The 2010 Plugged-in Literacy Workshop will be held June 28–29, 2010 in Punta Gorda, Florida. Educators are encouraged to reserve seats for the workshop early. Download the registration form (PDF).

The Plugged-in Literacy Workshop is designed for educators who strive to support student literacy achievement in and beyond the classroom. Educators in grades 4–12 will discover effective strategies for supporting students’ literacy success through hands-on experiences and professional development. Each morning Dr. Allen, author of several professional development books including Words, Words, Words and a respected authority on adolescent literacy, will lead with a keynote. Throughout the day educators will participate in a diverse range of breakout sessions with our Plugged-in practitioners.

Registration Information

To register for the 2010 Plugged-in to Literacy Workshop, call Recorded Books at 1-800-638-1304 x1122 or download the registration form available at http://pluggedineducators.ning.com.

Memories from Past Plugged-in Workshops

Susan White, Principal of Maine’s Caribou Middle School, attended the 2009 workshop and said “What Janet has done for our school is difficult to put into words…She has empowered all of us to be better. From my perspective as a school leader it has been wonderful to see not only students become more confident but teachers becoming more confident.” Caribou Middle School special education teachers Susan Keaton and Twyla Learnard said, “Janet Allen and Plugged-in have revolutionized the way we approach teaching reading comprehension…Our students are finally identifying themselves as people who read, and that says it all.”

Click to see memories from past workshops.

2010 Plugged-in Workshop Break-out Session Options Final Breakout List will be Subject to Change

Plugging-in to a New School Year:  Student Surveys, Pre-Assessments and Community-Building

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. You’ve just learned that you and your students will be Plugging-in to Reading and Nonfiction next school year.  What tools are available to jumpstart my students on paths to independent literate success? 

Books and Audio and Equipment, Oh My!  Managing the Plugged-in Classroom

The materials and the approaches are all new.  What will my Plugged-in classroom look like?  How should I setup the classroom libraries, the curricular materials, and the equipment for audio support?  What role do my students play in this process?  How do I prepare them?  How do I prepare me?!

What Does a Plugged-in Day, Week or Year Look Like?  Scheduling for the Plugged-in Classroom

Plugged-in to Reading employs the gradual-release-of-responsibility instructional model (Pearson & Gallagher).  How do I maintain this approach while building a curriculum map for the school year?  How do I manage all of the components (Teacher-directed learning, Peer-supported Learning, Self-directed Learning) on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis?

*Teaching Students about the World through the Word:  Effective Vocabulary Strategies

My students need word attach strategies to increase their reading and writing fluency and comprehension.  What strategic approaches can support their vocabulary acquisition?  How can I teach students how-to use context clues, structural analysis and other vocabulary acquisition strategies?

*Independent Reading:  How to Start Strong – How to Stay Strong

I have students who love to read, who hate to read, who struggle to read and who have made a conscious choice not to read.  How do I engage them in Independent Reading?  What supports do they need?  Should I use precious class time for students’ Independent Reading?  How do I hold their interest across the school year?

*Beyond Independent Reading:  Growing My Students toward Independent Literacy Exploration (ILE)

I have diverse learners in my classroom at all reading readiness levels and at all levels of engagement (and disengagement).  How can they handle choice and take responsibility for their own learning?  How can I successfully manage students and provide multiple learning choices for independent learning?

You Say Go High Tech.  I Say How High?  Technology in the Plugged-in Classroom

The new state standards include literacy technology but I’m technologically challenged.  How can I support students’ high tech projects?  What is Web 2.0?  How can it support my students’ success?

Formative, Summative, Authentic and High-Stakes:  We’re Talking Assessment

I need to track my students’ progress across the year’s instruction.  How can I assess today to inform my instruction for tomorrow?  What tools can I use?  From anecdotal records and checklists to post-assessments and rubrics, let’s talk multiple points of assessing student achievement.

*But My Students Can’t Read Their Textbook!  Promoting Strategic Transfer and Reinforcement in the Content Area Classroom

My students need effective literacy strategies for reading and writing in math, history, science and other content area studies.  I’m not a reading teacher and I already have extensive standards my students are responsible to learn.  How can I give them access to success with my content area texts?  How do I find the time to do it?

