Summer Literacy Institute | Sessions

Matt de la Peña is a New York Times-bestselling author who has received numerous accolades for his young adult novels and picture books, including the prestigious Newbery Medal. He brings his books to life: detailing the "stories behind the stories" and explaining the inspiration behind his beloved books.

This session delves into the ways in which bilingual and ESL educators recognize students' cultural displays of learning in order to plan instruction that is relevant and engaging. Participants will learn how to bridge home and school life, affirm student's history and culture and elevate student voice and learning styles in lessons and classroom experiences. Join us as we explore innovative ways to bring the cultural assets of students into daily instruction.

Marie Mendoza, FWISD
Marie Mendoza, Ph.D. currently serves as the Executive Director of Emergent Bilingual Programs in a large urban district in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area serving more than 29,000 EB students. She formerly served as the ED for Instructional Services in a large urban district in the Houston, Texas area where she led Advanced Academics, Literacy and EB Programs. She holds more than 30 years of experience in education with varied experiences including serving as a bilingual teacher, a Reading Recovery/Descubriendo la lectura Teacher Leader, a Title I specialist/Coordinator for ESC 20 and a district director for multilingual/ EL programs serving both bilingual and ESL students. She has worked nationally and internationally building the capacity of educators in how to reach culturally and linguistically diverse students and presented at a Dual Language conference in Guatemala for the Summer ExCEL Program with Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 2014. She is most recently a published author of the children's book titled Skin, Skin Don't You Know Me? She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bilingual Education from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, a Master of Science degree in Instructional Leadership/Administration from Trinity Washington (D.C.) University, and a Ph.D. in Education from Northcentral University. She defended her dissertation in May 2022. 

Engaging students in meaningful learning begins with drawing student attention to the to-be-learned content. This session will describe the cognitive science principle of attention to meaning, providing specific examples from Amplify lessons. The session will describe the importance of clear, achievable, and appropriate learning goals, lesson continuity, and ensuring equity for all learners during inclusive lessons. Come learn how since 2020, faculty in TCU’s EC-6 teacher preparation program are embedding principles of cognitive learning sciences in methods and field-based courses.

Michael Faggella-Luby, TCU
Dr. Faggella-Luby is a Professor of Special Education and Core Faculty of the Alice Neeley Special Education Research and Service (ANSERS) Institute.

Dr. Faggella-Luby teaches courses related to preparing educators to evaluate, select, plan, and implement research-based methods and instructional materials for teaching students with and without disabilities who are at risk for failure. His scholarly interests focus on learning disabilities, literacy, reading education, special education, diverse learning needs, instructional design, secondary education, and school reform. He has written publications related to cognitive learning strategies, response-to-intervention (RtI)/scientifically research-based instruction (SRBI), self-determination, literacy, and urban school reform.

Dr. Faggella-Luby’s primary research interest focuses on embedding instruction in learning strategies into subject-area courses to improve reading comprehension for all levels of learners. He received the 2006 Outstanding Researcher Award from the Council for Learning Disabilities and the 2007 Annual

Dissertation Award from CEC’s Division of Learning Disabilities for his dissertation study Embedded Learning Strategy Instruction: Story-Structure Pedagogy in Secondary Classes for Diverse Learners. Before joining the faculty at TCU, he was an Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut, including positions as research scientist at the Center for Behavioral Education and Research (CBER) and associate research scholar at the Center on Postsecondary Education and Disability (CPED).

Dr. Faggella-Luby was a doctoral fellow at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning under the direction of Drs. Donald Deshler and Jean Schumaker. Dr. Faggella-Luby is a former high school administrator and teacher of English and Chemistry.

This session will equip educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to accelerate students’ reading proficiency in a differentiated manner. We will examine how the science of reading work informs instructional decisions for adolescent students in grades 6-12 who need intensive literacy support, and to gain understanding of decoding instruction and fluency development.

LaTanya Robinson, FWISD
LaTanya Robinson, a Humanities Coordinator in FWISD, has spent nearly 2 decades working in public education. She earned her BA in English from Huston-Tillotson University and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Wesleyan University. LaTanya is committed to shaping the lives of young people through literacy. When LaTanya is not supporting literacy instruction, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and crafting.

