Professional Learning and Capacity Building Include:

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)/Networks

• In Halton Catholic District School Board, a Catholic Professional Learning Community (CPLC) was created to support the overall goal of supporting the needs of students in junior kindergarten-grade one in oral language, literacy and numeracy. The CPLC included special education resource teachers (SERTs), kindergarten and grade one teachers, speech and language pathologists, and consultants. [Toronto and Area Region Final Report]
• In Trillium Lakelands District School Board, teachers met in a families of schools Professional Learning Community (PLC) format to share data, problem-solve and plan next steps regarding five focus students. They received professional development on running records and miscue analysis, as well as reading fluency. The teachers participated in a book study, What Really Matters in Intervention by Richard Allington. Lessons learned from the project include: the need for small groups of 4-6 students; the need for intervention that is supplemental to the classroom program; the importance of having students read books that are "just right" for their reading level—i.e., at an independent reading level of 98-99% for 66% of their day; the importance of home support and strong home-school connections; and the importance of collaboration between classroom and intervention teachers. [Trillium Lakelands District School Board Final Report]
• Renfrew County District School Board developed a network among schools. The network focussed on questions relating to the assessment of students for oral language skills in junior kindergarten to grade one. Centrally-based consultant staff, classroom teachers and speech-language professionals consulted about "problems of practice" relating to language assessment tools and appropriate interventions to increase the speech/language capacity of early learners. The project has resulted in the development of a collaborative network of teachers, literacy coaches, special education resource teachers and principals with a focus on JK-Grade one assessment and intervention strategies. [Renfrew County District School Board Final Report]
• Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board has a district-level Professional Learning Community that includes team members from curriculum and student services. Student services members include speech and language pathologists, psychology staff, an assistant superintendent, a coordinator, and special assignment teachers. The PLC meets regularly. Topics that were discussed recently include: balanced literacy assessment measures; the board's draft document, "Response to Intervention"; the development of a reading intervention resource for teachers of junior kindergarten-grade one based on the "Response to Intervention" model; the importance of oral language development; and understanding reading behaviours. [Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board Final Report]