Parking for Thursday Evening: The Summit begins at 4:00. You can use the Adams Center parking lot (LOT P on the map). The Passport app system is available to pay for short-term parking. If you are arriving at 5:00 or later, parking on campus is Free.
4/17 Friday Sessions: All Friday sessions will be held in the PJW College of Education, except for two held in adjacent buildings (signage will be displayed). Breakfast will begin at 8:00, and sessions will start promptly at 8:30.
4/18 Saturday Sessions: All Saturday sessions will take place in the PJW College of Education. Breakfast and registration will be available as early as 7:30 am. Sessions will begin at 8:15. Parking for Saturday Sessions: All parking is FREE. You may park anywhere on campus!
Travel: For those traveling from outside Missoula, book your hotel early! A limited number of discounted hotel rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown. You can use this link to book your rooms.Please usethe code ECE or call the hotel at 406-721-8550 and mention the code and ECE 4th Annual Summit.
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This session is limited to 30 attendees. Attendees will receive a copy of the Strive for Five: Using Intentional Conversations to Build Early Language and Literacy text.
Attendees will:
Understand how multi-turn Strive-for-Five conversations support children’s oral language, comprehension, and early literacy development.
Use the five-turn conversation structure to move beyond simple question-and-answer exchanges and intentionally stretch children’s thinking and vocabulary.
Implement at least one Strive-for-Five strategy within everyday classroom routines such as read-alouds, play, or small-group instruction.
Identify research-aligned outdoor strategies that support early literacy development across foundational skills (letter knowledge, phonological awareness, early decoding) as well as oral language, vocabulary, and knowledge building.
Analyze outdoor learning environments to recognize opportunities for playful, purposeful literacy instruction that integrates movement, exploration, and meaningful talk.
Design a personalized outdoor literacy plan using their own school maps or nearby community spaces to support sustained early reading development.
