Science of Reading for Pre-K and Kindergarten Educators Professional Development Calendar
Earn your PD hours with NLI
📅 Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
🕘 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
📍 Live via Zoom | 💡 For PreK Teachers, Coaches, and Early Childhood Leaders
Cost | $129 per person. Call for groups of eight or more special pricing and custom date selection. Face to face option available
The Playful Mind is a dynamic virtual learning experience designed for early educators who want to bring the Science of Reading to life in their PreK classrooms. This 12-session series provides hands-on, developmentally appropriate strategies that align with how young children learn best—through play, movement, rich language, and intentional teaching. Participants will gain practical tools to support oral language, phonological awareness, vocabulary, print concepts, and early writing—all through the lens of joy and purpose.
🎁 Optional Add-On: Participants may also receive a Playful Minds Instructional Kit, a ready-to-use classroom resource aligned with state standards and Science of Reading components—including phonological awareness games, sound wall items, vocabulary visuals, and interactive learning tools. $299
-236.jpg)
Friday, August 01, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Foundations of the Science of Reading in PreK
Explore the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Rope. Discover how oral language, vocabulary, and phonological awareness form the foundation for later reading success. Walk away with a visual of the reading rope and a checklist of foundational oral language routines to begin using immediately.
Monday, August 04, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Creating Language-Rich Environments
Learn how to create a classroom where language and conversation are embedded throughout the day. Includes strategies for dialogic reading and purposeful play. Receive a sample 'Language Map' to embed intentional talk into centers, morning meetings, and transitions.
Wednesday, August 06, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Phonological Awareness the PreK Way
Hands-on activities to build rhyming, syllables, onset-rime, and alliteration using movement, music, and games. Access printable rhyming cards, syllable clapping visuals, and a daily phonological awareness routine.
Friday, August 08, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Sound to Print: Laying the Groundwork for Phonics
Understand how to transition from phonological awareness to letter-sound knowledge in a developmentally appropriate way. Get a ready-to-use alphabet arc and mirror activity guide for introducing letter sounds through oral language.
Friday, August 15, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Structured Literacy in Small Groups
Learn how to use data to guide small group instruction that supports sound blending, vocabulary, and print concepts. Gain a small group planning guide and sample lesson formats for sound blending, vocabulary, and print knowledge.
Monday, August 18, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Assessment in PreK: Progress Monitoring That Matters
Identify observation-based assessments and phonological awareness screeners that inform instruction without over-testing. Receive observation checklists and progress monitoring trackers aligned to PreK learning domains.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction
Integrate children's culture, language, and home experiences into your literacy instruction. Access a culturally responsive text selection guide and strategies for connecting literacy to children’s home lives.
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Planning Your PreK Literacy Block
Build a sample literacy schedule with components like read-aloud, small groups, centers, and writing time. Leave with a printable daily literacy schedule, anchor routines for transitions, and a weekly planning template.
Friday, August 29, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CST
Bringing Reading Home: Planning Family Events with the Science of Reading in Mind
In this session, teachers will learn how to design and lead effective family engagement events that help parents understand the Science of Reading. Discover how to break down key literacy components—phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and more—into fun, hands-on activities parents can use at home. Walk away with templates, strategies, and confidence to strengthen home-school partnerships and support every child’s reading journey