Prepare Professional Development (PD)

Learning experiences to prepare for literacy, math, and science instructional shifts

The following literacy, math, and science sessions are designed to support all educators—regardless of the program used—in enhancing their instructional practices.

  • Sessions devoted to Science of Reading offer research-based strategies to deepen understanding that support students’ reading development.
  • Sessions devoted to Science of Writing deepen educators’ understanding of language processing, writing development, and effective instructional practices.
  • Sessions focusing on a problem-based approach to math empower educators to facilitate meaningful learning experiences and foster critical thinking skills in their students.
  • Sessions supporting multilingual/English learners enable educators to make a meaningful impact on students’ multiliteracy development.
  • Sessions focusing on phenomena-based science empower educators to spark student curiosity, engagement, and sensemaking through three-dimensional instruction grounded in real-world phenomena.
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Professional learning journey

Four circular icons in sequence—a lightbulb, pencil, whiteboard, and podium—are linked by arrows, illustrating professional learning steps ideal for professional development for teachers or Science of Reading initiatives.
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Learning sessions will help shift literacy and math instruction in areas such as the Science of Reading and/or problem-based approaches to math. Program-aligned packages will support those who are new to Amplify programs. Program-aligned packages will support those who have experience using Amplify programs. Offerings will support advanced implementation, build capacity for instructional leaders, certify in-house trainers to deliver Launch sessions, and more.
Headshot of Susan Lambert, host of Science of Reading: The Podcast.
“Gain the literacy knowledge and skills you need to thrive and help your students thrive. Through these sessions, you’ll understand typical literacy development and how to describe and address literacy difficulties.”

—Susan Lambert, Chief Academic Officer, Elementary Humanities

Host, Science of Reading: The Podcast

Science of Reading learning experiences

Listening to students read is magic. But knowing how to get them reading? That’s science.

Making the shift to the Science of Reading is no small feat, but participating in professional development sessions can help you make this change seamlessly.

Amplify Science of Reading sessions offer flexible professional learning experiences for teachers that incorporate engaging activities grounded in what science tells us about literacy development.

A chart outlining nine Science of Reading principles is shown, with a note to prepare for a virtual session and an estimated time of 90 minutes.

Build your knowledge of the Science of Reading

Virtual | 90-minute session

This introductory session provides educators with a foundational overview of what the Science of Reading means and what it tells us about how to teach using evidence-based reading practices.

Participants will learn to:

  • Define the Science of Reading by examining evidence-based research.
  • Explain how two frameworks, the Simple View of Reading and the Reading Rope, work in tandem to guide effective literacy instruction.
  • Identify instructional principles aligned to the Science of Reading.
A graphic outlines elements of early reading, showing how skills like vocabulary and reasoning support language comprehension and word recognition; “3 hours” is noted for session duration.

Deepen your knowledge of the Science of Reading

On-site or virtual | 3-hour session

This session will build a base of common knowledge about the Reading Rope and support educators in identifying effective instruction grounded in the Science of Reading.

Participants will learn to:

  • Identify the strands in the Reading Rope.
  • Describe how each strand plays an important role in developing skilled readers and writers.
  • Identify key look-fors in effective Science of Reading instruction.

Science of Reading: The Learning Lab online courses

This series of three self-paced online courses, crafted by literacy expert Susan Lambert and built around International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Knowledge and Practice Standards, guides you through the essential Science of Reading skills and knowledge needed to teach students to read proficiently, as well as advanced strategies for aiding struggling readers. Each course builds on the last, equipping you with the tools and confidence to make a lasting impact on your students’ literacy journeys.

Benefit from flexible learning on an interactive platform—each course spans 25–30 hours of instruction and is accessible for 12 months. Upon completion, you’ll be provided with a downloadable certificate, validating your new expertise in the Science of Reading.

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Foundations to the Science of Reading

This course offers a comprehensive overview of research in the field. Each of the eight modules contains three lessons covering the foundations of literacy acquisition.

Explore the scope and sequence of Foundations to the Science of Reading with a  Pacing Guide.

Access the free Preview Pass for this course.

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Advanced topics in the Science of Reading: Assessment and reading difficulties

The second course is aimed at providing an in-depth examination of assessments, a deeper understanding of reading difficulties, and familiarity with pertinent legal frameworks for educators, all of which influence instructional decision-making.

Explore the scope and sequence of Advanced topics in the Science of Reading with our Pacing Guide. 

Access the free Preview Pass for this course.

Three people in lab coats stand around a lab table with test tubes and a flask, engaging in classroom instruction as they discuss and gesture to each other.

Applied structured literacy

The final course in the series is designed to review key concepts and knowledge from previous coursework, explore fundamental aspects of structured literacy within lessons, observe and analyze structured literacy instruction in action, and investigate how data informs instructional decisions.

Explore the scope and sequence of Applied structured literacy with our Pacing Guide.

