Integrating Literacy through Background Knowledge Workshop with Josie Cameron

The Interdisciplinary Instruction team at the Maine Department of Education's (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning is excited to present a half-day workshop with educator and author Josie Cameron. The Integrating Literacy through Background Knowledge workshop will be held at the Memorial Union building at the University of Maine at Orono on Wednesday, December 12, 2024, from 8 a.m. to noon.

A 2020 study published in Reading Psychology found that preexisting knowledge is "foundational to increasing competency in reading" and that teaching from a foundation of what students already know is key to advancing their learning.

In this workshop, participants will explore, discuss, and engage with:

• The role of preexisting or background knowledge in literacy development.
• How background knowledge supports comprehension and meaning making.
• How background knowledge facilitates the transfer of new information.
• Practical strategies for incorporating background knowledge into classroom instruction.

This workshop is free to all Maine educators. In-person spots are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants can also join virtually via Zoom. This session will be recorded and shared with educators following the event, and four contact hours will be available to participants. To register for this event, please use this registration link.

If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact Kathy Bertini at [email protected] or Heather Martin at [email protected].

This workshop is the third of four workshops presented by the Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Team on the topic of Integrating Literacy through Applied Learning. All events are available in-person and virtually.

Up next: On January 15, 2025, from 8 a.m. to noon, the Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction team will host another workshop, Integrating Literacy through Applied Science with Katie Coppens, at the Curtis Memorial Library (23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME 04011). Use this registration link to spend the day learning with Katie Coppens.