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FRA’s 46th
Annual Conference

Shingle Creek Resort
September 4 – 7, 2008

Concurrent Sessions

Here is a listing of the concurrent sessions that will be taking place at the 2008 FRA Conference.

Name Interest Levels Presentation Title Session Description 
Deborah Gallagher and Charmaine Taylor Grades 3 - Middle School "Voices" in African American History This interactive session will provide upper elementary/middle school teachers with ideas for Reader's Theater and other performance reading strategies that can be used to enhance instruction on African American history.
Celeste Burns K - Middle School Bilingual Children's Literature: A Tool to Facilitate Second Language Acquisition Learn to develop and use a bilingual children's literature collection to enhance non-native speakers' language acquisition. Receive a current bibliography in English/Spanish along with suggestions for evaluating materials. 
Debra Vance Noelk Middle School Do You Cheer Because the Book Was Good or Because You Are Done With It? Participants will become acquainted with the current trends in adolescent reading instruction. A handout will be provided that outlines specific classroom procedures for reading novels and for vocabulary instruction. 
John Thompson All Shift Happens: Web 2.0 Applications for Reading Discover a multitude of Web 2.0 computer applications to help you in the classroom, office, and home. Learn about new "read-write" Internet tools that help students create and collaborate.
Wallace Howard Prek - 2  Making Great Readers Want to provide your students with a direct and effective sound-letter connection component? This session provides a developmentally ready, teacher-directed, kinesthetic approach to the sound letter connection.
Karyn Tunks and Rebecca Giles K-2 Making Reading-Writing Connections through Cooperative Chronicles  Building on the work of Sylvia Ashton-Warner, the presenters will demonstrate how to create "cooperative chronicles" to help students make meaningful text. Authoring texts makes learning to read easier for children. 
Cher Gauweiler Middle - High School Putting Back the Arts in Language Arts Learn how to bridge students' interest in the reading curriculum with popular culture. In this interactive session, participants will learn how to infuse drama, art, music, and technology into the classroom.
Rebecca Ellis, Ann Junod, and Carol West K - 5 Marvelous Mitten Magic Makes Comprehension Multiple! Have fun in this workshop that uses Jan Brett's classic story, The Mitten, to combine the strategies of the reciprocal teaching model, concept maps, math skills, writing, and more. 
Mary Linville, Tammy Bresnahan, and Brittany Steele K-5 A Lab School and University Collaborate on Action Research in Literacy This summary of the collaboration between two classrooms and FAU will focus on ways to build vocabulary and comprehension. 
Misty LaCour K-5 Readers Theatre in Your Classroom Readers Theatre is an effective way to teach students fluency and comprehension skills while having fun. Learn how to effectively use Readers Theatre in your classroom. 
Ayala Baum PreK-High School Time to Teach a Reading Lesson. . . Priceless! Learn how to increase academic time and decrease discipline challenges…and find the time to teach a reading lesson!
Barbara Denbow K - High School Improving Fluency to Improve Comprehension: A Response to Intervention (RtI) Challenge  Helping struggling readers understand what they read is a common challenge. Fluency provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Learn three research proven strategies to improve both fluency and comprehension. 
Karen Simmons and Cindy Guinn K-Middle School "Travel" Through Reading Skills with the Bag Ladies' Make-n-Takes Grab your "ticket" and fill your "travel bag" with motivational activities to make your students' reading skills "soar" and test results "fly".
Paul Mullen Grades 3 - High School A Cry for Help and What Must Be Done Differently to Actively Engage Young Readers Every child dreams of greatness. Hear Dr. Mullen's new research and learn to help struggling readers find their inner voice and become more engaged readers through his fictional character, Fuji. 
Kathleen Semanchick, Nikki Rodriguez, and Kathryn Rushe 3 - 5 Knowledge Building Using Literature as a Foundation A transdisciplinary approach to "reading to learn" that incorporates fiction and nonfiction texts is explained. A bibliography of content specific books and recommended standards-based comprehension strategies are shared. 
Valerie Wright and Jane Govoni K - high school Comprehension Connections: Strategies for English Language Learners Using a variety of hands-on activities, participants will walk away with comprehension and vocabulary strategies to use with their English language learners in grades K-12. Handouts and prizes will be given out. 
Candy Waring and Jeanne Langford K - 5 Ten Ways to Build Better Relationships with Reading Discover how a Title 1 school brought community, parents, students, and teachers together through school-wide activities. Learn ten activities to motivate reluctant readers by "building relationships" with books. 
Katia Calejo Middle, High, College, and Adult Using Differentiated Instruction to Increase Student Achievement Learn to use differentiated instruction by modifying one of the four components: content, process, product, and/or environment.