Access the free Preview Pass for this course.

Science of Writing learning experiences

Help students find their words—and the skills to put them on the page. Our Science of Writing sessions explore how language and literacy develop, giving you a clearer picture of what students need as they grow as writers.

Connect the foundations of writing development to your instructional choices, and build your confidence in supporting students as they learn to express their ideas.

Explore sessions to fit your needs below.

90-minute virtual session featuring two plastic baskets filled with art supplies, including wooden sticks, paper, and colorful plastic shapes for professional learning.

Build your knowledge of Science of Writing

Virtual | 90-minute session

This session examines the foundations of literacy acquisition, including language processing and layers of language, key elements and progressions of writing development, and instructional considerations.


Graphic for a 3-hour Science of Reading professional learning session available on-site or virtually.

Deepen knowledge of Science of Writing

On-site or virtual | 3-hour session

This session examines the foundations of literacy acquisition, including language processing and layers of language, key elements and progressions of writing development, and instructional considerations.


Sessions supporting multiliterate learners

Unlock the magic of teaching multiliterate learners with evidence-based literacy practices. Making the shift to effectively support diverse readers in multiple languages is no small feat, but our professional development sessions are here to guide you effortlessly.

Empower your teaching with these engaging sessions, and make a meaningful impact on your multiliterate students’ literacy development.

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Build your knowledge of multilingual/English learners

Virtual | 90-minute session

This session provides educators with a foundational overview of how to teach multiliterate learners using evidence-based literacy practices.

Contact us to request a quote.

Graphic showing text bubbles with "¡Hola!" and "Hello!" and a note indicating to prepare for an on-site or virtual session lasting 3 hours.

Deepen your knowledge of multilingual/English learners

On-site or virtual | 3-hour session

This session will build an understanding of how the brain learns to read in multiple languages, as well as how to leverage cross-linguistic transfer and align instruction to best practices for multiliterate learners.

Contact us to request a quote.

Sessions focusing on a problem-based approach to math instruction

Elevate educational experiences by placing students’ ideas at the core of math lessons through problem-based learning. These sessions offer flexible professional learning experiences, allowing you to gain firsthand experience with a problem-based approach as a learner. You then learn to integrate this approach seamlessly into your teaching practices, bringing renewed energy to your math classroom.

A graphic showing steps for a virtual learning session: Warm-Up, Activities, Synthesis, and Reinforce, with a progress bar and "90 minutes" indicated.

Build your knowledge of a problem-based approach for grades K–5 or 6–8

Virtual | 90-minute session

This session provides you with a foundational overview of what an engaging problem-based approach in math entails.

During this session you’ll learn to:

  • Explain how a problem-based approach to math brings delight to both teaching and learning and builds lasting student understanding.
  • Identify actionable strategies for using a problem-based approach in a math classroom.

Contact us to request a quote.

Screenshot of a math practice activity showing an equation with blocks, a table to fill in values, and a note indicating a 3-hour preparation for on-site or virtual sessions.

Deepen your knowledge of a problem-based approach for grades K–5 or 6–8

On-site or virtual | 3-hour session

This session provides you with hands-on experience facilitating problem-solving in math, leaving you with an increased understanding of how to teach conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and applications of math.

During this session you’ll learn to:

  • Explain how a problem-based approach to math brings delight to both teaching and learning and builds lasting student understanding.
  • Identify actionable strategies for using a problem-based approach in a math classroom.
  • Connect your current teaching practice to a problem-based approach, and choose a next step to implement a more problem-based approach.

Contact us to request a quote.

Sessions focusing on a phenomena-based approach in Science

Turn curiosity about the world into a starting point for science learning. Our phenomena-based science sessions invite you to experience three-dimensional instruction as a learner and discover how real-world phenomena inspire student engagement and sensemaking.

Bring that experience back to your teaching with a deeper understanding of how to apply this approach in your classroom, helping students explore their questions and make sense of the world around them.

A 90-minute virtual professional development session for teachers featuring a person with a plastic cup of colorful crystals.

Build knowledge of a phenomena-based approach in Science

Virtual | 90-minute session

This session provides educators with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of phenomenon-based teaching and learning. Educators will experience how three-dimensional instruction grounded in real-world phenomena supports student curiosity, engagement, and sensemaking, and will leave with a stronger understanding of how to apply this approach in their science classrooms.

Contact us to request a quote.

Text overlay reads “On-site or virtual session” and “3 hours” over two baskets of craft supplies for phenomena based science professional development.

Deepen knowledge of a phenomena-based approach in Science

On-site or virtual | 3-hour session

This session provides educators with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of phenomenon-based teaching and learning. Educators will experience how three-dimensional instruction grounded in real-world phenomena supports student curiosity, engagement, and sensemaking, and will leave with a stronger understanding of how to apply this approach in their science classrooms.

Contact us to request a quote.

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