*Empower Students with Power Strategies:  Approaches for Nonfiction Literacy

Dr. Janet Allen outlines eight Power Strategies necessary for student achievement in nonfiction literacy.  Learn how to focus on nonfiction literacy strategies that will increase students’ critical thinking in the areas of fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary acquisition in nonfiction literature. 

**Introducing a New Plugged-in Theme Collection:  Myths and Legends

Plugged-in collections continue to grow.  Learn all about the new Myths and Legends collection from titles to instruction.

**What’s Going on in that Plugged-in Classroom?  Support for Literacy Leaders

So now that we’re plugging-in teachers and students, what should I be looking for in these classrooms?  We’ll start with a brief overview of the Plugged-in components and review tools to support your Plugged-in classroom observations.

 **We’re Plugged-in to Reading but What about Plugged-in to State Standards?  Aligning the Curriculum

I’ve got to connect student learning to the standards designated by the state.  What tools can support these connections?  What can I do on a daily basis to engage learners with the strategies I’m charged with teaching?

**What Would It Take to Plug-in Our Students?  Plugged-in to Reading and Nonfiction Overview

Plugged-in to Reading is a comprehensive literacy program that promotes best-practice instruction and authentic, engaged learning.  What are the components of the program?  What are the goals?  What is the instructional model?  What would an implementation look like in my district?

*Sessions highlighted for content-area teachers

**Sessions highlighted for literacy leaders and administrators

NOTE:  All sessions are open to all participants.  The asterisks are used to highlight sessions pertinent to those in the content-area strand and the literacy leader strand. 

“For schools striving to improve students’ comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, reading and writing fluency, this new offering will effectively support an existing Plugged-in to Reading program or provide an introduction to teacher-directed instruction and peer-supported learning opportunities.  Dr. Allen created this Myths and Legends package to support middle school curriculum requiring a myths and legends unit of study.” 

Anne Cobb, Plugged-in  National Consultant.

Myths and Legends contains teacher tools for:

• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (The New York Times best-seller that recently made its big screen debut)
• Cut from the Same Cloth: American Women of Myth, Legend, and Tall Tale by Robert D. San Souci
• The Exploding Toilet: Modern Urban Legends by David Holt and Bill Mooney
• Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell by Pleasant DeSpain
• Wonder Tales from Around the World by Heather Forest

To learn more, CLICK HERE.

Jan says that using classic text The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane brings lively discussion about courage and character to her classroom.

“The Red Badge of Courage is a great example of realism in writing. It’s full of very powerful descriptions of war and can be an impetus to great discussions about courage and character. Crane’s combination of imagery, moral ambiguity, and one soldier’s personal journey to define courage is as relevant today as when it was written.”—Jan Ledger

Finn by Matthew Olshan, Dating Hamlet by Lisa Fiedler, and Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper are all great examples of the classic connections built into PITR Level 3. These modern retellings and reimaginings of Huckleberry Finn, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet will introduce students to the classics in a way that is relevant to them and accessible to all students.

We will give one copy of all three titles to one commenter on this post. Leave a comment sharing one of the following to be entered (see below for complete contest rules):

• What is your favorite way to connect students to the classics?
• What classic work have you found to be most engaging and relevant to your students?
• What classic do you wish was covered in more classrooms today?

COMPLETE CONTEST RULES:

• Leave a comment below (be sure to enter a valid email address, or we won’t be able to contact you if you win!) sharing one of the above ideas and you’ll be entered to win.
• Tweet (we’re @pluggedintoread) or blog about the contest and you can leave a second comment linking to your tweet or post—you’ll get another contest entry. Spread the word!
• Again, be sure you leave a valid email address with your comment so we can contact you. If you’re picked as a winner and we can’t contact you, the prize will got to the next winner.
• Comments will be assigned a number (first commenter is #1, second is #2, etc). Winners will be picked by random.org according to comment number.
• Drawing will be held on November 2, 2009 at 12:00PM Eastern time. Winners will be contacted by email to get mailing information.

The ALA has comprehensive lists of banned and challenged books since 1990, even noting the most frequently challenged books of 1990-1999, but even their lists don’t catch all the challenges.

