Register Now! Tennessee Early Literacy Network Trainings

Register Now! Tennessee Early Literacy Network Trainings

Sep 22, 2026 - Feb 28, 2027

Interested in this opportunity? District or school leaders, please email East Region Director Keely Potter at kpotter@niet.org to register participants. For specific questions, please contact NIETtraining@niet.org.

Register now! Deadline is October 16th.

Strengthening Literacy Instruction Across Tennessee

NIET continues to partner with Tennessee districts to advance literacy instruction and strengthen educators’ use of high-quality English language arts instructional materials. Building on the work of the Tennessee Literacy Implementation Network, this support also focuses on developing effective structures for professional learning, coaching, collaboration, and ongoing instructional improvement.

The Early Literacy Network 2.0 carries this work forward. In its third year, the network provides district and school leaders with opportunities to deepen their understanding of effective literacy instruction, examine the quality of implementation, determine areas where additional support is needed, and strengthen the feedback provided to teachers. This work is grounded in the high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) educators are using in their classrooms, allowing feedback and next steps to be directly connected to daily instruction.

Trainings That Make a Difference

How professional learning is provided:

  • 3 regional convenings across the state
  • 4 virtual learning sessions for instructional leaders
  • 10 virtual learning sessions for teachers
  • Asynchronous modules
  • Individualized implementation support

The network addresses professional learning in 4 key ways:

  • Building coherent literacy systems for impact
  • Strengthening connections among foundational skills, knowledge building, and reading comprehension
  • Using student writing as evidence of learning
  • Sustaining progress while planning for continued improvement

Each opportunity is intentionally connected to Tennessee’s literacy initiatives and incorporates state-specific resources, processes, and tools. These experiences expand educator knowledge of effective literacy practices and HQIM implementation while strengthening the capacity of teachers and leaders to support high-quality literacy instruction.

Interested in this opportunity? District or school leaders, please email East Region Director Keely Potter at kpotter@niet.org to register participants. For specific questions, please contact NIETtraining@niet.org.

Why NIET?

NIET is a nonprofit with over 25 years of experience working in districts across the country, including in Tennessee. At the core of NIET’s work is the belief that all students deserve to be taught by an effective teacher. We have found that teacher leaders are a powerful lever for improving educator effectiveness and ensuring all students have opportunities for success.

Strengthening Writing as a Critical Component of Literacy - November 2026

In this training, participants will deepen their understanding of evidence-based writing instruction and how it develops and integrates foundational skills, language, knowledge, comprehension, and composition across grades K-4. Grounded in research, best practices, and high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), participants will examine writing tasks and instructional practices that support students' development as writers across the elementary grades. Through the analysis of student writing and evidence of student learning, participants will consider how educators can identify student strengths and needs, respond with targeted instructional supports, and accelerate learning while maintaining grade-level expectations. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of what effective writing instruction looks like and how evidence can inform instructional decisions that strengthen writing outcomes for all students. 

Objectives

By the end of the session, participants will be able to ...

  • Examine how student-based writing instruction develops and integrates foundational skills, language, knowledge, comprehension, and composition across grades K-4.
  • Review and connect research, best practices, and HQIM writing tasks to instructional practices that support effective writing development.
  • Analyze student writing and use evidence of student learning to identify instructional next steps that accelerate learning while maintaining grade-level instruction. 

Agenda

  • The Power of Writing and the Factors That Influence Instruction
  • Effective Writing Instruction
  • Supporting Student Writers: Understanding the Demands and Instructional Expectations
  • Instruction That Moves Writers
  • Building Conditions for Success