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Special Education Resources, MD dept of special education

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Special Education Resources, MD dept of special education

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COVID-19 Remote Learning

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During Maryland's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, a continuum of teaching and learning remain in place (Figure 1). Throughout the extended school closure and re-opening process currently underway, continuity of learning models implemented in each local school system/public agency (LSS/PA) continue to adapt for both general and special education (as illustrated in green and blue, respectively, in Figure 1), driven by the health and safety needs of teachers, service providers, and students under the direction of the Governor and State Superintendent of Schools.

In April, each LSS/PA was required to develop a systemwide Continuity of Learning Plan for all students, including students with disabilities, and in August, required to submit a local board approved Recovery Plan in alignment with the MSDE's Maryland Together: Maryland's Recovery Plan for Education. Throughout this process, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities have been, and continue to be, reviewed, amended, or revised as appropriate to provide Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) consistent with the districtwide service delivery model.

Serving Children with Disabilities Under IDEA During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The MSDE Division of Early Intervention and Special Education Services (DEI/SES) has created the following resources in order to address common issues raised by local public agencies, parents, and the advocacy community, and remains committed to supporting local public agencies as we navigate these rapidly evolving and challenging times. Local public agencies should also continue to consult with their legal counsel to ensure local continuity of learning plans and practices comply with applicable state and federal law.

Technical Assistance Bulletins (TABs)

Continuity of Learning

Recovery Planning

Tips for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Parent Guides

Supporting Students with Disabilities Through Distance Learning

Navigating Distance Learning

Online Engagement Systems and Platforms

Teaching Tools and Supports

Share My Lesson allows teachers to post and share lessons they have developed.

Remind is an app to connect students and parents with the classroom. Users can share files, links, and other instructional resources from personal devices as attachments, or through a previously-established cloud sharing system such as Google Classroom, Google Drive, Office 365, etc.

Screencastify is a browser plugin allowing teachers to add video and share with students. The plugin allows students to make their voices heard and their thinking visible with fun, interactive videos. A free plan is available but is limited to five minutes.

Spiral is a digital collaboration and assessment tool reviewed here by Common Sense Media. It is most appropriate for upper elementary and secondary students.

Edmodo is a digital collaboration and assessment tool. Edmodo has launched a Distance Learning Toolkit

Flipgrid uses interactive slideshows to help teachers create digital assessments and foster student collaboration.

Tes Teach Online Lesson Builder and Assessment Tool The digital tools in Tes Teach allow teachers to create interactive lessons, projects, presentations, assessments and more.

LiveBinders Collaboration and Assessment Tool is an online tool for organizing educational resources. It can be used to create classroom textbooks, eportfolios, and more.

The MSDE DEI/SES does not endorse the use of any of the resources provided.

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Resources to Support Students with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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During Maryland's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, a continuum of teaching and learning remain in place (Figure 1).

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Teacher Modules from Colorado Department of Education: Assessing, Preventing and Overcoming Reading Difficulties, David Kilpatrick

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Teacher Modules from Colorado Department of Education: Assessing, Preventing and Overcoming Reading Difficulties, David Kilpatrick

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Colorado Education Learning Management System

This site provides free courses developed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) for educators and other K-12 professionals.

Here's what's happening!

Join an active community of users and choose from a large selection of courses on a variety of education-related topics.

FAQ

Please search for a course you are interested in and then reach out to the CDE course contact listed; that person can assist you with creating an account and enrolling in a course. We don't currently allow self-registration.

While some courses offer a self-enrollment option, most do not. Please reach out to the CDE course contact listed on the course and that person can assist you with the enrollment process. If you don't yet have an account on this site, they can also help you with registering.

If you need support within a course, please reach out to the CDE contact listed for the course. If you don't see a contact, or need additional help, please contact CDE here.

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colorado education learning management system

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Colorado Education Learning Management System

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This site provides free courses developed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) for educators and other K-12 professionals. Join an active community of users and choose from a large selection of courses on a variety of education-related topics.

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Haskins Global Literacy Hub, Integrated Literacy Approach, Educator PD

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Haskins Global Literacy Hub, Integrated Literacy Approach, Educator PD

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The “Integrated Literacy Approach Professional Development Program” improves outcomes of students receiving Tier 3 instruction through:

A solid introduction to the Science of Reading;

A structured, sequential, systematic, and diagnostic-prescriptive literacy model;

A robust database framework leveraging data collection and analysis informing instruction, based on the understanding of the science of reading by educators.

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At Southport CoLAB we believe in integrating research, practice, and advocacy to effect positive outcomes for people with learning and attention issues.

The reach of The Southport School extends beyond our physical walls as we seek to capitalize on the opportunity to impact the local and national communities by helping train teachers, educate families, and inform the public about language-based learning disabilities and attention issues.

The Southport CoLAB currently offers three specialized training programs: Structured Literacy: Orton Gillingham, Executive Functioning, and Assistive Technology.

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Integrated Literacy Approach - Haskins Global Literacy Hub

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At Southport CoLAB we believe in integrating research, practice, and advocacy to effect positive outcomes for people with learning and attention issues. The reach of The Southport School extends beyond our physical walls as we seek to capitalize on the opportunity to impact the local and national communities by helping train teachers, educate families, and inform the public about language-based learning disabilities and attention issues.

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From Teaching Remotely to Assessing and Addressing Learning Loss, We've Got You Covered

At Voyager Sopris Learning ® our goal is to enable continuous learning for all students with solutions educators can pivot between presenting in-person, virtually, or hybrid formats. Our proven online assessments, evidence-based intervention, and professional development solutions support learning loss with:

Standards-aligned assessments

Literacy and math intervention

Professional learning to help educators serve all student learning needs, whether in the classroom, distance learning, or hybrid learning environments

All Students Assessment Intervention Solutions Professional Development Show all

All Students

Meet the Needs of Every Learner with Flexible Programs and Assessments

Reading Rangers is an interactive, web-based, student-centered reading practice solution. This independent practice tool can be used with any reading or intervention program. Reading Rangers engages students and provides a structure and path to organize the application of skills for vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Grades K-5.

Get a Free Trial Learn More

REWARDS® is a research-based, short-term literacy intervention to help struggling adolescent students bridge learning gaps in the long term. Easy to implement and available for immediate use, REWARDS helps students improve capacity for decoding multisyllabic words, understand word structure, expand vocabulary, and master essential literacy skills. Grades 4-12.

Try a Sample Learn More

Read Well® is a comprehensive research-based reading and language arts curriculum that helps students build the skills needed to be successful readers and learners. Through a flexible approach of whole-class instruction, differentiated small-group instruction, and individual student practice, teachers can meet students at their skill levels and adapt instruction. Grades K-3.

Try a Sample Learn More

Step Up to Writing® is a systematic, multisensory writing instruction focused on flexible and easily differentiated strategies for individual learning needs. Step Up to Writing offers explicit instruction that is effective for every student and supports all students, including general education, English language learners, gifted and talented, and those at risk or with special needs. Grades K-12.

Try a Sample Learn More

Assessment

Know Where Your Students Are with Reliable, Research-Based Evaluation

ClearSight has standards-aligned assessments for reading, writing, editing, listening, math, and science with rigorous, validated items. The assessments include subject area interim adaptive measures to indicate student progress toward mastery of state standards. Grades K-12.

Learn More

Acadience Reading® K-6 ( previously published as DIBELS Next®) literacy assessment provides brief, formative indicators of the essential skills necessary for proficient reading. Easy and efficient to administer, score, and interpret. Grades K-6.
Learn More

Acadience Reading® Pre-K ( PELI) is a storybook-embedded assessment of essential pre-literacy and oral language skills needed for kindergarten. Designed to identify students who are experiencing difficulties acquiring these skills, PELI provides information to guide the instructional support needed to improve future reading outcomes. Grades Pre-K.
Learn More

Acadience® Math ( previously published as DIBELS® Math) is a universal screening and progress-monitoring assessment that measures the acquisition of mathematics skills. These assessments give educators a quick-and-efficient way to monitor progress, tailor instruction, and guide students toward math proficiency. Grades K-6.
Learn More

Acadience® Data Management ( ADM) is a reporting system that gives educators the data they need to make informed instructional decisions at all levels. This online system aggregates data and easily interprets meaning through its clear and accurate reports. Grades K-9.
Learn More

Interventions

Get Struggling Students Back on Grade Level in Literacy and Math

Voyager Passport® is an ESSA Strong, comprehensive, supplemental reading intervention to help students whose literacy skills have regressed. Voyager Passport provides struggling readers with explicit instructions, corrective feedback, and more time on task to master critical reading skills-in just 30 minutes a day. Grades K-5.

Try a Sample Learn More

LANGUAGE! Live® is a reading intervention developed by literacy expert Dr. Louisa Moats and based on the science of reading. Proven to significantly improve literacy skills for struggling readers, LANGUAGE! Live combines foundational and advanced learning skills with digital and teacher-led reading instruction to guide students to reading proficiency. Grades 5-12.

Take a Tour Learn More

TransMath® is a comprehensive math intervention with an ESSA Strong rating that helps students become algebra ready through teacher support and practical, real-life, lesson-by-lesson models. Grades 5-10. Vmath Live offers students engaging activities to master at their own pace in a motivating online environment for skills-building practice of TransMath lessons. Grades K-8.

Try a Sample Learn More

Vmath® is an ESSA Strong, supplemental math intervention that complements core instruction by targeting and reinforcing the challenging grade-level concepts students need most. Grades 2-8. Vmath Live® offers students engaging activities to master at their own pace in a motivating online environment for the skills-building practice of Vmath modules and lessons. Grades K-8.

Try a Sample Learn More

Professional Learning

Support Educators with Timely Training Opportunities

LETRS ( Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), literacy professional learning authored by literacy experts Drs. Louisa Moats and Carol Tolman provide educators with the depth of knowledge and language and literacy skills to teach reading. LETRS is accredited by the International Dyslexia Association ® and aligned to the Structured Literacy approach based on the science of reading. Grades PreK-12.

Try a Sample Learn More

Literacy Symposium is the premier online professional development event designed for PreK to college educators interested in improving student success in reading and writing. Learn from thought leaders across the globe as they present cutting-edge research about literacy topics to inspire educators and teachers everywhere. June 18-19, 2020.
Learn More and Register

EDVIEW 360 is our engaging presentation of webinars, blogs, and podcasts focused on helping educators and students succeed. We partner with experienced educators, inspiring thought leaders, and top education innovators to explore essential topics in literacy, math, professional development, assessment, SEL, and so much more.
Subscribe Now

On-Demand Remote Learning Strategies

Strengthen Your Professional Knowledge Base About Learning Loss

Take your professional development to the next level with Voyager Sopris Learning's on-demand webinars! These brief, instructional presentations focus on remote learning lesson tips, school-year planning strategies, learning loss, assessing students during a year like no other, and much more.
Learn More

Using Data to Improve Student Outcomes in the Context of COVID-19

The circumstances in which we find ourselves as educators at this moment call for flexible and reflective thinking about the goals toward which we might aim and the goals that we might set for our students. [We] believe we will need to adjust our goals, and likely readjust them again at a later time. Ultimately, this means we will need to be flexible with expectations.
Read Blog

What Should Effective Grading and Assessment Look Like During-and After-the Coronavirus Pandemic?

During this episode of "A Seat at the Table," former K-5 public school principal turned popular author, presenter, and Education Week opinion blogger, Peter DeWitt will discuss grading and assessment during the current pandemic with Thomas R. Guskey, a senior research scholar at the University of Louisville.
Watch Now

Moving Forward in Fall 2020: How the Right District Assessment Can Help Identify Learning Loss

This fall, students will start school with varying degrees of learning loss due to spring school closures. The need for accurate assessment will be critical as educators work to determine where incoming students are in relation to their prior grade's achievement standards. By pinpointing specific areas of weakness, schools and districts can appropriately address learning gaps, plan intervention, and move on to new content that meets student needs.
Watch Now

Back to School 2020: A Fall Like No Other

Back to school 2020 will be like no other in history. As districts, schools, and families begin to work through educational plans for the new academic year, educators must address student learning loss during the extended spring school closure-known as the COVID slide. School reopening plans will vary, depending on many safety, social, and economic factors. However, one thing will be certain: teachers must have valid ways to reliably assess where students are in their progression of learning.
Read Blog

Find out if these solutions are right for your needs

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At Voyager Sopris Learning ® our goal is to enable continuous learning for all students with solutions educators can pivot between presenting in-person, virtually, or hybrid formats.

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Have questions about the The Fundations ® Virtual Resource HUB? Please review our FAQ below.

This page will be periodically updated as new information becomes available. Please contact us with any other questions you may have.

Answers

What is the FUN HUB?

The Fundations Virtual Resource Hub, or FUN HUB for short, is a web-based membership site that includes resources to support educators teaching remotely. This site is in response to school closures and the need to help teachers, elementary students, and their families learn at home.
Resources in the FUN HUB include: For Teachers:

Access to a digital copy of the Teacher's Manual, redeemed using the code in the front of the manual

Fundations InterActivities app, which is an interactive teaching tool including digital versions of Large/Standard Sound Cards, posters, and Fundations materials

Videos by literacy experts demonstrating the Introduce New Concepts Activity

Fillable templates

General instructional guidelines for remote learning, including ideas for pacing, assessment, and delivery of lesson activities

An orientation video to orient users to FUN HUB materials

For Students:

Video demonstrations delivered by literacy experts to Introduce New Concepts

Video lessons by literacy experts for small group, targeted practice (for targeted instruction and intervention

Fluency Kit (Level 1, 2)

Additional practice worksheets by Unit

For Families and Caregivers:

Video-based home tutorials on Unit concepts and tips for at-home support

Home Support Pack

Who will have access to the FUN HUB, how much does it cost, and when will it be available?

Schools and districts who are Fundations customers and are implementing the program have access to the FUN HUB at no additional cost for the 2020-2021 school year. The FUN HUB will launch by the end of August.

How will teachers get access to the FUN HUB?

Access will be provided in three ways:

Access via Teacher's Manual code. Teachers can use the same code in the front of their Manual that was used for WA-PLC access.

Access via the Prevention/Early Intervention Learning Community (PLC). If teachers already have a membership in the PLC, they are able to "pass through" to the FUN HUB. Once they pass through, the teacher will need to register.

Access via a district code. For districts with a specific type of Fundations plan, teachers may receive a specific code that was provided to the district.

Is the FUN HUB the same as the Wilson Academy Prevention/Early Intervention Learning Community (PLC)?

No, the FUN HUB is different and is housed on a different platform so that teachers may readily share videos and resources with parents and students.
However, there is a link to/from the PLC and the FUN HUB so that teachers may go back and forth between the two.

Will any professional learning in the FUN HUB be available to teachers?

A video orientation will be embedded in the FUN HUB to show teachers what is inside and how to use the resources.

Will the videos for Parents/Home be available in Spanish or other languages?

The videos will be only available in English, but the Spanish Home Support Pack will be made available through the FUN HUB and can be sent home for support.

Is the FUN HUB appropriate for parent homeschooling?

The FUN HUB is designed to be used alongside the full implementation of the Fundations program and not intended to be used on its own.
However, if a homeschool teacher (e.g., a parent) has purchased the complete program to deliver at home, the FUN HUB will support that implementation.
Please note, the code in the front of the Teacher's Manual will assist with accessing the FUN HUB.

Will there be something similar for Just Words® and Wilson Reading System®?

We are happy to let you know that we will continue to make available the guidance and resources that were available this spring. These resources will be available via the Wilson Academy® Learning Communities for Just Words and WRS. More great news is that we are also in development of a WRS-type InterActivities which will include cards and the "build words" screens, and in the meantime we will continue to make JW InterActivities available to WRS teachers while you wait.

We also strongly recommend that as schools plan for delivering these programs remotely, the planning includes ensuring students have durables/manipulatives and their own print-based copies of student consumable materials for at home use: (Just Words: Student Challenge Book, Student Notebook, Student Composition Book) and (Wilson Reading System: Student Readers, Student Notebook, End-of-Step Assessment). The Fundations At-Home Student Packet Level 3 ($3.60/packet) would be a great low-tech and inexpensive solution for students to have a set of mock-up manipulatives for at-home use. The Student Consumables and Fundations At-Home Student Packet are available from the Wilson Store.

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Have questions about the The Fundations® Virtual Resource HUB? Please review our FAQ below. This page will be periodically updated as new information becomes available. Please with any other questions you may have. What is the FUN HUB? Who will have access to the FUN HUB, how much does it cost, and when will [...]

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English Language Arts - Kindergarten - West Virginia Department of Education

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All West Virginia teachers are responsible for classroom instruction that integrates content standards, learning skills and technology tools. Students in kindergarten will advance through a developmentally-appropriate progression of standards. In kindergarten, students should be immersed in a literacy-rich environment and have numerous opportunities to engage with complex texts appropriate for kindergarten in order to meet college- and career-readiness expectations.

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Siracusano & Cook, for The Reading League

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DRA is not a valid assessment to measure whether or not a student is at risk for reading difficulties.  The primary goal of the assessment is to determine a reading “level” and place a student in a small group “at that level.”  Leveling is not an evidence based practice.

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The Colorado Basic Literacy Act (CBLA), enacted in 1997, required schools to screen students, and for those reading below grade level, to provide interventions. Pearson's Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2) was approved assessment for the CBLA.

The Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (Colorado READ Act) was passed in 2012 and replaced the CBLA as of July 1, 2013-although districts have until July 1, 2016 to transition to the approved interim assessments. Pearson's aims web was approved as an interim assessment for the READ Act; the DRA2 was not.

The DRA2 was primarily designed to help teachers focus reading instruction. The DRA2 helps teachers assess a student's independent reading level, and gauge a student's strengths and weaknesses in relation to reading engagement, oral reading fluency, and comprehension skills and strategies. Since the DRA2 also determines a student's instructional reading level, it met the CBLA requirement for screening below grade level.

The READ Act is focused on identifying and progress monitoring students with significant reading deficiencies. The assessments best suited for such purposes should have specific qualities:

Equivalent forms to assess students at least three times per year-ideally enough equivalent forms to monitoring struggling students as frequently as weekly

Data-based cut scores-ideally offering multiple and customizable options including predictive benchmarks, local norms, or national norms to ensure appropriateness to the student population

Predictive-ideally empirically predicting success or failure for individual students on the end-of-year summative test

Sensitivity to growth-ideally sensitive enough to determine whether an intervention is working within as little as eight to ten weeks

Pearson has decided not to resubmit the DRA2 to Colorado Department of Education for consideration. Collecting additional data or expanding the Kindergarten forms may result in providing more data support, but would not change the fact that using the DRA2 as a READ Act interim assessment is to use it in a manner it was not designed for. Instead Pearson recommends aimsweb, which was designed specifically to benchmark and progress monitor. aims web has all the qualities listed above, and was rated highly by the Colorado Interim Assessment Review Committee.

