AIM Pathways for Louisiana

After Act 108

Pathways 4 Year Implementation Plan Image — *Click Image to Access PDF*

Louisiana's Act 108 required early literacy training based on the science of reading and includes extensive training in the five components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

As AIM Institute for Learning and & Research trained almost 10,000 educators and leaders throughout Louisiana, it became apparent that educators wanted more! Districts are looking beyond K-3 in efforts to effect long-term, sustainable systemic change rooted in Structured Literacy instruction. The AIM Institute supports this work by offering professional learning options Pre K-12 educators, district and school administrators, paraprofessionals, and specialists.

AIM Pathways courses are accredited by the International Dyslexia Association and educators who have completed Pathways to Proficient Reading (or comparable training) have the opportunity to enroll in Pathways to Structured Literacy, a deeper dive into structured literacy instruction, that qualifies participants to sit for the KPEERI exam offered by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction.

Interested in Scheduling Training in Your District or Discussing a Multi-Year Training Plan to support educators in your school?

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AIM Course Offerings

AIM Pathways comprehensive courses help educators gain knowledge and acquire tools to put the science of reading to work in your classroom and schools.

Defining Advantages:

Goes deeper into classroom practice and specific instructional applications
Offers higher levels of national credentialing for teachers and interventionists, including dyslexia
Provides access to wider range of reading experts across the field
Includes writing and EL learners
Employs a blended approach, including coaching sessions for teachers and is:
- Created by educators for educators
- Program and curriculum agnostic
- More cost effective and less time intensive

Pathways to Structured Literacy

Strengthen educators' knowledge and understanding of the Science of Reading with a deeper dive into diagnostic and prescriptive instruction. Learn how to plan and deliver Structured Literacy lessons in this comprehensive, IDA-accredited experience. Perfect for educators who have completed Pathways to Proficient Reading or comparable training* and are interested in enhancing their practice in an MTSS/RTII framework.

AIM also offers an optional 60-hour Pathways to Structured Literacy practicum for those interested in completing training with supervised contact hours and formal observations.

Pathways to Structured Literacy participants can sit for the KPEERI exam and have two options to receive certification from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction: Course Completion—Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher Certificate; 60-Hour Practicum—Certified Structured Literacy Interventionist.

Please note that completion of Pathways to Proficient Reading or comparable training* is required before enrolling in Pathways to Structured Literacy.

*Contact us if you have completed a comprehensive SOR course and earned the CERI Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher Knowledge Certificate to determine your eligibility for this course.

Pathways to Structured Literacy Course Syllabus

Pathways to Proficient Writing

A comprehensive AIM Pathways course focused on effective instructional practices for writing that will benefit all students, including linguistically diverse populations and those with or at risk for language-based learning disabilities.

Pathways to Proficient Writing is designed for educators committed to learning about the connection between writing research, theoretical models such as the Not-So-Simple View of Writing and The Writing Cycle, and best practices for writing instruction in the classroom.

10-Section Pathways to Proficient Writing Course (See Detailed Syllabus)
4 Virtual Community of Practice Sessions with an AIM facilitator
Pacing Guide/Schedule for Course Work
Course time - approximately 20 hours
12 Months Access to the AIM Pathways platform so materials can be reviewed, applied and accessed in the classroom when needed
Aligned to the IDA's Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading
30 hours available for CEUs
Graduate Credits Available through Arcadia University

At the end of this professional development opportunity, you will be able to draw from your specialized knowledge of the processes and skills that comprise writing (including planning and organizing ideas, translating ideas, using transcription skills, and reviewing, revising, and editing) to increase your students’ writing proficiency.

Early Childhood Education

AIM's Early Childhood Education bundle provides instruction, resources and tools in three asynchronous learning modules perfect for educators working with emerging readers including Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers.

An Overview of the Science of Reading (Syllabus)
Growing Proficient Readers: Dr. Ehri's Phases of Development (Syllabus)
Phonological Awareness. (Syllabus)

The Growing Proficient Readers module features reading researcher Dr. Linnea Ehri narrating the observable reading characteristics of learners from emerging readers in the pre-alphabetic phase through proficient readers in the consolidated phase. A deck of vibrant, printed AIM Animated Alphabet Cards, including instructional scripts to use with each card, is included with this course.

English Learners

Specialized Reading Knowledge Bundle: English Learners - Scheduling for Fall 2023

Develop expert-level knowledge to accelerate language and literacy proficiency for English Learners in any program model with immediate instructional applications with AIM's newest modules created in collaboration with literacy researcher Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan.

Each module in this three-course bundle includes asynchronous course material including case studies, teacher self-assessment tools, lesson planning framework, and lesson plans. Each module also includes a 1-hour synchronous community of practice session (VCOP) with an expert AIM facilitator.

Modules include:

Introduction to English Learners: Language & Literacy Development (includes 1 hour VCOP)
Word Recognition Among English Learners (includes 1 hour VCOP)
Language Comprehension Among English Learners (includes 1 hour VCOP)

Please note that completion of comprehensive structured literacy training is strongly recommended before enrolling in this course.

Pathways to Proficient Reading - To Meet Act 108 Requirements

Are you Act 108 ready? As you consider your district’s plans to meet Act 108 guidelines, don’t forget new teachers, paraprofessionals, or specialists and interventionists new to their role.

Pathways to Proficient Reading is an IDA-accredited foundational course in the science of reading, designed for educators committed to learning about the connection between reading research, theoretical models such as the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope, and best practices for language and literacy instruction in the classroom.

Commitment Includes:

Participation in an asynchronous pre-knowledge inventory
Completion of 17 asynchronous learning sections (approx. 45 hours)
Participation in six one-hour synchronous coaching community of practice sessions
Completion of post-knowledge inventory
12-Month access to the AIM Pathways Platform - Course Syllabus

Louisiana Partners

AIM Pathways Impact

AIM is privileged to work with educators, school, district and state partners around the country to provide educators and education leaders with diagnostic and prescriptive tools grounded in the Science of Reading and the support required to apply and use this training in classroom practice. AIM Pathways educators and leaders now total more than 20,000 individuals in schools and districts in more than 30 states and three countries.