Register here: https://memberlink.mbteach.org/Event.axd?e=2964

RCGW - Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg

Conference Title: Building Strong Readers: Practical Strategies from the Science of Reading with Heather Willms

Location: Centro Caboto Centre, 1055 Wilkes Avenue, Winnipeg, MB

Time: 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

Registration Deadline: October 20, 2025 at 4:00 pm

- Program -
09:00 am - 09:15 am - Opening
09:15 am - 10:30 am - Morning Session
10:30 am - 10:45 am - Break & Book Draws
10:45 am - 12:00 pm - Morning Session (continued)
12:00 pm - 01:00 pm - Lunch (Provided)
01:00 pm - 02:15 pm - Afternoon Session
02:15 pm - 02:30 pm - Break & Book Draws
02:30 pm - 03:15 pm - Afternoon Session (continued)
03:15 pm - 03:30 pm - Closing & Book Draws

- Conference and Membership Fees -
RCGW Conference Fee ............................................... $120 until Oct 1 / .... $140 as of Oct 2
RCGW Conference & Membership Fee .................... $100 until Oct 1 / .... $120 as of Oct 2
RCGW Student Conference Fee ................................ $80 until Oct 1 / ..... $100 as of Oct 2
RCGW Student Conference & Membership Fee ..... $65 until Oct 1 / ..... $75 as of Oct 2
RCGW Full Membership Fee ...................................... $20
RCGW Student Membership Fee .............................. $10

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations with refunds will be issued until October 20, 2025.

If you need any additional information, please contact Jon Sorokowski at (204) 299-7228 or by email at rcgwprograms@gmail.com.

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Sessions - 9:00 AM-3:30 PM

Building Strong Readers: Practical Strategies from the Science of Reading

Join us for a full day of professional learning with Heather Willms, a Canadian reading intervention teacher and university instructor from British Columbia. With over two decades of experience as a classroom teacher, learning support specialist, and district lead, Heather is a sought-after presenter known for her expertise in evidence-based literacy instruction.

Morning Session: Structured Literacy
Discover how the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy can transform your approach to reading instruction. This session explores the Big 5 of reading (Comprehension, Phonemic Awareness, Fluency, Phonics, and Vocabulary), offering practical strategies to support both whole-class and small-group instruction.

Afternoon Session: Bridging the Gap
Supporting diverse literacy needs in Grades 4-8 can be challenging. This session focuses on key areas such as Vocabulary, Morphology, Decoding Multisyllable Words, and Spelling, along with comprehension and fluency strategies. Walk away with ready-to-use tools to enhance literacy instruction in your classroom.

About Heather
Heather Willms, B.A., B.Ed., M.A.Ed., is a reading intervention teacher and university sessional instructor on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Her work includes mentoring, modeling, and building resources and intervention programming that supports teachers and students in Kindergarten through to Grade 7. Heather has twenty-three years of experience as a classroom teacher, learning support teacher, and district lead teacher for English Language Learners. She has also worked as a district and provincial educational instructor, presenting workshops on issues that impact teachers and students at the classroom level. A sought-after presenter, Heather also works as a reading consultant and coach for districts, schools, and teachers moving towards reading instruction that aligns with the Science of Reading.