SIM News​​​​

• New SIM Canvas Courses!

  • Understanding Academic Language Strategy on Canvas

  • Concept Comparison Routine on Canvas

• Listen to Season 3, Episode 4 of Co-Teachers in Classrooms Getting Coffee with KUCRL Co-Director, Dr. Jocelyn Washburn, to explore her personal experience with co-teaching and how High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) transform real classrooms.

• Join us for a FREE webinar on Jan. 28, with SIM PDer Karen Staley (NC),  and learn about Getting Started with SIM through the SLANT Strategy.

• KU CRL Researchers, Suzy Myers and Jocelyn Washburn, presented Writing with Purpose: How Adolescents’ Writing Improves by Connecting with an Authentic Purpose on Nov. 21 at the 2025 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Conference. Their session (and SIM) were highlighted (#3) in the Joyful Literacies' NCTE 2025 Wrap Up Blog!

  

• The Teaching Content to All: Evidence-based Inclusive Practices in Middle and Secondary Schools (Lenz, Deshler, & Kissam, 2003) book is now available in KU ScholarWorks - free to download. Among other uses, Pre-Service SIM Professional Developers may want to use this book as a course reading.

   

Reminders:

• Report your SIM PD work - We use this information to help us apply for grants and to share the impact SIM is having around the world. This is especially important right now with everything that is happening in the broader landscape of US education. We don't mind if they're really old!

• Update your StrateDirectory information so that others in the network can find you. That is also where you let us know if you are interested in being contacted with referrals for PD in your area.

SIM in the Field

• We enjoyed seeing everyone online for the Fall Virtual SIM Conference in November!

   

• Celebrating 50 Years of IDEA!

  

  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has transformed education—and we’re proud to have been part of that journey. For 47 years, the CRL has partnered with educators to tackle challenges and create solutions that make a difference. Our commitment remains strong: improving the lives of teachers and students for years to come.

• Jocelyn Washburn ran into her SIM Content Enhancement Routines Mentor, Judith Fontana, at the Virginia CEC Conference in November. It's always wonderful to reconnect with friends and colleagues at events!

• A big thank you to the Virginia and Montana teachers who are collaborating as we co-create the Integrated Strategic Technology-based Adaptive wRiting (iSTAR) Program — your insights are shaping the future of writing instruction!

• Check out the Fall 2025 SIM Educator Newsletter in the SIM Forum for links to free educator resources.

  https://sim.ku.edu/sim-forum

Recent Publications by KU CRL Staff and SIM Network Members:

• SIM Professional Developer Cathleen Beachboard (VA) recently published an article entitled “3 Ways to Boost Students’ Motivation to Learn” in Edutopia. She connects student-to-student feedback using Glows and Grows to motivation for learning.
• Cormier, C. J., Lindo, E. J., & Ford, D. (2025). Removing Shade From Their Light: Magnifying Minoritized 2e Learners With Strategies for Practice. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 57(6), 408-410. https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599251353286 
• Mosher Ph.D., Maggie & Dieker, Lisa & Rowland, Amber. (2025). Assessment and Communication through AI-Enhanced Extended Reality Simulations: Educating the Future Workforce.

SIM Resources

• 2025 SIM One-Page Flyer

• Handout with quick links to SIM resources (crosswalks and websites)

Upcoming SIM Events

SIM Events for PDers and Specialists

• 2026 Winter SIM Update Conference - Feb. 16- Mar. 19

New Course for teachers: Supporting Adolescent Literacy for Successful School Change

• Is your school team looking for a course in adolescent literacy to dramatically impact teacher and student performance? We have a course for that!

  Our online learning course, Supporting Adolescent Literacy for Successful School Change, is a six-part course designed to support school teams in implementing a systematic approach to adolescent literacy using evidence-based learning tools. Follow the link above for more information and to register today!

LEARN NEW SKILLS with SIM Online Classes - self-paced professional development on Canvas, with follow-up coaching

• Content Enhancement Routines:
  • NEW Dec. 2025 - Concept Comparison Routine
  • Concept Mastery Routine
  • Cross-Curricular Argumentation Routine
  • Framing Routine
  • Unit Organizer Routine
• Learning Strategies
  • Fundamentals of Paraphrasing and Summarizing Strategy
  • The Inference Strategy
  • The Paragraph Writing Strategy
  • Possible Selves Strategy (1st or 2nd edition)
  • Sentence Writing Strategies (Fundamentals and Proficiency)
  • NEW Dec. 2025 - Understanding Academic Language