Participants will delve into the art of fostering inclusive literacy practices by strategically incorporating all four learning styles. We will explore how educators can create engaging and accessible learning experiences: from adapting curriculum materials to designing flexible teaching methods, attendees will gain practical insights to empower diverse learners.

Join us as we unlock the keys to a more inclusive and effective literacy journey.

Linnette Paulino and Elese Wilcox, FWISD
Linnette Paulino is an early learning coach, specializing in creating professional development opportunities and providing personalized coaching to empower Fort Worth ISD’s Early Learning teachers.

Elese Wilcox is an early learning coach dedicated to crafting impactful professional development experiences and offering customized coaching to Early Learning educators in Fort Worth ISD.

 Play in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms is not just fun—it’s the foundation of children’s learning. This session will focus on ways in which teachers can use play to add rigor in early literacy. Come and explore ways to incorporate play into your daily routine to support reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Michelle Bauml, TCU & Heather Hennesey, FWISD

Dr. Bauml is a Professor of Early Childhood Education at Texas Christian University and a former public school teacher at a Title 1 elementary campus in Texas. Heather Hennesey is the Director of Early Learning for FWISD. She is a former Early Childhood Special Education teacher, Instructional Coach, and Campus Administrator. She believes that joy is an essential ingredient in successful classrooms.

This session renders an opportunity to awaken the writer self that each individual possesses. The participants will explore the foundational writing strands that will elicit an authentic writing experience.

Airam Ruiz, FWISD
Airam Ruiz is a passionate educator who has served in the educational field for 24 years, advocating for each learner to have an inclusive language experience through the study of language arts and literature.

"If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it." —Toni Morrison

Have you ever wanted to write children’s books but aren’t sure how to get started? In this session, acclaimed young adult author, Ray Villareal, will chronicle his journey in becoming a writer. He will also discuss the process for writing, submitting and getting a manuscript published. In addition, he will offer tips on how to write young adult novels and children’s books. Participants will then have the opportunity to write their own stories, and share them with the group.

Ray Villareal, FWISD
Ray Villareal is the author of numerous young adult novels. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BA in Education and a Master of Liberal Arts. Ray has over thirty years of experience working as a classroom teacher, an instructional reading/language arts coach, a student-teacher supervisor, and a university instructor.

Since 2020, faculty in TCU’s EC-6 teacher preparation program have embedded cognitive learning sciences in methods and field-based courses. This session will present multi-year data introducing the effortful thinking teaching practice and how it has been embedded in an ESL Methods and ESL field-based course, with the objective of instructing preservice teachers and giving them opportunities to modify and practice Amplify lesson plans with cognitive and learning science principles related to effortful thinking. Specific attention is given to what this means for emergent bilinguals.

Steve Przymus, TCU
Steve Daniel Przymus, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Bilingual Education and Educational Linguistics at Texas Christian University. His training includes a doctorate in Second Language Acquisition & Teaching (University of Arizona, 2016), being a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer (Dominican Republic, 2003-2005), a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Grantee (México, 2010), and 28 years of teaching at the middle school, high school, and higher education levels. He researches translanguaging, bilingual special education, sociolinguistics, metonymy in linguistic landscapes, and the education of transnational youth. He is the author of American Education Mythologies: A Remythification of the Public Language of U.S. Schools.

Reading comprehension requires the coordination of complex processes ensure accurate information is extracted from the text in an effective and efficient manner. This session will walk participants through cognitive principles and evidence-based strategies to support students’ comprehension.

Endia J. Lindo, TCU
Endia J. Lindo, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Special Education at TCU and core faculty in the A.N.S.E.R.S. Institute. Her scholarship focuses on improving the reading comprehension of students with learning difficulties and disabilities by examining approaches for implementing and enhancing school and community-based interventions.

This session will focus on the current research which indicates that traumatic events can have an impact on children’s ability to learn, including their ability to learn the process of reading. Participants will gain a better understanding of the steps that are taken to ensure that all students, regardless of cultural background, hardships, and experiences, have access to appropriate and effective literacy instruction.

