational philanthropies. Coverage of this event includes descriptions of and audio clips from presentations by Catherine Snow of Harvard University, Michael Coyne of the University of Connecticut, Betty Lou Whitford of the University of Southern Maine, Marty Hougen of the Texas Higher Education Collaborative, and Amy Jackson of the National Comprehensive Center on Teacher Quality.