For questions, please contact:

Jana Hamilton
Account General Manager serving CO/UT
Email: Jana.Hamilton@Pearson.com

Julie Thorpe
Account General Manager
K-12 North America Sales, West
Email: Julie.Thorpe@Pearson.com

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The Colorado Basic Literacy Act (CBLA), enacted in 1997, required schools to screen students, and for those reading below grade level, to provide interventions. Pearson's Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2) was approved assessment for the CBLA.

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Families can better help their children succeed in online instruction if schools provide extensive, timely and relevant learning data, says a report published on Tuesday.

In an era of online learning that requires greater family involvement, district leaders should not assume that parents don't have the skills to understand performance data, according to "Education Leaders Must Not Be Gatekeepers," a new release from the Data Quality Campaign.

And administrators and teachers already have the key tool-parent portals-to provide the data efficiently.

"Leaders must meet parents' data needs and support them in accessing and understanding information that will help them best meet the needs of students," the report says.

More from DA: 6 ways data, report cards can aid schools' COVID recovery

Providence Public Schools in Rhode Island, for example, is developing "Learner Profiles" to provide data. The initiative includes holding focus groups to gather feedback from parents on the usefulness of the profiles. The district also is bringing out-of-school providers, such as afterschool programs, to provide additional data.

[ VIDEO: How Data Empowers Parents]

Tuesday's report highlights the following best practices for providing actionable data through parent portals:

User-friendly interface and language: Portals should be easy to navigate and the language should be easy for parents to understand. That means all jargon should be defined, and information should be translated into the various languages spoken within a district.

Timely alerts: Parents should receive alerts when important information is posted, such as when their child misses an assignment or risks failing a course.

Seamless communications: Portals should let families, teachers, and administrators communicate seamlessly.

Clear context: Student data must be presented alongside school data so parents can see how their child's performance compares to the overall school and district.

Multiple data sources: Logging on to one platform should provide access to multiple data sources.

Up-to-date data: Data must be timely for it to be most effective.

Actionable information: Portals must also provide resources and actions parents can to improve their child's performance.

More from DA: How much money is needed to connect how many students?

Families also want more access to overall school performance to trach whether academic standards are being met. More than three-quarters of parents agreed that statewide math and reading assessments should resume in 2021, a Data Quality Campaign poll found.

The Georgia State Department of Education, for example, filters data through districts' student information system so it is more accessible to educators and parents.

Georgia education officials worked with vendors to add functions to their platforms that didn't require the use of new dashboards, the Campaign' report says.

More guidance on presenting data to parents can be found in the Campaign's Show Me the Data report.
DA's coronavirus page offers complete coverage of the impacts on K-12. Interested in edtech? Keep up with DA's Future of Education Technology Conference®.

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7 strategies for sharing critical student data with parents

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Families can better help their children succeed in online instruction if schools provide extensive, timely and relevant learning data, says a report published on Tuesday. In an era of online learning that requires greater family involvement, district leaders should not assume that parents don't have the skills to understand performance data, according to "Education Leaders Must Not Be Gatekeepers," a new release from the Data Quality Campaign.

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For dyslexia: phonology, orthography, syntax, semantics, understanding, & morphology

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When reading or writing, the typical brain processes meaning across multiple linguistic channels:

Phonology: The sounds that make up the word. For example, bag has three sounds, /b/ /a/ /g/, and bath has three sounds, /b/ /a/ /th/, but brag has four sounds, /b/ /r/ /a/ /g/.

Orthography: The letters that represent the sounds in the word, how to spell it. This is often more simply referred to as spelling.

Syntax: Best known as grammar. This includes knowledge of the grammatical function of a word, and how to use it in a sentence.

Semantics: Best known as vocabulary. Knowledge of word meaning, and meaning as a function of context, also conveyed through a definition.

Understanding: Deep comprehension of text's content and context. Engaging with meaning beyond what is directly written on the page. Extra-textual thoughts and connections.

Morphology: The internal structure of words, including knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, base words, and roots. This also includes exploration of word history.

POSSUM helps parents better understand all the areas of language we strive to practice and consolidate when working with children. Specific practice across all areas of language is needed to achieve automaticity of reading and writing skills.

Rita's maxim is to "study the trees to learn the forest." When we practice POSSUM for a single word or passage, we are consolidating deeply across all areas of language (trees), to strengthen broad reading and writing skills (the forest).

Awesome possum!

~Moira

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Reading and writing are skills that involve processing across many areas of language. Likewise, when working with a child with dyslexia or dysgraphia, we must practice skills across each language area, which all serve to strengthen the output skill of reading and writing. Both reading and writing c

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Teaching Reading Online - Six Part Webinar for Parents / Teachers / Tutors

August 4,6,11
August 13,18,20

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Welcome to the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI, pronounced "you fly"). UFLI is an ongoing effort by UF faculty, students, and staff to improve literacy outcomes for children learning to read.

The work of UFLI focuses on two main areas: teacher development and reader development. The place where those two overlap ... that is where the work of UFLI lives. Our programs and resources are designed to help teachers become more confident and more successful in their capacity to help kids learn to read. We do this through:

Academic programs for both pre-service and practicing educators to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective reading teachers

Professional learning opportunities to help classroom reading teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders expand their knowledge, enhance their teaching practices, and build capacity in their schools

Resources for teachers, parents, and teacher educators to use in their reading instruction

Much, much more!

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UF Literacy Institute | Where teacher development and reader development overlap

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Welcome to the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI, pronounced "you fly"). UFLI is an ongoing effort by UF faculty, students, and staff to improve literacy outcomes for children learning to read. The work of UFLI focuses on two main areas: teacher development and reader development. The place where those two overlap ...

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Includes PD in partnership with AIM Institute and Windward School for dyslexia and much more.

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Haskins Global Literacy Hub - Literacy in the age of Neuroscience

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An international and interdisciplinary collaborative non-profit organization bringing researchers, practitioners, educators, and technology specialists to bring literacy to all

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FREE Beautiful Online Decodable Phonics Books for Early Readers and Dyslexia

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Here’s a great resource of free decodable books and stories found online. I use these fabulous readers as supplements with my students that I tutor reading online. All early readers can benefit from using decodable texts. Decodable texts are essential for dyslexic students.…

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How to Recover Learning for Students w/ Disabilities

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How to Recover Learning for Students w/ Disabilities

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4 Actions for Quality Elementary Instruction 

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4 Actions for Quality Elementary Instruction 

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"I learned how to support all of my students, no matter what format I'm asked to teach in - even those students I thought we could never serve outside school walls."

That's what an elementary teacher told me when I asked her what positives emerged from the shift to remote learning this spring.

As we prepare to enter the new school year, one thing is certain - education is not going to look the same. The uncertainty of these times offers us opportunities to create a better experience for each of our elementary students, especially those with special needs, such as students with special needs, English language learners and students who need Tier 2 or Tier 3 instructional supports.

Thanks in part to the work of SREB and its K-12 Education Recovery Task Force, we've identified four actions for districts and schools to ensure that all elementary students have equitable access to quality instruction wherever learning takes place.

Identify one learning management system or platform - such as Google Classroom, Seesaw or Clever - that connects students and parents to teaching and learning resources. Teach that platform to students and parents on the first day of instruction and continue to use it whether learning occurs in person, online or as a hybrid of the two. Support parents withinstructional videos that walk them through how to navigate and use the platform and support learning. Encourage parents to use online systems and platforms to collaborate and communicate with their child's teachers, counselors, special service providers and school leaders.

Focus on the essential content. Engage students in assignments that use integrated,project-based learning strategies that help them master literacy, math, science and technology standards. Use in-person class time to provide structured opportunities for student teams to collaborate, engage in peer questioning and feedback, and solve real-world problems.

Be innovative in collecting evidence of learning. Technology tools such as Classkick, FlipGrid and Google Jamboard allow young students to show evidence of their learning that play to their learning styles and strengths. Students can make videos, explain answers through a microphone, draw pictures or insert graphics with text. Platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet allow teachers to engage with students in whole groups, small groups or one-on-one for extra support.

Help teachers collaborate and plan instruction. Teacher teams need training and time to plan for both synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (anytime) instruction. Teachers can use synchronous learning time to focus on helping students develop language skills and to promote positive student-to-student and student-teacher interactions. Asynchronous learning allows teachers to deliver content through recorded lessons and gives students and parents greater flexibility: Students have additional time to repeat, translate, process and respond to content. By balancing synchronous and asynchronous learning, teachers are better able to provide the extra supports that students need. Use tools that support students in special education programs and English language learners, such as immersive readers or Google Translate, as well as online and in-person tutoring options.

SREB is committed to helping teachers plan for quality instruction - regardless of the delivery format. Our new workshop, Engaging Students in a Blended Instructional World, will dive deeper into the "how" for each of these four actions. Contact us to learn how we can help.

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Online or Not: Four Actions for Quality Instruction of Elementary Students - Southern Regional Education Board

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"I learned how to support all of my students, no matter what format I'm asked to teach in - even those students I thought we could never serve outside school walls." That's what an elementary teacher told me when I asked her what positives emerged from the shift to remote learning this spring.

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National Center on Improving Literacy -- evidence based solutions for parents working with students at home.

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You have an important role in helping develop your child's literacy skills. You can increase the literacy learning opportunities offered by the school and set the foundation for remote and online learning at home.

What is Remote Literacy Learning?

Remote literacy learning includes a mixture of experiences that are teacher-led, family-led, and student-led. It is a collaboration among you, your child, and schools. Remote literacy learning will likely be different than the traditional school day. Typically, this is more flexible than the in-person school schedule. It often combines online and offline literacy learning opportunities.

Online literacy learning relies on learning management systems to deliver virtual literacy lessons or assignments to your child. It also may include live video chats, recorded videos, literacy apps, virtual literacy games, and e-books. Offline literacy learning usually involves print materials and educational television that promotes the development of literacy skills.

What is My Role?

You can coach your child's literacy learning at home. This means guiding your child so he or she grows and succeeds. While it's important for your child to focus on school lessons and assignments, literacy learning can happen anywhere, anytime. You can turn everyday experiences into literacy learning opportunities using household items. But, you should not feel that you need to take the place of teachers. Remote learning will look different for every family.

Families say the most helpful resources for learning at home are personal technology, personal guidance for how to best support their child, regular access to their child's teacher, and options for remote one-on-one time/tutoring with a teacher.

What is the Role of the School?

Your child's teacher will provide your family with information and materials for remote literacy learning. Your child's teacher may include information on how to access and use technology, like apps, online games, or programs, to support your child's literacy learning. Teachers often use these technologies to enhance, not replace, what they are already doing. If your child receives literacy intervention, it should continue during remote learning, but it may not look the same as it did during in-person instruction. Schools providing literacy instruction remotely must make the instruction accessible to students with disabilities and follow the goals and supports identified on a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). The school's remote learning model may not be perfect. Schools often face challenges when creating differentiated remote learning plans to reach all students. Your child's school will likely make changes to make it better over time. Your input will help the school to know what is working and what can be improved.

GET READY

Set up workspaces.

Think about workspaces that will enable your child's literacy learning. Workspaces prepared with the materials and tools your child needs encourage independence and success. You can create both indoor and outdoor places to do schoolwork. Ask your child for suggestions. If possible, find spaces that limit distractions and interruptions.

Follow a schedule.

Remote literacy learning will likely require your child to have more ownership over tasks and assignments. This responsibility can bring challenges. Having consistent routines can be helpful and comforting to your child. For example, find a regular time to read books together. Setting a schedule helps your child to know what to expect. Try to have some flexibility in the schedule and allow your child to make some choices. More structure may be needed if your child has trouble organizing time, staying organized, remaining on task, or finishing tasks. Adjust the schedule based on your child's needs. Remote literacy learning does not need to mirror the traditional school day.

Set up a positive reinforcement system.

Address any behavioral or social-emotional needs so your child can fully engage in school literacy tasks and assignments. Identify the learning behaviors you want your child to display and use positive feedback or rewards for motivation. This can also help increase your child's on-task behavior during remote literacy learning. Celebrate and reward progress toward goals. Having choices in literacy activities or making some decisions in remote learning can encourage and motivate your child.

GET SET

Don't do too much at once.

Take one step at a time. Start slow, with literacy tasks or activities your child is interested in and go from there. Try to keep an open mind and be patient. It's OK if your child is challenged at some point. Encourage and support your child as he or she tries to work through an issue independently. That's part of the learning process. Intervene when you think it's needed.

Set learning goals.

Work with your child's teacher to set and check literacy learning goals for home. For example, you can determine together the number of minutes to read with your child per week and and jointly track progress. The teacher will also have school literacy goals for your child. You can share any literacy goals you may have for your child too. Talking together helps the teacher better target instruction and tasks to your child's literacy goals. It also helps if you track your child's literacy learning progress and provide feedback to the teacher.

GO

Tap into your child's interests.

Find reading material on topics your child enjoys or is curious about. Your child's teacher may have suggestions too, including things available at the local library or online. Look for opportunities to read around the house. If your child wants to watch a movie based on a book, try reading the book with your child first and then watch the movie as a reward. Discuss the differences or similarities between the book and the movie together.

Guide your child's literacy learning.

Your child learns best when you guide his or her learning and understanding of reading material and activities. You can help your child in all foundational reading skills - phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension - needed to read and write well. Talk with your child's teacher about which literacy skills are most pressing to support now and what to do. Listen to your child read and note which sounds, letters, and words seem hard and what it sounds like when your child reads aloud. Help by pausing and giving your child a chance to correct a mistake. Then, try giving your child a hint or prompt to figure it out. Encourage your child by talking together about the book or literacy task. Offer praise when successful and reassure your child when difficulties arise. Look for the literacy skills or tasks that appear difficult for your child. See if they improve with practice.

You can ask your child questions before, during, and after reading to check for understanding, summarize what is read, and re-read hard to read passages. You can do these things together, or have your child try them on his or her own. Keeping the literacy learning interactive is key. For example, you can use online tools and technology to start conversations with your child and extend literacy learning beyond the screen.

Read different types of materials.

Selecting informational material to read together can build your child's knowledge of topics. This is especially helpful for your child's learning in other content areas, like science and social studies. Articles, magazines, to-do lists, manuals, e-books, audio books, blogs, and other online information make good reading material too. You can help your child be a careful user of what is read online by checking the source of information and seeing if its credible.

Talk about what is being learned.

Your child doesn't need to be reading independently to talk together about reading material. You can read aloud as your child listens. You can each take turns reading paragraphs or pages. Or, you and your child can read the same book on your own. The key is talking together about what is being read and what your child is learning through literacy lessons and assignments. When you talk and interact with your child, you promote your child's language development, learning of how the world works, and understanding. This happens when using technology and other media for literacy learning too. For example, you can use video communication to hold virtual story time or book clubs with family and friends.

Write about what is being learned.

Writing is a way of developing your child's reading skills as well. Tap into your child's interests, infuse writing into daily activities, and set a purpose for writing. Most importantly, have fun. Besides paper and pencil, try using posters, slideshows, and online tools. Turn it into a blog, research project, or performance if your child wishes.

Take breaks and switch it up.

It's important to stop and adjust the schedule when necessary based on your child's literacy learning needs. Return to a literacy task or assignment later if needed. Build in breaks, unstructured time, and exercise each day. Everyday events at home can be opportunities for informal literacy learning. Consider what's best for your child's overall health and well-being, not only for literacy learning.

Give feedback to your child's school.

Provide feedback to the school on your child's challenges and successes in literacy learning at home. Also, give input on the information or resources you need to support your child's literacy learning. Communicate often with teachers. Ask questions and inform them of what's working and what's not.

Reach out to others.

You may want to connect with other families to share tips and learn more about what's going on. There may be family organizations or online communities in your area. If you're feeling overwhelmed or confused, these groups may be useful.

Infographic

Click to Enlarge

Suggested Citation

Sayko, S. (2020). Remote Literacy Learning - Families as Partners. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National Center on Improving Literacy. Retrieved from improving literacy.org

References

Learning Heroes. (2020, May). Parents 2020: COVID-19 closures a redefining moment for students, parents, & schools. Retrieved from https://r50gh2ss1ic2mww8s3uvjvq1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uplo...

Abstract

Remote literacy learning includes a mixture of literacy learning experiences that are teacher-led, family-led, and student-led. It is a collaboration among schools, families, and students. Parents have an important role in helping develop your child's literacy skills.

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Remote Literacy Learning: Families as Partners

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Remote literacy learning includes a mixture of literacy learning experiences that are teacher-led, family-led, and student-led. It is a collaboration among schools, families, and students. Parents have an important role in helping develop your child's literacy skills and can increase the literacy learning opportunities offered by the school and set the foundation for remote and online learning at home.

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$210 Million for Remote Learning and Targeted Tutoring (CARES Act Funds)

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Resources Will Help Local School Systems Address Learning Gap and Digital Divide, Expand Rural Broadband
In Total, Governor Has Committed More Than $255 Million in Federal Resources to Help Students Affected By COVID-19
ANNAPOLIS, MD -Governor Larry Hogan and State Superintendent Karen Salmon today announced $210 million in additional funding to help Maryland schools and students most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding, allocated through the federal CARES Act, will be used to ensure that more students have access to remote learning, and expand targeted tutoring initiatives for at-risk students.

"For six straight years, we have provided historically high state funding for our schools, while fighting for more accountability for Maryland parents, teachers, and taxpayers, and working to achieve better results for our children," said Governor Hogan. "Education has been, and will continue to be, our administration's highest priority. While many states have already seen significant cuts and layoffs, in Maryland, we are going to do everything we possibly can to level-fund K-12 education."

"Long-standing gaps in educational opportunity and access have been further exposed and widened by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Superintendent Salmon. "Our goal with these resources is to give local school systems the support and flexibility to help ensure that students most impacted during the crisis receive intense focus and priority in our recovery efforts. I want to thank the governor for recognizing the importance of these initiatives as we work to support our students, educators, parents, and community partners."
Remote Learning Enhancements: $100 Million
In total, the governor has now committed more than $255 million in CARES Act funding for education priorities.
Targeted Tutoring Initiatives: $100 Million
To address the digital divide, Governor Hogan and Superintendent Salmon have allocated $100 million to be made available to local school systems to ensure that students have access to the most up-to-date devices and connectivity. It is estimated that student devices need to be replaced when they are over four years old. Local school systems must also take into account having the staff necessary to deploy and maintain devices. Having this infrastructure in place is critical to the state's long-term recovery from COVID-19.
Rural Broadband: $10 Million
In order to deal with learning loss due to time away from direct instruction and teacher intervention, Governor Hogan and Superintendent Salmon have allocated $100 million for local school systems that implement tutoring and learning programs designed to help students in need. Research has shown that the rate of learning gain can be improved with intensive tutoring. At-risk students are most often identified based on math and reading scores that are significantly below their grade level.

The Governor's Office of Rural Broadband will construct a wireless education network for students' use in Western Maryland, Southern Maryland, and on the Eastern Shore. This network will initially be constructed in the areas that currently lack broadband service, but could be expanded to cover other areas of the state where access may be limited for other reasons. The state is proposing a wireless, Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network using frequency provided by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for educational purposes, or available unlicensed frequencies. In total, the governor has now committed $20 million in CARES Act funding to expand rural broadband and an additional $5 million for urban broadband.

