Micro-credential Program
Teaching Literacy in the Elementary Grades
A competency-based professional learning program that improves student achievement outcomes by ensuring that teachers are prepared to implement high-quality literacy instruction every day.
OpenLiteracy and BloomBoard have partnered to make high-leverage elementary literacy teaching practices accessible and learnable. In elementary literacy there is hard-won consensus regarding the types of learning experiences young children need in order to become proficient readers and writers, yet this type of instruction remains elusive in too many elementary classrooms.
This program aims to change this by providing teachers with access to high-quality curated resources, expert knowledge focused on practical tools and tips, and repeated opportunities to learn by doing. Each micro-credential includes an opportunity to analyze, design, and implement a lesson that the teacher will receive feedback on from a literacy expert.
Micro-credentials in this Program
Text Based Discussions
Every approach to reading comprehension instruction endorsed by reading scholars is rooted in discussion. This micro-credential has an explicit focus on non-fiction discussion. Educators who complete this micro-credential will demonstrate they have the knowledge and skill to maximize the impact of text discussions as they support students in reading and comprehending complex non-fiction texts.
Guided Reading
Small group reading instruction is a powerful strategy to improve literacy outcomes. Educators who complete this micro-credential will demonstrate that they have the knowledge and skill to enact a high quality differentiated guided reading lessons to small group of students with similar learning needs utilizing a tightly prescribed guided reading framework.
Interactive Read Aloud
Interactive read alouds, when done well, facilitate interactive conversations that support improved reading comprehension outcomes. Educators who complete this micro-credential will demonstrate that they have the knowledge and skill to support their students in the development of comprehension skills, vocabulary knowledge, and understanding of literacy conventions while nurturing children’s love and enjoyment of reading through interactive read alouds.
Teaching Phonics
Phonological awareness and phonics are the foundations of beginning reading skills. Educators who complete this micro-credential will demonstrate that they have an understanding of the complexities of language development and can use this knowledge to design a targeted phonological awareness, phonics or word study lesson that includes strong modeling and opportunity for student practice with feedback.
Beginning Writing Instruction
High quality writing instruction can prepare students for the demands of writing in the 21st century. Educators who complete this micro-credential will demonstrate that they have the knowledge and skill to implement a high quality mini-lesson, provide students targeted feedback on their writing that goes beyond grammar and spelling, and create writing lesson sequences that engage students in the writing process and is responsive to student needs.
Why Enroll in the Teaching Literacy in the Elementary Grades Program?
The Teaching Literacy in the Elementary Grades micro-credential program provides an opportunity for districts and schools to implement personalized, competency-based professional learning around a core set of teaching skills in the area of literacy. The latest nation’s report card results in reading are not promising; despite considerable investment in improving literacy outcomes, there is no change in reading outcomes at fourth grade. We must work differently. Improved literacy outcomes depend on having better literacy teaching. These micro-credentials are focused on supporting literacy teachers to understand and implement excellent literacy instruction in their classrooms every day.
BloomBoard programs, in collaboration with their partners, are carefully designed to engage educators in their own growth via learning by doing, and getting recognition and credit for it. Participants will:
- Gain relevant, practical, and research-based knowledge of the literacy teaching practices most likely to shift student achievement outcomes
- Participate in growth-oriented dialogue with colleagues
- Develop an awareness of their own knowledge and skill as an elementary literacy teacher including areas of strength and growth
- Demonstrate competence via micro-credentials
Bring this Program to Your District
Issued by OpenLiteracy
OpenLiteracy is your ally in the mission to improve literacy achievement in K-6 classrooms. Using innovative professional development, OpenLiteracy provides access to knowledge and techniques that empower teachers and school leaders to use the best practices for teaching reading and writing.
Why Micro-credentials Matters
Each micro-credential earned signifies that an educator has met the profession’s highest standards for demonstrated practice of a specific competency. Together, with our state, district, and training development partners, we are advancing the next generation of professional learning while bringing cohesion, transparency, and professionalism to the profession.
What’s in a Micro-credential
A micro-credential is a form of micro-certification earned by demonstrating competency in one specific skill at a time, via a portfolio of evidence, created through classroom practice.
Micro-credentials on BloomBoard follow the ADDIE instructional design framework. Each micro-credential is based on a robust, standardized blueprint, grounded in instructional design best practices.
Let us know you’re interested in bringing the Teaching Literacy in the Elementary Grades micro-credential program to your school or district by filling out this form: