ReadWorks Partners with Experts to Bring Teachers a Live Panel on Syntax

Why do some students understand every individual word in a sentence, yet still miss the overall meaning? And how can incorporating syntax into Structured Literacy lessons strengthen reading comprehension?

These are the questions at the heart of our upcoming live panel, Syntax: An Essential Part of Structured Literacy.

Join host Tamika Reece from ReadWorks for an engaging and illuminating conversation with three leading experts in literacy and language: Julie Van Dyke, Nancy Chapel Eberhardt, and Margie Gillis. Together, they will explore why syntax—how words are arranged to form meaning—must be a foundational element of effective literacy instruction.

Syntax: An Essential Part of Structured Literacy
Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Time: 7:00–8:00 PM ET
Location: Register here 

Bridging Research and the Classroom
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This session connects what we know from the science of language to what teachers experience every day in their classrooms. Our panelists will dive into how the brain processes syntax during reading, why sentence structure plays a critical role in comprehension, and how a responsive, language-focused approach supports all learners.

Beyond the research, this session is designed for real classroom impact. You will walk away with practical, ready-to-use strategies to help you teach syntax explicitly and give students the tools they need to truly understand what they read.

A Conversation Designed for Educators
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Your voice matters in this session. This is not just a webinar—it is a conversation. We invite you to bring your questions, insights, and experiences. Dedicated time at the end of the session will allow for open discussion with our panelists.

Meet the Panelists
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Julie Van Dyke, Ph.D.
Dr. Van Dyke holds a joint appointment at the Institute for Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Connecticut, the Yale University Child Study Center, and the Yale-UConn-Haskins Global Literacy Hub. She is also the Chief Scientist and Inventor of Cascade Reading, a technology designed to visually scaffold syntactic relationships during reading. Learn more 
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Find Julie on LinkedIn

Nancy Chapel Eberhardt
Nancy Chapel Eberhardt is co-author of LANGUAGE! The Comprehensive Literacy Curriculum, The Literacy How Professional Learning Series, and Sortegories by 95 Percent Group. She currently serves as a content consultant for the Reading Universe taxonomy project.

Find Nancy on LinkedIn 

Margie Gillis, Ed.D., CALT
Dr. Gillis is the Founder and President of Literacy How, Inc. and co-author of The Literacy How Professional Learning Series. She is a nationally recognized expert in structured literacy and teacher training. Learn more

Find Margie on LinkedIn

View the Syntax Panel