Professional Learning
The Arizona Department of Education’s English Language Arts team provides a variety of professional learning opportunities across the K-12 space.
ON-DEMAND KNOWLEDGE BLOCKS
The Arizona Department of Education’s English Language Arts team has created the Arizona Reading Fundamentals OnDemand Academy. This academy offers schools a variety of free knowledge blocks on demand.
Schools are encouraged to utilize these resources as a part of a comprehensive professional learning plan that is data-driven, sustained, intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, and instructionally focused. Each participant will need to register for each knowledge block separately. Once registered, a link to our Blackboard LMS will be available in your APLD-registered courses.
Successful completion of this course fulfills the requirements for the K-5 Literacy Endorsement and is provided free to you by the ADE ELA team. For more information on the literacy endorsement, other approved trainings, and assessment information, visit our webpage.
| Pathways to Proficient Reading |
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Pathways to Proficient Reading with Pathways to Structured Literacy, K-5 90 Clock Hours
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Registration is currently closed but will reopen in mid-July |
These Systemic Reading Fundamentals Knowledge blocks are available for registration and participation throughout the year. These knowledge blocks do not fulfill the K-5 literacy endorsement or Dyslexia Training Designee requirements.
| Knowledge blocks | Button to Register |
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Elementary Multi-Tiered System of Support Companion text: Fundamentals of Literacy Instruction & Assessment, PreK-6, Second Edition Edited by Martha C. Hougen, Ph. D., & Susan M. Smartt, Ph.D. Current edition, Second Edition, 2020. Order your text today! | Registration |
Evidence-based Decision Making Companion text: Fundamentals of Literacy Instruction & Assessment, PreK-6, Second Edition Edited by Martha C. Hougen, Ph. D., & Susan M. Smartt, Ph.D. Current edition, Second Edition, 2020. Order your text today! | Registration |
Science of Teaching and Reading Companion text: Fundamentals of Literacy Instruction & Assessment, PreK-6, Second Edition Edited by Martha C. Hougen, Ph. D., & Susan M. Smartt, Ph.D. Current edition, Second Edition, 2020. Order your text today! and The Reading League Free Download (or) Bound book: Science of Reading: Defining Guide | Registration |
These Secondary Reading Fundamentals Knowledge blocks are available for registration and participation throughout the year. These knowledge blocks do not fulfill the K-5 literacy endorsement or Dyslexia Training Designee requirements.
| Knowledge Blocks | Button to Register |
|---|---|
Secondary Multi-Tiered System of Support Companion text: Fundamentals of Literacy Instruction & Assessment, Grades 6-12, by Martha C. Hougen, Ph. D. Order your text today! | Registration |
Disciplinary Literacy in Secondary Companion text: Disciplinary Literacy Inquiry and Instruction, by Jacy Ippolito, Christina L. Dobbs, and Megin Charner-Laird. | Registration coming soon |
These Dyslexia Reading Fundamentals Knowledge blocks are available for registration and participation throughout the year. This knowledge block does not fulfill the K-5 literacy endorsement requirements.
**Important Note: As part of A.R.S. § 15-211, every school must have at least one teacher who has training related to dyslexia. To fulfill this requirement, teachers must complete an approved course that fulfills three criteria. One of the required sections is "Understanding and Recognizing Dyslexia." The ELA team at the Arizona Department of Education has created a free course to give a more cost-efficient option. It is available as part of the Arizona Reading Fundamentals OnDemand Academy.
| Knowledge Blocks | |
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Understanding and Recognizing Dyslexia Companion text: Conquering Dyslexia: A Guide to Early Detection and Intervention for Teachers and Families, Professional Development Book, by Jan Hasbrouck. Order your text today! | Registration |
ELA TEAM PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Make it a summer of literacy learning!
K-12 Literacy Office Hours
Join the ADE ELA Team and literacy leaders from around the state for an opportunity to collaborate, share, and learn about reading and literacy information. This year, you don't have to register in advance. Just click the picture to the left to join the Microsoft Teams meeting every 2nd Thursday of the month at 11 AM MST. Visit the Padlet for more information!
Upcoming Office Hours:
March 13, 2025
April 10, 2025
May 8, 2025
Come join us for our current professional learning book studies!
Spring 2025 Book Studies
Overcoming Dyslexia, The Writing Rope, Thinking Reading, Literacy Intervention
General Info for our book studies:
- Virtual book chats take place via Zoom.
- All participants must register in the APLD system to receive credit; each session is offered individually.
- All participants who register in APLD, read their chapter(s), and attend the book study will be given 2-hours of PD credit.
- Please share with your colleagues!
Use the search term "book study" to narrow down your search.
