Educators from Colton-Pierrepont Central and Parishville-Hopkinton Central are participating in professional development provided by Keys to Literacy designed to support instruction of reading skills to all students.

Co-sponsored by the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, the training for K-3 teachers focuses on effective strategies for teaching beginning reading to young students, including phonics skills.

“Educational research universally points to strong literacy instruction as being one of the most effective levers in improving student achievement,” said Dr. William Collins, superintendent at Parishville-Hopkinton Central School. “And not just improved achievement in ELA, but improved academic performance across the entire curriculum … social studies, mathematics, science, foreign language, etc. PHCS is thrilled to once again be partnering with CPCS in strengthening instructional strategies.”

The training for teachers in grades 4-12 focuses on teaching students strategies for comprehending text they are reading in any subject, such as taking two-column notes, using graphic organizers, and summarizing what they read. Keys to Literacy is also providing consulting support to district and school administrators for the development of strategic, multi-year literacy plans.

Colton-Pierrepont Central School Superintendent James Nee said, “it is essential to have a comprehensive plan for improving literacy for all students. It is the collective responsibility of all members of our educational community to do this work for our students. The effort and attention we put forth over the next few years will benefit students for a lifetime. The goals of the professional development will be to build strong foundational literacy skills in the early grades and continue to elevate literacy achievement to ensure our students acquire the literacy skills to be successful beyond high school.”

In their 2020 report The Four Pillars to Reading Success: An Action Guide for States, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) notes that, “Learning how to read is not something that comes naturally. Many children need instruction from their teachers that follows the research on the most effective and efficient methods of teaching reading.” The report goes on to say that teachers need professional development to meet the literacy learning needs of their students.

Keys to Literacy is a professional development company based in Massachusetts that provides teacher training to educators across the country. It is one of the professional development companies recommended to make a significant contribution to literacy achievement.