Mary Ann Clark, IRA State Coordinator  All Start an IRA Local Reading Council in your Area! The International Reading Association has 1,250 local reading councils nationwide that offer professional development, literacy and community service projects, leadership opportunities, and collegiality to educators.  Attend this session to gain information on how to start an official IRA local reading council in your area. 
Melanie Guenette Middle School Giving ESOL Students their Ticket to Understanding Expository Text Come join this lively discussion where we will explore research based strategies to help ESOL students understand expository text and construct meaning from it. Participants will receive National Geographic samples.
Margaret Adams K -  5 Simply Summarizing Learn a technique using fiction texts and a graphic organizer to explicitly teach students how to think about and write a summary. Participants will have hands on practice with various level books. 
Becky Bone  3 - 12 Five Feet Tall But Short on Decoding Skills? What do you do with older readers who are still struggling with foundational phonics? Invite them to join the community of readers and build fluency with sounds, words, and connected text. 
Maria Schneider, Lawrence Tihen, and Deborah Tihen K - 12, Coaches, Administrators  Student FCAT and Stanford 10 Achievement as Related to ORF and DIBELS Scores Would you like to know how DIBELS and FORF scores predict FCAT and Stanford 10 scores? We will provide hard data identifying fluency differences that effect student achievement and a free online program to address fluency needs.
Tara Maceyak K-5 Balancing Instruction: A Framework for Understanding Literacy and Language Development in the Elementary Classroom  A systematic method of reading instruction and intensive language development is essential to accelerate ELLs.  This session will explore how to customize curriculum to meet the needs of ELLs.
Jane Wood 3 - middle school Stories of Mystery and Adventure Make Learning Fun Author Jane R. Wood captures young readers' imaginations with mystery, adventure, and humor, while placing her characters in settings that expose students to the history and environment that surround them.
Marianne Berkes PreK - 5 Creative Non-Fiction: A Springboard to Literacy Activities Through the use of her nature-awareness picture books, the author will share ideas that can expand students' reading and writing experiences.
Cynthia Lasky, Katrina Azevedo, and Lauren Cagienello K - 5, College Everything First Year Teachers Wished They Knew About Literacy Instruction Two second year teachers and their university professor will be discussing everything the teachers wished they had learned - from differentiated instruction in literacy to classroom management - before they entered their first classrooms.
Lindy Robertson K - 8 Music and Literacy: A Must in Your Classroom! Learn the research behind music in the classroom through a lively musical presentation. Learn how to energize your literacy instruction for all students. You will leave with practical ideas for creating and implementing musical big books in your classroom.
Emma Winfield and Maria Callis Schneider Middle -  High School  Coaching for Maximum Student Success Learn effective coaching and instructional strategies. Coaches will leave with tips and techniques that will make them even more indispensible than they already are. 
Lynn Brennan Middle -  High School  Using Graphic Novels to Motivate Reluctant Readers and Teach Literary Elements Learn to use graphic novels to motivate, engage, and challenge students while presenting complex ideas such as literary elements and reducing text or reading demands. 
Tales Two Tell - Autumn Garick and Robin Schulte  PreK - 8 Storytelling - You Can Do It! Discover how the dynamic tool, storytelling, can help create life-long learners. Join professional storytellers, Tales Two Tell - Autumn and Robin, and explore a simple step-by-step process to give stories a life of their own.
David Larwa   Middle -  High School  Use of Differentiated Instruction to Help Students Demonstrate Gains in Content Area Achievement Explore practical ideas and methods for planning and teaching lessons so that all students, including English language learners and those with special needs, attain success based on standards. 
Ho-Ryong Park All Using Open Source in Classrooms: Podcasting This presentation offers information about podcasting, which is an open source. The presenter will explain the terms open source and podcasting and teach you how to create a podcast.
Jeanette Russell K - 12, Coaches, Administrators  The Nuts and Bolts of a Classroom Library Quality Classroom libraries are not simply collections of books located in the back corner of the room. This session defines the characteristics and design features that strongly influence whether or not classroom libraries may be used to their full potential to improve students' reading performance.
Linda Askari Blanchfield 2 - 5, College Students, Teacher Trainers Keeping Your Students Engaged: 20 Terrific Time-on-Task Activities This fast paced session will include 20 tried and true activities to keep your students engaged while using your current curriculum. Each conferee will receive a CD of the presentation. 
Edwina Raffa and Annelle Rigsby 3 - 5  Kidnapped in Key West. . . Your Historical Passport to Adventure! Motivate your students to learn language arts, science, and social studies with our new historical novel and teacher's guide. Join us for a thrilling reenactment celebrating Henry Flagler's 1912 completion of the Over-Sea Railroad!
