Free Resources
Take a peek at the range of practical solutions that Engaging Learners offers!
Teachers, download a valuable activity, reading list, classroom strategy, or teacher tip. All activities can easily be adapted to any classroom model. This is a great way to sample materials from my Hands-On Grammar and Literacy & Learning Centers books. And don’t be surprised if I share a few Science of Reading comprehension strategies, too!
Visit every week and collect them all!
Check out these free Topic-Specific sample resources.
Tip: Depending on your browser settings, these free resources may immediately and automatically download to your device when you click the button. Can’t find it? Check your desktop, downloads, documents, or files folders.
SCIENCE OF READING PODCAST WITH KATIE & JEN
The Science of Reading for Grades 4-12 with Katie & Jen
Welcome to the Science of Reading Podcast for grades 4-12! Your hosts, Dr. Katie McKnight and Dr. Jenny French created this podcast especially for 4th–12th grade teachers, literacy coaches, and school leaders who need information, tools and resources to grow their students’ literacy achievement.
Click here to listen to the series on Spotify.
January 30, 2025
THE LATEST EPISODE!
Inquiring Minds Want to Learn with Erik Francis
September 8, 2024
Reading Comprehension in the Content Areas
June 8, 2024
Building Fluency in Grades 4-12
April 14, 2024
Background Knowledge Means Better Comprehension
March 6, 2024
Building a Successful Summer School Program
January 30, 2024
The Science of Reading for Adolescents
RECENT INTERVIEWS, PRESENTATIONS & WEBINARS
Reading SOS: What About Secondary Students Who Can't Read?
Hosted by Schoolin’ Around | Branching Minds
Presented live on April 2, 2024
In this conversation Larissa Napolitan and Dr. Katherine McKnight discuss the challenges and trends in secondary students' literacy. The conversation includes the importance of higher-level questioning and deep comprehension skills, and highlights the need for a clearly defined literacy plan and professional development for teachers. Takeaways:
Secondary students often struggle with reading comprehension and deep comprehension skills.
A clearly defined literacy plan and professional development are essential for improving literacy instruction in middle school and high school.
Integration of literacy instruction across content areas is crucial for deepening understanding and promoting higher-level thinking.
School leaders should prioritize literacy education and provide the necessary resources and support for teachers.
Click here to listen.
Key Ingredients for Building a Successful Reading Intervention Program
Hosted by ThinkCERCA
Presented live on January 25, 2024 | Build a program that really works! Learn about:
How to take first steps with identifying students through data and assessments
Strategies that work to shift culture and any existing stigma
One school's successful model
Taking next steps
Scheduling, funding, and more!
Presented by:
Katie McKnight, Ph.D., Professor, Teacher, Author, Founder of Engaging Learners
Jenny French, Ed.D., Developer of Foundational Reading & Linguistics at ThinkCERCA
Click here to view a recording. Click here to download hand outs.
ThinkCERCA’s Reading And The Brain Webinar Series
Hosted by ThinkCERCA
View a recording of this two-part webinar series, hosted by ThinkCERCA.
Part 1 (presented live on November 17, 2023) What does the middle and high schooler brain look like as it’s learning to read?
Part 2 (presented live on December 5, 2023) As the adolescent mind builds learning highways through reading, how can we create instructional strategies to engage and foster reading confidence?
Presented by:
Katie McKnight, Ph.D., Professor, Teacher, Author, Founder of Engaging Learners
Jenny French, Ed.D., Developer of Foundational Reading & Linguistics at ThinkCERCA
Click here to view a recording.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A RECORDING
Texas STAAR Redesign: Constructed Response Readiness
Educational Resource Company Short, Short, BIG! Author Series
Led by subject matter experts Alan Sitomer and Dr. Katie McKnight, this webinar provides unique and engaging strategies and resources to help students tackle extended constructed response questions and essays similar to those found on the redesigned STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) tests.