Though it’s a sensitive topic, it’s one that is especially important to address in some way with today’s kids. Has censorship or book challenging touched your classroom? We’d love to hear your story and learn how you dealt with the situation. Do you bring up the topic with your students? How do you deal with controversial topics in books? If you know of a book being challenged in your area, encourage your students to get involved and share stories of how a banned or challenged book changed their lives.

The following Plugged-in books have been banned or challenged in the past:
• Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher (ALSC Notable Recording, ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Best Book for YA, ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, SLJ Best Book, SLJ Best of the Best Book, 1992 Michigan Library Association Best Young Adult Book, Nominee 1992-1993 Maine Student Book Award, Nominee 1995 Garden State Teen Book Award, Nominee 2004 Isinglass Teen Read Awards)
Plugged-in to Reading Level 3
Reasons for Ban or Challenge: homosexuality, offensive language

• Go Ask Alice by Anonymous/Beatrice Sparks (YALSA 100 Best Books (1950-2000), YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults)
Plugged-in to Nonfiction Level 3
Reasons for Ban or Challenge: drug use, offensive language, sexually explicit

• The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson (ALSC Notable Recording, AudioFile Earphones Award, National Book Award Winner (Young People’s Literature), Newbery Honor Book)
Plugged-in to Reading Level 1
Reasons for Ban or Challenge: blasphemy, offensive language, not suitable for age level

• The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney (Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, Pacific Northwest Young Reader’s Choice Award, Tennessee Volunteer State Award, Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award, Iowa Children’s Choice Award, Iowa Teen Book Award, Washington Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award)
Plugged-in to Reading Level 2
Reasons for Ban or Challenge: offensive language, sexual situations

For some additional (and very clever!) inspiration, check out this video from ALA: “I’d like to find *BLEEP*.” (Hat tip to @cathyjo for reminding me about it!) Bonus points if anyone can figure out the books he’s mouthing that get bleeped out or (a bit easier) the covers that are blurred!

Sound familiar? It sounds a lot like Plugged-in to us! As we know, choice can greatly increase student motivation. And motivation can greatly increase comprehension and, therefore, test scores. Plugged-in works with a philosophy outlined in the article, that “most experts say that teachers do not have to choose between one approach or the other and that they can incorporate the best of both methods: reading some novels as a group while also giving students opportunities to select their own books.”

Plugged-in’s three-step instructional model offers a built-in structure for a classroom like Ms. McNeill’s. The program starts students off with teacher-directed discussion, then allows them to move to small groups with more autonomy and title choice. From there, students independently read books they’ve chosen from the high-interest Plugged-in classroom library. And in both PITR and PITNF, students read independently throughout the program, not only after completing the teacher-directed and peer-supported sections. All the texts in the program, including those in the teacher-directed portion, have been chosen by Dr. Janet Allen because they are high-interest, relevant to today’s students, and cover the standards. In Level 3 and Level 4, titles also feature classic connections.

Dr. Allen, the creator of the Plugged-in programs, is a member of the Plugged-in Educators Ning and welcomes questions and comments. “Join the discussion!” says Plugged-in Marketing Manager Beth Eaton. “This is a great way to discuss reading and writing strategies and collaborate with teachers all over the country.” Members will also get tips on special giveaways and offers from Plugged-in.

Prince Frederick, MD – May 7, 2009 – Recorded Books, publisher of Dr. Janet Allen’s Plugged-in to Reading and Plugged-in to Nonfiction, recently announced its first two Plugged-in Teachers of the Month, Brent Yoder and Amy Beyer of South Bend, Indiana. Each month, educators will be featured as the Teachers of the Month at the Plugged-in Educators’ Ning at http://pluggedineducators.ning.com. Yoder and Beyer, the first educators chosen for this new monthly feature, will host discussions, answer questions, and share experiences about Plugged-in programs and literacy during the month of May.

Yoder and Beyer were chosen as Plugged-in Teachers of the Month because of their great success promoting literacy in their classrooms. “Brent and Amy are wonderful teachers and we’re glad to have them as part of the Plugged-in family,” Beth Eaton, marketing manager for Plugged-in Products said. Yoder is encouraged by how Plugged-in has motivated his at-risk students: “Struggling readers? Maybe, but they are engaged and willing to take risks. It’s wonderful to see the change in them from the beginning of the year.” Beyer loves using Plugged-in with struggling readers, citing how her students “talk about The Skin I’m In all year long! The Lottery Rose encourages the students to discuss personal issues. They inspire students to read other books by the author during their independent reading time.”

