Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Maximum enrollment: 50

Audience: Reading teachers, special educators, curriculum instruction specialists, school psychologists, teacher trainers.

Description:

In this workshop, participants will learn to conduct peer-mediated reading instruction for high school students. They will learn to pair students and prepare them to work together constructively on strategic reading tasks that accelerate reading performance.

Participants are asked to purchase a comprehensive manual that includes scripted lessons and materials needed to facilitate student training. Site will need to purchase these manuals separately. Please see "Ordering Materials" tab. The teacher manual provides all necessary materials that will enable teachers to confidently implement PALS in their own classrooms.

High school PALS relies on the same dyadic structure, and the same three activities (Partner Reading, Paragraph Shrinking, and Prediction Relay) as PALS for grades 2-6. There are, however, several important differences. First, the motivational system was modified for older students, focusing on a "work" theme. Instead of earning points as in PALS for elementary students, high schools students earn PALS "dollars" that are redeemed for tangible rewards. Another change regards the reading materials. Additionally, while elementary PALS students use fictional readings, high school PALS students also read expository text. Teachers are encouraged to select reading material that is perceived by students as useful, including informational texts about employment opportunities, life skills, and social relationships.

Unlike other versions of PALS that are intended to be primarily implemented in the inclusive general education setting, PALS for high school students has typically been used by special educators and remedial reading teachers for students with serious reading problems.