New K–2 Literacy Professional Learning Resources: Built With Teachers, for Teachers
For more than two decades, SERP has been well known for its work in adolescent literacy, partnering with educators to design and study instructional approaches that support students during the often neglected middle and high school years.
But one lesson has echoed across all of our work: strong literacy development begins in the earliest grades.
We’re pleased to share new
K–2 professional learning resources designed to support educators as they help young readers build the foundations they’ll rely on throughout their academic lives.
What we learned from classrooms
These new courses grew out of hundreds of hours of observation in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) classrooms, where SERP researchers and designers worked alongside teachers to better understand what early literacy instruction really looks like day to day.
We saw teachers navigating an extraordinary level of complexity: supporting phonemic awareness, phonics, word reading, vocabulary, background knowledge, and comprehension—all while managing routines, differentiating instruction, and responding in real time to student needs.
Across classrooms, teachers consistently asked for professional learning that:
- Connects research to everyday instructional decisions
- Shows real teaching with real students—not idealized examples
- Helps them make sense of challenges they encounter daily
These courses were built with these needs at the forefront.
Two new courses grounded in real teacher and student experiences
SERP’s new online professional learning courses are aligned with the
science of reading and designed to strengthen both
decoding and comprehension. Just as importantly, they are grounded in what teachers and students actually experience in classrooms.
Effective Literacy Workstations
This
9-session course
supports teachers and coaches in establishing clear routines and instructional practices that maximize student learning during literacy workstations. Drawing on classroom video from DCPS, educators see how thoughtful design helps students build independence and stay meaningfully engaged while teachers work with small groups.
Developing Student Discourse
This
8-session course focuses on building discourse norms and practices that increase rigor, student talk, and ownership of learning. Teachers see how young students learn to explain their thinking, listen to peers, and build understanding together—and how exemplary teachers troubleshoot common challenges along the way.
Extending Learning with Word Work Kits
In addition to these courses, SERP also developed
Word Work Kits as a practical, classroom-ready resource to support early literacy instruction.
Preparing effective word work activities—especially for small groups working at different levels—can be time-consuming for teachers. Finding or creating materials that target specific skills, keep students engaged, and fit within limited instructional time often requires significant planning.
The Word Work Kits were designed alongside teachers to help address this challenge. They provide purposeful, research-based word work activities that reinforce foundational skills while giving students opportunities to apply what they’re learning during independent or small-group work. Like the courses, the Word Work Kits reflect what SERP observed in classrooms: the need for materials that are flexible, meaningful, and ready to use within existing routines.
Together, the courses and Word Work Kits offer educators both professional learning and
practical instructional tools grounded in real classroom practice.
Supporting literacy development across grade levels
These new K–2 resources reflect SERP’s broader commitment to literacy development
from the earliest grades through adolescence. By grounding professional learning and materials in research, classroom observation, and teacher partnership, we aim to support educators with tools that feel rigorous, practical, and deeply connected to students’ learning.