Building Stronger, More Flexible Readers: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, and Fluency for Upper Grades

Dates: 11/24/2025, 1/30/2026, 3/27/2026 Grades: 3-6 Venue: Online via Zoom Time:  9:00am - 2:30pm ET (with a 45 minute break for lunch) Presenter(s): Natalie Louis

Course Overview: 

This course equips teachers with advanced strategies to strengthen phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency skills in upper elementary students who may have difficulty with these foundational reading components. Participants will learn research-based techniques to identify and address gaps in students' phonological processing, decoding, and reading fluency without compromising grade-level comprehension instruction. Teachers will explore how to integrate these foundational skills into their existing literacy curriculum while maintaining the engagement of older learners.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

• Conduct targeted assessments of students' phonological needs

• Implement appropriate intervention strategies

• Create differentiated learning experiences for immediate classroom use

• Develop tools for integrating foundational skills instruction

• Apply methods for maintaining student engagement during skill practice

Upon completion of the course participants will receive a certificate of participation; and NY State educators are eligible to receive CTLE credits. If your school or district is interested in arranging for a group of 15 or more to attend one course (or more) together please contact us at advancingliteracy@tc.columbia.edu. For a full listing of all Focused Topic Courses see our Professional Development Services Brochure.