Literacy is the key to a strong, robust, and rewarding life - both personally and professionally.
Once defined simply as “reading and writing,” emerging research, combined with both theory and “on-the-ground” practice, is enriching and expanding our understanding of Literacy as a complex, multifaceted skill.
In addition to the foundational skills of phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency, literacy also requires vocabulary and comprehension. Learners must be able to decode, contextualize, and make meaning from information and communicate that knowledge effectively to others.
Learning in general, and literacy, in particular, are in a symbiotic relationship with lived experience. Interest, background knowledge, cultural relevance, multi-modal experiences, and reflection all serve to acquire and retain information, which in turn provides greater access to new information and more opportunities for the learner!
Visit the II Professional Learning Page to see all
upcoming literacy workshop opportunities.
Library Highlights
Selected books, articles, or conversations
- Book: Mapmaking with Children by David Sobel - workshop on November 8 in Rockland!
Recently, Cris Tovani, author of Why Do I Have to Read This? joined Maine educators for a full day workshop October 7!
Project Resources
The Connection of Literacy and Neuroscience.
Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Support Literacy (Edutopia, September 2022)
Office Hours (via Zoom)
Selected books, articles, or conversations
- Tuesdays @ 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Topic of the Week: Working with "the dispositions" as explored in the book Why Do I Have to Read This? by Cris Tovani
Register Here - Thursdays @ 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Week 1: Pre-K-2
Week 2: Grades 3-5
Week 3: Grades 6-8
Week 4: Grades 9-12
Register Here
“...literacy education not only unlocks opportunity for learning across disciplines but it is enhanced when well-integrated within disciplines. Inter-disciplinary literacy instruction enables the application of literate abilities for purposeful and richer learning, often motivating learners through engagement in disciplines and topics of interest.”
Contact
Kathy Bertini
Interdisciplinary Instruction Coordinator
Phone: 207-816-0294
Email: kathy.bertini@maine.gov