events

Monday, April 7, 2025, 1/2-day professional development workshop for the Maine Department of Education (Wells Conference Center, Orono, Maine). Background knowledge plays a vital role in literacy and reading comprehension. But just how important background knowledge really is – is just now coming into focus as we learn more about how the brain processes and makes sense of information. A 2020 study on literacy and reading comprehension published in Reading Psychology determined that preexisting knowledge is “foundational to increasing competency in reading” And that the more commonly employed reading comprehension strategies of “determining the main idea, inferring, and locating information as the prime focus of reading instruction” to be less helpful to students.  Author and educator, Josie Cameron will lead us on an exploration of the role of background information in making meaning of text. We will work with evidence-based research and the speaker’s own work and engage with writing, revision, and reflection. In-person participants will receive a copy of Cameron’s book “Not All Heroes.” Seating is limited, online streaming available. Follow up sessions and support available. Participants may earn up to seven (7) credit hours. To register for this event, please use this registration link.