EBRI Study Circle

ATLAS developed EBRI Study Circles (along with companion training material and resources) for Minnesota ABE programs to improve reading instruction among adult learners in a wide range of contexts and levels. They are intended to expand implementation of EBRI practices one step at a time – beginning with one reading group, component, diagnostic assessment, and instructional plan. All completers receive state-approved, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in the area of Reading Preparation.

The study circle format generally involves six meetings, offered over three months, each between 90 and 120 minutes in length. The meetings focus on the following topics or questions*:

• Meeting 1: What is EBRI? What is STAR? Where do they come from? How are they alike? How are they different? What are the four reading components? What are their six interrelationships?
• Meeting 2: What is the value of diagnostic reading assessment (DRA)? What are the purposes and processes for assessing word reading skills, phonics knowledge, fluency and comprehension levels? How are the results used to plan effective reading instruction?
• Meeting 3: What are evidence-based incentives, routines, and resources for teaching alphabetics (phonics and multisyllabic word decoding) across ABE and ESL levels?
• Meeting 4: What are evidence-based incentives, routines, and resources for teaching vocabulary (Tier 1-3 word knowledge) across ABE and ESL levels?
• Meeting 5: What are evidence-based incentives, routines, and resources for teaching fluency (text accuracy, rate, and prosody) across ABE and ESL levels?
• Meeting 6: What are evidence-based incentives, routines, and resources for teaching comprehension (text engagement strategies) across ABE and ESL levels?

* NOTE: The order of Meetings 3-6 can be altered.

Interesting in facilitating an EBRI study circle?

Please check out our EBRI Study Circle Facilitation Guide and contact Kristine Kelly with any questions you may have.