Professional Development

Gretchen Courtney
& Associates, Ltd.
Literacy Engineering Firm

9 South 3rd Street

St. Charles, IL 60174

630-377-6794 phone

630-587-0524 fax

e-mail us (click here)

Home

About Us

Paragraphville

Gretchen Courtney & Associates is noted for the comprehensive workshops they provide for teachers, administrators, and support staff. Each interactive workshop is fully supported with the latest research and offers participants classroom ready instruction/assessment tools. The workshop content is highlighted with student samples, anecdotes, suggested text and trade book selections, as well as creative and innovative ways to improve student achievement.

Each comprehensive workshop is carefully designed to address specific grade levels, student populations and the individual needs of each school community. They are available for full-day (6 hours) or abbreviated day (3 hours or less).

Workshop Topics

Reading Presentations

Comprehension Strategy Instruction - Developing student understanding of the continuum of skills associated with each comprehension strategy, predicting, summarizing, connecting, questioning, inferring, and imaging.

Vocabulary Development - Building school-wide vocabulary programs to support the six research-based goals for vocabulary instruction.

ISAT Preparation/Extended Response to Reading - Designing curriculum and instruction to develop student expertise in composing written responses to reading prompts.

Supporting and Promoting Fluency - Developing fluency instruction to improve student achievement in all areas of literacy.

Reading Across the Content Areas - Reading instruction that teachers can seamlessly implement–-comprehension instruction that supports learning and reading in the content areas.

Phonological Awareness - Embedded instruction of phonemic awareness and phonics using engaging, diverse texts.

Writing Presentations

Frameworks for Writing Instruction - How to develop curriculum guidelines that correlate lessons and activities to state standards and assessment guidelines while scaffolding consistent writing instruction through all grade levels. Narrative, persuasive, and expository.

Curricula to Support Multiple Genre - Creating lessons, instruction, and materials supporting expository, persuasive, narrative, poetry, and essay, with concentration on focus, organization, elaboration, support, and voice.

Writing Across the Content Areas - How to connect state standards and assessment guidelines to content area instruction while providing students and teachers with the best strategies, tools, and methods for developing effective writing techniques.

Grammar, Mechanics, and Spelling - Developing curriculum frameworks that support key editing skills in the natural, authentic context of daily assignments and lessons.

Voice - Engaging instructional techniques and exemplary published text examples provide the support students need to develop their own voice in writing.

Balanced Literacy Presentation

Developing Balanced Reading Curriculum and Instruction - Planning and implementing instructional delivery models that comply with state and federal guidelines while promoting student learning.

Professional Development Possibilities

Teacher workshops

Administrative support

Review of research

Staff development planning

Curriculum development

Mentoring services

Parent workshops

Classroom demonstrations

Call 630-377-6794 to discuss these unique staff development opportunities.

“

Improving student achievement begins with an investment in your greatest resource, teachers.

Click here to download our flyer on Professional Development!

Contact Gretchen Courtney & Associates for current Workshop schedules

Click here to download our flyer on Designing a Critical Reading Course!