The goal of the Literacy First Trainer of Trainers Model is to enable larger school districts (20,000 students and above) to scale the Literacy First Process to their needs and give them the ability to create a long-term solution to promote accelerated reading achievement in all students. The model develops the capacity of district personnel (Instructional Specialists) to become internal consultants and change agents. The end result of this Trainer of Trainer process is students achieving beyond expectations.
Each component of this reading reform process is based on scientifically rigorous and longitudinal research in the areas of leadership, change process, assessment/data analysis, reading curriculum, systematic/explicit instruction, use of resources (specifically personnel and time), intervention processes, and professional development.
View the Trainer of Trainer model appropriate for your needs:
Elementary Trainer of Trainers
(for districts of 20,000+ students)
The purpose of the Elementary Trainer of Trainers (TOT) is to build the internal capacity of the district to train teachers and instructional leaders to ensure that students are reading on grade level by the time they complete elementary school. The TOT model produces a cadre of district reading experts that are trained to enhance teachers’ skills in providing systematic and explicit reading instruction. The District Reading Coaches (DRC) also monitor the progress of full implementation and provide reinforcement and assistance to school teams.
The Elementary TOT creates a local team of very knowledgeable and skilled professionals who know reading curriculum, systematic and explicit instruction, strategies for effective change, and instructional leadership. This allows the district to save money over time by creating internal resources to maintain and support quality reading instruction.
The District Reading Coaches play a major role in the goal of significantly accelerating achievement for ALL students.
Summary of Services
The Professional Development Institute (PDI) will provide the following services and materials:
- 8 days of Systematic, Explicit Reading Instruction training to enable District Reading Coaches to present quality professional development to teachers in the district
- 8 days of Presentation and Consulting Skills training to strengthen the presentation skills of the District Reading Coaches (DRC) for the staff development programs. Most importantly, this training will provide the DRCs with a comprehensive understanding of the change process and will refine their coaching/consulting skills. All of these are necessary to ensure effective implementation of the reading process.
Each District Reading Coach (DRC) will receive 5 coaching/consulting days per year for two years plus unlimited phone and e-mail consultation. These “over-the-shoulder” days, delivered at the DRC’s worksite, ensure that each DRC internalizes the content presented during training sessions. In addition, each DRC will learn how to customize the reading process to meet the specific needs of the school site with which she/he is working.
The district will receive the rights to the following to be used in the Systematic, Explicit Reading Instruction training presented by the DRC:
- 4 year Copyright License to duplicate participant notebooks for teacher training
- 4 year Copyright License to duplicate instructor notes for DRC
- 4 year Copyright License to duplicate instructor color transparencies or Power Point slides used in training
- set of training videos for each DRC to be used during teacher training
- district discount of 15% off retail price for any teacher resource books used in the training. This discount applies to those books purchased by PDI from national publishers.
District Responsibilities
A critical element in the success of the PDI Elementary Trainer of Trainers model is the quality of support expected from district administrators and building principals. The ultimate outcome of this reading reform initiative is dependent, in large part, to the enhancement and restructuring of the knowledge and skills of district and school site leaders as they support, coach, and monitor implementation of the Trainer of Trainers model. Teachers’ consistent use of data-driven, systematic and explicit instruction delivered at each student’s point of need accelerates reading achievement for ALL students.
Secondary Trainer of Trainers
(districts of 20,000 + students)
Goal — to significantly increase the achievement of students, reading no more than two grades below level, in all content area classes.
How in the goal accomplished?
The secondary Trainer of Trainers model (TOT) offers the rare opportunity to build internal capacity by selecting district and/or school site trainers (Secondary Instructional Specialists — SISs) to deliver Systematic, Explicit Content Area Instructional Process training. The Professional Development Institute (PDI) provides expert training to support the selected SISs in their acquisition of a broad range of skills, tools, strategies, and techniques necessary to equip classroom teachers in the interactive delivery of content specific knowledge. The result is that ALL students develop enhanced ability to understand and apply course content.
Secondary administrators/team members and teachers attend the school-based staff development presented by a local, trained Secondary Instructional Specialist (SIS). The five days of intense Systematic Content Area Instructional Process training for administrators and teachers provide a common set of instructional vocabulary, skills, and tools to be implemented by all trained teachers in supporting enhanced comprehension of content knowledge. The result is enhanced performance on classroom assessments and “high stakes” state tests.
Summary of Services
The Professional Development Institute (PDI) will provide the following services and materials:
- 8 days of Systematic, Explicit Content Area Instructional Process training to enable Secondary Instructional Specialists (SIS) to train content area teachers in the district
- 8 days of Presentation and Consulting Skills training to strengthen the presentation skills of the Secondary Instructional Specialists (SIS) for the staff development at school sites. Most importantly, this training will provide the SISs with a comprehensive understanding of the change process and will refine their coaching/consulting skills. All of these are necessary to ensure effective implementation of the Systematic, Explicit Content Area Instructional Process training model.
- 6 days of coaching/consulting training per year for two years for each Secondary Instructional Specialist (SIS) plus unlimited phone and e-mail consultation. These “over-the-shoulder” coaching/consulting days, delivered at the SIS’s worksite, ensure that each SIS internalizes the content presented during training sessions. In addition, the SIS will learn how to customize the coaching process to meet the specific needs of the school site(s) with which she/he works.
The district will receive the rights to the following to be used in the Systematic, Explicit Content Area Instructional Process training presented by the SIS:
- 4 year Copyright License to duplicate participant notebooks for teacher training
- 4 year Copyright License to duplicate instructor notes for SISs
- 4 year Copyright License to duplicate instructor color transparencies or Power Point slides used in training
- set of training videos for each SIS to use during teacher training
- district discount of 15% off retail price for any teacher resource books used in the training. This discount applies to those books purchased by PDI from national publishers.
District Responsibilities
A critical element in the success of the PDI Secondary Trainer of Trainers model is the quality of support expected from district administrators and building principals. The ultimate outcome of this Systematic, Explicit Content Area Instructional Process training initiative is dependent, in large part, on the knowledge and skills of district and school site leaders as they observe, support, and monitor implementation of the Secondary Trainer of Trainers model. Teachers’ interactive and consistent use of systematic and explicit instruction of course content accelerates learning for all students.