Insights From The Experts
Discover ideas, tips, and techniques to elevate your literacy instruction and learn about the latest research that aligns with innovative instructional strategies. Join us live to engage with speakers during a Q&A session, or watch recorded presentations whenever it suits your schedule.
Join Us Live
The Language Laboratory We All Live In: How Language Shapes Learning
Thursday, April 2, 2026 @ 3:00PM ET
Children come to school as experienced language users, shaped by the language laboratories of their homes and communities. In this webinar, Dr. Antonio Fierro of the Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz explores why oral language matters for thinking and learning, and how structured literacy helps educators design classrooms where language grows.
Join Us for Screenings of the HILL’s Literacy Summit during Sundance Panels
During the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, one of the world’s most influential storytelling gatherings, HILL For Literacy hosted the Heretic Films Lounge Literacy Summit. Experts from across many disciplines participated in the name of an urgent truth: literacy is a public health imperative and a defining challenge of our time.
We are thrilled to present the recordings of the Literacy Summit Panels, bringing the panelists’ brilliant ideas, insights, and lively discussion to a broader audience. Each panel is approximately 30-45 minutes long – join us for one or two, or all!
Stories That Let Children Lead: Engagement, Choice, and Access
Tuesday March 17, 2026 @ 3:30 PM ET
Authors and educators discuss book access and literacy education, covering the crisis of book deserts, digital literacy solutions, the importance of reading aloud, and strategies for building reading motivation.
Featuring:
- Avi | Author
- Nicole Nesheim | Hatch Early Learning
- Tanya Wright | Actor/Author
Moderated by: Molly Ness | Dirigo Literacy and End Book Deserts Podcast
The Power & Promise: Transforming Learning Science with AI
Thursday March 19, 2026 @ 3:30 PM ET
Learn how AI can transform education by incorporating learning science principles and ensuring AI is implemented ethically and effectively, connecting humans rather than replacing them.
Featuring:
- Melina Uncapher | Seta-Ed
- Molly Ness | Dirigo Literacy and End Book Deserts Podcast
- Alexandria Chalonec | The Writing Revolution
- Joanna Cannon | Walton Family Foundation
Moderated by: Sam Whitaker | StudyFetch
Maintaining Ethical Creativity in an Age of Innovation
Tuesday March 24, 2026 @ 3:30 PM ET
An examination of the intersection of AI, educational technology, and literacy, including ethical considerations such as equitable access and preserving creativity and critical thinking.
Featuring:
- Matt Winters | Utah State Board of Education
- Jeff Piontek | Education Consulting Services
- Meghan Manfra | NC State University
Moderated by: Nakia Towns | Accelerate – The National Collaborative for Accelerated Learning
On-Demand
Speaker Series
Dr. Deborah K. Reed | Tennessee Reading Research Center
Does Statewide Teacher Training Really Help Kids Read? Insights for Educators.
Dr. Deborah Reid from the Tennessee Reading Research Center presents findings from an independent evaluation of statewide teacher training programs on student reading outcomes.
Dr. Terrie Noland | The Transformative Reading Teacher Group
Dr. Nell Thompson | The Transformative Reading Teacher Group
One System, Two Directions: How Teachers and Leaders Converge for Literacy Impact
Dr. Noland and Dr. Thompson highlight high-leverage, evidence-based moves that leaders and teachers can implement to reduce instructional friction, strengthen coherence, and turn classroom insights into system action.
Dr. Leslie Laud | Releasing Writers (formerly ThinkSRSD)
Rebecca Thompson | Holyoke Public Schools (MA)
Cara Dellaterra | HILL For Literacy
Transforming Writing: A District’s SRSD & MTSS Journey
This webinar presents a comprehensive look at how Holyoke Public Schools has implemented a strategic literacy transformation through partnerships with HILL For Literacy and Releasing Writers.
Dr. Stephanie Stollar | Reading Science Academy
Kari Kurto | The Reading League
Emily Russin | HILL For Literacy
Adolescent Literacy within an MTSS Framework: Strategies to Support Striving Readers
This panel, sponsored by HILL For Literacy and The Reading League-Connecticut, highlights the need for data-driven decision-making and integrated instruction to address literacy challenges in secondary education.
Dr. Rachel Romeo | University of Maryland
The Role of Oral Language in Literacy Development: Evidence from Educational Neuroscience
Dr. Romeo, a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, presents foundational research and practical implications related to the role of oral language in literacy development.
Dr. Rachel Brown-Chidsey | University of Southern Maine
How’s That Working? Selecting & Implementing Effective Tier 1 Core Reading Instruction
Dr. Brown-Chidsey discusses the importance of effective tier one core reading instruction for all students.
Tanya Wright, Ed.M. | Educator and SAG Award Winner
A Fireside Chat
Ms. Wright shares her mission to advance equitable literacy outcomes for children, drawing from her own experiences and discussing the importance of storytelling in education.
Dr. Maryanne Wolf | UCLA
Read, Rave, and Rekindle Joy
Dr. Wolf shares her insights on the importance of fostering a love for reading among children.
Dr. Michael Coyne | NEAG School of Education at UCONN
The Power of Partnership: Working Together to Improve Literacy
Dr. Coyne highlights Connecticut’s successful literacy model, which has evolved over twelve years through collaboration among state departments, educational institutions, and local partners.
Our Own Expertise
Experience our training services through 30-minute expert-led webinars. Topics include:
- Reading and the Brain
- Phonemic Awareness & Phonics
- Highly Effective Vocabulary & Comprehension Strategies
Reading & The Brain
Phonemic Awareness & Phonics
Vocabulary & Comprehension
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