Tammy Ruhl and Vivian McClain All Perkin' Up the Learning This session will provide teachers with novelties that are sure to "perk up" your day as well as your students' day. The end result will be increased collaboration among students and retention of information. 
Shari Valencic-Ursel K - 5 Paleontological Treasures This session will introduce a wealth of paleontological resources that can be integrated into any reading curriculum. Participants will receive free resources…including fossils!
Nance Wilson and Steve Swinburne K - 8 Using Poetry to Read and Write Across the Content Areas This presentation will focus on integrating reading and writing across the content areas. The presentation will address the different perspectives of an author of non-fiction and a classroom teacher. 
Susan Provost K - 5 Partner Reading - Students Pairing Up for Success Participants will explore research surrounding the impact of partner reading and the classroom and will engage in activities that they can apply to their classrooms the very next day!
Rick DuVall K - 5  Fluency: Teaching the Rhythm of Reading Reading fluency is the ability to read accurately, automatically, with meaningful expression, and with solid comprehension. Participants will experience practical applications of scientifically-based instructional strategies for improving fluency. 
Joan Cannon-Dicks and Deborah Owen Middle - High School Camouflage or Sabotage: In-Active Reading and the Alliterate Student How to identify and annul reading-avoidance and self-handicapping behaviors to improve student motivation, student self-efficacy, and over-all classroom management. 
Ijya Tullos Grades 3 - 12 Developing Vocabulary in the Sciences Through Hands-On Experiences Through hands-on experiments, participants will experience activities that lead them to construct concepts and formulate statements in the areas of physics, chemistry, earth and life sciences. 
June Weltman Grades 3 - 12 Kids' Mysteries: Pushing New Edges Readers at all levels love mystery, suspense, and clever young detectives. Today's books are pushing new edges. This sessions delves Edgar and Agatha award nominated books for clues into trends in content, style, and settings. Handouts will be provided.
Harriet Brady and Lara Deason K - 8 R.E.A.L. Teachers: Real Effective Application of Literature If you would like  ready-to-use lessons incorporating high interest children's literature for teaching reading strategies, this session is for you. Participants will receive a CD of strategy/skill lessons for immediate implementation.
Cindy Lok PreK -  5 How to "Sell" Reading from a Marketing Point of View Find out how to "sell" reading to your students to grab their attention and create lifelong readers. The easy-to-implement marketing strategies you will learn include product placement, freedom of choice, and using book accessories. 
Kavin Ming and Charles Dukes K - 5 A Practical Approach to the Integration of Fluency in the Inclusive Classroom The presenters will discuss the significance of reading instruction in inclusive classrooms, explain what fluency is and why it is important, and describe eight practices for developing fluency through empirically supported approaches. 
Valerie Wright and Candace Roberts    Middle - High School Using Adolescent Literature as a Springboard to Literacy Using a variety of hands-on activities, participants will explore different ways of using Young Adult literature to increase comprehension and vocabulary development, as well as making connections between the text and the reader.
Iris Borghese, Martha Soto, and Melinda Herrera K - 5  Effective Coaching Strategies to Make a Difference: Building Capacity Utilizing Para-Professionals to Support Literacy This session highlights a professional development program designed to train para-professional educators to effectively build capacity in literacy teaching and learning. 
Beckie Fulcher and Karen Odom High School Engaging the "Bored and Restless" This interactive workshop offers a plethora of activities to engage and motivate adolescents to become better readers. Unconventional methods will motivate teachers to address students' differential instructional needs and standards. 
Ruth Sylvester and Rita Meadows K - 2  Making Centers a Hit with Children's Lit This engaging workshops offers ideas for preparing literacy centers that primary age students can work at independently. Requiring minimal preparation from teachers, the centers uniquely attend to literacy skills within the context of children's books. 
Anna Beard PreK - 2 Literacy is Priceless Learn about FreeReading, an "open source" instructional program that uses technology and helps educators teach early literacy. Because it is an open source, it represents the collective wisdom of a wide community of teachers and researchers. 
Lisa Repasky, Jeanne Schumm, Yvonne Perry, and Maryann Tatum K - College Meta Analysis 101: Making Sense of Research-Based Practices in Reading Instruction Get practical suggestions for making sense of the research literature with particular emphasis on major research syntheses.
Susan Provost K - 5 Fluency: The Bridge to Comprehension Participants in this session will learn the impact of poor fluency on comprehension and will experience several strategies that can be replicated in the classroom immediately. 
Anita Rodgers and Bonnie Goonen