Literacy Webinar Series

Leveling Up Your Literacy Program

Effective literacy instruction and interventions are essential for student success. This technical assistance webinar series is designed to help educators enhance their current instruction and interventions with actionable strategies and resources. Find upcoming webinar opportunities and recorded sessions below.

Meet the Presenters

The Lastinger Center Literacy Team features experience in education and education research.

Jesse Steif

Manager, Literacy Implementation

Amanda Wilson

Manager, Micro-Credentials

Pam Chalfant

Assistant Director, Literacy

Level Up Adolescent Literacy: Practical Strategies for Secondary Classrooms

December 17, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm EST

Intended audience: Grades 6-12 literacy educators

Gain simple routines that strengthen comprehension

Integrate advanced knowledge into existing instruction

Learn actionable practices to support readers of all abilities

As texts grow more complex in the secondary grades, strong, intentional literacy instruction becomes essential to help all students access grade-level content. This session will focus on practical, evidence-based ways to help students level up their reading skills across content areas, including vocabulary, advanced word reading, and text structure knowledge. Educators will learn simple routines that strengthen comprehension and build confidence, with strategies designed to integrate into existing instruction. Participants will leave with clear, actionable practices to support struggling readers and elevate literacy success for all students in grades 6–12.

The Truth About Phonemic Awareness

Intended audience: VPK and kindergarten educators

Distinguish phonemic awareness and phonics differences

Help students progress from phonological sensitivity to phonemic awareness

Gain practical applications for the classroom

Explore the critical role of phonological and phonemic awareness in early literacy development, as supported by the Science of Reading. This session debunks common myths and misconceptions, clarifies phonemic awareness and phonics differences, and highlights effective, evidence-based instructional strategies aligned with Florida’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards and B.E.S.T. Standards. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the developmental progression from phonological sensitivity to phonemic awareness and discover practical applications for supporting Florida’s youngest learners as they build a strong foundation for reading success.

Making MTSS Work: Clarifying Tiers, Interventions and Common Pitfalls

Distinguish between Tier 2 and 3 interventions

Examine common MTSS challenges

Gain practical strategies for strengthening instruction at every tier

Break down the differences between Tier 1 instruction and targeted Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, ensuring a clear understanding of what does and does not qualify as an intervention. Examine common MTSS challenges, including gaps that can leave districts vulnerable to compliance issues and ineffective student support. Bust some of the biggest myths about MTSS and provide practical strategies for strengthening reading instruction at every tier. Whether you’re refining your school’s MTSS framework or just getting started, this session will provide clarity and direction for building a strong, research-based system.

Strengthening Tier 1: Making Core Instruction More Explicit and Impactful

Increase opportunities for student response

Incorporate guided support in small groups

Improve pacing

The key to stronger reading outcomes isn’t just more intervention—it’s better Tier 1 instruction. This webinar will focus on how to intensify core instruction by making it more explicit, structured, and engaging, no matter what curriculum you use. We’ll break down the most powerful aspects of explicit instruction and explore practical strategies to enhance daily lessons. Learn how to increase opportunities for student response, embed additional practice, improve pacing, and incorporate guided support in small groups—all without disrupting your existing program. Discover how small shifts in pedagogy can make a big impact on student learning!

Bringing it All Together: Planning Cohesive Reading Interventions

Create a seamless experience between all three instruction tiers

Streamline teacher language

Reinforce instructional routines

This webinar explores how to align Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions with Tier 1 instruction to create a seamless learning experience. Examine the challenges of using multiple curricula with different scopes, sequences, and instructional routines and discuss practical strategies for bridging these gaps. Learn how to streamline teacher language, reinforce key instructional routines, and ensure that intervention builds on—not competes with—core instruction.

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