NM PED 2026 Literacy and Humanities Summer Conference

Disciplinary literacy is the ability to think, read, write, and communicate in ways that align with the unique practices of a specific field. In this interactive session designed for middle and secondary teachers, you will move beyond generic comprehension strategies and focus on the discipline-specific ways of thinking that help students truly make sense of complex texts.

Drawing on the research of Shanahan and Shanahan, you will examine how mathematicians, historians, scientists, and literary scholars engage with texts and how these expert moves can be translated into effective classroom instruction. Together, you will unpack why disciplinary literacy is distinct from general reading strategies and identify practical approaches you can incorporate into your teaching tomorrow. You will leave with a clearer understanding of how to mentor your students as they navigate the specialized language and unique inquiry methods of your specific subject area.

This interactive workshop provides an understanding of the importance of intentional oral language development for literacy and learning success. This understanding will give you and your students a linguistic edge as they learn to read and write.

Language is the primary tool we use to make sense of the world around us. In the Reading is Language Model (Hulme and Snowling, 2025), there is a reciprocity between reading and language as literacy develops. Expanding upon the concepts of the Simple View of Reading (Gough and Tunmer, 1986), we will demonstrate that oral language skills are the essential precursor to the components of the SVR. As Dr. Charles Hulme suggests, the stagnation of NAEP scores highlights an urgent need for more robust language instruction.

During this session, we will discuss efficient assessments and programs that support the development of language skills critical for literacy. Additionally, you will experience concrete, brief instructional strategies designed to infuse language development throughout the school day. Language not only helps students improve their reading and writing skills; it provides a sense of belonging that supports learning in all areas. When we give language the emphasis it deserves, we provide students with the foundation necessary for lifelong academic achievement.

TBA

TBA

Professional Learning Communities can be powerful drivers of instructional improvement, but only when they are supported by clear leadership, purposeful structures, and a culture of trust. As a school leader, you play a critical role in shaping PLCs that are focused, collaborative, and worth your educators’ time. In this session, you will explore the leadership moves that help build and sustain strong PLCs, including how to incorporate structured dialogue through the use of protocols.

You will examine an example of what a year-long PLC cycle built around consistent Critical Friends Groups looks like, covering everything from establishing norms and trust to examining instructional dilemmas and analyzing student work. By engaging in reflective inquiry throughout the school year, you can move your teams beyond routine meetings and toward meaningful professional learning. You will leave with practical strategies and a sample PLC structure that supports meaningful collaboration, strengthens teacher practice, and creates sustainable systems for continuous instructional growth across your campus.

This session highlights the successful implementation of Reading Apprenticeship and Disciplinary Literacy at Raton High School (grades 7–12). Participants will examine leadership moves, instructional shifts, student impact, and replicable practices that contributed to measurable improvement.

This session is intentionally designed to be highly interactive so participants can actively engage with the strategies and leadership practices shared. Rather than a traditional presentation format, attendees will participate in structured reflection, collaborative discussion, and analysis of real instructional artifacts from Raton High School.

In many literacy classrooms, implementing high-quality instructional materials with fidelity has come to mean using curriculum questions exactly as written. While well-intentioned, this practice often leads to one-size-fits-all instruction and superficial comprehension.

Drawing on research from SRI International, this session argues for a shift from implementation with fidelity to implementation with integrity, preserving the intent of high-quality materials while responding to how students actually build understanding from complex texts across grade levels.

Participants will examine examples of “before and after” questions, analyze how different questions shape comprehension, and collaboratively revise questions from existing instructional materials. The session will also introduce an AI-supported tool to help educators continue refining instructional questions beyond the session.

Participants will leave with:
1. Practical strategies for revising questions to deepen comprehension
2. Sample revised questions for implementation
3. Access to an AI-assisted question-revision tool