Want to Preview Sessions?

Click here for a list of breakout sessions (title and presenters) for Thursday and Friday.    

Thursday Evening Entertainment

-  STORYTELLING, OF COURSE!

Weaving Stories into the Curriculum

Thursday, November 17

7:00 - 8:00 pm

Arkansas Ballroom - Peabody Hotel

(no charge)

Gwendolyn Brown Twillie is the former Chairwoman of the Theatre Arts and Dance Department at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she served on the faculty for 26 years, before retiring in 1999. Prior to joining the faculty at UALR, she taught in the public schools of Arkansas, teaching in the Hope and Little Rock Public School Districts. 

Gwendolyn is a professional storyteller specializing in traditional folk tales from around the world. In her travels, she and her husband have collected stories from all seven continents. Since retirement, she has devoted her time to the life long love of storytelling. She has performed in the storytelling arena, presented workshops and residencies throughout the country and abroad. Her stories are guaranteed to amuse, entertain, and educate audiences of all ages.  

Common Core Session Previews:

Implementing the Common Core in English/Language Arts While Building Knowledge on the Subject

The CCSS recommend an interdisciplinary approach where the curriculum is intentionally structured to develop rich content knowledge within and across grades. Come see how to develop a cohesive unit plan.

Jane Dearworth, ADE

Common Core State Standards in Arkansas

Who, what, where, why, how and when? Learn about ADE's free resource Wiki for helping teachers simplify the Common Core implementation process.

Shirley Fetherolf & Maggie Herrick, ADE

Common Core 101 and More: Implications to Literacy Instruction

Are you interested in unpacking Common Core and what it means to educators? Attend this interactive session on Common Core and more.

Merlina McCullough, Mountain Home Schools Literacy Specialist

6 Traits of Writing and the Common Core State Standards

Engage sixth through twelfth grade struggling readers with captivating current event articles that have lesson support tied to Common Core State Standards.

Debra Simpson

Choosing Texts to Meet the Common Core

The Common Core Standards have given us exemplar texts. Join this session to learn how to choose texts to expand that list.

Donna Wake

WHAT and HOW of CCSS

The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them.

Laura Bednar ADE

Connecting Economics to the Common Core Curriculum Through Children's Literature

Using the Arkansas Social Studies frameworks, the teaching of economics will be addressed utilizing familiar children's books, including the presenter's recently published book The World's Greatest Possum Trainer.

Betty Evans, UAM

Informational Text: Arkansas History Resources and Common Core

Butler Center's Arkansas history resources include print and digital informational texts. Learn to align resources to Common Core State Standards. Attendees will be introduced to the newly launched www.arhistoryhub.com.

Kay Bland, Butler Center

Literacy Jigsaw: Assemble the Critical Pieces

This workshop will assist teachers as they address the needs of diverse learners. Whole group and small group instruction as it relates to Common Core Standards and RTI will be addressed.

Beverly Tyner, Author/Consultant

What Every Arkansas Educator Needs to Know About Common Core State Standards

Tracy Tucker

Teacher of the Year and Common Core

Arkansas' Teacher of the Year will present instructional strategies for integrating literacy and social studies/science content using the Common Core Curriculum at the middle school level.

Kathy Powers, Simon Intermediate School, Conway AR

and more on CCSS, RTI, Family Literacy . . .

Shane Broadway, Interim Director of Higher Education, to Present Session

Shane is the newly appointed Interim Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. He will present a session, Pathways to Higher Education, on Thursday morning at 8:00 am. 

He served in the state legislature from 1997-2010, first as a representative and later as a senator and was instrumental in bringing about legislation that has significantly impacted both primary and secondary education in Arkansas.  In addition to providing education updates, he will give his unique perspective on what elementary and secondary educators can do to motivate students and parents to make higher education a priority.

Beverly Tyner to Address RTI

Beverly is a best-selling author for the International Reading Association. Her first book was Small Group Reading Instruction: A Differentiated Reading Model for Beginning and Struggling Readers. In 2005, her sequel was published: Small Group Reading Instruction: A Differentiated Teaching Model for Intermediate Readers (Grades 3-8). Beverly has also produced training DVD's that accompany her books. Additionally, she has published research in the Journal of Educational Psychology that supports her reading intervention model.  She is a consultant, a staff developer, 

and presenter with the Bureau of Education Research. Most recently, she has been assisting school districts with the implementation of Response to Intervention using her reading intervention model. She is well known for her practical yet research based models in reading instruction. Beverly feels that her most important work continues to be with students and teachers within the classroom setting. 

IRA Coordinator's Corner:

The word is out!  It's going to be a great conference!

There is something for everyone - from RTI, Common Core, Parental Involvement, assessment, instructional strategies - you name it! 

We've filled the Thursday visit to the Clinton Library, but Friday is still open (but same time as book and author luncheon, so don't sign up for both).  

Please share this newsletter with others who may want to take advantage of attending our conference.  

Hope to see you there! 

Tanna Clark

IRA Coordinator, Arkansas Reading Association