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Governor Larry Hogan - Official Website for the Governor of Maryland

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Resources Will Help Local School Systems Address Learning Gap and Digital Divide, Expand Rural Broadband In Total, Governor Has Committed More Than $255 Million in Federal Resources to Help Students Affected By COVID-19 ANNAPOLIS, MD -Governor Larry Hogan and State Superintendent Karen Salmon today announced $210 million in additional funding to help Maryland schools and students most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Reading Rockets: National Education Association (NEA) Guide to Learning at Home

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Reading Rockets: National Education Association (NEA) Guide to Learning at Home

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The Reading Rockets-NEA Guide to Learning at Home: Family Activities for Summer

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Here are some ideas to keep children engaged and learning throughout the summer, whether they're interested in reading, science, art, nature, history, current events, or almost anything else.

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Start here if you are interested in learning more about the science that underpins the evidence base for reading and effective reading instruction.

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Introduction to the Science of Reading

Thanks to the input of over 100 educators, this presentation is now available free for you to use to introduce others to better reading outcomes.

Watch the presentation, then grab the files below and make it your own!

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Thanks to the input of over 100 educators, this presentation is now available free for you to use to introduce others to better reading outcomes. Watch the presentation, then grab the files below and make it your own!

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Extensive Collection of Science of Reading Information

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Extensive Collection of Science of Reading Information

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From the group, What I Didn't Learn in College, Science of Reading

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This document is designed to assist those that are just beginning their journey toward understanding the science of reading. Dr. Mark Seidenberg defines the science of reading "as a body of basic research in developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience on reading, one of the most complex human behaviors, and its biological (neural, genetic) bases. This research has been conducted for decades in the US and around the world. The research has important implications for helping children to succeed, but it has not been incorporated in how teachers are trained for the job or how children are taught."

As you may be painfully aware, the science of reading has NOT been incorporated into most teacher training programs. In order to help with this process, I have curated resources to help you on your science of reading journey. Understanding the "why" you are doing a certain practice is just as important as knowing "how". Finally, I want to applaud you for taking this step in your teaching career. I know it may be difficult; you may even become angry because you have not been taught this information in your undergraduate and graduate programs or even your advanced certifications for reading. But every journey begins with a first step. Thanks for taking the first step on this journey.

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This document is designed to assist those that are just beginning their journey toward understanding the science of reading. Dr. Mark Seidenberg defines the science of reading "as a body of basic research in developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience on reading, one of the most complex human behaviors, and its biological (neural, genetic) bases.

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Remote Learning for Teachers, Summer 2020

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Remote Learning for Teachers, Summer 2020

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Remote Learning Summer 2020 Professional Development - Literacy

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Family Guide to At-Home Learning | CEEDAR

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This page provides an overview of family guides for at-home learning.

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PaTTAN: Pennsylvania Training & Technical Assistance Network

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PaTTAN: Pennsylvania Training & Technical Assistance Network

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Teacher knowledge and practice in reading, math, pedagogy

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Working with the Bureau of Special Education (BSE), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), PaTTAN provides a full array of professional development and technical assistance targeted to improving student results. This professional development and technical assistance takes many forms in order to meet the varied needs of PaTTAN's constituents. Week-long summer institutes, ongoing professional development series, webinars, on-site assistance, and individual student or teacher supports are some of the means by which PaTTAN provides support to schools.

Locate PaTTAN Consultant Contact Us

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Working with the Bureau of Special Education (BSE), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), PaTTAN provides a full array of professional development and technical assistance targeted to improving student results. This professional development and technical assistance takes many forms in order to meet the varied needs of PaTTAN's constituents.

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Stephanie Stollar

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Introduction to the Science of Reading

Thanks to the input of over 100 educators, this presentation is now available free for you to use to introduce others to better reading outcomes.

Watch the presentation, then grab the files below and make it your own!

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Thanks to the input of over 100 educators, this presentation is now available free for you to use to introduce others to better reading outcomes. Watch the presentation, then grab the files below and make it your own!

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MSDE Technical Assistance, COVID and Special Education

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MSDE Technical Assistance, COVID and Special Education

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Maryland education policy makers are batting around these numbers from NWEA (authors of the MAP assessments).  The collected data from one study suggests that summer slide impacts math more than reading because parents can "read with their children at home" thus assuming there would be "less slide" or learning loss (also assumes a child knows how to read).

NWEA's data has been cited by Sen. Paul Pinsky (for year round school) and by various school districts who suggest that it's possible ONLY MATH will be taught in person if students receive a mix of in person and online learning.
Also see: https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/the-coronaviruss-lost-generation-of-students/

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The COVID-19 slide: What summer learning loss can tell us about the potential impact of school closures on student academic achievement - NWEA

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COVID-19 school closures will likely impact student academic achievement. Research on summer learning loss can offer insights to help educators, policy makers, and families understand, plan for, and address some potential impacts of this extended pause when students return to school.

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Secondary Students: Literacy & Reading Development

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Secondary Students: Literacy & Reading Development

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Literacy development is crucial throughout a student’s school years. While many reading interventions focus on
the early grades, there is still room for improvement as students move from middle school into high school. In the
Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southwest region, reading proficiency among students entering high school lags behind the national average.1

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Updated regularly

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Remote Learning Summer 2020 Professional Development

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Phonemic Awareness

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When teaching students to read, modeling the correct letter sounds is critical. Learn how to pronounce the 44 phonemes in the English alphabet.

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Evidence based reading help for home!

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University of Oregon, Center for Teaching and Learning, UCSF, Yale, Haskins Global Literacy, and more

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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to school closure since March of 2020. Most students will not receive in-person academic instruction until the fall for about half a year.

The closure will likely have m ajor impact on academic and socio-emotional development. It is estimated that there will be a 30% drop in reading gains compared to a normal year, known as the COVID-slide.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to school closure since March of 2020. Most students will not receive in-person academic instruction until the fall for about half a year. The closure will likely have m ajor impact on academic and socio-emotional development.

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Decoding Dyslexia Rhode Island - Scientifically-Based Reading Instruction

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Dyslexia falls on the lower end of the literacy continuum. These students struggle with word-level reading, which can impact comprehension and make reading feel exhausting. Many dyslexic students will not be officially identified, which becomes an equity issue (wealthier families can afford testing and private interventions).

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The National Standards for Quality Online Learning

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The National Standards for Quality Online Learning

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National Standards for Quality Online Learning

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Home - National Standards for Quality Online Learning

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THE NationalStandards forQuality Online Learning The National Standards for Quality Online Courses, Online Teaching and Online Programs have been the benchmark for online programs, districts and state agencies since 2007.

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Free

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Grade-Level Reading Tests in English and Spanish

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The tests displayed on this website were based upon California's 1997 Language Arts Standards, 2007 Frameworks, and state-adopted Literacy Programs. Used by over 1 million students in grades K-6 the tests target phonics, reading comprehension, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and writing skills. The 6-week assessments were developed to provide teachers with ongoing insights into students' strengths and weaknesses.

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Documenting IEP goals, skills and accommodations

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Providing Continuity of Learning for Students with Disabilities who require Extensive, Intensive, Individualized Instruction and Support

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Continuity of the IFSP for Young Children (Birth – Age 4) with Developmental Delays/Disabilities and their Families during Extended School/Agency Closure due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Is Learning to Read a Constitutional Right?

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Is Learning to Read a Constitutional Right?

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April 30, 2020 | by Christopher Peak and Emily Hanford

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Listen to this story on the Educate podcast. Subscribe now:

At his Detroit high school, Jamarria Hall loved the classes where students could share textbooks, passing six torn and outdated hardcovers among 35 students to take turns reading.

Hall loved those, he said, because in most classes at Osborn High School he had no books. Instead, students copied down whatever the teacher wrote on the board. Or maybe they had a printout from the school's copy machine.

"How can you learn in that type of environment?" asked Hall, who's trying to finish his freshman credits at Tallahassee (Fla.) Community College, three years after graduating from Osborn. "It's setting you up to fail."

A federal appellate court last week agreed and in a historic ruling determined that the students' constitutional rights were violated by that level of deprivation.

In a 2-1 decision, judges from the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that students have a right to "a basic minimum education," which the court defined as giving students the opportunity to learn to read.

The ruling doesn't address the vast inequities between rich schools and poor schools, but it does set a minimum standard that states must meet in public education: providing kids with "a chance at foundational literacy."

It's the first time that a federal court has asserted that right. Advocates say the ruling could match Brown v. Board of Education in importance and hope it triggers a broader crusade against unequal education.

The ruling applies to the four states in the Sixth Circuit - Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee - and it could guide similar federal lawsuits in other states.

It doesn't mean anything will change immediately in Detroit's classrooms. It simply gives students a chance to argue their case in federal district court, to try to prove they've been deprived of those newly established rights and to ask the judge to order a fix.

Students from five Detroit public schools, including Osborn High, brought the case, Gary B. v. Snyder, against Michigan's governor and other state officials in 2016. They argued that "decades of state disinvestment and deliberate indifference" had left students struggling to read and attending "schools in name only."

At one elementary school, third-graders had only picture books to look at until their teacher bought books to read. And at Osborn High, one student had to ask her classmate how to spell the word "the," according to the lawsuit.

A district court judge threw the case out in 2018 without hearing evidence, saying the students' rights weren't being violated, even if the conditions in the five Detroit schools were "nothing short of devastating."

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the idea that there is a general right to an education. But it has left open the possibility that students have the right to an education that is at least minimally adequate. In a 1973 case challenging Texas's starkly unequal school financing, the justices said an education could theoretically be so bad, such an "absolute denial" of opportunity, that it might be unconstitutional.

The Sixth Circuit, for the first time, said that's just what seemed to be happening in Detroit's lowest-performing schools. Judge Eric Clay, a Clinton appointee who wrote the majority opinion, said teacher vacancies, building hazards and empty bookshelves likely deprived students of the opportunity to learn to read.

He wrote that was a right they were entitled to, pointing to the long history of reading "as a key to political power," dating to the antebellum codes prohibiting slaves from learning to read and the Klan's attacks on teachers who taught black children.

It's unclear, however, whether the decision will stand. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could decide to appeal, either to the entire Sixth Circuit or to the U.S. Supreme Court. Or the state could decide to argue its case in district court, contending that the schools had met the Sixth Circuit's standard. The state could also settle, as Detroit's school superintendent and many local activists are urging Whitmer to do. A spokesperson said the state is reviewing the decision.

Helen Moore, an 83-year-old activist in Detroit, is calling for Whitmer to make a deal. She said the ruling was "some of the best news I have heard" in a half-century of organizing. She called it "better" than Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 ruling that desegregated schools.

"Listen, here's the secret: If you can't read, you can't do anything else. It's the doorway to education," she said. "Reading is the basis of freedom."

While the Detroit case continues, the lawyers who brought the litigation say they hope the Sixth Circuit ruling inspires "a social movement" nationwide to demand better reading instruction in schools.

Evan Caminker, a law professor and former dean at the University of Michigan law school who worked on the case, said that the suit was "surgically precise" in seeking remedies for kids in "the worst of the worst schools."

"This lawsuit is not designed to cure all evil, so to speak. This lawsuit is designed to show that there are particular pockets, where we would say it's not just that the kids are not becoming literate; it's that they don't have the opportunity to become literate," he said.

"The right we are seeking and was vindicated by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is not a right to a particular outcome. It is not a right to be literate. That's not something our Constitution can plausibly support. It is the right to have the opportunity to become literate."
Educate is a collaboration with The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization that focuses on inequality and innovation in education.

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Is learning to read a constitutional right?

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Listen to this story on the Educate podcast. Subscribe now: At his Detroit high school, Jamarria Hall loved the classes where students could share textbooks, passing six torn and outdated hardcovers among 35 students to take turns reading. Hall loved those, he said, because in most classes at Osborn High School he had no books.

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Parents Talk About their Experiences w/ Remote Special Education 

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Parents Talk About their Experiences w/ Remote Special Education 

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Includes tips from Attorney Selene Almazon, COPAA, to address special education regression and how parents can document loss of skills and academic proficiency.

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PBS NewsHour
Roughly 14 percent of students enrolled in U.S. public schools receive special education services. As families across the nation grapple with home learning, what are the particular challenges the parents of these children face? Judy Woodruff reports and talks to Selene Almazan of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, a nonprofit aiming to protect the rights of children with disabilities.

Aired: 04/29/20

Rating: NR

Problems Playing Video? Report a Problem |

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PBS NewsHour | How distance learning is creating a special education crisis | Season 2020

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PBS NewsHour Roughly 14 percent of students enrolled in U.S. public schools receive special education services. As families across the nation grapple with home learning, what are the particular challenges the parents of these children face? Judy Woodruff reports and talks to Selene Almazan of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, a nonprofit aiming to protect the rights of children with disabilities.

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Resources are curated by Decoding Dyslexia Maryland with a focus on dyslexia and reading.  Math, behavior, executive function and other comorbid conditions are included along with tools and tips for assessments for progress monitoring and resources for accommodations.

Disclaimer:  Inclusion in this padlet does not signify endorsement by Decoding Dyslexia Maryland.  If you find a resource you would like to include, please email DecodingDyslexiaMD@gmailcom, Laura Schultz.

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Progress Monitoring for Parents

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Parent Advocacy During Quarantine: What is Progress Monitoring?

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Center for Online Learning for Students and Students with Disabilities

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To research how online learning can be made more accessible, engaging, and effective for K-12 learners with disabilities by investigating approaches that address learner variability within the range of conditions under which online learning occurs.

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Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities - Just another WordPress site

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To research how online learning can be made more accessible, engaging, and effective for K-12 learners with disabilities by investigating approaches that address learner variability within the range of conditions under which online learning occurs.

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Remote Learning Resources from CASE

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COVID-19 - Considerations for CASE Members

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On-Demand Webinars

During this unprecedented time, Really Great Reading increased our remote webinar schedule and have now made them available on-demand. We are offering webinars on Continuing Phonics Suite Instruction and Assessing students in Distance Learning Environments, Erasing the Misery of Reading and Spelling Multisyllabic Words, Bringing the Science of Reading to Life in the Classroom, Grouping Matrix Advanced Exploration, as well as advanced Implementation trainings on Countdown, Blast, HD Word and Boost/Blitz. Please spread the word and feel free to register for any and all of our FREE webinars.

Distance Learning

Diagnose & Group Students

Why use the Diagnostic Decoding Surveys?

In just 5-7 minutes, answer these key questions: Which students are struggling with decoding? What types of words are they struggling with? What is the source of the underlying confusion?

Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys & the Grouping Matrix - a detailed look at how to assess Kindergarteners, group them based on their pre-decoding/decoding skills, and measure their progress.

1st Grade Foundational Skills Surveys & the Grouping Matrix - a detailed look at how to assess 1st Grade students, group them based on their decoding skills, and measure their progress during this critical year.

2nd-12th Diagnostic Decoding Surveys & the Grouping Matrix - a detailed look at how to assess 2-12th grade students, group them based on their decoding skills, and measure their progress as they progress through the grade(s).

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During this unprecedented time, Really Great Reading increased our remote webinar schedule and have now made them available on-demand. We are offering webinars on Continuing Phonics Suite Instruction and Assessing students in Distance Learning Environments, Erasing the Misery of Reading and Spelling Multisyllabic Words, Bringing the Science of Reading to Life in the Classroom, Grouping Matrix Advanced Exploration, as well as advanced Implementation trainings on Countdown, Blast, HD Word and Boost/Blitz.

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Sec. DeVos Waiver Recommendation Report 4.27.20

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Sec. DeVos Waiver Recommendation Report 4.27.20

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Schooling at Home: Parents What Do You Need?

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Web survey powered by SurveyMonkey.com. Create your own online survey now with SurveyMonkey's expert certified FREE templates.

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Online Teaching Strategies for Special Education

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Online Teaching Strategies for Special Education

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eLuma is the premier provider of live, online therapy services for Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Mental Health Services.

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CEC Best Practices for Special Education Online

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CEC Best Practices for Special Education Online

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Teaching foundational reading based on the Simple View of Reading

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Learning to read with a virtual tutor: Foundations to literacy

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Reference: Wise, B.; Cole, R.; van Vuuren, S.; Schwartz, S.; Snyder, L.; Ngampatipatpong, N.; Tuantranont, J.; & Pellom, B. (In Press). Learning to Read with a Virtual Tutor: Foundations Literacy. In Kinzer, C. & Verhoeven, L. (Eds).

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Jamie Martin's Assistive Technology First Aid Kit

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Jamie Martin's Assistive Technology First Aid Kit

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The Reading League Spring Symposium

Teaching reading skills at home -- no DEVICE NEEDED

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Nationwide -- data will be used to inform policy discussions on Continuity of Learning plans for students with disabilities at the federal, state and local levels. No individual answers or identification/emails will be shared unless permission is explicitly granted by the participant.

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Parent Survey of Special Education Services during Covid-19 Pandemic

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This survey was created by Decoding Dyslexia Maryland. All data is being disaggregated by state and shared back to individual Decoding Dyslexia state groups. The disaggregated data will be used to advocate for student rights in discussions with Congress and in state efforts to create sustainable distance learning plans that meet the needs of students with disabilities.

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A Planning guide to support shared reading experiences in the home, TN Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia, Middle State TN University

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"Foundational skills are critical for students in kindergarten, first, and second grade in all college- and career-ready standards, including the Common Core.

Foundational skills standards include print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency. On this page, teachers can find resources and protocols that can be immediately implemented to support foundational skills instruction."

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All students should have access to the instruction, materials, and practice opportunities necessary for them to flourish as readers. For most students, coherent, structured reading foundational skills instruction is critical to unlock the code of written language. Below are planning resources to support the components of reading foundational skills instruction.

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It is an understatement to say that the last few weeks have been challenging. The rhythm and certainty of our lives have evaporated, and we really have no idea of when we'll get back to "normal."

Educators and schools have shown great resilience and ingenuity. Teachers have always been my heroes, and the recent weeks have reaffirmed how important they are to our entire society. Educators have figured out how to keep feeding their students who lack regular access to food. They have shifted learning in their classrooms to learning via devices and school pick-ups in a matter of They never planned to be teaching this way a month ago.

In this time of massive upheaval, the instructional coach's role has become even more vital. However, for many of us, our coaching methods have been forced to radically change. Learning how to coach from home will be an iterative process of successes and failures, but I have a few pieces of advice based on some successes.
Befriend Video
I have been using Google Meet extensively this week to have conversations with teachers, administrators, and other coaches. This is a great overview of Google Meet if you're new to the platform.C oaches are usually "people" people, and we thrive off discussions that are life-giving - the ones that make us excited for what we can accomplish with students and colleagues. Coaches know the value of good listening skills and good questions, but something gets lost when we can't hear one another's voices and see one another's faces.