Previous Book Studies:
- All Secondary ELA book study Padlets can be found on the Secondary ELA webpage under the "Secondary ELA Book Study" blue bar
- Literacy Foundations for English Learners Padlet
- Science of Reading Instruction for English Language Learners Padlet
- Building the Highway from Phonological Awareness to Decoding Padlet
- The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades Padlet
- Speech to Print Book Study
Note: Book studies do not qualify toward hours for the Dyslexia Training Designee or K-5 Literacy Endorsement.
All ELA Professional Learning
For all current ELA and literacy-related professional learning opportunities, including K-12 Literacy Office Hours, book studies, webinars, and OnDemand Academies, use the search term "K12-AS-ELA."
district pd requests for school year 2025-2026:
Lexia LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) is comprehensive professional learning that provides educators and administrators with a deep knowledge of language and literacy aligned with the science of reading. Participants learn the skills needed for foundational and fundamental reading and writing instruction. LETRS was developed by Dr. Louisa Moats and other leaders in the field of literacy. To learn more about LETRS professional learning, please visit https://www.lexialearning.com/arizona-letrs.
If you and/or your district/charter are interested in receiving this training, please email [email protected] (please give a few weeks as the volume of requests is high). Please note that not all those who request spots will be able to be accommodated.
The Arizona Department of Education English Language Arts team will be back on the road with the Arizona Literacy Road Show this June! Join us at a location near you!
About the event: This day-long, in-person FREE professional learning experience (valued at over $200 per person) will be a deeper dive into the application of the science of reading and structured literacy. The opening session will focus on the who, what, how, and why of the science of reading. The breakout sessions will demonstrate how to effectively use assessment and diagnostic data to implement evidence-based Tier 1 literacy instruction for all K-12 students. Participants will attend the opening session and then break out into K-2, 3-5, Secondary, or Administration session tracks.
Registration begins at 8:30 AM on your selected day, and the event goes from 9 AM to 3:30 PM. Lunch will be on your own.
Audience: K-12 teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches, interventionists, administrators, support staff
Registration: Participants must register for the event in the ADE APLD. Participation is capped at 150 participants. All participants who register in APLD and attend the Arizona Literacy Road Show will receive an attendance certificate in APLD displaying 5 clock hours. Specific location information and address will be emailed to participants.
Contact Information: For additional information about the Arizona Literacy Road Show, please contact Karen Ten Napel at [email protected]
Dates/Locations: (click your selected location to go to the registration for it)
Please share this flyer with your colleagues! Everyone is welcome!
| Arizona Literacy Road Show 2024 | Arizona Literacy Road Show 2023 |
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| Testimonials 2023 |
What our participants had to say in 2024 |
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| Jennifer says... This professional learning event always helps me. I participated in last year's AZ Virtual Literacy Road Show. I learn so much with the resources (books) that we receive, the knowledge that each presenter has and all the slides full of information and examples that we able to use in the classroom. |
| Paula Says... I liked how all the instructors were kind and informative. They seemed genuinely interested in us and wanted us to get the best out of the PD. I also appreciated how generous they were with the texts. |
| Kaylee Says... Very informative enjoyed it all!!! The instructors were phenomenal, helpful and very informative. Thank you! Thank you! Thank! |
| Kristen Says... Great refreshers and was very helpful linking the Science of Reading and MTSS information with Arizona state statutes and requirements. Helped more with why we do things the way we do. |
What our participants had to say in 2023 |
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| Deidra says... Loved the speakers. The topics, and the books. I feel very well taken care of from ADE and feel they are really trying to help teachers with best practices! |
| Lynnda Says... Breaouts were great. Books are fantastic resources & I could not have afforded to buy them all myself - nor would I have known which ones to choose! And the opportunity to connect with others who care about kids becoming good readers is always welcome. |
| Meagan Says... I learned so much about connecting the research to reading and instruction; I am so thankful for the information I am taking away from this session and the importance of using assessments to group and administer interventions. |
Our Event Management System (EMS) has been upgraded to a new system called ADE Professional Learning and Development (APLD). The old Event Management System is available as read-only; you will not be able to register for courses. All of your previous certificates are available in the new Event Management System. APLD - Academic Standards
Support - For questions regarding registration, certificates, accessing courses, etc., please refer to our APLD FAQ page
Other PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
ECE Professional Learning Opportunities - The Arizona Department of Education Early Childhood Education (ECE) division offers a comprehensive list of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (on-demand) professional learning opportunities.
Professional Learning for Instructional Leaders and Educators of ELs - The Office of English Language Acquisition Services (OELAS) division offers a variety of self-paced courses, conferences, and meetings.
Exceptional Student Services Literacy Professional Learning - The Professional Learning and Sustainability team at the Arizona Department of Education's Exceptional Student Services division offers a variety of literacy professional learning opportunities.
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**The views and opinions expressed in any third-party resource do not necessarily reflect those of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and do not imply an endorsement by ADE.
