Investment: $299

Cognitive and literacy science isn’t just shaking up the way we think about K-3 reading instruction. It’s changing things in G3-8, too.  Join us for a provocative course around important research and new ideas for upper grade reading instruction. We’ll explore:

  • the science(-ish) of reading levels, and implications for how we might reconsider assessment, instruction, and content 
  • the nature of background knowledge and its role in upper grade reading and writing
  • new routes we might take towards efficient, effective literacy instruction in upper grades (and practical examples we’ve tried in classrooms around the world this year!)
  • questions that linger around best practices in upper grade literacy


Prepare to feel affirmed, challenged, and inspired to try some new practices when you’re back in your classroom. This could be a course that launches a bunch of global studies… 

Course curriculum

    1. Course Information

    1. Padlet

    1. A Brief History of Matching Students to Leveled Texts & Course Guiding Questions

    2. Why rethink leveled reading and text complexity? What does the research say?

    3. What does this mean for assessment? What shifts might we make?

    4. What do we mean by ‘text complexity’?

    5. Predictable Supports for Complex Texts: Building Background Knowledge

    6. Predictable Supports for Complex Texts: Building Vocabulary & Academic Syntax

    1. How do we acquire vocabulary? What practices might support vocabulary acquisition?

    2. Predictable Supports for Complex Texts: Complexity of Syntax

    3. Predictable Supports for Complex Texts: Tracking Cohesive Links

    4. Let’s Live It: An inquiry into text complexity through the lenses of Background Knowledge, Vocabulary, Syntax and Cohesion

    5. Predictable Supports for Complex Texts: Structure and Genre

    6. What are some high-yield practices we might incorporate into our teaching? How might we select and analyze texts?

    1. How might we build background knowledge within a fiction unit?

    1. Complete this short survey and get your course completion certificate!

About this course

  • $299.00
  • 16 lessons
  • 2 hours of video content

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Course Facilitators

Kalley Hoke

Kalley Hoke has worked for over 15 years as a classroom teacher, literacy leader and literacy coach in the United States, China, Switzerland and Mozambique. Kalley has experience supporting teachers and schools as they implement student-centered, flexible reading and writing workshop frameworks, and as they take next steps to refine and revise literacy practices. Steeped in the PYP, project- based learning and other inquiry pedagogies, Kalley is dedicated to inquiry-rich, transdisciplinary approaches to reading and writing. With a belief in life long learning at her core, Kalley is passionate about building capacity in kids, teachers and schools to ensure independence, transfer and commitment.