Content Area Instruction is a Powerful Venue for Supporting Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension: How to Make the Most of this Instructional Time
Dec 8, 2025 - Mar 2, 2026
K-2
$600
Online via Zoom
Dates: 12/8/2025, 2/2/2026, 3/2/2026 Grades: K-2 Venue: Online via Zoom Time: 9:00am - 2:30pm ET (with a 45 minute break for lunch) Presenter(s): Amanda Hartman
Course Overview:
This course demonstrates how teachers can maximize content area instruction to enhance students' vocabulary development and reading comprehension skills across content areas. Participants will learn effective strategies to teach academic vocabulary explicitly while supporting students in developing word-learning strategies they can apply independently. Teachers will explore research-based methods for teaching key concepts and guiding students to become active readers of content-area texts.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes:
Design content lessons that incorporate vocabulary instruction
Implement strategies to support knowledge building
Create opportunities for meaningful engagement with academic language
Develop tools to transform content instruction into literacy learning
Apply methods for maintaining focus on subject-area objectives
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.
Other Upcoming Events
Data-Based Small Groups to Support Readers with Developing Fluency, Comprehension, and Vocabulary
Oct 9, 2025 - Feb 26, 2026
Virtual: For Literacy Coaches and Teacher Leaders: Supporting Data-Driven Coaching that Drives School Progress (5 days)
Oct 14, 2025 - Apr 21, 2026
In Person: For Literacy Coaches and Teacher Leaders: Supporting Data-Driven Coaching that Drives School Progress (5 days)
Oct 14, 2025 - Apr 21, 2026
Leading Responsive, Data-Based Small Group Work in Writing; Leverage Assessment and Small Group Instructional Practices to Address Student Writers' Needs
Oct 23, 2025 - Feb 12, 2026
New Teacher Study Group for the Teaching of Writing
Oct 28, 2025 - Apr 28, 2026
New Teacher Study Group for the Teaching of Reading
Oct 29, 2025 - Apr 29, 2026
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
Nov 3, 2025 - Feb 3, 2026
Helping Students Write About Reading in Ways that Support Both Reading Comprehension and Writing Development
Nov 17, 2025 - Mar 9, 2026
Building Stronger, More Flexible Readers: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, and Fluency for Upper Grades
Nov 24, 2025 - Mar 27, 2026
Support the Teaching and Learning of Spelling: Targeted Small Group Instruction to Support Feedback, Practice, and Explicit Teaching
Dec 16, 2025 - Mar 10, 2026