Although some teachers were unsure about using video at first, it has been such a positive experience. We have had great sessions where we have been able to create materials and routines that would best serve their students during this time. Google Meet has a screen-sharing feature that has helped bring clarity to our discussions as we have collaborated on lessons, solved technology issues, and explored resources. But most importantly, we are connecting in deeper ways. We are learning more about each other as people as our kids, pets, or spouses join our coaching conversations. We learn who is alone at home, too. A friendly face and productive conversation can be incredibly motivating in this type of work, while also being an excellent way to boost one another's mental health.
Turn "Workshops" into "Meet-Ups"
I have started hosting professional learning sessions that I've been calling "meet-ups." The response has been great so far. A "meet-up" is essentially an hour-long Google Meet focused on one topic. For example, I hosted a Google Meet on the digital platform yesterday.

I invite teachers by sending out a Google Form. The form lets me know who plans to attend and invites teachers to submit a question that they have about the topic . I then schedule a Google Meet from my Google Calendar. When I add an event to the calendar, I click, "Add conferencing" - which gives a hyperlink for the Google Meet conference that is shared with participating teachers.

I then prepare specific content based on the questions that the teachers submitted. For each meet-up, I also invite one of our district's digital learning coaches as well, so we can have their insights into teachers' questions. Overall, the sessions have two elements: a "how-to" for technical questions and a discussion element where everyone can share their needs and ideas. Meet-ups are very informal and have an authentic feel. They are messy, carrying none of the "airs" of formal professional learning. In all honesty, these no-frills sessions are what we need . The collaborative nature of meet-ups also honors all participants' expertise and ideas in a short-term learning community.
Co-Plan Routine Assignments
Depending on the district, this period of virtual instruction may be considered continued learning, supplemental learning, or enrichment - depending on state or school guidelines. Regardless of how the work "counts" for students, we are learning that we must be targeted with our assignments and reduce the scope of our originally planned curriculum. Some students have parent support at home, but many do not-their parents are working outside the home or don't have capacity to support virtual instruction. Some students may have become de facto child care providers for younger siblings.

Coaches can help support teacher planning by helping teachers think through some routine assignments that students can learn and complete over and over again. Students will feel more confident in their transition to virtual learning if they can learn just a few routines. For example, I collaborated with an English Language Arts teacher last week. With my support, she decided to map out each week with four assignments. One of the assignments will be new material that is scaffolded with a clear sequence of directions. However, the other three assignments will all be recurring routines. Students will complete an Achieve the Core mini-assessment each week via . Students will record their score on the mini-assessment (yes, Edcite will score it!) and review the questions that were incorrect. Students will submit a reflection that focuses on what they learned from reviewing the correct answers. The quality of the reflections will be what is assessed by the teacher. Students will also complete a regular vocabulary activity each week. Lastly, students will engage in self-selected reading each week, and then they will share a response to their reading in a video each Friday!
Take One Day at a Time
I am still figuring this all out. These are just a few of the early successes I'm having in this period of virtual coaching. I think what's most important for all educators, parents, and students is that we are going to make mistakes, and each day we are all learning how to make the most of this historic time that is so greatly impacting our lives.

I'd love to hear from other instructional coaches in our community about the successes they are having! Please leave a comment when you have ideas to share.

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Coaching through the COVID-19 Crisis - Peers and Pedagogy

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It is an understatement to say that the last few weeks have been challenging. The rhythm and certainty of our lives have evaporated, and we really have no idea of when we'll get back to "normal." Educators and schools have shown great resilience and ingenuity.

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The activities in this weekly reading routine are designed to support growth in all three areas of reading fluency (accuracy, rate, and expression). Detailed guidance is given on how to implement the routine during in-person (or virtual synchronous learning), virtual asynchronous learning, or limited access/technology situations.

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Guidance for Educators Using Balanced Literacy

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Guidance for Educators Using Balanced Literacy

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Achieve the Core, Student Achievement Partners (SAP)

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Improve instruction and help all students achieve at high levels by making these research-based adjustments to your balanced literacy program. This guidance outlines some of the most common challenges of a balanced literacy model, how they can impede students' learning, and how you can adapt your reading program to better serve students.
Send Feedback

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Guidance for Educators Using a Balanced Literacy Program

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Improve instruction and help all students achieve at high levels by making these research-based adjustments to your balanced literacy program. This guidance outlines some of the most common challenges of a balanced literacy model, how they can impede students' learning, and how you can adapt your reading program to better serve students.

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Many people think spelling consists of memorizing all the words in a dictionary and that spelling comes naturally to some and not to others. These are misconceptions. Good spellers aren't born, they are taught! Nearly 90 percent of English words can be spelled if a student knows basic patterns, principles and rules of spelling.

Letter of completion

After completing this module and successfully answering the post-test questions, you'll be able to download a Letter of Completion.

If a child can spell a word, he or she can usually read the word. In fact, there is a strong relationship between spelling and word reading, because many of the same abilities - phonemic awareness, knowledge of letter patterns, an understanding of morphology and word meanings - underlie both reading and spelling. Good spellers make for better readers and writers.

Spelling and reading

Dr. Louisa Moats, an expert in literacy instruction, says that spelling is a visible record of a child's language processing, and gives us a window into what a child understands about word structure and speech sounds, and how we use letters to represent those sounds. Looking at a child's spelling is a wonderful diagnostic tool.

Putting spelling in perspective

There are about 400,000 words in a dictionary. In about 50% of the words, sound and letter associations map simply and perfectly. These words don't have to be memorized. Another 37% are easily learned through instruction of slightly more complex letter-sound correspondences. Only 13% of English language words are truly exceptional, in that they must be memorized by sight.

Spelling instruction should include:

Alphabetic principle: Knowledge of which individual letters match up to sounds, in a left to right sequence (In the word cup each sound is represented by a single letter).

Pattern information: Which groups of letters function as a pattern to represent sounds. Examples of patterns would include: CVC (Consonant/Vowel/Consonant) pattern to form short vowels (e.g. like the word cat) or CVCe/CVVC patterns to form long vowels (e.g. like the words same or meat).

Spelling variations based on word origins (e.g., 'ch' sounds like /ch/ in Anglo-Saxon words likecheck, /sh/ in French words like niche, and /k/ in Greek words like chaos).

Meaning (morphological or morphemic) information: Which groups of letters represent meaning (The prefix re- as in redo, means to do again). Instruction should include Greek combining forms and Latin roots.

Adapted from: Bear, D.R., M.A. Invernizzi, S. Templeton, F. Johnston (1996) Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling Instruction.

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Many people think spelling consists of memorizing all the words in a dictionary and that spelling comes naturally to some and not to others. These are misconceptions. Good spellers aren't born, they are taught! Nearly 90 percent of English words can be spelled if a student knows basic patterns, principles and rules of spelling.

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Should You Memorize Words to Learn to Spell?

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Should You Memorize Words to Learn to Spell?

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What should parents do when the school sends home lists of words to memorize?

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More resources: Writing and Spelling (PBS Launching Young Readers series) Spelling: self-paced course Topics A-Z: Spelling and Word Study Learning to spell is built on a child's understanding that words are made up of separate speech sounds (phonemes) and that letters represent those sounds.

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FCCR

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Introduction

Learning to read begins at home through everyday parent-child interactions, long before children attend school. Your continued support of literacy development throughout elementary school positively affects your child's reading ability.

These Family Activities include easy-to-follow plans to help you support your child's foundational reading skills at home. Materials needed for each Family Activity, such as letter cards, are included. They begin with simpler activities and progress to more difficult ones. You may want to start with the first activity and move to the next when you notice that your child has a firm understanding of the content from that activity. We encourage you to select appropriate activities for your child, and free feel to set aside an activity that seems too difficult. The goal is to engage your child in activities that promote learning in a positive environment, not to induce frustration. The activities should be completed with the child, frequently, with patience, and positive feedback. Using the activities at home will be a fun way to spend family time together!

The Family Literacy Videos show families engaging their child in the Family Activities. The key points about the videos can help you know what to focus on for a specific activity.

The Family Activities were excerpted from a Kindergarten Teacher's Guide to Support Family Involvement in Foundational Reading Skills, which are free online: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southeast/pdf/REL_2020016.pdf.
You can also access these videos free online: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVHqsnePfULqzbnu1BZf50y7HFgGNZp6v.

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educational improvement; excellence in education; educational research; statistics; statistical data; statistical surveys; national center for education evaluation and regional assistance.

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Introduction Learning to read begins at home through everyday parent-child interactions, long before children attend school. Your continued support of literacy development throughout elementary school positively affects your child's reading ability. These Family Activities include easy-to-follow plans to help you support your child's foundational reading skills at home.

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Lexia Read Home Activities® Lexia now offers newsletters with hands-on activity ideas to promote literacy development at home. With options for all levels— foundational through adolescent readers — these fun games and projects can be completed with items that families already have…

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How to Prepare Your Student for a Virtual Meeting

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How to Prepare Your Student for a Virtual Meeting

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Parent's Place of Maryland

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"How do I find my students' fluency score?

One-minute reading: Total words read (minus) errors made = words correct per minute.

Select a 100 word passage from a grade-level text.

Have individual students read each passage aloud for exactly one minute.

Count the total number of words the student read for each passage.

Count the number of errors the student made on each passage.

Subtract the number of errors read per minute from the total number of words read per minute. The result is the average number of words correct per minute (WCPM).

Repeat the procedure several times during the year. Graphing students' WCPM throughout the year easily captures their reading growth.

How many words per minute should my students be reading?

First grade: 60 words (read correctly by the end of the year)

Second grade: 90 words (read correctly by the end of the year)

Third grade: 115 words (read correctly by the end of the year)"

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Learn how to find your students' fluency score, guidelines for instruction, strategies to improve fluency, assessment, intervention, and more.

How do I find my students' fluency score?

One-minute reading: Total words read (minus) errors made = words correct per minute.

Select a 100-word passage from a grade-level text.

Have individual students read each passage aloud for exactly one minute.

Count the total number of words the student read for each passage.

Count the number of errors the student made on each passage.

Subtract the number of errors read per minute from the total number of words read per minute. The result is the average number of words correct per minute (WCPM).

Repeat the procedure several times during the year. Graphing students' WCPM throughout the year easily captures their reading growth.

How many words per minute should my students be reading?

First grade: 60 words (read correctly by the end of the year)*

Second grade: 100 words (read correctly by the end of the year)*

Third grade: 112 words (read correctly by the end of the year)*

* 50th percentile

See the 2017 Fluency Norms Chart by Hasbrouck and Tindal for the complete set of scores. Learn more in the article, Understanding and Assessing Fluency.

Guidelines for instruction

Good fluency instruction:

Provides children with opportunities to read and reread a range of stories and informational texts by reading on their own, partner reading, or choral reading.

Introduces new or difficult words to children, and provides practice reading these words before they read on their own.

Includes opportunities for children to hear a range of texts read fluently and with expression.

Encourages periodically timing a child's oral reading and then recording information about the student's reading rate and accuracy, to help monitor the student's progress.

Model fluent reading, then have students reread the text on their own

By listening to good models of fluent reading, students learn how a reader's voice can help written text make sense. Read aloud daily to your students. By reading effortlessly and with expression, we are modeling for our students how a fluent reader sounds during reading.

After you model how to read the text, you must have the students reread it. By doing this, the students are engaging in repeated reading. Usually, having students read a text four times is sufficient to improve fluency. Remember, however, that instructional time is limited, and it is the actual time that students are actively engaged in reading that produces reading gains.

Have other adults read aloud to students. Encourage parents or other family members to read aloud to their children at home. The more models of fluent reading the children hear, the better. Of course, hearing a model of fluent reading is not the only benefit of reading aloud to children. Reading to children also increases their knowledge of the world, their vocabulary, their familiarity with written language, and their interest in reading.

Have students repeatedly read passages aloud with guidance

The best strategy for developing reading fluency is to provide our students with many opportunities to read the same passage orally several times. To do this, we should first know what to have our students read.

What students should read

Fluency develops as a result of many opportunities to practice reading with a high degree of success. Therefore, our students should practice rereading aloud texts that are reasonably easy for them - that is, texts containing mostly words that they know or can decode easily. In other words, the texts should be at the students' instructional or independent reading level.

The text our students practice rereading orally should also be relatively short - probably 50-200 words, depending on the age of the students. You should also use a variety of reading materials, including stories, nonfiction, plays, and poetry. Poetry is especially well suited to fluency practice because poems for children are often short and they contain rhythm, rhyme, and meaning, making practice easy, fun, and rewarding.

Video: Reading Multisyllable Words with Xavier, Third Grader

In this video, reading expert Linda Farrell gives Xavier a strategy for reading multisyllable words - and lots of practice to master the skill. See more videos here: Looking at Reading Interventions.

Activities to increase fluency

There are several ways that our students can practice orally rereading text, including student-adult reading, choral (or unison) reading, audio-assisted reading, partner reading, and readers' theatre.

Student-adult reading

In student-adult reading, the student reads one-on-one with an adult. The adult can be you, a parent, a classroom aide, or a tutor. The adult reads the text first, providing the students with a model of fluent reading. Then the student reads the same passage to the adult with the adult providing assistance and encouragement. The student rereads the passage until the reading is quite fluent. This should take approximately three to four re-readings. Re-readings may occur across multiple instructional sessions or days.

Choral reading

In choral, or unison, reading, students read along as a group with you (or another fluent adult reader). Of course, to do so, students must be able to see the same text that you are reading. They might follow along as you read from a big book, or they might read from their own copy of the book you are reading. For choral reading, choose a book that is not too long and that you think is at the independent reading level of most students. Patterned or predictable books are particularly useful for choral reading, because their repetitious style invites students to join in. Begin by reading the book aloud as you model fluent reading.

Then reread the book and invite students to join in as they recognize the words you are reading. Continue rereading the book, encouraging students to read along as they are able. Students should read the book with you three to five times total (though not necessarily on the same day). At this time, students should be able to read the text independently.

You might also try a variation called Echo Reading, where you read a section of the text aloud and then invite the students to repeat the passage.

Audio-assisted reading

In audio-assisted reading, students read along in their books as they hear a fluent reader read the book on an audio recording. You'll need a book at a student's independent reading level and a tape recording of the book read by a fluent reader at about 80-100 words per minute. The recording should not have sound effects or music. For the first reading, the student should follow along with the recording, pointing to each word in her or his book as the reader reads it. Next, the student should try to read aloud along with the audio. Reading along with the audio should continue until the student is able to read the book independently, without the support of the recording.

Partner reading

In partner reading, paired students take turns reading aloud to each other. For partner reading, more fluent readers can be paired with less fluent readers. The stronger reader reads a paragraph or page first, providing a model of fluent reading. Then the less fluent reader reads the same text aloud. The stronger student gives help with word recognition and provides feedback and encouragement to the less fluent partner. The less fluent partner rereads the passage until he or she can read it independently. Partner reading need not be done with a more and less fluent reader. In another form of partner reading, children who read at the same level are paired to reread a story that they have received instruction on during a teacher-guided part of the lesson. Two readers of equal ability can practice rereading after hearing the teacher read the passage.

Readers' theatre

In readers' theatre, students rehearse and perform a play for peers or others. They read from scripts that have been derived from books that are rich in dialogue. Students play characters who speak lines or a narrator who shares necessary background information. Costumes, props, and other aspects of performing a play do not necessarily have to be used. The point of readers' theatre is to provide children with a legitimate reason to reread text and to practice fluency. Readers' theatre also promotes cooperative interaction with peers and makes the reading task appealing.

Several variants of reader's theatre can also be useful. For example, in radio reading, children record their reading with sound effects, like an old-time radio show. In another variant, children perform a text for younger children. This variant can be especially useful for struggling readers. For example, a fourth-grade poor reader may still read much better than a typical first grader and may be able to read books at that level quite fluently to a younger child. The ability to read well to a younger student provides an opportunity for the older child to "shine" and may be very motivating.

What should I do about silent, independent reading in the classroom?

Reading fluency growth is greatest when students are working directly with you. Therefore, we should use most of our allocated reading instruction time for direct teaching of reading skills and strategies. Promoting silent, independent reading outside of school or as a free-time activity is also valuable, but this should not replace direct instruction in reading in school.

Direct instruction is especially important for readers who are struggling. Readers who have not yet attained fluency are not likely to make effective and efficient use of silent, independent reading time. For these students, independent reading takes time away from needed reading instruction

When should fluency instruction begin?

Fluency instruction is useful when students are not yet automatic at recognizing the words in the texts, but have a reasonable degree of accuracy in reading the words. All beginning readers need opportunities to develop fluency, especially from the second half of Grade 1 through about Grade 3, prime years for fluency development in typical readers. However, these opportunities will not be sufficient for some students, who will require additional intervention in the area of fluency. How can you tell when students may need fluency intervention? There is a strong indication that a student needs fluency intervention:

If you ask the student to read orally from a grade-appropriate text that he or she has not practiced, and the student's reading is notably slow or labored;

If the student cannot read orally in grade-appropriate text with good expression (prosody);

If the student makes many self-corrections of words (it's good when children can self-correct errors, but frequent self-corrections indicate a lack of automaticity in word reading and poor fluency in text reading); or

If the student cannot meet oral reading fluency benchmarks when reading at his or her instructional level (e.g. a third grader who reads instructionally at a Grade 2 level should be able to meet Grade 2, not necessarily Grade 3, fluency benchmarks; see Carnine et al., 2004).

Is increasing word recognition skills sufficient for developing fluency?

Accurate word recognition is a necessary but not sufficient condition for fluent reading. Throughout much of the twentieth century, it was widely assumed that fluency was the result of word recognition proficiency. Instruction, therefore, focused primarily on the development of word recognition. In recent years, however, research has shown that fluency is a separate component of reading that can be developed through instruction.

Having students review and rehearse word lists (for example, by using flash cards) may improve their ability to recognize the words in isolation, but this ability may not transfer to words presented in actual texts. Developing reading fluency in texts must be developed systematically.

Fluency intervention

Barriers to fluency

When students can read (decode) words accurately and the words are part of their vocabulary, then most students will be able to read fluently given sufficient opportunities for practice. However, some students' fluency difficulties involve factors other than problems in word reading. There are several possible reasons for these students' fluency difficulties:

Receptive language weaknesses. Examples of these are autism spectrum disorder and receptive language disorder (aphasia). Assessment and intervention for this requires specialized training.

Low vocabulary and limited background knowledge

Executive functioning issues (including processing speed and ADHD)

We can support students with low vocabulary and limited background knowledge by pre-teaching key vocabulary words and background knowledge before reading. To build relevant background knowledge, read stories aloud, show pictures and videos, and bring examples into the classroom. During background knowledge development, interweave explicit vocabulary instruction [see Vocabulary module: In Practice].

For example, when teaching a unit on insects, show pictures of different insects. Lead the class through labeling the animal's body parts. This will likely include the word 'antenna'. Teach explicit instruction in the word 'antenna.' Read aloud short passages about insects and lead discussions that require students to use the word 'antenna' orally. These activities precede reading about insects.

Comprehension, the construction of meaning from text, also requires strong executive functioning. That is, it requires the ability to attend, infer, visualize, reason, distinguish, organize, synthesize, and hold all that in working memory during the actual process of reading. Good executive function also helps students recognize what is important and what is not important in a text. Students with poor executive function may have difficulty with reading comprehension because they fail to recognize key points or are overwhelmed by unimportant details. Reading fluency may suffer because of the student's inability to understand what he or she is reading.

