Mississippi Valley State University's No Child Left Behind Program is improving teacher quality in the core academic subject of reading in the seven partnering school districts in the Central Delta of Mississippi. This is a scientific research-based institute with activities designed to conduct a NCLB Summer Reading Institute targeting thirty (30) in-service reading teachers. They will be provided with materials and guidance focusing on the best practices in reading, models of effective teaching skills, regular assessment of students' growth in reading, hands on learning activities, and use of technology in the classroom.
The goals of the project are:
- to expand knowledge of reading;
- to improve teaching skills to meet the needs of poor readers;
- to train teachers in the use of assessment to inform instruction;
- to enhance technology skills in reading classroom;
- to reinforce national and state reading standards such as standards from International Reading Association (IRA), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the Mississippi Language Arts Frameworks, and the Mississippi Reading Reform Model;
- to develop an interest in scientific research to be able to make an informed decision on what to teach and how to teach.
This year, the institute was held during the month of June. We had 16 participants and 7 different presenters.
Follow up sessions were held in February and March of 2011. To view a photo gallery of these meetings, click here. (to follow)