Summer Literacy Institute to focus on benefits of nonfiction

This year's institute, "Making Connections: Learning Through Nonfiction," will be held 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 25-26 at Stewart Center and is sponsored by the Purdue Literacy Network Project.

So far, about 185 kindergarten through sixth-grade teachers from around the state and region have signed up to attend. Those interested in attending can still register up until the first day of the sessions.

Katrena Leininger, director of the Professional Development Initiative for the Purdue Literacy Network Project and a Reading Recovery teacher-leader, said the institute is highlighting the issue of teaching students how to read nonfiction because it is a skill they will need the rest of their lives.

"In our daily lives, about 80 percent of what we read and write is nonfiction, but much of the focus in elementary school is on reading fiction or narrative books," Leininger said. "In nonfiction texts, students learn to process information in different forms — such as in charts or bulleted items. These are skills they will need to be successful on standardized tests and as they go on in school and in life."

During the sessions, teachers will learn how to help students understand the structures of nonfiction texts, use nonfiction books to improve comprehension, improve the craft of nonfiction writing, explore the reading/writing connection in nonfiction and critically evaluate nonfiction materials.

At the Summer Literacy Institute, teachers will have the opportunity to listen to experts in the field, as well as attend breakout sessions with other teachers.

The following experts are scheduled to speak:

• Carol Avery, a consultant at Heinemann Professional Development in New Hampshire who is an expert in language arts teaching.

• Rosemary Bamford, a professor emerita and consultant at the University of Maine who has written many publications on literacy learning and nonfiction.

• Barbara Coleman, a consultant for Literacy Specialists, a former teacher, reading specialist and principal who will speak about literacy learning across the curriculum.

• Debbie Diller, an educational consultant and author who helps teachers learn how to make literacy more purposeful for elementary students.

• Nell K. Duke, an associate professor at Michigan State University whose work focuses on early literacy development.

• Sharon Esswein, a literacy coordinator for the Hilliard City School District in Columbus, Ohio.

• April Pulley Sayre, an author who has written more than 50 books for K-8 readers.

• Jeff Williams, a district literacy teacher leader and Reading Recovery teacher at Solon City Schools near Cleveland, Ohio.

This is the second of three years that Duke Energy Foundation is providing funds to Purdue to attract keynote speakers to this event.

For information on registration, go online or contact Lisa Harker, program coordinator, at (765) 494-2973 or laharker@purdue.edu.

The Purdue Literacy Network Project in the College of Education provides professional development for teachers to enable them to create successful school literacy programs for elementary students to assure all children are given the chance to become readers and writers early in their schooling.

The Purdue Literacy Network Project offers three programs for teacher professional development: Literacy Collaborative, Reading Recovery and the Professional Development Initiative.

Literacy Collaborative is a comprehensive, nationwide school reform project started in 1993 designed to improve the reading, writing and language skills of children in elementary school.

Reading Recovery is a program that provides short-term, one-on-one tutoring for low-achieving first-graders to dramatically reduce the number who have difficulty learning to read.

The Professional Development Initiative includes the Summer Literacy Institute, as well as the Professional Development Series, which provides classroom teachers the opportunity to study the theories and best practices of balanced literacy, a method of teaching reading that includes learning about letters, sounds, phonics — as well as reading and writing — to create a richer experience for students.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Source: Katrena Leininger, (765) 494-2356, georgekl@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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