The Chicago Literacy Group recognizes that teaching is complicated. As we all work to understand the evolving science and what it means for our instructional practices, what teachers need is clarity. Educators deserve development that elevates them as practitioners and professionals, which is why we offer our Summer Institutes. This year, our goal is to communicate to educators the essentials to teaching students to think, read, and write. There is an incredible amount of information and research out there; our promise is to distill it in ways that truly help you to teach in more meaningful and impactful ways. If you are wanting to learn about high-leverage practices to prioritize to get all kids reading and writing, then the Summer Institutes are the place for you.
So what is your goal for the upcoming year? Is it centered around the teaching of reading? The teaching of writing? What about expanding language skills and vocabulary? Are you a leader who wants to chart a course of focus and priority for the upcoming school year and help your teachers thrive? This year, we have six Institutes, each two days in length, designed to get at the heart of what can impact educators and students the most. Teaching, simplified.
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Registration is first come, first served. Once capacity is reached for each Institute, registration will close.
Research is becoming increasingly clear that self-regulation and executive function skills have a profound impact on students’ academic success – even greater than language or intellectual ability. What strategies, structures and tools can we incorporate into our teaching to develop well-regulated classrooms?
Institute 1 Structure, Logistics + Cost: Institute 1 is a 2-day session, which takes place on July 14-15, 2025, from 9 am–3 pm at Perez Elementary in Chicago, IL. Participants can choose to attend either a PreK-2 or 3-8 session The registration fee is $350, and participants receive 10 hours of CPDU credit. |
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Many of us are taking on new foundational skills curricula or revising our teaching strategies to better align our phonics instruction with research. So what are the most essential practices that should be incorporated in every lesson? How can we ensure that our foundational skills instruction is resulting in long-term retention of new concepts?
Educators will leave Institute 2 with a predictable structure to use in both whole-group and small-group teaching and strategies for reviewing new concepts to transfer learning from working memory to long-term retention. Teachers will practice varied methods for blending sounds as well as build connections between handwriting instruction and letter-sound correspondences. We’ll simplify the topic of assessment, providing ideas for quick and informative assessments following a research-based scope and sequence. This Institute will appeal to general education teachers, as well as to reading specialists, interventionists, and learning behavior specialists who are looking to support the growth of individual students.
Institute 2 Structure, Logistics + Cost: Institute 2 is a 2-day session, which takes place on July 16-17, 2025, from 9 am–3 pm at Perez Elementary in Chicago, IL. This is an Institute for educators in K-4th grades. The registration fee is $350, and participants receive 10 hours of CPDU credit. |
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The conversation in the last few years has focused heavily on the science of reading, but what about writing? What does research say is essential for children to learn the skills, cognitive processes, and behaviors that proficient writers need to flourish? What does every child need to be taught in order to become a writer?
Institute 3 will focus on the two big “C”s of writing development – conventions and composition. Participants will leave with the understanding of how to teach students the foundational skills of writing (spelling and syntax) alongside the teaching of cognitive and composition skills (such as knowledge of genre, structure, and the writing process). Our goal is to equip each educator with the knowledge and clarity to effectively balance the teaching of both conventions and compositions by effectively using the model of gradual release of responsibility.
Institute 3 Structure, Logistics + Cost: InstInstitute 3 is a 2-day session, which takes place on July 21-22, 2025, from 9 am–3 pm at Perez Elementary School in Chicago, IL. Participants can choose to attend either a K-2 or 3-8 session. The registration fee is $350, and participants receive 10 hours of CPDU credit. |
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We know the importance of vocabulary and morphological knowledge in supporting reading comprehension. But what does research say are the most effective processes for teaching vocabulary? What are ways to ensure transfer, so that students expand their language skills when speaking and writing?
Institute 4 will provide guidance for setting up daily (and brief!) vocabulary lessons. This session will support teachers in selecting key vocabulary words from complex text, utilizing a structure for teaching individual words as well as high-leverage roots and affixes, and making vocabulary and morphology instruction a multi-sensory experience. This Institute is designed for educators looking for ways to make the teaching of vocabulary and morphology more explicit, interactive, and impactful.
Institute 4 Structure, Logistics + Cost: Institute 4 is a 2-day session, which takes place on July 23-24, 2025, from 9 am–3 pm at Perez Elementary School in Chicago, IL. This is an Institute for educators in 2nd-8th grades. The registration fee is $350, and participants receive 10 hours of CPDU credit. |
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As a leader it is always hard to juggle competing priorities, but in the current climate of quickly changing practices and policies, it’s made prioritizing an even greater challenge. What is most important in advancing the literacy practices of the teachers in our buildings? How do we determine a short-term focus, while maintaining a long-term vision for professional development?
Institute 5 will support leaders in establishing high-leverage literacy priorities to bring schoolwide cohesion to teaching and learning and cultivate the well-being of both leaders and teachers. The Chicago Literacy Group will share five of our “greatest hits” for tried-and-true ways to uplift and unite learning across a school community. Highly recommended for all principals, coaches, district leaders, curriculum coordinators, and any other leader looking to truly impact and improve the learning experiences of both teachers and kids.
Institute 5 Structure, Logistics + Cost: Institute 5 is a 2-day session on July 28-29, 2025, from 9 am–3 pm at Perez Elementary School in Chicago, IL, and will focus on the leadership of PreK-8th grade schools. The registration fee is $350, and participants receive 10 hours of CPDU credit. |
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You’ve heard a lot about the science of reading, but as importantly, there is a science of teaching and learning. How can we elevate our students’ engagement and achievement across all content areas? What are key brain-friendly and research-backed teaching strategies to incorporate from the first day of the school year?
Participants will leave Institute 6 understanding the importance of sticking to predictable lesson structures and crafting explicit learning objectives to launch instruction. They will design powerful think-alouds when modeling, and explore opportunities to connect different regions of the brain during guided practice. Educators will explore the impact of digital versus print experiences for learners, opportunities to utilize key visuals in the classroom, and methods for interleaving practice to enhance long-term memory.
Institute 6 Structure, Logistics + Cost: Institute 6 is a 2-day session, which takes place on July 30-31, 2025, from 9 am–3 pm at Perez Elementary in Chicago, IL. This is an Institute for educators in K-8th grades. The registration fee is $350, and participants receive 10 hours of CPDU credit. |
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You two are fantastic! You are knowledgeable, positive, and inspiring. You understand that teaching is challenging and change is the only constant. You deliver information in a way that is accessible and manageable.
What worked? EVERYTHING! Carissa you are absolutely fabulous and so gifted and talented at what you do. You can tell you have a true passion for it as well and it shines through! I have never learned so much, had so many "ah ha" moments, or had so much fun at a workshop!
Carissa is so engaging, and clearly presents the work in a way that is clear and concise. She is truly a master of her craft and I love learning from her!
Fabulous PD. I'm fired up to teaching writing this school year!
It was by far the best writing professional development seminar I have attended!
Maria did a wonderful job presenting. She is extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.
I greatly appreciate the professionalism and knowledge of both literacy coaches, Maria and Carissa. They are an invaluable asset to me as a teacher, as well as to my school!!
This was a fabulous three days, and I'm thrilled to have been able to get to participate. Maria, you've made me so excited to start the literacy workshop in my classroom this year!
I love Maria and Carissa and the resources they provide for me as a teacher and teacher leader in my building. Going into my third year with CLG, I felt very confident about planning.