Reading Series Success
"After taking my reading courses in college I'd finish and think, "Fine, but how do I teach reading?" This [class] has given me more strategies, rationale, and knowledge in reading than I've gotten in all of my eight years of teaching. Thank you so much."
–Cynthia McWilliams
Ft. McCoy Middle School
Ft. McCoy, FL
"I have already seen an increase in FCAT scores, but more importantly, student motivation. Many students now call reading their favorite subject!"
–Amy Miller
Graceville High School
Florida Teacher
"Going through the PLS courses has afforded me with the necessary skills and knowledge to become highly qualified to teach reading to all my students. I have seen my students’ achievement improve as a result of my new teaching style.
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–Carolyn Francis
Shanks Middle School
Gadsen County, FL
"The ultimate result of student achievement has been greatly affected as a result of this course. Diana Brown (PLS) has a dynamic way of presenting the information & getting every learner involved in the process. Her knowledge of the content is incredible. I have never had a presenter I have enjoyed more!
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–Marie Laurino
Emerald Coast Middle School
Walton County, FL
Beginning in March of 2004, Performance Learning Systems provided Professional Development in the area of reading to instructional and managerial personnel in the fifteen schools and school districts within the Florida Panhandle Area Education Consortium over thirteen (13) month time period. A third party, independent evaluator was used to evaluate the project. The sample included a large number of teachers, districts, schools and students.
The following graph shows the resulting post-training reading scores obtained by students taught by each group of teachers:
- Individual Design Group: Teachers who took non-PLS training.
- PLS – Both: Teachers who took both the PLS Learning to Read and Reading to Learn courses.
- PLS-L2R:
Teachers who took PLS' Learning to Read course only. - PLS – R2L:
Teachers who took PLS' Reading to Learn only. - Control Group:
Teachers who took no additional training.
PLS is continuing to receive outstanding reviews from participants, instructors delivering the courses through their districts, administrators, and those who observe PLS reading endorsement track teachers throughout their practicum.
At a recent meeting of the Professional Development Directors through the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium representative of the various districts who use the PLS Reading Courses for the Florida Reading Endorsement, instructors shared that there is "definitely an observable difference in classroom teaching among those who have taken PLS courses for reading endorsement and those who have chosen other reading endorsement tracks".
Many Florida school districts are continuing to include and deliver the PLS Reading courses as requirements within reading endorsement plans submitted to the Florida Department of Education.
For more information on PLS Reading and Literacy courses, click here!