2025 All Systems Go: A Teaching and Learning Conference: Full Schedule

9:00am CDT

K-2 Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom

Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

The six shifts in bringing the science of reading into a balanced literacy classroom work together in a way that enhances their overall effectiveness. When implemented collectively, they create a stronger, research-based foundation for literacy instruction. The six shifts together bridge the gap between balanced literacy and structured literacy, ensuring students receive both engaging reading experiences and the explicit instruction they need to become proficient readers.

Speakers

Lindsay Carrier

Instructional Content Specialist-HQIM/OER, ESC Region 11

My name is Lindsay Carrier, and I serve as an Instructional Content Specialist for HQIM/OER at ESC Region 11. With 23 years of experience in education, I have taught 1st–3rd grades, worked as an interventionist, literacy coach, and reading specialist, and served as a district curriculum... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Innovate B

Literacy

10:00am CDT

Fostering Critical & Creative Thinking Through Children's Literature

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Innovate B

In this dynamic session, educators will gain an understanding of the importance of fostering critical and creative thinking skills and how children's literature can be a powerful tool in this process. The session will cover a variety of engaging books and activities that encourage reflective thinking, problem-solving, and creativity among students. Educators will have the opportunity to reflect on how to adapt and apply these strategies in their own classrooms, ensuring they can effectively support students in becoming thoughtful, independent learners.

Link to Presenter’s Agenda DRAFT
Link to Slides DRAFT

Speakers

Cindy Garcia

ESC Region 11 GT/Advanced Academics Instructional Specialist, Education Service Center Region 11

Cindy Garcia is an ESC Region 11 GT/Advanced Academics Instructional Specialist with 25 years of experience in education. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and an M.Ed. in Gifted Education, with certifications in Elementary Education, 4-8 ELAR, Gifted and Talented, and ESL... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Innovate B

Literacy

global Y

10:00am CDT

Video Self-Monitoring to Support Reading Fluency and Comprehension

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Create A

Looking for ways to support students' needs and close the achievement gap, school districts have developed systems to monitor student academic progress and provide extra support to assess, monitor, and facilitate interventions that can meet the students where they are, and build on their knowledge and facilitate skills development. Due to the individual needs, and students' learning styles, differentiated learning and strategies should be implemented to facilitate students abilities and support their learning needs. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), provides guidelines when it comes to monitor interventions and facilitates differentiated support for students. With more students in need of Tier 2 and Tier 3 instruction, the need for strategies that can facilitate learning, minimize distractions, facilitate student engagement, and maximize instructional time are needed to provide that support that students need. With these in mind the following research questions have been developed.

Speakers

Marisol Anguita

Doctoral Student / Administrator Elementary School, University of North Texas, Denton / Lewisville ISD

Elementary school administrator and doctoral student in the field of Educational Psychology, Special Education with a focus of learning disabilities and autism at University of North Texas. 28 years of experience as an PK-5th educator , for the last 5 years I've been collaborating... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Create A

Literacy

global Y

11:00am CDT

Responsive Phonics Instruction for All Learners

Tuesday June 24, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Engage D

Participants will learn effective strategies and practical techniques for implementing responsive phonics instruction that scaffolds and enriches grade-level content, ensuring access and value for all learners.

Speakers

Tanya Kellerman

Science of Teaching Reading Implementation Specialist, ESC Region 11

Tanya Kellerman, M.Ed., is a dedicated Science of Teaching Reading Implementation Specialist with extensive experience in education. She has served as a Cohort Leader for the Texas Reading Academies, guiding educators in enhancing their literacy instruction. Tanya's expertise encompasses... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Engage D

Literacy

11:00am CDT

Sparking Curiosity: Engaging Elementary Students in the Art of Inference

Tuesday June 24, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Engage B

Welcome to an engaging professional development session designed to equip educators with creative strategies for teaching the concept of inference to elementary students. Inspired by the groundbreaking work of Tanny McGregor, we will delve into various innovative methods to facilitate students' shift from concrete to abstract thinking. This interactive session will feature collaborative activities aimed at fostering creativity and critical thinking while tackling the challenging skill of inference.

Join us in transforming our approach to teaching inference!

Speakers

Leigh Anne Frazier

Unlocking Learning: The Power of Metacognition, ESC Region 11

Leigh Anne has been in education for more than 30 years as a bilingual teacher, coach, and specialist. She was raised in Guatemala and considers herself a third-culture human being. She has a passion for ensuring students are academically successful while developing and nurturing... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Engage B

Literacy

11:00am CDT

Unlocking Literacy: Multi-Component Phonics Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals

Tuesday June 24, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Collaborate A

Unlock the full potential of emergent bilingual students during phonics instruction by leveraging phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and crosslinguistic connections. This session will provide practical strategies to enhance decoding and meaning-making while honoring students’ linguistic resources. Teachers will explore ways to make phonics instruction more accessible, engaging, and effective for multilingual learners.

Speakers

Paola Pineda

Early Elementary Instructional Coach High-Quality Instructional Materials Specialist, ESC Region 11

Paola Pineda is an Instructional Content Specialist at ESC Region 11 with over 16 years of experience enhancing educational outcomes for all students, including emergent bilingual learners. She has previously served as an English and Spanish Reading Academies Cohort Leader, District... Read More →

Esmeralda Orozco

Reading Academies Cohort Leader, ESC Region 11

Esmeralda Orozco serves as a Cohort Leader in the Reading Academy at ESC Region 11, bringing a strong background in bilingual education and early literacy. She holds a master’s degree in Bilingual Education and various certifications that support her work with educators. She integrates... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Collaborate A

Literacy

1:15pm CDT

"Decodable Texts: Key Tools for Reading Success"

Tuesday June 24, 2025 1:15pm - 2:05pm CDT

Collaborate A

This professional development session delves into the critical role of decodable text in teaching early reading skills, based on the principles of the Science of Reading. Educators will learn why decodable text is essential for beginning readers and gain practical strategies for effectively incorporating decodable text into their reading instruction.