Students with these kinds of difficulties should not be pushed to read faster, because doing so may further impair comprehension. Developing underlying comprehension abilities - such as vocabulary, background knowledge, and the ability to recognize key points - will likely be more beneficial to these students' fluency development (as well as their overall reading development). Prosodic approaches to reading fluency that emphasize expressiveness of oral reading rather than rate of reading (e.g., readers' theatre) may also be especially useful for these students.

References

Feifer, S. (2007). Know how executive function skills affect reading comprehension. Today's School Psychologist, July 8.

Kaufman, C. (2010). Executive function in the classroom: Practical strategies for improving performance and enhancing skills for all students. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

Should I assess fluency? If so, how?

We should formally and informally assess fluency regularly to ensure that our students are making appropriate progress. The most informal assessment is simply listening to students read aloud and making a judgment about their progress in fluency. You should, however, also include more formal measures of fluency. The DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency is a widely used assessment for students in grades 1-8.

Probably the easiest way to formally assess fluency is to take timed samples of students' reading and to compare their performance (number of words read correctly per minute) with published oral reading fluency norms or standards, such as the widely referenced Hasbrouck & Tindal fluency norms (Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2017). In these timed assessments, students should be told to do their best reading (as opposed to being told to read fast).

Monitoring our students' progress in reading fluency will help us determine the effectiveness of our instruction and set instructional goals. Also, seeing their fluency growth reflected in the graphs we keep can motivate students.

Adapted from: Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read Kindergarten Through Grade 3, a publication of The Partnership for Reading.

References

Carnine, D. W., Silbert, J., Kame'enui, E. J., & Tarver, S. G. (2004). Direct instruction reading (4th edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Chard, D. J., Vaughn, S., & Tyler, B .J. (2002). A synthesis of research on effective interventions for building reading fluency with elementary students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35, 386-406.

Hasbrouck, J., & Tindal, G. (2006). Oral reading fluency norms: A valuable assessment tool for reading teachers. The Reading Teacher, 59, 636-644.

O'Connor, R.E., White, A., & Swanson, H.L. (2007). Repeated reading versus continuous reading: Influences on reading fluency and comprehension. Exceptional Children, 74, 31-46.

Stahl, S. A. (2004). What do we know about fluency? Findings of the National Reading Panel. In P. McCardle & V. Chhabra (Eds.), The voice of evidence in reading research (pp. 187-211). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Co.

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Learn how to find your students' fluency score, guidelines for instruction, strategies to improve fluency, assessment, intervention, and more. In this section: Determining fluency scores Guidelines for instruction Activities to increase fluency Silent, independent reading When should fluency instruction begin? Word recognition skills and fluency Fluency intervention Assessing fluency How do I find my students' fluency score?

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Learn how to find your students' fluency score, guidelines for instruction, strategies to improve fluency, assessment, intervention, and more.

How do I find my students' fluency score?

One-minute reading: Total words read (minus) errors made = words correct per minute.

Select a 100-word passage from a grade-level text.

Have individual students read each passage aloud for exactly one minute.

Count the total number of words the student read for each passage.

Count the number of errors the student made on each passage.

Subtract the number of errors read per minute from the total number of words read per minute. The result is the average number of words correct per minute (WCPM).

Repeat the procedure several times during the year. Graphing students' WCPM throughout the year easily captures their reading growth.

How many words per minute should my students be reading?

First grade: 60 words (read correctly by the end of the year)*

Second grade: 100 words (read correctly by the end of the year)*

Third grade: 112 words (read correctly by the end of the year)*

* 50th percentile

See the 2017 Fluency Norms Chart by Hasbrouck and Tindal for the complete set of scores. Learn more in the article, Understanding and Assessing Fluency.

Guidelines for instruction

Good fluency instruction:

Provides children with opportunities to read and reread a range of stories and informational texts by reading on their own, partner reading, or choral reading.

Introduces new or difficult words to children, and provides practice reading these words before they read on their own.

Includes opportunities for children to hear a range of texts read fluently and with expression.

Encourages periodically timing a child's oral reading and then recording information about the student's reading rate and accuracy, to help monitor the student's progress.

Model fluent reading, then have students reread the text on their own

By listening to good models of fluent reading, students learn how a reader's voice can help written text make sense. Read aloud daily to your students. By reading effortlessly and with expression, we are modeling for our students how a fluent reader sounds during reading.

After you model how to read the text, you must have the students reread it. By doing this, the students are engaging in repeated reading. Usually, having students read a text four times is sufficient to improve fluency. Remember, however, that instructional time is limited, and it is the actual time that students are actively engaged in reading that produces reading gains.

Have other adults read aloud to students. Encourage parents or other family members to read aloud to their children at home. The more models of fluent reading the children hear, the better. Of course, hearing a model of fluent reading is not the only benefit of reading aloud to children. Reading to children also increases their knowledge of the world, their vocabulary, their familiarity with written language, and their interest in reading.

Have students repeatedly read passages aloud with guidance

The best strategy for developing reading fluency is to provide our students with many opportunities to read the same passage orally several times. To do this, we should first know what to have our students read.

What students should read

Fluency develops as a result of many opportunities to practice reading with a high degree of success. Therefore, our students should practice rereading aloud texts that are reasonably easy for them - that is, texts containing mostly words that they know or can decode easily. In other words, the texts should be at the students' instructional or independent reading level.

The text our students practice rereading orally should also be relatively short - probably 50-200 words, depending on the age of the students. You should also use a variety of reading materials, including stories, nonfiction, plays, and poetry. Poetry is especially well suited to fluency practice because poems for children are often short and they contain rhythm, rhyme, and meaning, making practice easy, fun, and rewarding.

Video: Reading Multisyllable Words with Xavier, Third Grader

In this video, reading expert Linda Farrell gives Xavier a strategy for reading multisyllable words - and lots of practice to master the skill. See more videos here: Looking at Reading Interventions.

Activities to increase fluency

There are several ways that our students can practice orally rereading text, including student-adult reading, choral (or unison) reading, audio-assisted reading, partner reading, and readers' theatre.

Student-adult reading

In student-adult reading, the student reads one-on-one with an adult. The adult can be you, a parent, a classroom aide, or a tutor. The adult reads the text first, providing the students with a model of fluent reading. Then the student reads the same passage to the adult with the adult providing assistance and encouragement. The student rereads the passage until the reading is quite fluent. This should take approximately three to four re-readings. Re-readings may occur across multiple instructional sessions or days.

Choral reading

In choral, or unison, reading, students read along as a group with you (or another fluent adult reader). Of course, to do so, students must be able to see the same text that you are reading. They might follow along as you read from a big book, or they might read from their own copy of the book you are reading. For choral reading, choose a book that is not too long and that you think is at the independent reading level of most students. Patterned or predictable books are particularly useful for choral reading, because their repetitious style invites students to join in. Begin by reading the book aloud as you model fluent reading.

Then reread the book and invite students to join in as they recognize the words you are reading. Continue rereading the book, encouraging students to read along as they are able. Students should read the book with you three to five times total (though not necessarily on the same day). At this time, students should be able to read the text independently.

You might also try a variation called Echo Reading, where you read a section of the text aloud and then invite the students to repeat the passage.

Audio-assisted reading

In audio-assisted reading, students read along in their books as they hear a fluent reader read the book on an audio recording. You'll need a book at a student's independent reading level and a tape recording of the book read by a fluent reader at about 80-100 words per minute. The recording should not have sound effects or music. For the first reading, the student should follow along with the recording, pointing to each word in her or his book as the reader reads it. Next, the student should try to read aloud along with the audio. Reading along with the audio should continue until the student is able to read the book independently, without the support of the recording.

Partner reading

In partner reading, paired students take turns reading aloud to each other. For partner reading, more fluent readers can be paired with less fluent readers. The stronger reader reads a paragraph or page first, providing a model of fluent reading. Then the less fluent reader reads the same text aloud. The stronger student gives help with word recognition and provides feedback and encouragement to the less fluent partner. The less fluent partner rereads the passage until he or she can read it independently. Partner reading need not be done with a more and less fluent reader. In another form of partner reading, children who read at the same level are paired to reread a story that they have received instruction on during a teacher-guided part of the lesson. Two readers of equal ability can practice rereading after hearing the teacher read the passage.

Readers' theatre

In readers' theatre, students rehearse and perform a play for peers or others. They read from scripts that have been derived from books that are rich in dialogue. Students play characters who speak lines or a narrator who shares necessary background information. Costumes, props, and other aspects of performing a play do not necessarily have to be used. The point of readers' theatre is to provide children with a legitimate reason to reread text and to practice fluency. Readers' theatre also promotes cooperative interaction with peers and makes the reading task appealing.

Several variants of reader's theatre can also be useful. For example, in radio reading, children record their reading with sound effects, like an old-time radio show. In another variant, children perform a text for younger children. This variant can be especially useful for struggling readers. For example, a fourth-grade poor reader may still read much better than a typical first grader and may be able to read books at that level quite fluently to a younger child. The ability to read well to a younger student provides an opportunity for the older child to "shine" and may be very motivating.

What should I do about silent, independent reading in the classroom?

Reading fluency growth is greatest when students are working directly with you. Therefore, we should use most of our allocated reading instruction time for direct teaching of reading skills and strategies. Promoting silent, independent reading outside of school or as a free-time activity is also valuable, but this should not replace direct instruction in reading in school.

Direct instruction is especially important for readers who are struggling. Readers who have not yet attained fluency are not likely to make effective and efficient use of silent, independent reading time. For these students, independent reading takes time away from needed reading instruction

When should fluency instruction begin?

Fluency instruction is useful when students are not yet automatic at recognizing the words in the texts, but have a reasonable degree of accuracy in reading the words. All beginning readers need opportunities to develop fluency, especially from the second half of Grade 1 through about Grade 3, prime years for fluency development in typical readers. However, these opportunities will not be sufficient for some students, who will require additional intervention in the area of fluency. How can you tell when students may need fluency intervention? There is a strong indication that a student needs fluency intervention:

If you ask the student to read orally from a grade-appropriate text that he or she has not practiced, and the student's reading is notably slow or labored;

If the student cannot read orally in grade-appropriate text with good expression (prosody);

If the student makes many self-corrections of words (it's good when children can self-correct errors, but frequent self-corrections indicate a lack of automaticity in word reading and poor fluency in text reading); or

If the student cannot meet oral reading fluency benchmarks when reading at his or her instructional level (e.g. a third grader who reads instructionally at a Grade 2 level should be able to meet Grade 2, not necessarily Grade 3, fluency benchmarks; see Carnine et al., 2004).

Is increasing word recognition skills sufficient for developing fluency?

Accurate word recognition is a necessary but not sufficient condition for fluent reading. Throughout much of the twentieth century, it was widely assumed that fluency was the result of word recognition proficiency. Instruction, therefore, focused primarily on the development of word recognition. In recent years, however, research has shown that fluency is a separate component of reading that can be developed through instruction.

Having students review and rehearse word lists (for example, by using flash cards) may improve their ability to recognize the words in isolation, but this ability may not transfer to words presented in actual texts. Developing reading fluency in texts must be developed systematically.

Fluency intervention

Barriers to fluency

When students can read (decode) words accurately and the words are part of their vocabulary, then most students will be able to read fluently given sufficient opportunities for practice. However, some students' fluency difficulties involve factors other than problems in word reading. There are several possible reasons for these students' fluency difficulties:

Receptive language weaknesses. Examples of these are autism spectrum disorder and receptive language disorder (aphasia). Assessment and intervention for this requires specialized training.

Low vocabulary and limited background knowledge

Executive functioning issues (including processing speed and ADHD)

We can support students with low vocabulary and limited background knowledge by pre-teaching key vocabulary words and background knowledge before reading. To build relevant background knowledge, read stories aloud, show pictures and videos, and bring examples into the classroom. During background knowledge development, interweave explicit vocabulary instruction [see Vocabulary module: In Practice].

For example, when teaching a unit on insects, show pictures of different insects. Lead the class through labeling the animal's body parts. This will likely include the word 'antenna'. Teach explicit instruction in the word 'antenna.' Read aloud short passages about insects and lead discussions that require students to use the word 'antenna' orally. These activities precede reading about insects.

Comprehension, the construction of meaning from text, also requires strong executive functioning. That is, it requires the ability to attend, infer, visualize, reason, distinguish, organize, synthesize, and hold all that in working memory during the actual process of reading. Good executive function also helps students recognize what is important and what is not important in a text. Students with poor executive function may have difficulty with reading comprehension because they fail to recognize key points or are overwhelmed by unimportant details. Reading fluency may suffer because of the student's inability to understand what he or she is reading.

Students with these kinds of difficulties should not be pushed to read faster, because doing so may further impair comprehension. Developing underlying comprehension abilities - such as vocabulary, background knowledge, and the ability to recognize key points - will likely be more beneficial to these students' fluency development (as well as their overall reading development). Prosodic approaches to reading fluency that emphasize expressiveness of oral reading rather than rate of reading (e.g., readers' theatre) may also be especially useful for these students.

References

Feifer, S. (2007). Know how executive function skills affect reading comprehension. Today's School Psychologist, July 8.

Kaufman, C. (2010). Executive function in the classroom: Practical strategies for improving performance and enhancing skills for all students. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

Should I assess fluency? If so, how?

We should formally and informally assess fluency regularly to ensure that our students are making appropriate progress. The most informal assessment is simply listening to students read aloud and making a judgment about their progress in fluency. You should, however, also include more formal measures of fluency. The DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency is a widely used assessment for students in grades 1-8.

Probably the easiest way to formally assess fluency is to take timed samples of students' reading and to compare their performance (number of words read correctly per minute) with published oral reading fluency norms or standards, such as the widely referenced Hasbrouck & Tindal fluency norms (Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2017). In these timed assessments, students should be told to do their best reading (as opposed to being told to read fast).

Monitoring our students' progress in reading fluency will help us determine the effectiveness of our instruction and set instructional goals. Also, seeing their fluency growth reflected in the graphs we keep can motivate students.

Adapted from: Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read Kindergarten Through Grade 3, a publication of The Partnership for Reading.

References

Carnine, D. W., Silbert, J., Kame'enui, E. J., & Tarver, S. G. (2004). Direct instruction reading (4th edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Chard, D. J., Vaughn, S., & Tyler, B .J. (2002). A synthesis of research on effective interventions for building reading fluency with elementary students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35, 386-406.

Hasbrouck, J., & Tindal, G. (2006). Oral reading fluency norms: A valuable assessment tool for reading teachers. The Reading Teacher, 59, 636-644.

O'Connor, R.E., White, A., & Swanson, H.L. (2007). Repeated reading versus continuous reading: Influences on reading fluency and comprehension. Exceptional Children, 74, 31-46.

Stahl, S. A. (2004). What do we know about fluency? Findings of the National Reading Panel. In P. McCardle & V. Chhabra (Eds.), The voice of evidence in reading research (pp. 187-211). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Co.

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Learn how to find your students' fluency score, guidelines for instruction, strategies to improve fluency, assessment, intervention, and more. In this section: Determining fluency scores Guidelines for instruction Activities to increase fluency Silent, independent reading When should fluency instruction begin? Word recognition skills and fluency Fluency intervention Assessing fluency How do I find my students' fluency score?

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Informal Diagnostic & Progress Monitoring: PAST: Phonological Awareness Screening Test 

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Informal Diagnostic & Progress Monitoring: PAST: Phonological Awareness Screening Test 

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Please carefully read the instructions before using. Make sure to also practice using the test before using it with students. A resource designed to remediate phonemic awareness difficulties is available at www.equippedforreadingsuccess.com.

We will be working on this website over the next few weeks and months, adding more content and information so please check back for further updates."

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Informal Diagnostic & Progress Monitoring: Phonics Skills Assessments

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Informal Diagnostic & Progress Monitoring: Phonics Skills Assessments

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Reading Rockets & Margaret Goldberg

"Provide texts your child can read using the phonics they know (sources for decodable texts) To progress through this stage of reading development, children must learn to attend to every letter in every word.

TextProject: Printable Decodable Texts and Vocabulary Materials

Free printable decodable books

Free online decodable books

Engaging decodable books online (temporarily free)

Avoid predictable texts, which prompt children to recite a pattern and use pictures to guess unknown words. See: What’s wrong with predictable or repetitive texts. Guessing and checking is an inefficient way to read, but some instructional materials perpetuate the difficulty."

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This month's school closures have forced families to become teachers at home overnight.

What we know about beginning readers

Children progress as readers at different rates, but they pass through predictable stages of development. For typically-developing readers, the stages of reading can be mapped onto grade levels, but as a homeschool teacher you have the advantage of being able to provide the instruction your children need, regardless of their grade.

For each stage of reading development, we've selected materials so that caregivers can support their children's progress. Each stage of reading has an instructional plan with easy suggestions for targeting the two main components of reading:

Oral language: vocabulary and background knowledge

Decoding: learning the way in which letters represent the sounds in each word

Learning about books and words (preschool-early kindergarten)

At this stage, you will see...

Children first learn about reading by watching skilled readers handle books. They learn how to hold a book, where to find the front cover, title, author, pictures, and words. Children learn all of this when adults point out key features while reading aloud.

Children will begin to emulate skilled readers, but they are still essentially nonreaders.
"...they can pretend to read stories they have heard many times, and they can guess words from pictures. However, all of their feats of reading are performed by using cues that do not involve the alphabetic system."
In this phase of development, children may appear to read words, but they do so by remembering visual features, rather than by connecting letters to the spoken sounds they represent. For example, a child may "read" stop on a stop sign because they recognize the red octagon it's printed on or because they see the squiggly shape of the letter S.

A child must learn...
Concepts of print

Book handling: how to hold a book and turn its pages, while noticing key features such as pictures and words
Alphabet knowledge

26 lowercase letters (be able to name and write each letter effortlessly)

26 uppercase letters, which are used to signal the beginning of a sentence, the name of a person, etc.

Letter-sound associations (commonly referred to as phonics)

From sound to letter (the sound /m/ is the letter m)

From letter to sound (the letter s has the sound /s/)

Phonological awareness

Streams of spoken language are composed of words

Spoken English is composed of about 44 speech sounds (phonemes)

An adult should know...

To become a skilled reader, a child must learn how the words he or she hears and says are represented by the print on the page. A child must also become aware that words are made up of individual sounds (phonemic awareness). This understanding is essential for efficient reading.

Skilled readers instantly recognize letters (in a variety of fonts) and they know how those letters can be grouped to represent the ~44 phonemes (sounds) of spoken English.

Efficient readers do not memorize words based on sight. They match the letters to the sounds those letters make. Readers can differentiate between visually similar words ( stop and slop) because they instantly recognize letters and because they know which features to ignore ( stop and STOP are the same word, no matter the font or handwriting).

