Professional Development Services

Maximizing Attention & Cognitive Engagement

Every moment of classroom time is precious—and yet students’ attention is one of the scarcest resources teachers manage. This professional learning session equips educators with evidence-based strategies to capture and sustain attention, reduce cognitive overload, and foster meaningful engagement with content.
 

Grounded in the science of learning, participants will:

• Explore why attention is the gatekeeper of memory and learning.

• Practice concrete techniques that safeguard students’ cognitive resources and maximize participation (e.g., efficient transitions, active monitoring, and high-leverage routines like Signal–Pause–Insist).

• Analyze classroom video to see how these practices play out in real time and reflect on their own next steps.

By the end of the session, educators leave with clear “look-fors” and actionable routines that not only improve classroom management, but also create the conditions for deeper thinking and long-term learning.

The Learning Blueprint: Evidence-Based Practices for Engagement & Memory

This session translates the latest research on memory, attention, and language into concrete classroom routines. Educators will explore how to integrate retrieval practice, deliberate vocabulary instruction, explicit teaching, and purposeful scaffolds that make learning accessible to all students. Active participation techniques maximize engagement across content areas, and participants leave with a clear set of “look-fors” that ensure students are not only on task but also deeply learning.

​

Participants will:

• Understand how insights from the science of learning illuminate the role of attention, memory, and language in student success.

• Apply retrieval practice routines that strengthen long-term retention and deepen understanding.

• Integrate explicit vocabulary instruction that equips students to understand, use, and retain academic language. 

• Implement active participation strategies (e.g., Cold Call, Think-Pair-Share, Show-Me Boards) to maximize engagement.

• Use look-fors to identify and replicate high-leverage practices that drive real learning.

• Analyze classroom video to see how these practices play out in real time and reflect on their own next steps.

Science of Reading: From Research to Practice

The Science of Reading (SoR) is a vast body of interdisciplinary research that explains how skilled reading develops. While its popularity has surged, misconceptions and half-truths often cloud its application in schools, leading to suboptimal literacy instruction. This session bridges the gap between research and classroom practice, helping educators understand the core findings of reading science and apply them in ways that improve outcomes for all students—including Multilingual Learners.

Participants will:

• Develop a clear understanding of the cognitive processes underlying skilled reading.

• Identify and avoid common myths and misconceptions about the Science of Reading.

• Translate research into practical instructional practices that support reading and writing development.

• Apply SoR principles to meet the needs of Multilingual Learners.

• Leave with tools and strategies to strengthen literacy instruction in any setting.

Academic Language for Deeper Learning

This session helps educators unlock the powerful connection between language and content knowledge. Grounded in educational psychology and functional linguistics, the training provides a practical framework for teaching the academic language of history, math, science, and language arts. Participants learn explicit strategies and scaffolds that build students’ content understanding, strengthen their writing, and ensure access to rigorous learning.

​

Participants will:

• Understand how language and content knowledge are intertwined in every subject.

• Apply a practical framework for designing instruction that prioritizes academic language development.

• Use explicit strategies and scaffolds to make complex ideas accessible and support all learners.

• Strengthen students’ writing abilities through a clear, systematic approach.

• Adapt all strategies to any grade level and content area.

Principles and Practices for Supporting Multilingual Learners

Over 10% of K–12 students in the U.S. are Multilingual Learners, and that number continues to grow. Educators today must ensure students develop both content knowledge and academic English in order to thrive. This session translates key findings from the field of second language acquisition into practical strategies that teachers can implement across grade levels and subject areas. Participants will leave with evidence-based tools to accelerate growth in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, while ensuring full access to rigorous learning.

​

Participants will:

• Understand core principles of second language acquisition that inform effective instruction.

• Apply practical tools and strategies to support listening, speaking, reading, and writing development.

• Learn how to design lessons that balance content learning and academic English growth.

• Explore approaches to assessment and progress monitoring that reflect students’ language development.

• Strengthen instructional practices that ensure meaningful opportunities for Multilingual Learners.

Programmatic Support Across Languages & Content Areas

Effective programs don’t happen by chance—they are the result of strategic planning, aligned systems, and intentional instructional design. This service provides districts with programmatic support across content areas—including Language Arts, Math, and Dual Language—to strengthen teaching and learning at scale.

​

District leaders and instructional teams receive coaching and partnership in key areas such as:

• Vision and goal mapping that aligns programs with district priorities.

• Curriculum design and alignment to ensure coherence across grade levels and subjects.

• Research-based instructional methods tailored to content-area needs.

• Staffing, scheduling, and language allocation (for multilingual and dual language contexts).

• Assessment and accountability systems that measure growth and achievement.

• Family and community engagement strategies that build long-term investment.

Support is fully customizable and designed to help districts build sustainable systems that elevate student outcomes in every classroom.