Character-Based Literacy Training Center

Two people studying with books and a laptop on a table.

CBL Basics Course

In this introductory course, you will learn about the organization and structure of the Character-Based Literacy (CBL) Program. The course takes 1–2 hours to complete.

Introduction: What is Character Education?

This video describes foundational concepts in character education. It covers key goals and essential practices for effective character education as part of the English language arts curriculum (5:46 minutes).

Module 1: CBL Overview

In this module, you will learn about the research-based practices included in the CBL program as well as the scope and structure of the curriculum. Watch an overview video about the program (5:36 minutes).

Module 2: PREPARE

In this module, you will learn about the pre-reading activities included in the CBL lesson plans. Watch a video about the CBL PREPARE phase. The video was prepared by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (3:13 minutes).

Download and print a teacher self-evaluation tool for the PREPARE phase.

Watch an expert interview with Mary E. Curtis, Professor of Education at Lesley University. This video about the explicit vocabulary instruction was produced by WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education (2:25 minutes).

Module 3: READ

In this module, you will learn about the reading comprehension activities included in the CBL lesson plans. Watch a video about the CBL READ phase. The video was prepared by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (3:14 minutes).

Watch an expert interview with Janice A. Dole, Professor of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah. This video about the importance of implicit reading comprehension instruction was produced by WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education (6:28 minutes).

Module 4: RESPOND

In this module, you will learn about using visual representations of key details such as timeline and places. Watch a video about the CBL RESPOND phase. The video was prepared by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (3:54 minutes).

The second video provides additional instructional techniques for teaching students about timelines (4:30 minutes).

Module 5: EXPLORE

In this module, you will learn about using experiential learning, graphic organizers, and extended discussions to promote student engagement and comprehension. Watch a video about the CBL EXPLORE phase. The video was prepared by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics(4:22 minutes).

See how a high school teacher implements reciprocal peer teaching in the classroom – a collaborative learning practice. This video was produced by WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education (7:03 minutes).

Module 6: EXTEND

In this module, you will learn about using writing, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections to support reading comprehension. Watch a video about the CBL EXTEND phase. The video was prepared by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (2:48 minutes).