In accordance with North Carolina’s Read to Achieve program, discover literacy initiatives and best practices for developing an enriched reading and writing environment for the early grades classroom. Examine teaching strategies that link literacy and play, develop phonological and print awareness, and create engaging read-aloud experiences. Support emergent reading and writing by integrating literacy instruction into all aspects of early childhood education.

The NCCAT Research and Development Teams program offers educators an opportunity to meet in a residential setting devoid of distraction to create and advance departmental, school, or district-wide projects. These projects might consist of new programming, research, planning, or curricula. Gather a team together to create or refine your own innovative approaches to early grades literacy or digital learning. Early grades literacy or digital learning projects will be given preference. All projects will be considered. Come prepared to share your knowledge and progress with other teams from around our state. Single rooms, meeting space, internet access, and meals for the participants will be provided by NCCAT. Travel and the cost of substitute teachers are not covered. Teachers, administrators, central office personnel, and district coordinators are encouraged to apply.

Imagine a classroom where digital learning is already immersed into every aspect of the curriculum. Educators today have so many components to consider when creating a lesson, including: content, assessment, collaboration, and digital technology. Learn how to create a learning space where digital tools are seamlessly integrated. Explore free collaborative websites such as Sway, OneNote, and Google Docs. Investigate creation and augmented reality apps, such as Aurasma. Research how to find virtual field trips and guest speakers that will motivate your students and transform your classroom. Inspire your students to become more engaged by creating an immersive digital learning environment.

Schoolwork at home and homework at school” is one of the many definitions of a flipped classroom. Explore the history, styles, and benefits of flipping your classroom, including practical, hands-on ways to create, curate, and differentiate video content. With help from experienced teachers and educational technologists, each participant will identify what elements of their curriculum could be flipped and will have the opportunity to create a ready-to-roll video lesson with ideas for assessment and follow-up activities. We’ll look at the possibilities created by flipping, including time for project-based and mastery learning. Come gain the confidence, tools and skills to flip your curriculum and create a more responsive, active, social, and creative classroom.

Designed with post-program components.

Experts in early grades literacy agree that parental involvement is a key component of early literacy success and future academic achievement. Involving parents and other caregivers in the learning process is an essential part of the challenge of helping children learn to read and continuously improve as readers and writers. Discover best practices for engaging parents in the learning process, including ways they can help their children see the association between the written and the spoken word. Recognizing the importance of support teams for implementing instructional change, teams from the same school are encouraged to apply. Participants will share information with their fellow teachers with the ultimate goal of implementing school wide parent engagement programs.

Educators often find themselves overwhelmed with the constant changes in digital technology and have difficulty utilizing these new tools to modify instruction. Learn how to effectively teach in any digital learning environment, no matter the tool: laptop, tablet, 1:1 technology, or BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology). Discover strategies to engage students and examine ways to maximize classroom space and time. Gain confidence and skill as you seamlessly integrate digital tools into the curriculum. Motivate your students by developing technology-enriched learning experiences.

Designed for elementary teachers.

Navigating 90 minutes of instructional time can be a daunting task. How can teachers most effectively plan the 90-minute literacy block to maximize student engagement and learning? How do we conduct guided reading groups while seamlessly managing literacy workstations that meet the diverse needs of students? How do we effectively design and implement rigorous and relevant literacy instruction while still maintaining a progress monitoring and assessment schedule? Join us as we answer these questions regarding successful implementation of the 90-minute literacy block.

Designed for pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, including teachers of exceptional students.

Educational research and experienced teachers recognize that most school-aged students learn by doing. Teachers who build kinesthetic movement into their instruction report that their students are less disruptive and more engaged. Research supports that physical activity improves memory retention, comprehension, and self-regulation in students of all achievement levels. Learn how you can transform a typical desk-and-chair classroom into an active classroom. Design and create your own movement-enhanced lessons with low-cost materials for use in the differentiated classroom.

Open to teachers in their first, second, or third year of teaching, this program supports motivated beginning teachers by strengthening their knowledge base and classroom expertise. Through experiential learning, teachers will explore pedagogical concerns including differentiated instruction, brain-compatible teaching, assessment, the effect of poverty on achievement and behavior, and classroom management. Come prepared to build professional competence and confidence, improve student achievement, and reinforce your commitment to this critically important profession.

Designed for K–5 educators.

The Excellent Public Schools Act of 2013 has charged teachers with the responsibility of integrating arts education across the curriculum. How can we use this challenge to energize early grades literacy instruction? While most teachers are aware of the research showing that children exposed to visual arts, drama, music, and dance do a better job at mastering content in the non-art subject areas, many feel ill-equipped to bring the power of arts education into reading and writing. Where do the North Carolina educational standards connect and intersect with arts integrated learning? Explore ways to engage students through the arts and discover how the arts can motivate students while building critical skills that support literacy learning and mastery.