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Literacy Squared is a proven research-based biliteracy instructional framework

Important Details

1.) Please note that space is limited for all workshops! Only after registering and submitting your payment is your space confirmed.
2.) Registrations must be received by 1 calendar week before the event date. We recommend registering as early as possible.
3.) Because Literacy Squared is a research-based and research-tested framework, we believe it is important for participants to understand the theoretical base that informs the strategies. Therefore, courses indicating a "prerequisite" require participants to first take the Theoretical Foundations of Literacy Squared course.
4.) Please note, any course without a sufficient number of participants will be canceled 5 business days prior to the course and all registration costs will be refunded. We appreciate your understanding!

Please send all questions about professional development to Jody.Slavick@Colorado.edu.

Professional Development Workshops (via Zoom)

  Title Dates/Times Prerequisite? Cost    
Trajectories Towards Biliteracy Workshop 4 Session Workshop:
September 12, 2024
October 17, 2024
December 12, 2024
February 20, 2025
No     $1000 per person
Theoretical Foundations of Literacy Squared 1 Session Workshop
July 30, 2024 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM MST
No   $400 per person  
Cross Language Connections: Planning for Paired Literacy and the Así se dice Strategy 1 Session Workshop
July 31, 2024 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM MST
Yes - "Theoretical Foundations" or prior PD with the Literacy Squared team   $400 per person  
Introduction to Oracy and the Lotta Lara Strategy Within the Literacy Squared Framework 1 Session Workshop. Choose a date:
additional dates coming soon
Yes - "Theoretical Foundations" or prior PD with the Literacy Squared team   $400 per person
Introduction to theDictado Strategy 1 Session Workshop. Choose a date:
additional dates coming soon
Yes - "Theoretical Foundations" or prior PD with the Literacy Squared team   $400 per person


Session Descriptions

Lit2 101: Theoretical Foundations of Literacy Squared®

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Teachers and instructional leaders in K-5 bilingual/dual language programs who are new to the Literacy Squared Framework.
*NOTE: The Literacy Squared@ model is based upon research conducted with students who come from Spanish-speaking homes and attend K-5 one-way bilingual/dual language programs in the U.S.. However, many educators who serve students with different linguistic profiles or in different dual language programs have found great benefit in learning about and implementing the model in their own settings.
Session Description: Literacy Squared® is a research-based and research-tested comprehensive biliteracy model that is designed to accelerate the development of biliteracy in Spanish-English speaking children attending schools in the U.S. This session will provide participants with the theoretical foundations of Literacy Squared®. We will discuss the research related to bilingualism and biliteracy and how this informs the Literacy Squared Holistic Biliteracy Framework. We will provide an introduction to biliterate trajectories and how they can inform programming and instruction. Participants will walk away with an orientation towards instruction that honors and leverages bilingual students’ holistic linguistic repertoires. This session serves as a prerequisite for Lit2 201, Lit2 301 and Lit2 401.

Lit2 201: Introduction to Oracy and the Lotta Lara Strategy Within the Literacy Squared® Framework

Prerequisite: Lit2 101: Theoretical Foundations of Literacy Squared®
Audience: Teachers and instructional leaders in K-5 bilingual/dual language programs.
Session Description: Oracy is one of the four essential components of the Literacy Squared Holistic Biliteracy Framework. Planned and explicit oracy instruction is imperative in a paired literacy program in both Spanish and English environments. In this session, we will discuss the different components of oracy instruction (vocabulary, language structures, and dialogue) and how to effectively plan for explicit oracy instruction. We will then introduce participants to the Lotta Lara strategy - a repeated reading strategy that develops students’ fluency, comprehension and oracy skills.

Lit2 301: Introduction to theDictado Strategy

Prerequisite: Lit2 101: Theoretical Foundations of Literacy Squared®
Audience: Teachers and instructional leaders in K-5 bilingual/dual language programs.
Session Description: theDictado is an original Literacy Squared® strategy that integrates aspects of reading, writing and metalanguage. The Literacy Squared dictado strategy has borrowed from dictation strategies commonly found in Latin American and Mexican classrooms and adapted them to create a strategy unique for U.S. Spanish-English speaking students in bilingual classrooms. In this session, participants will learn the procedures for giving and taking theDictado, as well as basic guidelines behind creating quality dictados.

Lit2 401: Cross Language Connections: Planning for Paired Literacy and the Así se dice Strategy

Prerequisite: Lit2 101: Theoretical Foundations of Literacy Squared®
Audience: Teachers and instructional leaders in K-5 bilingual/dual language programs.
Session Description: Cross Language Connections are integral in the Literacy Squared Holistic Biliteracy Framework. In this session, we will discuss the importance of developing metalinguistic awareness within and across languages. We will provide an introduction of the ways to connect the Spanish and English language environments through paired literacy unit planning. Participants will then learn about the Así se dice strategy, which is designed to develop students’ metalinguistic awareness.

Lit2 601: Trajectories Towards Biliteracy Workshop

Prerequisite: Yes - Application Process
Audience: Program Administrators, Data Specialists, Instructional Leaders (coordinators, coaches, etc.) who have had previous training in Literacy Squared and the biliterate reading trajectories. We encourage the participation of district/school teams of at least 2-4 people.
Session Description: An interactive 4-session workshop designed to support school/district teams in building a trajectory towards biliteracy in reading. Participants will build on foundational knowledge about biliterate reading trajectories as presented and researched by Literacy Squared®. We will support teams in collecting and organizing their Spanish and English reading data in order to begin creating a biliterate reading trajectory specific to the students in their bilingual/dual language programs.


Contact us
Request for Professional Development

Are you interested in bringing Literacy Squared to your school or district? We are currently receiving inquiries for the 2023-2024 school year.

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