How to help
Teaching About Books and Words Assessments to Monitor Learning Helpful Tips

Short lessons framed as "games" make the learning process more enjoyable for you and your child

Consider sprinkling instruction throughout the daya morning song with rhyming, letter practice before lunch, handwriting in the afternoon, a story at bedtime

Learning about words (kindergarten-early 1st grade)

At this stage, you will see...

Children use the letter sounds they have learned along with context to recite familiar books and memorize repetitive words. In this stage, children primarily pay attention to the first and last letters of words when reading and when writing.

A child must learn...

To say the sounds for each letter in a word (/s/ /t/ /o/ /p/) and blend those four sounds together to read ( stop).

Children begin with short words (such as at, up), progress to three-letter words that have a vowel in the middle ( cat, bet, sip, jog), and then move on to more complicated spellings.

Some children quickly abandon guessing strategies and apply what they know about letter-sound relationships to their reading with relatively little instruction.

A majority of children require explicit instruction to make this leap, and some need many repetitions in order to cement their learning.
"Fortunately, because English is an alphabetic writing system, students can efficiently read many words once they learn how to use the relationships between letters and sounds. Unfortunately, however, switching from using context to using spelling-sound strategies is both unnatural and difficult for many students. Among the reasons for this is a lack of understanding that spoken words are made up of sound units (phonemes) and that the arrangements and varieties of phonemes correspond to the print they see on a page. A successful decoding program raises students' awareness, understanding, and use of phonemes and establishes the relationships between letters, sounds, and spellings."
- Shefelbine, 2014

An adult should know...

Reading at this stage is often a slow and laborious process. Listening to children sound out words can challenge our patience. Skilled readers instantly recognize the words and want children to do so, too. But if we ask a beginning reader to read quickly, he or she will revert to an earlier stage of development and will begin to guess words using initial sounds and context. Patience and calm determination are key, both for the child and the adult!

Paying attention to every letter of every word is essential to developing the automatic recognition of words, which teachers often call "sight words" (for more: learn about orthographic mapping). Slow, accurate reading will become quick and efficient once a child has had enough practice sounding out words.

How to help
Teaching About Words Assessments to Monitor Learning Helpful Tips
Reading with greater ease (1st-2nd grades and beyond)

At this stage, you will see...

Readers can sound out unfamiliar words, they invent spellings that represent all the sounds in words, and they can remember correct spellings of words better than in the previous stages of development.

Children at this stage of development are able to remember more complicated spelling patterns for future encounters with a word when reading or for writing.

They may also begin to teach themselves new spelling patterns, inferring conventions in English spelling that they have not yet been taught.
"The final stage of reading acquisition is characterized by automaticity - the quick and effortless recognition of most words. A key instructional strategy for building this automaticity is massive amounts of reading practice at levels where decoding accuracy is at or above 95 percent. To achieve such accuracy, students must use spelling patterns to decode."
- Shefelbine, 2015

A child must learn...

Fluency consists of accurate reading, at an appropriate rate, with suitable expression. It develops as a result of an enormous amount of reading practice.

Reading fluently supports reading comprehension.

An adult should know...

As a child's reading begins to sound more like talking, his or her comprehension increases and that makes reading more enjoyable (both for the child and the adult listening!) You may need to teach your child how to read with attention to punctuation (e.g. pausing for commas) and typography (e.g. getting a little LOUDER when text is in all caps). A short lesson and plenty of time to practice on a variety of texts can yield big gains.

Reading practice builds reading stamina, so the more your child reads, the more he or she will want to read. You can help your child grow to love reading by providing authentic purposes for reading and writing (e.g. to learn more about a topic of interest) and by helping your child find books he or she enjoys.

How to help
Teaching and Practice for Reading With Greater Ease Assessments to Monitor Learning Helpful Tips

To provide authentic purposes for reading and writing for your child, think about what reading and writing can be used for:

Finding the answer to a question

Learning to do something new

Connecting with someone you miss

Enjoying a good story

Remembering something for the future

Your child is lucky to have you as a reading teacher

There are two strands to reading:

Oral language is developed by talking and listening

Decoding is acquired by learning how letters represent the sounds of spoken words

Any work you do with your child that builds his or her vocabulary, background knowledge, understanding of printed words and spelling, is teaching reading.

Working together and enjoying the process is more helpful to your child's reading development than battling over the completion of worksheet packets. Your child is lucky to have an adult who is taking the time to understand and facilitate his or her development as a reader.

As you explore reading instruction for each phase of reading development, remember:
When you talk, read aloud, sing songs, and learn new things with your child, you are a reading teacher.
Additional resources
Video: Reading, Singing, Playing, and Talking with Children

Quick tips for engaging activities to do with your child throughout the day
At-Home Learning from Zaner-Bloser

Free printable resources organized by grade level and topic: handwriting, phonological awareness, print concepts, letter recognition, grammar, etc.
Florida Center for Reading Research: Student Center Activities

Activities for children in grades K-5

Includes easy lesson plans and printable materials

Covers five essential components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension

Free Reading

Covers five essential components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension

Includes print concepts and writing

40 weeks of lessons

For kindergarten students at risk for reading, start at Week 1, Day 1

For first grade students at risk for reading, start at Week 21, Day 1

For students in other grades who are still developing literacy skills, begin with the lessons and activities that best match their child's needs

Parker Phonics (free downloadable books)

Teaching a Preschooler to Read

Reading Instruction and Phonics

The Reading Disability Crisis

Spelfabet

Suggested activities, printable materials, videos, and explanations

Resources for all ages, preschool children to adults with reading difficulties

One pagers of teaching tips for parents of children preschool-3rd grade

Printable one-page guides that are organized by grade level

Tips for adults and activity ideas for children

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

100 lessons that are each 20 minutes

Step-by-step program for parents to teach their children to read

Book cost ~$25

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts Resources for Parents

Free curricula for use with children in Kindergarten-8th grade

Many activities can be done independently by the child

Read Aloud lesson videos

Independent practice for foundational skills

Self-guided videos on science topics

UFLI Virtual Teaching Resource Hub

Resources, including links for additional sources of high-quality materials

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The ABCs of Teaching Reading at Home | Reading Rockets

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This month's school closures have forced families to become teachers at home overnight. What we know about beginning readers Children progress as readers at different rates, but they pass through predictable stages of development.

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An informal assessment phonological awareness, including what the assessment measures, when is should be assessed, examples of questions, and the age or grade at which the assessment should be mastered.

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Assessment

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Striving Readers Grants Open, Maryland will Apply

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Striving Readers Grants Open, Maryland will Apply

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Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Education.

Notice.

The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.371C. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.

Applications Available: April 3, 2020.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 2, 2020.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 3, 2020.

For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 ( 84 FR 3768), and available at www.govinfo.gov/​content/​pkg/​FR-2019-02-13/​pdf/​2019-02206.pdf.

Cindy Savage, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E243, Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: (202) 453-5998. Email: cindy.savage@ed.gov; or Jennifer Brianas, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E239, Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: (202) 401-0299. Email: jennifer.brianas@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The CLSD program awards competitive grants to advance literacy skills, through the use of evidence-based (as defined in this notice) practices, activities, and interventions, including pre-literacy skills, reading, and writing, for children from birth through grade 12, with an emphasis on disadvantaged children, including children living in poverty, English learners (as defined in this notice), and children with disabilities (as defined in this notice).

Background: The FY 2020 competition for new CLSD awards focuses on the requirements in the statute. In addition, we have included three competitive preference priorities that highlight key policies for States on which to focus their literacy plans or encourage eligible subgrant applicants to focus their local literacy plans.

First, we give competitive preference to applications from new potential grantees to diversify the applicant pool and even the playing field for applicants with varying levels of experience. For the purpose of this priority, we give preference to grantees that have not had an active grant in the past five years under the CLSD program, or the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program (SRCL), as the CLSD program was called prior to the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act ( i.e., applicants that did not have an active grant under SRCL or CLSD as of five years before the deadline date for submission of applications under the program).

Second, we give competitive preference to applications that would focus their subgrant competitions on projects located in Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs). Public law 115-97 authorized the designation of QOZs to promote economic development and job creation in distressed communities through preferential tax treatment for investors. A list of QOZs is available at www.cdfifund.gov/​Pages/​Opportunity-Zones.aspx;​ applicants may also determine whether a particular area overlaps with a QOZ using the National Center of Education Statistics' map located at https://nces.ed.gov/​programs/​maped/​LocaleLookup/​. To receive competitive preference points under this priority, applicants must provide the Department with the census tract number of the QOZs they plan to serve and describe the services they will provide. For the purposes of CLSD subgrant competitions, State educational agencies (SEAs) should consider the area where the eligible entity (as defined in this notice) is located to be the area that must overlap with a QOZ; an eligible entity with multiple sites ( e.g., a local educational agency (LEA) with multiple schools) may be considered to overlap with a QOZ even if only one site is located in a QOZ. We believe that this priority aligns with the purpose of the CLSD program to advance literacy skills for disadvantaged children, including children living in poverty, English learners, and children with disabilities.

Third, we give competitive preference to applications that propose projects designed to focus on improving student outcomes that provide increased value to students and taxpayers. Within this competitive preference priority, we are particularly interested in applications that propose to leverage resources to reduce redundancy and increase efficiency in developing literacy programs and activities. Leveraging resources is the process of identifying the benefits from an investment or project using available resources to recognize additional resources. The process may result in a total effect that is greater than the sum of the parts. It involves the removal of barriers that prevent or hinder the flow of goods, services, and funds to meet program goals. State and local plans focused on identifying opportunities to streamline or eliminate redundancies or unnecessary requirements or capitalize on already available Federal, State, and local resources, may ultimately allow subgrantees to focus more closely on approaches that improve outcomes for students and their families.

In addition, section 2222(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), requires that an applicant describe how it will develop a State comprehensive literacy instruction plan, and applicants are encouraged to align these plans with their State plans under ESEA. An important component of a comprehensive literacy plan includes innovative strategies to improve access to high-quality preschool through grade 12 opportunities that take place outside of the traditional public school setting. In developing these plans, applicants may provide parents and students a choice of opportunities that may include, for example, online literacy programs, industry-focused literacy programs, expanded library hours, community partnerships, and other literacy programs or projects that allow parents and students to access literacy software and information at any time and any place.

Consistent with section 2222(e) of the ESEA, the Secretary gives priority to SEAs that will use the grant funds for evidence-based activities and includes a selection criterion under Quality of Project Design that awards points to applicants to the extent that SEAs propose to use CLSD funds for evidence-based activities. Applicants should use CLSD funds for activities supported by the highest evidence available, and in cases where there may not be significant evidence-based literacy strategies or interventions available, for example in early childhood education, we encourage applicants to demonstrate a rationale ( i.e., the need for the intervention, its inputs and outputs, and the intended outcomes) for how the intervention will help to achieve the project outcomes. For this competition, SEAs are required to prioritize kindergarten through grade 12 subgrant applications that meet the higher evidence levels of strong or moderate evidence included in the definition of "evidence-based" in this notice.

Priorities: This competition includes three competitive preference priorities. Priority 1 is from the Department's Administrative Priorities for Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2020 ( 85 FR 13640) (Administrative Priorities); Priority 2 is from the Department's notice of final priority for Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2019 ( 84 FR 65300) (Opportunity Zones NFP); and Priority 3 is from the Secretary's Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 ( 83 FR 9096) (Supplemental Priorities).

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Applicants may apply under any, all, or none of the competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional 10 points to an application that meets Priority 1; an additional five points to an application that meets Priority 2; and up to an additional three points to an application that addresses Priority 3, depending on how well the application addresses Priority 3. An application may be awarded up to a maximum of 18 additional points. These points are in addition to any points the application earns under the selection criteria in this notice.

These priorities are:

Priority 1-Applications from New Potential Grantees (0 or 10 points).

(a) Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant has not had an active discretionary grant under the program from which it seeks funds, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, in the five years before the deadline date for submission of applications under the program.

(b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant or contract is active until the end of the grant's or contract's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's or contractor's authority to obligate funds.

Note: For purposes of this priority, "the program" includes both the SRCL and CLSD programs because they are substantially the same.

Priority 2-Spurring Investment in Qualified Opportunity Zones (0 or 5 points).

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the area in which the applicant proposes to provide services overlaps with a QOZ as designated by the Secretary of the Treasury under section 1400z-1 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). An applicant must-

(a) Provide the census tract number of the QOZ(s) in which it proposes to provide services; and

(b) Describe how the applicant will provide services in the QOZ(s).

Note: In responding to this priority, an applicant is encouraged to explain how it will encourage prospective subgrantees to leverage opportunities in QOZs to address the State application and program requirements in this notice.

Priority 3-Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education with an Increased Focus on Improving Student Outcomes and Providing Increased Value to Students and Taxpayers (up to 3 points).

Projects that are designed to address one or both of the following priority areas:

(a) Implementing strategies that ensure education funds are spent in a way that increases their efficiency and cost-effectiveness, including by reducing waste or achieving better outcomes.

(b) Supporting innovative strategies or research that have the potential to lead to significant and wide-reaching improvements in the delivery of educational services or other significant and tangible educational benefits to students, educators, or other Department stakeholders.

Within this competitive preference priority, we are particularly interested in applications that address the following invitational priority.

Invitational Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

This priority is:

Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, and Streamlining Education by Leveraging Education Resources.

Projects that are designed to implement strategies that leverage Federal, State, and local resources ( e.g., funding, processes, infrastructure, people) to reduce redundancy and to increase efficiency to develop literacy programs and activities.

Application Requirements: For FY 2020, and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, applicants must submit an application that meets the following application requirements from section 2222 of the ESEA ( 20 U.S.C. 6642).

(a) State Agency Early Childhood Program Collaboration.

An SEA must collaborate with the State agency responsible for administering early childhood education programs and the State agency responsible for administering child care programs in the State, in writing and implementing the early childhood education portion of the grant application submitted for the CLSD program.

(b) State Needs Assessment.

An SEA must include a needs assessment that analyzes literacy needs across the State and in high-need schools (as defined in this notice) and LEAs that serve high-need schools, including identifying the most significant gaps in literacy proficiency and inequities in student access to effective teachers of literacy, considering each of the subgroups of students, as defined in section 1111(c)(2) of the ESEA.

(c) State Comprehensive Literacy Plan.

An SEA must include a description of how, in collaboration with its State literacy team, if applicable, it will develop a State comprehensive literacy instruction (as defined in this notice) plan or will revise and update an already existing State comprehensive literacy instruction plan.

(d) State Implementation Plan.

An SEA must include an implementation plan that includes a description of how it will carry out the State activities detailed in section 2222(f) of the ESEA.

(e) Assurances.

An SEA must include in its application the following assurances:

(1) State Funding Allocations.

(a) An SEA must assure that it will subgrant not less than 95 percent of grant funds to eligible entities (as defined in this notice), based on their needs assessment and a competitive application process, for comprehensive literacy instruction programs according to the funding allocations in Program Requirement (a).

(b) An SEA must assure it will use grant funds described in section 2222(f)(1) for comprehensive literacy instruction programs as follows:

(i) Not less than 15 percent of such grant funds must be used for State and local programs and activities pertaining to children from birth through kindergarten entry.

(ii) Not less than 40 percent of such grant funds must be used for State and local programs and activities, allocated equitably among the grades of kindergarten through grade 5.

(iii) Not less than 40 percent of such grant funds must be used for State and local programs and activities, allocated equitably among grades 6 through 12.

(2) Serving Low-Income and High-Need Students.

An SEA must assure that it will give priority in awarding subgrants to eligible entities that-

(i) Serve children from birth through age 5 who are from families with income levels at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line (as defined in this notice); or

(ii) Are LEAs serving a high number or percentage of high-need schools.

(3) Geographic Diversity.

An SEA must assure that it will provide subgrants to eligible entities serving a diversity of geographic areas, giving priority to entities serving greater numbers or percentages of children from low-income families.

Program Requirements: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, the following program requirements apply. These program requirements are from sections 2222-2225 and 2301 of the ESEA.

(a) State Funding Allocations.

(1) Grantees must use not less than 95 percent of grant funds to award subgrants to eligible entities, based on their needs assessment and a competitive application process;

(2) Grantees must subgrant funds as follows:

(i) Not less than 15 percent of the funds awarded to subgrantees must be used for State and local programs and activities pertaining to children from birth through kindergarten entry;

(ii) Not less than 40 percent of the funds awarded to subgrantees must be used for State and local programs and activities, allocated equitably among the grades of kindergarten through grade 5; and

(iii) Not less than 40 percent of the funds awarded to subgrantees must be used for State and local programs and activities, allocated equitably among grades 6 through 12.

(b) State-Level Activities.

(1) A grantee may reserve not more than 5 percent of the CLSD funds it receives for activities identified through the needs assessment and comprehensive literacy plan, including, at a minimum, the following activities:

(i) Providing technical assistance, or engaging qualified providers to provide technical assistance, to eligible entities to enable the eligible entities to design and implement literacy programs.

(ii) Coordinating with institutions of higher education in the State to provide recommendations to strengthen and enhance pre-service courses for students preparing to teach children from birth through grade 12 in explicit, systematic, and intensive instruction in evidence-based literacy methods.

(iii) Reviewing and updating, in collaboration with teachers and institutions of higher education, State licensure or certification standards in the area of literacy instruction in early education through grade 12.

(v) Administering and monitoring the implementation of subgrants by eligible entities.

(2) After making awards to subgrantees and carrying out the State-level activities described in this notice, an SEA may use any remaining amount to carry out one or more of the following activities:

(i) Developing literacy coach training programs and training literacy coaches.

(ii) Administration and evaluation of CLSD activities.

(3) Collaboration requirement.

A grantee must collaborate with the State agency responsible for administering early childhood education programs, the State agency responsible for administering child care programs, and, if applicable, the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care designated or established pursuant to section 642(b(1)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act, in making and implementing subgrants under the early childhood education portion of the CLSD program, described in section 2222(d)(2)(D)(i).

Note: Section 2222(d)(1) of the ESEA specifically references child care and early childhood programs within a State. Since the CLSD service population encompasses children from birth and includes pre-literacy services, applicants may collaborate with the State agencies administering the Part C program for infants and toddlers under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in their program planning, as some children being served under Part C would likely benefit from CLSD services.

(c) Requirements that apply to subgrants to eligible entities in support of birth through kindergarten entry literacy.

(1) Subgrantee application requirements.

An eligible entity desiring to receive a subgrant under CLSD must submit an application to the SEA, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the SEA may require. Such application must include a description of-

(i) How the CLSD funds will be used to enhance the language and literacy development and school readiness of children, from birth through kindergarten entry, in early childhood education programs, which must include an analysis of data that support the proposed use of CLSD funds;

(ii) How the CLSD funds will be used to prepare and provide ongoing assistance to staff in the programs, including through high-quality professional development (as defined in this notice);

(iii) How the activities assisted with the CLSD funds will be coordinated with comprehensive literacy instruction at the kindergarten through grade 12 levels; and

(iv) How the CLSD funds will be used to evaluate the success of the activities assisted under the subgrant in enhancing the early language and literacy development of children from birth through kindergarten entry.

