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«Back to all edWebinarsFundamental Literacy Foundations: Research-Aligned Tier 1 Instruction in Early Elementary
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm EDT
Presented by Rachel Sorsel, Teacher and Certified Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator
Moderated by Pam Austin, Professional Learning Facilitators Manager, Voyager Sopris Learning
Sponsored by Voyager Sopris Learning
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Join educator and literacy specialist Rachel Sorsel (@mindfulteaccherrachel) for an inspiring edWebinar on how fundamental shifts in Tier 1 early literacy instruction lay a foundation for student success far beyond the primary years. Rachel integrates Science of Reading research into manageable instructional design made for real classrooms.
This session moves beyond rote memorization, guiding teachers to foster deep word understanding through morphology, etymology, and phonics in early grades as well as intentionally teaching executive functioning skills. Attendees will gain practical strategies they can implement immediately to strengthen early literacy instruction, nurture student confidence, and lay the groundwork for advanced comprehension and academic achievement.
Educators will leave with actionable tools to:
- Increase alignment between reading, writing, and spelling instruction (and more!)
- Differentiate effectively without increasing workload while building executive functioning skills
- Build vocabulary and background knowledge through early attention to word structure
- Use assessment efficiently to guide instruction and communicate meaningful insights to families
This edWebinar will be of interest to PreK through early elementary teachers, school leaders, and district leaders.
About the Presenter
Rachel Sorsel, known online as Mindful Teacher Rachel, is a first-grade teacher and certified Orton-Gillingham classroom educator. For the past five years, she has focused on bridging education research to practice, helping educators and parents understand and apply evidence-based reading instruction through her widely followed social media platforms. Rachel is the creator of the World of Phonics read-aloud book series, where she breaks down complex phonics concepts into clear, accessible tools for teachers and families. She is passionate about empowering educators with the knowledge and confidence to teach reading effectively.
About the Moderator
Pam Austin, Professional Learning Facilitators Manager for Voyager Sopris Learning, has over 35 years of experience as an educator. She has worked as a Professional Learning Facilitator Manager with over 17 years of experience in training and supporting districts in various literacy and numeracy interventions for Voyager Sopris Learning in addition to delivering LETRS professional development sessions. She has also shared her love of proven VSL solutions as a Product Marketing Manager when she began her role as an EDVIEW360 podcast host in 2019 and continues to this day. Her goal is to aid teachers in changing the lives of students so that they not only become proficient and successful learners but also individuals confident in pursuing personal and professional life goals.
She previously held the role of Literacy Specialist at the Center for Development and Learning (CDL) now the Center for Literacy and Learning. As an educator in the New Orleans Public Schools for 14 years, she served as an elementary teacher, a reading interventionist, a school-based reading coach, and a central office field literacy facilitator. These varying roles allowed her to gain a myriad of experiences that has enhanced her ability to work in collaboration with other educators, schools, and districts for impactful professional learning. Pam’s first steps into a lifelong career as an educator began as a fourth-grade teacher in a small school in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. And the journey continues…
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
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Voyager Sopris Learning® is the specialist in reading, writing, and math intervention. Fully focused on intervention, we have established four decades of results that demonstrate the efficacy of our solutions. Providing a holistic offering of reading, writing, and math interventions and assessments, our solutions help educators create strong, sustainable foundations to ensure academic success for all students.