Monique Ervin, FWISD and Stacy Manross, FWISD
Stacy Manross is a dedicated literacy content coach committed to empowering educators with effective strategies to enhance student literacy skills. Monique Ervin is an experienced literacy coordinator passionate about developing and implementing effective literacy programs to support educator and student success.

This section will focus on a deeper understanding of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s work: Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Doors and how her theory relates to teaching Early Learning students about multicultural representation in literature for young learners. Participants will actively engage in table discussions that will deepen their understanding of the importance of multicultural representation when choosing diverse read-alouds.

Versika Bailey and Yasmin Ortiz, FWISD
Yasmin Ortiz-Wilde J.D. has been an Early Learning educator, Master Teacher, Campus Instructional Coach, legal consultant, and coordinator for over 20 years.

Versika Bailey M.Ed. has been an educator for 24 years, with two years as a district Early Learning Instructional Coach.

Identifying dyslexia in the early grades is crucial. Early intervention enhances the effectiveness of dyslexia instruction and support, helping to prevent academic struggles, boost self-esteem, and fosters a positive learning experience. Come learn how to identify and gain insight into students specific reading needs or the need for further evaluation.

Amy Montemayor, Director of Dyslexia, FWISD
Amy Montemayor is currently in her 26th year in the education field. She is passionate about early literacy and helping all students learn how to read and become successful in life. Early on in her career, she taught kindergarten and first grade before having the opportunity to train in dyslexia instruction through Scottish Rite. In addition to teaching in the classroom, she has served as a literacy interventionist, instructional coach, and Director of Interventions. She is currently the Director of Dyslexia in FWISD. She enjoys not only teaching and learning from students but adult learners as well.

Making inferences, or “reading between the lines,” is essential for comprehension, yet this is a challenging skill for students. Children’s literature can be used as teaching tools when teachers model how they use text and illustrations to understand the explicit and implicit messages. Participants will explore how they might use children’s literature to notice and name evidence found in the text and illustrations and how these observations can lead to inferencing and improved comprehension.

Robin Griffith, TCU and Jennifer Smith, TCU
Robin Griffith is a Professor of Reading and English/Language Arts. Her research focuses primarily on the teacher and the seemingly critical role the teacher plays in helping students become successful readers and writers. One line of inquiry examines the development of preservice teachers’ understandings about literacy and various aspects of teacher preparation programs that can support the development of the qualities of excellent teachers of reading as identified by the International Reading Association.

A second line of inquiry concentrates on teacher decision making in literacy instruction and the thoughtful adaptations teachers make in daily instruction. Prior to teaching at the university, Dr. Griffith taught in the public schools in Texas and trained literacy coaches in numerous states.

Jennifer Smith is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice in the College of Education at Texas Christian University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate literacy courses, including children’s literature, adolescent literature and literacy methods courses. Much of her research examines children’s literature and ways to use literature in reading and writing instruction.

Dr. Smith’s career includes elementary and middle grade teaching positions in Germany (Department of Defense Dependent School), Hawaii, Utah and Texas. Her higher education teaching experience includes literacy courses at Texas Woman’s University and Austin College.

Duncan Tonatiuh (toh-nah-tee-YOU) is an award-winning author-illustrator whose accolades include: a Pura Belpré Medal and multiple honors, the Robert F. Sibert Medal, the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Américas Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, and multiple Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List selections and New York Times Best Illustrated Books mentions. Duncan is both Mexican and American. He grew up in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and graduated from Parsons School of Design and Eugene Lang College in New York City. His illustrations are inspired by Mesoamerican art, particularly that of the Mixtec codices. His aim is to create images and stories that honor the past, but that are relevant to people, especially children, nowadays.

Do you feel like you are behind in catching up with the many good works of literature being written and published for students that could be used in your teaching with your English Language students? There are many new books that meaningfully portray the cultural experiences that are relevant to the diversity of our students.  