Yoder has been using Plugged-in to Reading with his 8th graders at Jackson Intermediate Center for two years and has become a respected team leader. He works with Explorers, an intensive program focusing on helping at-risk students achieve success. For both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years, Yoder was chosen by his peers as Jackson Intermediate Center teacher of the year. Beyer used Plugged-in to Reading in her 7th grade classroom from 2006-2008 and was named 2006-07 teacher of the year at Jackson Intermediate Center. This year she accepted a position as 5th grade curriculum leader at Dickinson Fine Arts Academy, where she is in charge of identifying students who need additional literacy support. Beyer was recently named 2008-09 Teacher of the Year at Dickinson Fine Arts Academy. Both Yoder and Beyer are also South Bend Community School Corporation Top Ten Teachers for 2008-09.

To follow Yoder and Beyer during their time as Plugged-in Teachers of the Month and find out more about the Plugged-in Programs, visit http://pluggedineducators.ning.com/ and http://www.pluggedintononfiction.com.

2009 Plugged-in Literacy Workshop Dates Announced

Prince Frederick, MD—April 20, 2009—Dates for the 2009 Plugged-in Literacy Workshop featuring Dr. Janet Allen, creator of the Plugged-in Programs, have been announced as June 25 and 26. Charlotte County Public Schools will host the conference at Port Charlotte High School in Port Charlotte, Florida.

The Plugged-in Literacy Workshop is a continuation of the Plugged-in to Reading Literacy institute put on each year by Recorded Books and Dr. Allen to provide professional development for teachers, focusing on literacy instruction and adolescent literacy. During the workshop, Dr. Allen will deliver daily keynote speeches to motivate teachers for the coming school year, while a team of classroom hand-selected teachers will facilitate workshops and model what best-practice research looks like in the classroom. Teachers will also receive step-by-step instructions on preparing lesson plans to meet students’ specific needs.

Kym Sheehan, Secondary Schools Curriculum and Instruction Specialist for Charlotte County Public Schools, attended the 2008 Literacy Workshop in Orlando, Florida. “It was truly an awesome experience and I loved all of it!” she said, adding that she was excited to share what she’d learned at the workshop with teachers in her district. A Special Services teacher in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, also attended the 2008 workshop. “What a great conference! We were so excited as we flew back to Sioux Falls to begin working,” She says, sharing that she and colleagues were so inspired that they ended up leaving the plane with a set of lessons already in the works.

For more information on the workshop, please visit http://pluggedinworkshop.ning.com/. For more on Dr. Janet Allen’s Plugged-in programs, see http://www.pluggedintnonfiction.com and http://www.pluggedintoreading.com. Plugged-in to Reading and Plugged-in to Nonfiction use high-interest texts and Janet’s proven scaffolding and teaching techniques for adolescent literacy instruction.

About Recorded Books: Recorded Books, a Haights Cross Communications company, produces and distributes unabridged audiobooks and other audio products for schools and libraries, in CD, cassette and Playaway formats. Over 7,000 titles are available for children, young adults, and adults, narrated by professional, award-winning actors. Recorded Books also publishes and distributes SmartPass Audio Guides to Shakespeare and Dr. Janet Allen’s Plugged-in to Reading. Packaging is designed for high circulation. One-year warranty, cataloging, processing, and free marc records are available. For more information, visit www.recordedbooks.com.

About Haights Cross Communications: Founded in 1997 and based in White Plains, NY, Haights Cross is a leading developer and publisher of products for the kindergarten through twelfth grade, or K-12, supplemental education, library, and medical education markets. Haights Cross imprints include: Sundance/Newbridge Educational Publishing (Northborough, MA), Triumph Learning (New York, NY), Buckle Down Publishing (Iowa City, IA), Options Publishing (Merrimack, NH), Recorded Books (Prince Frederick, MD), and Oakstone Publishing (Birmingham, AL). For more information, visit www.haightscross.com

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