Knowledge Building Through Read Aloud and Small Groups: Create and Curate Resources for Topics and Units with Fiction and Nonfiction Texts, Leverage Background Knowledge and Tools to Develop Vocabulary

Dates: 11/3/2025, 11/24/2025, 2/3/2026 Grades: 4-8 Venue: Online via Zoom Time:  9:00am - 2:30pm ET (with a 45 minute break for lunch) Presenter(s): Heather Burns

Course Overview: 

This course provides teachers with strategies to develop comprehensive knowledge-building units that integrate read alouds and small group instruction for students. Participants will learn to select and sequence both fiction and nonfiction texts that build students' understanding of essential topics while developing academic vocabulary. Teachers will explore methods for activating and building upon students' background knowledge while supporting vocabulary acquisition during read alouds and small group work.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

• Design cohesive units that systematically build knowledge through strategic text selection

• Create word banks and resources that support vocabulary development and explicit instruction

• Implement instructional practices that deepen students’ comprehension through discussion

• Develop tools for planning knowledge-building units across content areas, integrating literacy and social studies and science instruction

• Apply strategies for integrating vocabulary instruction within read alouds and small groups

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.