Speakers

Jessica Bravo Malagón

Presenter, ESC11

Jessica Bravo Malagón is a Reading Academies Cohort Leader at ESC Region 11, dedicated to supporting educators in implementing effective, research-based literacy instruction. With nine years of experience as a bilingual teacher, bilingual specialist, and literacy coordinator, she... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 1:15pm - 2:05pm CDT
Collaborate A

Literacy

2:15pm CDT

"Decodable Texts: Key Tools for Reading Success"

Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:05pm CDT

Innovate A

Speakers

Jessica Bravo Malagón

Presenter, ESC11

Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:15pm - 3:05pm CDT
Innovate A

Literacy

global Y

9:00am CDT

K-2 Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom

Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Engage A

Speakers

Lindsay Carrier

Instructional Content Specialist-HQIM/OER, ESC Region 11

Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Engage A

Literacy

global Y

10:00am CDT

"Effective Writing Instruction: A Science of Reading Approach"

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Collaborate A

This professional development session explores the key principles of effective writing instruction grounded in the Science of Reading. Educators will learn how writing supports the development of reading skills and vice versa. Participants will gain practical strategies for teaching writing that aligns with evidence-based practices, emphasizing phonics, vocabulary, and fluency in written expression

Speakers

Jessica Bravo Malagón

Presenter, ESC11

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Collaborate A

Literacy

global Y

10:00am CDT

Advanced Word Study for Secondary Students

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Engage D

In this session, participants will learn about the importance of teaching advanced word study to all students, but especially to those who struggle with literacy. We will examine a bit of data demonstrating the gaps that some secondary students demonstrate in reading and spelling. We will then spend the rest of the time developing background knowledge related to English phonololgy, orthography, and morphology. Throughout the session, participants will learn and practice specific instructional strategies to help studentss develop advanced word knowledge.

Speakers

Dr. Thea Woodruff

Program Coordinator, Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk

Dr. Thea Woodruff currently provides support and professional development toTexas state-level partners, districts, and schools through the Tier InterventionsUsing Evidence-Based Research (TIER) initiative at UT Austin’s MeadowsCenter for Preventing Educational Risk. Additionally... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Engage D

Literacy

10:00am CDT

Unlocking Literacy: Multi-Component Phonics Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Collaborate B

Speakers

Paola Pineda

Early Elementary Instructional Coach High-Quality Instructional Materials Specialist, ESC Region 11

Esmeralda Orozco

Reading Academies Cohort Leader, ESC Region 11

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Collaborate B

Literacy

global Y

11:00am CDT

Advanced Word Study for Secondary Students

Wednesday June 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Engage D

Speakers

Dr. Thea Woodruff

Program Coordinator, Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk

Wednesday June 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Engage D

Literacy

11:00am CDT

Choosing the Right Text to Maximize Literacy Growth

Wednesday June 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Engage A

Choosing the right text can make all the difference in your literacy lessons! In this session, we'll explore how to use a variety of texts—like decodables, picture books, and uncontrolled text—to maximize student growth. Discover practical strategies for selecting the best texts to meet your learning objectives and keep your students engaged.

Speakers

Kasha Ashworth

Reading Academies Cohort Leader, ESC Region 11

Kasha Ashworth is a Reading Academies Cohort Leader at ESC Region 11, where she supports teachers in bringing the science of reading to life in their classrooms. She’s passionate about helping educators use practical, evidence-based strategies that make a real difference for students... Read More →

Rachel Hart

Reading Academies Cohort Leader, ESC Region 11

Will provide

Wednesday June 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Engage A

Literacy

global Y

1:15pm CDT

Building Confident Writers in the Primary Classroom

Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:15pm - 2:05pm CDT

Create B

Want to inspire your young writers and help them feel confident putting pencil to paper? In this session, we’ll explore practical strategies and simple tips to build strong writing foundations in the primary classroom. Learn how to engage students, boost their confidence, and support their writing growth with effective, easy-to-implement techniques.

Speakers

Kasha Ashworth

Reading Academies Cohort Leader, ESC Region 11

Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:15pm - 2:05pm CDT
Create B

Literacy

global Y

1:15pm CDT

Syntax Matters: Improving Student Comprehension and Writing

Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:15pm - 2:05pm CDT

Innovate B

Syntax plays a crucial role in both reading comprehension and written expression, yet it is often an overlooked component of literacy instruction. In this session, participants will explore the power of syntax in constructing and extracting meaning from text. Through interactive activities, they will analyze how sentence structure impacts comprehension, discuss how syntax can enhance student writing, and identify the challenges presented by the complex syntax of academic language. Educators will leave with practical strategies to support students in navigating syntax effectively.

Speakers

Kimberly Smith

Instructional Content Specialist for Elementary ELAR, ESC Region 11

Kimberly Smith is an Instructional Content Specialist for Elementary ELAR at ESC Region 11, specializing in delivering creative, engaging, and research-based instructional practices in elementary English Language Arts and Reading. With 28 years of experience in education, Kimberly... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:15pm - 2:05pm CDT
Innovate B

Literacy

global Y