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Why It’s Time to Teach Reading to Teens
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm EST
Presented by Priscilla Barrera, English 1 Lead Teacher, IDEA San Juan College Prep (TX); Nick Brummer, Eighth-Grade ELA Lead Teacher, Eagle Valley Middle School (CO); and Leah Sewell, Former Teacher, Current Director of Partnerships, Zinc Learning Labs
Sponsored by Zinc Learning Labs
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Many of us were trained to teach literature, but today’s students need something different: explicit reading instruction. In this edWebinar, two secondary ELA teachers share how they help teens build the comprehension skills required for complex texts. You learn simple, high-impact routines you can use right away—without rewriting your curriculum or adding hours to your day.
Join us for an honest look at what teens need from us now, and how we can support every reader with confidence and clarity. Each viewer through May 2026 will receive Zinc student licenses for all of their students upon completion of a brief survey. This recorded edWebinar is of interest to middle and high school teachers, librarians, ELA department chairs, and ELA administrators.
About the Presenters
Priscilla Barrera is a dedicated English language arts educator and teacher leader with over 14 years of experience in education. She currently teaches Pre-AP English I at IDEA Public Schools and ENG 1301 at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, while also serving as a National ELA Curriculum Leader, supporting literacy and vertical alignment initiatives. Priscilla’s work focuses on evidence-based reading and writing instruction, with a deep commitment to ensuring multilingual learners and historically underserved students have access to rigorous, culturally responsive literacy experiences.
Nicholas Brummer is an eighth-grade ELA teacher and team lead at Eagle Valley Middle School in Eagle, Colorado. He has been recognized for his effectiveness and passion in the classroom, receiving the Effective Apple Award in 2025 from the Education Foundation of Eagle County. Nick is in his fourth year in his current position, having spent one year in seventh grade and one year as a perm substitute after taking 10 years off from education to raise his three children. He has 14 years total as a teacher. Nick coaches a very successful cross country team each fall, which typically consists of 40-45 middle school runners. Fun fact: Nick is currently in the same building as his wife and two children.
Leah Sewell taught ninth and tenth grade English at Lincoln High School in San Diego Unified School District for 10 years. After several years as part of College Board’s National Faculty, she took on a full-time role with College Board’s SpringBoard ELA program, supporting district pilots and implementations. She is excited to be a part of the Zinc Learning Labs team where she can more deeply focus on reading growth for secondary students across the country by partnering with districts as they integrate Zinc’s programs into their ELA classrooms and beyond.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Join the Be a Literacy Hero community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Zinc Learning Labs is a science-backed reading skills accelerator for secondary schools that drives transformative reading growth. Zinc offers easy-to-implement, individualized, digital experiences backed by comprehensive reporting, empowering teachers to guide all students to reading success.
