Relevant. Research-driven. Transformative.

CAREIALL Secondary

Supporting grades 4–12 educators in strengthening adolescent literacy with evidence-based practices, small-cohort support, and applied learning that connects research to real classrooms.

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Why educators choose CAREIALL Secondary

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More live, small-cohort support

Engage in facilitator-led learning within a consistent small cohort of 25–50 educators.

Icon of an open book symbolizing learning and literacy instruction.

Designed for adolescent learners

Explore instructional approaches tailored to older learners, including upper-grade literacy skills, motivation and engagement, and real classroom examples.

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MTSS and equity built in

Apply research-backed practices that integrate multi-tiered support of systems (MTSS), assessment, data use, and inclusive instruction in every module.

University-backed expertise

Benefit from university-backed expertise grounded in evidence and developed by literacy researchers and practitioners at the University of Minnesota.

What to expect with CAREIALL Secondary

CAREIALL Secondary supports grades 4–12 teachers, specialists, and instructional leaders seeking practical, evidence-based approaches to literacy.

How the course works

Component

Format

Asynchronous Modules

Live Sessions

Cohort Size

Support

Details

Blended delivery, Canvas and either Zoom or in-person

Around 43–50 hours across eight research-based modules

One hour-long kickoff and eight two-hour small-cohort sessions

25–50 educators

Facilitator-guided transfer-to-practice activities for every module, partnership with CAREI literacy specialists, discussion boards, guided note-catchers, individual and small group application exercises, examples from secondary classrooms, and feedback connected to each module

Customized onsite delivery available

Laura Woolf, Assistant Director of Development and Expansion

Connect with the CAREI team

Have questions or want to explore training options for your educators? Our team is here to help you plan ahead.

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What you'll learn

These modules strengthen literacy instruction across grades 4–12 through applied secondary examples, differentiated strategies, and evidence-based practices tailored to older learners.

Content focus areas

CAREIALL Secondary helps educators:

Differentiate instructional examples across grade levels (e.g., grade 4 vs. grade 6).
Strengthen motivation and engagement for older learners.
Apply explicit, systematic instruction for older learners using structured literacy approaches.
Address foundational reading skills with upper-grade students.
Build morphology and vocabulary knowledge.
Support reading comprehension and writing.
Implement culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy.
Use explicit, systematic instruction across content areas.
Leverage data and assessment within an MTSS framework.

Module 1 – MTSS, Assessment & Literacy Development

This module provides general course logistics, an introduction to CAREI at the University of Minnesota, a brief overview of MTSS including how literacy instruction fits within the MTSS framework, and an introduction to some of the seminal research behind literacy development which guides practitioners.

Module 2 – Instructional Considerations for Literacy Educators

This module introduces broad instructional considerations which permeate all areas of literacy and are essential components of effective instruction. Included in the module are topics such as: learning and brain science, systematic, explicit, and equitable instruction, cultural and linguistic responsiveness, motivation and engagement, assessment within an MTSS system, and types of reading difficulties.

Module 3 – Motivation & Engagement

This module introduces general motivation and engagement theory, practical applications for tier one, two, and three settings, ties to self-efficacy and the importance of feedback, and different ways to assess motivation and engagement. All of this is examined through the unique lens of working with adolescents.

Module 4 – Foundational Reading Skills

This module addresses the importance of the foundational reading skills of phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency. We will examine how these skills develop and are best taught to support accurate reading and spelling. Concepts such as building to automaticity and fluency, as well as supporting meaning-making within foundational skills lessons, will also be addressed.

Module 5 – Morphology

This module examines morphology and explains the importance of morphological instruction for mastery of English, as a morpho-phonemic language. Participants will explore the layers of English as well as best practices for morphological instruction.

Module 6 – Vocabulary: A Bridge to Comprehension

In this module, participants will learn about vocabulary and background knowledge as critical pieces of comprehension success. Topics include vocabulary development, best practices for instruction, and ways to honor linguistic diversity.

Module 7 – Reading Comprehension

Module 7 unpacks reading comprehension, its importance, and how it develops. Concepts such as comprehension processing, language and text structures, and verbal reasoning will be addressed, along with the role of strategy instruction.

Module 8 – Writing

The importance of writing and how it develops will be explored in module 8. Incorporated concepts include the role of handwriting, sentence composition, the writing process, and supporting students in writing different types of texts for different purposes and audiences.