Learn about the deep links between effective reading and writing and discover how the redesign emphasizes this interconnectedness. When students practice writing using evidence from their reading, it isn't just about preparing for exams. It's about molding holistic learners, critical thinkers, and articulate communicators. Katie and Alan share practical strategies to take the ambiguity out of evidence-based reading and writing. Your students will be better prepared for success.
Click here to view a recording.
Closing the Implementation Gap
ThinkCERCA Leadership Institute
Check out the school leadership professional development event. that Eileen Murphy described as “Practical, turnkey resources that actually increase outcomes and engagement AND save teachers time...who could ask for anything more? We love Dr. McKnight and her kitchen-tested recipes for success!”
Presented live on July 24, 2023
Presented by:
Katie McKnight, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Engaging Learners
Click here to view a recording.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A RECORDING
Science of Reading in Grades 6-12
ThinkCERCA’s Boardroom to Classroom Webinar Series
View recordings of this two-part webinar series, hosted by ThinkCERCA.
Part 1 (presented live on April 14, 2023) takes viewers to the Boardroom, offering big-picture topical understanding, theory, and research for leaders and their stakeholder communities.
Part 2 “Do This, Not That” (presented live on May 24, 2023) offers tactical approaches to the same topic at the school-level for principals, coaches, and teachers.
Presented by:
Katie McKnight, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Engaging Learners
Eileen Murphy, Founder and CEO of ThinkCERCA
Click here to view a recording.
RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES
EdWeek Market Report – June 2024
EdWeek Market Report indicates that within the next two years, the “Science of Reading Will Take Hold in Upper Grades.” Engaging Learners’ own Dr. Katie McKnight is quoted on page 26 of the report. Click here to see it.
Read more about the report here and become an EdWeek Market Report member to download their full report.
Confidence Breeds Success, Success Breeds Confidence – Coauthored with Dr. Richard M. Cash. Published December 6, 2021 on the School Rubric website.
Reading: The Foundation for ALL Learning – Published October 18, 2021 on the School Rubric website.
College, Career and “The Test” – Published September 20, 2021 on the School Rubric website.
What Makes Adolescent Reading Different? – Published August 28, 2021 on the School Rubric website.
Creating Literacy Peace: All Text is Important for Developing Readers – Coauthored with LeAnn Nickelsen in the July 2021 issue of InterACT.
DIFFERENTIATED READING LISTS
The Literacy & Learning Center model requires you to divide your students into small groups. Katie recommends that you group students not based on ability, but based on the texts they choose. In other words, each student selects the text that most interests him/her, and is placed in a group with the other students who picked the same text. This doesn’t mean anything goes! The teacher or curriculum director should supply a selection of texts that all address the same basic literary themes, cover the same content, or address the same essential question.
Here are some correlated reading lists for primary grade teachers:
How can you get all these books for your classroom without breaking the bank? We highly recommend Bulk Bookstore for purchasing books! To learn more about Bulk Bookstore or to make a purchase, click here.
FREE RECORDINGS OF ARCHIVED WEBINARS
Coffee with Katie and Richard: Setting Up Your Classroom for Productive Learning
with Katie McKnight and Richard Cash – July 2022
Coffee with Katie and Richard: Making Grade-Level Text Accessible (Grades 4–12)
with Katie McKnight and Richard Cash – May 2022
Literacy & Learning Centers for the Big Kids (4-12)
March 2022
Teens Love to Argue: Teaching Evidence-Based Writing in the Disciplines/Content Areas (Grade 5–12)
with Katie McKnight and Richard Cash – January 2022
Encouraging Critical and Creative Thinking Through Reading, Writing, and Speaking
with Katie McKnight and Richard Cash – September 2021
The Inclusive Literacy Classroom: What Is It Exactly, and How to Build It
March 2021
Steps Toward Standards Skills Based Grading
July 2018
Differentiating Texts to Create Rigor & Relevance for All Readers (Grade 4-12)
September 2017
Growth Mindset and Literacy Achievement
with Katie McKnight and Richard Cash – October 2017
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