Effective teachers know how to use good literature to spark the creative imaginations of students and to connect to their life experiences. They create a love for reading by incorporating culturally relevant stories into their teaching. There are books about:  

• feeling lonely because the culture is so different,

• immigrating to this country and trying to “fit in,”  

• not knowing how to read or speak English,  

• celebrating certain holidays; having unique traditions and customs  

• historical and important biographical stories  

This presentation will address literacy development for emergent ELs, as well as to share many different themes of literature. Effective strategies and activities will be demonstrated for how teachers can use multicultural literature effectively in their classrooms to:  

1) address the many diverse cultural aspects of students’ lives,  

2) create enthusiasm for reading,  

3) integrate content and language learning  

4) introduce key vocabulary words  

5) develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as  

6) share books that can be read aloud to spark the creative imaginations and voices of students.  

Intended Audience: EC-6 Dual Language/ESL Teachers 

Dr. Patsy J. Robles-Goodwin is a Professor of Education and Bilingual/ESL Director at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. She has been an educator for over 35 years as a teacher, school administrator, researcher and consultant, and teaching undergraduate/graduate courses. Her research interests center on educational issues that affect Latino and English Learners in the areas of literacy, language, advocacy, and teacher preparation. 

Historical texts provide opportunities for students to analyze and challenge different perspectives of a story. Teachers can support students by giving them the tools to identify vantage points, unmask suspicious characters, uncover hidden motives, and decipher mysterious clues/details. In this session, participants will examine and understand how to create the conditions for using inclusive literacy practices that structure engagement and turn students into eagle-eyed readers.

John Fernandez (FWISD), Mishelle Hall (FWISD), Xavier Pantoja (FWISD), Patricia Smith (FWISD)
Presenters are Social Studies coordinators for Fort Worth ISD.

This session will provide a snapshot to the life and literary contributions of the Nobel Prize winner. The participants will also explore resources that will spark their interest in Latin American poetry while gaining a broader perspective.

Airam Ruiz, FWISD
Airam Ruiz is a passionate educator who has served in the educational field for 24 years, advocating for each learner to have an inclusive language experience through the study of language arts and literature.

Session delivered in Spanish. *Book quantities limited to 25 participants. Available while supplies last.

 

This session for elementary teachers will offer techniques to help students build background knowledge in science and social studies. Using photos and informational texts on a variety of themes, this interactive session is sure to enliven your interest in teaching both subjects.

Michelle Bauml, TCU and Jennifer Smith, TCU
Dr. Bauml is a Professor of Early Childhood Education at Texas Christian University and a former public-school teacher at a Title 1 elementary campus in Texas.

Jennifer Smith is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice in the College of Education at Texas Christian University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate literacy courses, including children’s literature, adolescent literature, and literacy methods courses. Much of her research examines children’s literature and ways to use literature in reading and writing instruction.

Explore the crucial role of explicit and systematic handwriting and spelling instruction outlined in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and its profound impact on students' writing proficiency. We'll delve into the significance of these instructional components, shedding light on their influence on students' overall writing abilities.

This session will uncover what dysgraphia entails, its various manifestations, and the daily challenges individuals with dysgraphia encounter.

Participants will gain an understanding of dysgraphia and its implications for handwriting and spelling instruction along with practical strategies to foster handwriting and spelling success for all students, including those with dysgraphia.

Amy Montemayor, FWISD Director of Dyslexia
Amy Montemayor is currently in her 26th year in the education field. She is passionate about early literacy and helping all students learn how to read and become successful in life. Early on in her career, she taught kindergarten and first grade before having the opportunity to train in dyslexia instruction through Scottish Rite. In addition to teaching in the classroom, she has served as a literacy interventionist, instructional coach, and Director of Interventions. She is currently the Director of Dyslexia in FWISD. She enjoys not only teaching and learning from students but adult learners as well.

In this session participants will explore the ‘why’ behind HQIM and the importance of centering inclusivity and access when utilizing HQIM so that all students can achieve ambitious goals.

Kendra Gray, Deans for Impact
Kendra Gray is a Program Director for Deans for Impact. With over 15 years of experience in education nationally and abroad, Kendra has supported literacy content through leading educators of various experience levels in teaching, coaching and managing implementation of high quality instructional materials aligned to the Science of Reading. Kendra believes “literacy is liberation” and that educators are entitled to high quality development experiences.