In awarding subgrants to eligible entities in support of birth through kindergarten entry, sections 2222(d)(2)(E) and 2223(c) of the ESEA require that an SEA must provide an assurance that it will-

(i) Give priority to an eligible entity that will use CLSD funds to implement evidence-based activities;

(ii) Give priority to an eligible entity that will use CLSD funds to serve children from birth through age 5 who are from families with income levels at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line or is an LEA serving a high number or percentage of high-need schools; and

(iii) Give priority to an eligible entity that will use CLSD funds to serve children from birth through age 5 in a diversity of geographic areas.

The term of a subgrant must be determined by the grantee and must not exceed five years.

(4) Sufficient size and scope.

Each subgrant must be of sufficient size and scope to allow the eligible entity to carry out high-quality early literacy initiatives for children from birth through kindergarten entry.

(5) Local uses of funds.

An eligible entity that receives a subgrant from the SEA must use the CLSD funds, consistent with the entity's approved application, to-

(i) Carry out high-quality professional development opportunities for early childhood educators, teachers, principals, other school leaders (as defined in this notice), paraprofessionals, specialized instructional support personnel, and instructional leaders;

(ii) Train providers and personnel to develop and administer evidence-based early childhood education literacy initiatives; and

(iii) Coordinate the involvement of families, early childhood education program staff, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel (as appropriate), and teachers in literacy development of children served under CLSD.

(d) Requirements that apply to subgrants to eligible entities in support of kindergarten through grade 12 literacy.

(1) Subgrantee application requirements.

An eligible entity desiring to receive a subgrant from the SEA under the CLSD program must submit an application to the SEA at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the SEA may require. Such application must include, for each school that the eligible entity identifies as participating in a CLSD program, the following information:

(i) A description of the eligible entity's needs assessment conducted to identify how CLSD funds will be used to inform and improve comprehensive literacy instruction at the school.

(ii) How the school, the LEA, or a provider of high-quality professional development will provide ongoing high-quality professional development to all teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel (as appropriate), and other instructional leaders served by the school.

(iii) How the school will identify children in need of literacy interventions or other support services.

(iv) An explanation of how the school will integrate comprehensive literacy instruction into a well-rounded education (as defined in this notice).

(v) A description of how the school will coordinate comprehensive literacy instruction with early childhood education programs and activities and after-school programs and activities in the area served by the LEA.

In awarding subgrants to eligible entities the SEA must give priority to an eligible entity that will-

(i) Use grant funds to implement evidence-based activities, which meet the requirements of strong or moderate evidence in the definition of "evidence-based" in this notice; and

(ii) Give priority to an eligible entity that will use CLSD funds to serve children from kindergarten through grade 12 in a diversity of geographic areas.

The term of a subgrant must be determined by the grantee and must not exceed five years.

(4) Sufficient size and scope.

Each subgrant must be of sufficient size and scope to allow the eligible entity to carry out high-quality comprehensive literacy instruction in each grade level for which the CLSD funds are provided.

(5) Local uses of funds for kindergarten through grade 5.

(i) Developing and implementing a comprehensive literacy instruction plan across content areas for such children that-

(A) Serves the needs of all children, including children with disabilities and English learners, especially children who are reading or writing below grade level;

(B) Provides intensive, supplemental, accelerated, and explicit intervention and support in reading and writing for children whose literacy skills are below grade level; and

(C) Supports activities that are provided primarily during the regular school day but that may be augmented by after-school and out-of-school time instruction.

(ii) Providing high-quality professional development opportunities for teachers, literacy coaches, literacy specialists, English as a second language specialists (as appropriate), principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, school librarians, paraprofessionals, and other program staff.

(iii) Training principals, specialized instructional support personnel, and other LEA personnel to support, develop, administer, and evaluate high-quality kindergarten through grade 5 literacy initiatives.

(iv) Coordinating the involvement of early childhood education program staff, principals, other instructional leaders, teachers, teacher literacy teams, English as a second language specialists (as appropriate), special educators, school personnel, and specialized instructional support personnel (as appropriate) in the literacy development of children served.

(v) Engaging families and encouraging family literacy experiences and practices to support literacy development.

(6) Local uses of funds for grades 6 through 12.

An eligible entity that receives a subgrant from the SEA under CLSD must use CLSD funds to carry out the following activities pertaining to children in grades 6 through 12:

(i) Developing and implementing a comprehensive literacy instruction plan across content areas for such children that-

(A) Serves the needs of all children, including children with disabilities and English learners, especially children who are reading or writing below grade level;

(B) Provides intensive, supplemental, accelerated, and explicit intervention and support in reading and writing for children whose literacy skills are below grade level; and

(C) Supports activities that are provided primarily during the regular school day but that may be augmented by after-school and out-of-school time instruction.

(ii) Training principals, specialized instructional support personnel, school librarians, and other LEA personnel to support, develop, administer, and evaluate high-quality comprehensive literacy instruction initiatives for grades 6 through 12.

(iii) Assessing the quality of adolescent comprehensive literacy instruction as part of a well-rounded education.

(iv) Providing time for teachers to meet to plan evidence-based adolescent comprehensive literacy instruction to be delivered as part of a well-rounded education.

(v) Coordinating the involvement of principals, other instructional leaders, teachers, teacher literacy teams, English as a second language specialists (as appropriate), paraprofessionals, special educators, specialized instructional support personnel (as appropriate), and school personnel in the literacy development of children served.

(7) Additional local allowable uses of funds for kindergarten through grade 12.

An eligible entity that receives a subgrant from an SEA under CLSD may, in addition to carrying out the activities described in paragraphs 5 and 6 of this requirement, use subgrant funds to carry out the following activities pertaining to children in kindergarten through grade 12:

(i) Recruiting, placing, training, and compensating literacy coaches.

(ii) Connecting out-of-school learning opportunities to in-school learning in order to improve children's literacy achievement.

(iii) Training families and caregivers to support the improvement of adolescent literacy.

(iv) Providing for a multi-tier system of supports for literacy services.

(v) Forming a school literacy leadership team to help implement, assess, and identify necessary changes to the literacy initiatives in 1 or more schools to ensure success.

(vi) Providing time for teachers (and other literacy staff, as appropriate, such as school librarians or specialized instructional support personnel) to meet to plan comprehensive literacy instruction.

(e) Supplement not supplant.

Grantees must use CLSD funds to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under the CLSD program.

(f) Cooperation with national evaluation.

Grantees must cooperate with a national evaluation of the CLSD program ( 34 CFR 75.591). The evaluation will include high-quality research that applies rigorous and systematic procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to the implementation and effect of the CLSD program. The evaluation will directly coordinate with individual State evaluations of the CLSD program implementation.

Definitions: The definitions of "Comprehensive literacy instruction," "Eligible entity," and "High-need school" are from section 2221 of the ESEA. The definitions of "Child with a disability," "English learner," "Evidence-based," "Poverty line," "Professional development," "School leader," and "Well-rounded education" are from section 8101 of the ESEA.

Child with a disability has the meaning given to the term in section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Comprehensive literacy instruction means instruction that--

(a) Includes developmentally appropriate, contextually explicit, and systematic instruction, and frequent practice, in reading and writing across content areas;

(b) Includes age-appropriate, explicit, systematic and intentional instruction in phonological awareness, phonic decoding, vocabulary, language structure, reading fluency, and reading comprehension;

(c) Includes age-appropriate, explicit instruction in writing, including opportunities for children to write with clear purposes, with critical reasoning appropriate to the topic and purpose, and with specific instruction and feedback from instructional staff;

(d) Makes available and uses diverse, high-quality print materials that reflect the reading and development levels, and interests, of children;

(e) Uses differentiated instructional approaches,

including individual and small group instruction and discussion;

(f) Provides opportunities for children to use language with peers and adults in order to develop language skills, including developing vocabulary;

(g) Includes frequent practice of reading and writing strategies;

(i) Uses strategies to enhance children's motivation to read and write and children's engagement in self-directed learning;

(j) Incorporates the principles of universal design for learning;

(k) Depends on teachers' collaboration in planning, instruction, and assessing a child's progress and on continuous professional learning; and

(l) Links literacy instruction to the challenging State academic standards, including the ability to navigate, understand, and write about, complex print and digital subject matter.

Eligible entity means an entity that consists of--

(a) One or more LEAs that serve a high percentage of high-need schools and-

(1) Have the highest number or proportion of children who are counted under section 1124(c) of the ESEA, in comparison to other LEAs in the State;

(2) Are among the LEAs in the State with the highest number or percentages of children reading or writing below grade level, based on the most currently available State academic assessment data under section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA; or

(3) Serve a significant number or percentage of schools that are implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities and targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the ESEA;

(b) One or more early childhood education programs serving low-income or otherwise disadvantaged children, which may include home-based literacy programs for pre-school-aged children, that have a demonstrated record of providing comprehensive literacy instruction for the age group such program proposes to serve; or

(c) An LEA, described in paragraph (a), or consortium of such LEAs, or an early childhood education program, which may include home-based literacy programs for preschool-aged children, acting in partnership with one or more public or private nonprofit organizations or agencies (which may include early childhood education programs) that have a demonstrated record of effectiveness in-

(1) Improving literacy achievement of children, consistent with the purposes of participation under the CLSD program, from birth through grade 12; and

(2) Providing professional development in comprehensive literacy instruction.

English learner means an individual-

(a) Who is aged 3 through 21;

(b) Who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school;

(c)(i) Who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English;

(ii)(I) Who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and

(II) Who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual's level of English language proficiency; or

(iii) Who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and

(d) Whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual-

(i) The ability to meet the challenging State academic standards;

(ii) The ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or

(iii) The opportunity to participate fully in society.

Evidence-based, when used with respect to a State, LEA, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or intervention that demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on-

(a) Strong evidence from at least one-well designed and well-implemented experimental study;

(b) Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study; or

(c) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias.

High-need school means-

(a)(i) An elementary school or middle school in which not less than 50 percent of the enrolled students are children from low-income families; or

(ii) A high school in which not less than 40 percent of the enrolled students are children from low-income families, which may be calculated using comparable data from the schools that feed into the high school.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this definition, the term "low-income family" means a family--

(i) In which the children are eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);

(ii) Receiving assistance under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families established under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); or

(iii) In which the children are eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).

Poverty line means the poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget and revised annually in accordance with section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act) applicable to a family of the size involved.

Professional development means activities that-

(a) Are an integral part of school and LEA strategies for providing educators (including teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, and, as applicable, early childhood educators) with the knowledge and skills necessary to enable students to succeed in a well-rounded education and to meet the challenging State academic standards; and

(b) Are sustained (not stand-alone, one-day, or short-term workshops), intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven, and classroom-focused, and may include activities that-

(1) Improve and increase teachers'-

(i) Knowledge of the academic subjects the teachers teach;

(ii) Understanding of how students learn; and

(iii) Ability to analyze student work and achievement from multiple sources, including how to adjust instructional strategies, assessments, and materials based on such analysis;

(2) Are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide educational improvement plans;

(3) Allow personalized plans for each educator to address the educator's specific needs identified in observation or other feedback;

(4) Improve classroom management skills;

(5) Support the recruitment, hiring, and training of effective teachers, including teachers who became certified through State and local alternative routes to certification;

(6) Advance teacher understanding of-

(i) Effective instructional strategies that are evidence-based; and

(7) Are aligned with, and directly related to, academic goals of the school or LEA;

(8) Are developed with extensive participation of teachers, principals, other school leaders, parents, representatives of Indian tribes (as applicable), and administrators of schools to be served under this program;

(9) Are designed to give teachers of English learners, and other teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide instruction and appropriate language and academic support services to those children, including the appropriate use of curricula and assessments;

(10) To the extent appropriate, provide training for teachers, principals, and other school and community-based early childhood program leaders in the use of technology (including education about the harms of copyright piracy), so that technology and technology applications are effectively used in the classroom to improve teaching and learning in the curricula and academic subjects in which the teachers teach;

(11) As a whole, are regularly evaluated for their impact on teacher effectiveness and student academic achievement, with the findings of the evaluations used to improve the quality of professional development;

(12) Are designed to give teachers of children with disabilities or children with developmental delays, and other teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide instruction and academic support services to those children, including positive behavioral interventions and supports, multi-tier system of supports, and use of accommodations;

(13) Include instruction in the use of data and assessments to inform classroom practice;

(14) Include instruction in ways that teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, and school administrators may work more effectively with parents and families;

(15) Involve the forming of partnerships with institutions of higher education, including, as applicable, Tribal Colleges and Universities as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) ( 20 U.S.C. 1059 c(b)), to establish school-based teacher, principal, and other school leader training programs that provide prospective teachers, novice teachers, principals, and other school leaders with an opportunity to work under the guidance of experienced teachers, principals, other school leaders, and faculty of such institutions;

(16) Create programs to enable paraprofessionals (assisting teachers employed by an LEA receiving assistance under part A of title I of the ESEA) to obtain the education necessary for those paraprofessionals to become certified and licensed teachers;

(17) Provide follow-up training to teachers who have participated in activities described in this paragraph that are designed to ensure that the knowledge and skills learned by the teachers are implemented in the classroom; and

(18) Where practicable, provide jointly for school staff and other early childhood education program providers, to address the transition to elementary school, including issues related to school readiness.

School leader means a principal, assistant principal, or other individual who is-

(a) An employee or officer of an elementary school or secondary school, LEA, or other entity operating an elementary school or secondary school; and

(b) Responsible for the daily instructional leadership and managerial operations in the elementary school or secondary school building.

Well-rounded education means courses, activities, and programming in subjects such as English, reading or language arts, writing, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, geography, computer science, music, career and technical education, health, physical education, and any other subject, as determined by the State or LEA, with the purpose of providing all students access to an enriched curriculum and educational experience.

Program Authority: Sections 2221-2225 of the ESEA.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The Supplemental Priorities. (e) The Administrative Priorities. (f) The Opportunity Zones NFP.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $84,415,248.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $11,000,000 to $21,000,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $16,000,000.

Estimated Number of Awards: 4-8.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: 60 months. The Secretary may renew a grant for an additional two-year period upon the termination of the initial grant period if the grant recipient demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that: (1) The State has made adequate progress; and (2) renewing the grant for an additional two-year period is necessary to carry out the objectives of the grant detailed in section 2222(d) of the ESEA.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (referred to in this notice as State).

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements. In accordance with section 2301 of the ESEA, CLSD funds must be used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under the CLSD program. Further, the prohibition against supplanting also means that grantees will be required to use their restricted indirect cost rates under this program ( 34 CFR 75.563).

3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under this competition may award subgrants-to directly carry out project activities described in its application-to eligible entities.

The grantee must award subgrants to entities it selects through a competition under procedures established by the grantee and consistent with sections 2222-2224 of the ESEA.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Submission Instructions: For information and requirements on how to submit an application please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 ( 84 FR 3768) and available at www.govinfo.gov/​content/​pkg/​FR-2019-02-13/​pdf/​2019-02206.pdf, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of projects that may be proposed in applications for the CLSD program, an application may include business information that the applicant considers proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11, we define "business information" and describe the process we use in determining whether any of that information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act ( 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended).

Because we plan to make successful applications available to the public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business information.

Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your application, under "Other Attachments Form," please list the page number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).

3. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition.

4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 30 pages and (2) use the following standards:

A "page" is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.

Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures and graphs.

Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, resumes, bibliography, or letters of support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: Selection criterion (b)(3) under Quality of Project Design is from section 2222(e) of the ESEA. The remaining selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all selection criteria is 100. The maximum possible score for each selection criterion is indicated in parentheses. The selection criteria for this competition are as follows:

(a) Need for project (15 points).

The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses.

(b) Quality of the project design (25 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.

(2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes a thorough, high-quality review of the relevant literature, a high-quality plan for project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project objectives.

(3) The extent to which the proposed project will use grant funds for evidence-based activities.

(c) Quality of the management plan (25 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

(2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project.

(d) Quality of project services (35 points).

The Secretary considers the quality of the project services to be provided by the proposed project. In determining the quality of project services to be provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary considers:

(1) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the proposed project on the intended recipients of those services; and

(2) The extent to which the training or professional development services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those services.

2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable quality.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department ( 34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 200.205, before awarding grants under this program the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this competition to receive an award that over the course of the project period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards-that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant-before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.

Please note that, if the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, also.

If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant.

3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 3474.20(c).

4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).

(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual performance report (APR) that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/​fund/​grant/​apply/​appforms/​appforms.html.

5. Performance Measures: The Department has established the following Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 performance measures for the CLSD program:

(1) The percentage of participating four-year-old children who achieve significant gains in oral language skills, as determined by a State-approved measure.

(2) The percentage of participating fifth-grade students who meet or exceed proficiency on State reading/language arts assessments under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I) of the ESEA.

(3) The percentage of participating eighth-grade students who meet or exceed proficiency on State reading/language arts assessments under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I) of the ESEA.

(4) The percentage of participating high school students who meet or exceed proficiency on State reading/language arts assessments under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I) of the ESEA.

(5) The percentage of evidence-based activities implemented by subgrantees that meet the requirements of strong or moderate evidence in the definition of "evidence-based" in this notice.

All grantees will be expected to submit an APR that includes data addressing these performance measures to the extent that they apply to the grantee's project. Performance targets will be established by each grantee and must be made for each year of the five-year performance period.

6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the performance targets in the grantee's approved application.

In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department ( 34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format ( e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at: www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

Frank T. Brogan,

Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.

[FR Doc. 2020-07014 Filed 4-2-20; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P

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government federal register executive rulings notices

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Applications for New Awards; Comprehensive Literacy State Development Program

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The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.371C. This notice relates to the approved...

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March 30

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IEP Modification/Amendment or Individualized Continuity of Learning Plans: Preserving The Rights You and Your Child Have Under the Law

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IEP Modification/Amendment or Individualized Continuity of Learning Plans: Preserving The Rights You and Your Child Have Under the Law

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Disability Rights Maryland, Parent Brief #2

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IDA Dyslexia Resources for Families and Teachers

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IDA Dyslexia Resources for Families and Teachers

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TheDyslexia and Reading Disabilities Resource Guide For Families and Teachers Affected by COVID-19 is provided by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) to deliver resources, both from and IDA and external sources, to students, families, and teachers affected by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Included in the guide you will find

Information on IDA's provider directory and branches

Information on IDA's Accredited Educator Preparation Program

Teacher and educator resources, including webinars, articles, and guides

Family and student resources, including webinars, blogs, and fun activities

Government and nonprofit resources

and much, much more

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Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities Resource Guide for Families and Teac

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The Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities Resource Guide For Families and Teachers Affected by COVID-19 is provided by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) to deliver resources, both from and IDA and external sources, to students, families, and teachers affected by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Incl

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FreeReading contains activities and intervention materials for the following early literacy skills:

Letter Combinations: Students learn to say the most common sounds for letter combinations such as sh and oa and to decode VCe words such as made and time.

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FreeReading is an open-source instructional program that helps educators teach early literacy. FreeReading contains a 40-week scope and sequence that can supplement an early literacy core or basal program.

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Parker Phonics

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Margaret Goldberg, Right to Read Project, Reading Rockets

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This month's school closures have forced families to become teachers at home overnight.

