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Translating knowledge into daily instruction isn’t easy. Knowing the research is one thing—creating lessons that meet the needs of diverse learners is another. That’s why our work focuses on turning big ideas into concrete, doable classroom practices.
Upcoming SWI Literacy Workshops
Investigating English Spelling with SWI
By participating in this 3-part interactive workshop series, you will deepen your knowledge of both the "what" and the "how" of teaching the English writing system. We will explore questions such as "How are words built?" "Are words that look the same related?" "What are graphemes?" "How can I feel confident while learning along with my students?" and more!
We will demonstrate and discuss activities for investigating these topics using the 4 Questions. To make the most of our time together, we will encourage you to complete some work before the first session and homework in between sessions.
Dates: June 23, 24, & 25, 2026
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 pm EST; 9:00 - 10:30 PT
Cost $75 USD
*ALTA approved CE Hours: 4.5
Etymology Essentials for SWI
What is etymology and how does it fit into SWI?
How do I use etymological resources?
How much etymology should I share with students?
These questions (and more!) will be addressed in this workshop. Using etymological resources can be intimidating and confusing. During the session, we will demonstrate how to use and interpret information from online resources such as Etymonline and LatDict. Participants will also be given opportunities to ask questions and investigate words in “real time” with the instructors.
A word’s spelling is a reflection of the interrelationship between morphology, phonology, and etymology. We often cannot fully understand a spelling and its links to other words until we look into its history…its journey into English. The “story” of a word sheds light on its meaning and can provide clues to what may otherwise be surprising spellings or pronunciations.
Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 pm EST; 9:00 - 10:30 PT
Cost $40 USD
*ALTA approved CE Hours: 1.5
Interested in scheduling a workshop with a group of colleagues?
SWI Knowledge to Practice
How do I translate my growing knowledge of the English writing system to my practice/lessons with students?
What questions should I be asking (myself and my students) to guide instruction?
This course is designed for anyone who has studied with us before or has taken introductory courses offered by others in the SWI community. We won’t be reviewing terminology or explaining how to use the 4 Questions. Rather, we will model how Investigative Questions can be used to focus and guide instruction.
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 pm EST; 9:00 - 10:30 PT
Cost $40 USD
*ALTA approved CE Hours: 1.5
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