This presentation will describe a multimodal literacies framework, Linguistic Landscape in Second Language Teaching and Learning (LLinL2TL), that literacy teachers can use to immediately engage their students in using signs in their own communities to create and share stories and critical language awareness lessons. Examples are provided of how the LLinL2TL framework bridges the environmental print of students’ immediate community neighborhoods with literacy instruction at school and how/why this is meaningful for Active Bilingual Learners/Users of English (ABLE) students and students with neurodiversity/learning differences for increasing these students’ inclusion in high quality instruction.

Steve Przymus, TCU
Steve Daniel Przymus, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Bilingual Education and Educational Linguistics at Texas Christian University. His training includes a doctorate in Second Language Acquisition & Teaching (University of Arizona, 2016), being a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer (Dominican Republic, 2003-2005), a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Grantee (México, 2010), and 28 years of teaching at the middle school, high school, and higher education levels. He researches translanguaging, bilingual special education, sociolinguistics, metonymy in linguistic landscapes, and the education of transnational youth. He is the author of American Education Mythologies: A Remythification of the Public Language of U.S. Schools.

Participants will understand how to implement job embedded professional development which is defined as teacher learning that is grounded in day-to-day teaching practice and is designed to enhance teachers’ content-specific instructional practices with the intent of improving student learning (Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin, 1995; Hirsh, 2009).

Dr. Linda Tucker, FWISD
Dr. Tucker is currently the Director of Student Academic Support Initiatives for the Fort Worth Independent School District. She obtained her doctorate in School Leadership from the University of North Texas. She has 24 years of experience in education having served as a bilingual teacher and campus principal. She is passionate about leading school improvement efforts as well as leveraging community and school partnerships in her quest to serve children.

In this session participants will explore the ‘why’ behind HQIM and the importance of centering inclusivity and access when utilizing HQIM so that all students can achieve ambitious goals.

Kendra Gray, Deans for Impact
Kendra Gray is a Program Director for Deans for Impact. With over 15 years of experience in education nationally and abroad, Kendra has supported literacy content through leading educators of various experience levels in teaching, coaching and managing implementation of high quality instructional materials aligned to the Science of Reading. Kendra believes “literacy is liberation” and that educators are entitled to high quality development experiences.

Student who struggle with generating inferences are disadvantaged in school, as all texts require some level for inferencing (i.e., reading in between the lines). This session will focus on the use of evidence-based strategies that supports readers ability to recognize when and how to read between the lines.

Endia J. Lindo, TCU
Endia J. Lindo, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Special Education at TCU and core faculty in the A.N.S.E.R.S. Institute. Her scholarship focuses on improving the reading comprehension of students with learning difficulties and disabilities by examining approaches for implementing and enhancing school and community-based interventions.

Are you ready for your students to use words besides happy, sad, and mad when naming characters’ feelings and emotions? Having students identify how characters feel beyond basic emotions can deepen comprehension in reading. This session will explore ways to improve the vocabulary your students use when naming emotions and ways for students use text and illustration evidence to support inferences about characters’ feelings and emotions.

Abby Clark, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD
Abby Clark is a First Grade Teacher in Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD. Abby is a TCU graduate with a degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Language and Literacy. She has taught first grade for 7 years at Bryson Elementary.

Have you read (or heard about) the most recent award-winning children’s literature but are unsure how to incorporate these texts into your teaching? Join us in this session as we explore ways to consider the illustrations, imagery, language use, and messages from two award-winning titles.

The Eyes & The Impossible won the Newbery for the most distinguished children’s literature and Big received the Caldecott award for the best illustrations. We will also look at children’s choice award winning books and consider their use in the classroom.

Participants can expect to leave this session with specific ideas of ways to engage students with the most recent award-winning children’s literature.

Jennifer Smith, TCU
Jennifer Smith is an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in the College of Education at Texas Christian University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate literacy courses, including children’s literature, adolescent literature and literacy methods courses. Much of her research examines children’s literature and ways to use literature in reading and writing instruction.

Dr. Smith’s career includes elementary and middle grade teaching positions in Germany (Department of Defense Dependent School), Hawaii, Utah and Texas. Her higher education teaching experience includes literacy courses at Texas Woman’s University and Austin College.