What we know about beginning readers

Children progress as readers at different rates, but they pass through predictable stages of development. For typically-developing readers, the stages of reading can be mapped onto grade levels, but as a homeschool teacher you have the advantage of being able to provide the instruction your children need, regardless of their grade.

For each stage of reading development, we've selected materials so that caregivers can support their children's progress. Each stage of reading has an instructional plan with easy suggestions for targeting the two main components of reading:

Oral language: vocabulary and background knowledge

Decoding: learning the way in which letters represent the sounds in each word

Learning about books and words (preschool-early kindergarten)

At this stage, you will see...

Children first learn about reading by watching skilled readers handle books. They learn how to hold a book, where to find the front cover, title, author, pictures, and words. Children learn all of this when adults point out key features while reading aloud.

Children will begin to emulate skilled readers, but they are still essentially nonreaders.
"...they can pretend to read stories they have heard many times, and they can guess words from pictures. However, all of their feats of reading are performed by using cues that do not involve the alphabetic system."
In this phase of development, children may appear to read words, but they do so by remembering visual features, rather than by connecting letters to the spoken sounds they represent. For example, a child may "read" stop on a stop sign because they recognize the red octagon it's printed on or because they see the squiggly shape of the letter S.

A child must learn...
Concepts of print

Book handling: how to hold a book and turn its pages, while noticing key features such as pictures and words
Alphabet knowledge

26 lowercase letters (be able to name and write each letter effortlessly)

26 uppercase letters, which are used to signal the beginning of a sentence, the name of a person, etc.

Letter-sound associations (commonly referred to as phonics)

From sound to letter (the sound /m/ is the letter m)

From letter to sound (the letter s has the sound /s/)

Phonological awareness

Streams of spoken language are composed of words

Spoken English is composed of about 44 speech sounds (phonemes)

An adult should know...

To become a skilled reader, a child must learn how the words he or she hears and says are represented by the print on the page. A child must also become aware that words are made up of individual sounds (phonemic awareness). This understanding is essential for efficient reading.

Skilled readers instantly recognize letters (in a variety of fonts) and they know how those letters can be grouped to represent the ~44 phonemes (sounds) of spoken English.

Efficient readers do not memorize words based on sight. They match the letters to the sounds those letters make. Readers can differentiate between visually similar words ( stop and slop) because they instantly recognize letters and because they know which features to ignore ( stop and STOP are the same word, no matter the font or handwriting).

How to help
Teaching About Books and Words Assessments to Monitor Learning Helpful Tips

Short lessons framed as "games" make the learning process more enjoyable for you and your child

Consider sprinkling instruction throughout the daya morning song with rhyming, letter practice before lunch, handwriting in the afternoon, a story at bedtime

Learning about words (kindergarten-early 1st grade)

At this stage, you will see...

Children use the letter sounds they have learned along with context to recite familiar books and memorize repetitive words. In this stage, children primarily pay attention to the first and last letters of words when reading and when writing.

A child must learn...

To say the sounds for each letter in a word (/s/ /t/ /o/ /p/) and blend those four sounds together to read ( stop).

Children begin with short words (such as at, up), progress to three-letter words that have a vowel in the middle ( cat, bet, sip, jog), and then move on to more complicated spellings.

Some children quickly abandon guessing strategies and apply what they know about letter-sound relationships to their reading with relatively little instruction.

A majority of children require explicit instruction to make this leap, and some need many repetitions in order to cement their learning.
"Fortunately, because English is an alphabetic writing system, students can efficiently read many words once they learn how to use the relationships between letters and sounds. Unfortunately, however, switching from using context to using spelling-sound strategies is both unnatural and difficult for many students. Among the reasons for this is a lack of understanding that spoken words are made up of sound units (phonemes) and that the arrangements and varieties of phonemes correspond to the print they see on a page. A successful decoding program raises students' awareness, understanding, and use of phonemes and establishes the relationships between letters, sounds, and spellings."
- Shefelbine, 2014

An adult should know...

Reading at this stage is often a slow and laborious process. Listening to children sound out words can challenge our patience. Skilled readers instantly recognize the words and want children to do so, too. But if we ask a beginning reader to read quickly, he or she will revert to an earlier stage of development and will begin to guess words using initial sounds and context. Patience and calm determination are key, both for the child and the adult!

Paying attention to every letter of every word is essential to developing the automatic recognition of words, which teachers often call "sight words" (for more: learn about orthographic mapping). Slow, accurate reading will become quick and efficient once a child has had enough practice sounding out words.

How to help
Teaching About Words Assessments to Monitor Learning Helpful Tips
Reading with greater ease (1st-2nd grades and beyond)

At this stage, you will see...

Readers can sound out unfamiliar words, they invent spellings that represent all the sounds in words, and they can remember correct spellings of words better than in the previous stages of development.

Children at this stage of development are able to remember more complicated spelling patterns for future encounters with a word when reading or for writing.

They may also begin to teach themselves new spelling patterns, inferring conventions in English spelling that they have not yet been taught.
"The final stage of reading acquisition is characterized by automaticity - the quick and effortless recognition of most words. A key instructional strategy for building this automaticity is massive amounts of reading practice at levels where decoding accuracy is at or above 95 percent. To achieve such accuracy, students must use spelling patterns to decode."
- Shefelbine, 2015

A child must learn...

Fluency consists of accurate reading, at an appropriate rate, with suitable expression. It develops as a result of an enormous amount of reading practice.

Reading fluently supports reading comprehension.

An adult should know...

As a child's reading begins to sound more like talking, his or her comprehension increases and that makes reading more enjoyable (both for the child and the adult listening!) You may need to teach your child how to read with attention to punctuation (e.g. pausing for commas) and typography (e.g. getting a little LOUDER when text is in all caps). A short lesson and plenty of time to practice on a variety of texts can yield big gains.

Reading practice builds reading stamina, so the more your child reads, the more he or she will want to read. You can help your child grow to love reading by providing authentic purposes for reading and writing (e.g. to learn more about a topic of interest) and by helping your child find books he or she enjoys.

How to help
Teaching and Practice for Reading With Greater Ease Assessments to Monitor Learning Helpful Tips

To provide authentic purposes for reading and writing for your child, think about what reading and writing can be used for:

Finding the answer to a question

Learning to do something new

Connecting with someone you miss

Enjoying a good story

Remembering something for the future

Your child is lucky to have you as a reading teacher

There are two strands to reading:

Oral language is developed by talking and listening

Decoding is acquired by learning how letters represent the sounds of spoken words

Any work you do with your child that builds his or her vocabulary, background knowledge, understanding of printed words and spelling, is teaching reading.

Working together and enjoying the process is more helpful to your child's reading development than battling over the completion of worksheet packets. Your child is lucky to have an adult who is taking the time to understand and facilitate his or her development as a reader.

As you explore reading instruction for each phase of reading development, remember:
When you talk, read aloud, sing songs, and learn new things with your child, you are a reading teacher.
Additional resources
Video: Reading, Singing, Playing, and Talking with Children

Quick tips for engaging activities to do with your child throughout the day
At-Home Learning from Zaner-Bloser

Free printable resources organized by grade level and topic: handwriting, phonological awareness, print concepts, letter recognition, grammar, etc.
Florida Center for Reading Research: Student Center Activities

Activities for children in grades K-5

Includes easy lesson plans and printable materials

Covers five essential components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension

Free Reading

Covers five essential components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension

Includes print concepts and writing

40 weeks of lessons

For kindergarten students at risk for reading, start at Week 1, Day 1

For first grade students at risk for reading, start at Week 21, Day 1

For students in other grades who are still developing literacy skills, begin with the lessons and activities that best match their child's needs

Parker Phonics (free downloadable books)

Teaching a Preschooler to Read

Reading Instruction and Phonics

The Reading Disability Crisis

Spelfabet

Suggested activities, printable materials, videos, and explanations

Resources for all ages, preschool children to adults with reading difficulties

One pagers of teaching tips for parents of children preschool-3rd grade

Printable one-page guides that are organized by grade level

Tips for adults and activity ideas for children

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

100 lessons that are each 20 minutes

Step-by-step program for parents to teach their children to read

Book cost ~$25

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts Resources for Parents

Free curricula for use with children in Kindergarten-8th grade

Many activities can be done independently by the child

Read Aloud lesson videos

Independent practice for foundational skills

Self-guided videos on science topics

UFLI Virtual Teaching Resource Hub

Resources, including links for additional sources of high-quality materials

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The ABCs of Teaching Reading at Home | Reading Rockets

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This month's school closures have forced families to become teachers at home overnight. What we know about beginning readers Children progress as readers at different rates, but they pass through predictable stages of development.

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Webinar

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Monitoring Reading Progress: Info for Parents

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Maryland State Education Association

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This document is intended to provide guidance to educators providing special education services. It in no way takes the place of district-level directives and guidance. Many of the questions and answers below are excerpts taken from MSDE and USDE guidance documents and can be found in the links provided. Each school system is responsible for navigating federal and state laws to provide guidance about all special education services and communicate that information to all educators. To download a pdf copy of this webpage, click here. Has the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) provided guidance to school districts and educators?
Yes. Unfortunately, the guidance has not been widely disseminated to educators across the state. The MSDE guidance includes links to key federal documents that provide additional guidance as well as an FAQ for districts and educators. Please don't hesitate to share this information with colleagues in your district.
Is there guidance that is being provided to parents of students with IEPs?
Disability Rights Maryland has produced a helpful document for parents of students with IEPs. They offer basic advice based on MSDE guidance. We recommend that educators share the document with administration and use it as a guide when discussing the manner in which services will be provided during the current period of school closures. Additionally, Education Week recently produced an informational article that gives a good overview for service providers.
Has the United States Department of Education (USDE) provided waivers for IEPs and 504s?
No. USDE has not provided waivers for IEPs and 504s. It is clear that school districts are required to do the best they can under the circumstances in each state to meet the goals of a student's IEP or 504 plan. School districts are required to make every effort to meet all current laws regarding the delivery of education to students with IEPs and 504s, including related services. Importantly, districts should not refrain from delivering education services for students while waiting to perfect special education services.
Will special educators need to make up services in the fall?
If a child does not receive services after an extended period of time, a school must make an individualized determination whether and to what extent compensatory services may be needed, consistent with applicable requirements, including to make up for any skills that may have been lost.
May IEP team meetings be held to develop distance learning plans for students?
Yes, but it is not necessary. IEP teams may, but are not required to, include distance learning plans in a child's IEP that could be triggered and implemented during a selective closure due to an outbreak. Such contingent provisions may include the provision of special education and related services at an alternate location or the provision of online or virtual instruction, instructional telephone calls, and other curriculum-based instructional activities, and may identify which special education and related services, if any, could be provided at the child's home. These temporary plans would only stay in effect while schools are closed.

A meeting, however, is not necessary if the parent or the public agency believes that changes can be made to how services are provided while schools are closed. Any agreements to that effect can be made outside of the IEP team process, and do not have to be memorialized in a formal written agreement unless the parent requests such a write-up. If there is a written agreement provided, it must clearly state that it is only effective during the time of the school closure and that when schools are re-opened, the parties agree to implement the IEP as written.
Must a state lead agency continue to provide early intervention services (EIS) to infants and toddlers with disabilities during the pandemic if offices are closed?
If the offices of the state lead agency or the EIS program or provider are closed, then Part C services would not need to be provided to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families during that period of time. Additionally, once the offices re-open, the service coordinator and EIS providers for each child must determine if the child's service needs have changed and determine whether the individualized family service plan (IFSP) team needs to meet to review the child's IFSP to determine whether any changes are needed. If offices are closed for an extended period and services are not provided for an extended period, the IFSP team must meet to determine if changes are needed to the IFSP and to determine whether compensatory services are needed to address the infant or toddler's developmental delay.
Is there flexibility with respect to the timelines for evaluations, reevaluations, and annual IEP reviews as required by state and federal timelines?
No. There is no authority to extend timelines under the IDEA. If these evaluations and reevaluations require face-to-face meetings or observations, they will need to be delayed until school reopens. If they do not require face-to-face assessments or observations, and the school staff possess the data needed, they can be conducted by teleconference or other means to complete the process, if the parent consents. If annual reviews do not require face-to-face meetings and school staff possess the data needed, IEP team meetings can be held by teleconference or other means to complete the process, if the parent agrees. If the team members do not have access to the data needed to make decisions, the annual review must be delayed until school reopens. If the parent is unable to attend meetings virtually or by phone, the team should document reasonable attempts to schedule meetings, as well as parent contact.
How can special educators collaborate with the general educators and paraeducator(s) that work with students on my caseload?
Everyone is trying to figure out distance learning, but don't try to do it all on your own. Reach out to your administrator who primarily deals with special education to make sure you know specific district and school guidance during the school closure. Then reach out to general educators to find out how you can best modify work to meet each student's IEP goals. Many of our paraeducators are eager to help you as an educator as well as the students they work with closely. If the paraeducator has access to technology, ask for his/her assistance in reaching out to students, modifying work, finding resources, etc. Tap into your related service providers that service students on your caseload so everyone is on the same page and reaching out to parents as "on-the-scene" educators at home. Document all outreach with colleagues, parents, and students. Log all interactions with students and work towards IEP goals.

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This document is intended to provide guidance to educators providing special education services. It in no way takes the place of district-level directives and guidance. Many of the questions and answers below are excerpts taken from MSDE and USDE guidance documents and can be found in the links provided.

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Special Education Questions during COVID-19

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Special Education Questions during COVID-19

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PEATC

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VIRGINIA'S CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Please find the attached documents at the bottom of this page with more information and ready to download

School divisions must make every effort possible to meet required timelines by scheduling and holding your student's IEP meeting online or by phone. Here are some helpful hints for IEP meetings and service delivery.

Helpful tips you will need to prepare for BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER!

Please note this document is available for you as a PDF form and ready for download.

For more information and questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of our Family Support Specialists at: partners@peatc.org or 800-869-6782

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PEATC - Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center

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Special Education Questions During COVID-19

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VIRGINIA'S CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK Please find the attached documents at the bottom of this page with more information and ready to download School divisions must make every effort possible to meet required timelines by scheduling and holding your student's IEP meeting online or by phone.

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School Responses to COVID19, Considerations for ELs

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School Responses to COVID19, Considerations for ELs

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Supporting Students, Wilson Language Training

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Supporting Students, Wilson Language Training

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As a Massachusetts-based company, we are complying with the Governor's emergency mandate to limit in-person operations. Please know that we are doing our best to continue to serve you during this period, although our response time may be delayed. Thank you for your patience.

During extended school closures due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Wilson Language Training ® recognizes that addressing the needs of your students while continuing to keep yourself, your class, and other faculty members safe is important. With that in mind, we have made recommendations to help facilitate instruction from a distance.

Below, you will find links to recommendations for Fundations ®, Just Words ®, and Wilson Reading System ® use and instructions for accessing the online Learning Communities.
Continuing Your Work with Fundations Students During COVID-19 Closures
Use this link for Tier 1 and 2 instruction for students in K-3
Continuing Your Work with Just Words Students During COVID-19 Closures Continuing Your Work with Wilson Reading System Students During COVID-19 Closures
Use this link for Tier 2 instruction for students in grades 4-12

Use this link for Tier 3 instruction for students with dyslexia

We greatly appreciate the effort that teachers and districts are making to support students during this challenging time.

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Supporting Students During COVID-19 Closures | Wilson Language Training

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As a Massachusetts-based company, we are complying with the Governor's emergency mandate to limit in-person operations. Please know that we are doing our best to continue to serve you during this period, although our response time may be delayed. Thank you for your patience.

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TESOL

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As the new coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves and spreads globally, closing down public venues, shuttering people in their homes, and suspending schooling, many teachers are left unsure what to do. English language learners and their families can find themselves in a particularly stressful place if they don't have the language proficiency to fully understand the facts about the virus and discern truth from misinformation. Additionally, because the epicenter of the outbreak is located in China, some people identifying as Asian and Asian American have been the subject of racially charged bullying and aggression.

All of this means that it's crucial to provide our students-English learners and proficient English speakers alike-and their families with accurate and updated information that they can comprehend, whether you're still teaching face to face or all your classes have moved online. Here are some resources for teaching and learning to help you through this challenging time.

We'll continue to update this blog post as more information and resources become available.
Resources for Schools and Teachers Serving English Learners
Continuity Planning and Emergency Preparedness (OLC Institute for Professional Development)
OLC community-contributed resources to support your efforts around emergency preparedness and continuity planning.

School Responses to COVID-19: ELL/Immigrant Considerations (Colorín Colorado)
Tips for schools and districts to ensure that English learners and their families are included in all communications and school closure plans related to COVID-19.

Supporting Every Teacher (Cambridge University Press)
This series of blog posts provides expert advice on how to move your classes online.

Coronavirus Pandemic and Rights of Students with Disabilities (Disability Rights Texas)
A handout highlighting some key special education requirements that may assist you in ensuring that students with disabilities continue to receive a free and appropriate public education.

Taking Your Teaching Online (The TESOL Blog)
This blog post provides information about choosing between synchronous and asynchronous online learning, selecting an LMS and video software, and utilizing free resources when transitioning to online teaching. Virtual classroom activities suggested.

myTESOL COVID-19 Resources Group (TESOL International Association)
English language educators share COVID-19 and online teaching resources and have discussions. The group is open to all and free to join (registration required; instructions here).

Responding to COVID-19: Educator First Steps (The TESOL Blog)
Teachers are finding themselves having to adapt and change with new pandemic paradigms. Here's where to get started to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Free Online Resources for Schools Shifting Online During Coronavirus (National School Choice Week)
A list of free online resources for schools, educators, and administrators to help them navigate the new online education landscape.

10 Strategies for Online Learning During a Coronavirus Outbreak (ISTE)
ISTE's professional learning networks have identified 10 key practices for successful online learning.

Coronavirus Resources (TESOL International Association)
TESOL provides a list of links from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and others to help you stay updated on the virus.

Coronavirus: Multilingual Resources for Schools (Colorín Colorado)
This page includes multilingual resources, fact sheets, and infographics.

Coronavirus Information Sheet (Ontario Ministry of Education)
This information sheet is available in 28 languages.

Poster: Stop Germs, Stay Healthy! (King County Health Department, Washington, USA)
This poster illustrating the proper way to wash hands and stop the spread of germs is available in 22 languages.

Public Service Announcement (Minnesota Department of Health)
This brief video about coronavirus is available in American Sign Language.

Sifting Through the Coronavirus Pandemic (Infodemic)
Before you teach about coronavirus, it's important that you know the facts. This blog outlines the four steps that will allow you to sort fact from fiction on the web; these are great skills for teachers and learners alike.
For the (Virtual) Classroom
56 Free K-12 Resources During the Coronavirus Pandemic (District Administration)
A list of free teaching resources and education services.

What Science Classes Are Teaching Students About Coronavirus (EdSurge)
This article shares ways some science teachers are taking new approaches to teaching students about pandemics, viral infections, and coronavirus.

How Teachers Are Talking to Students About the Coronavirus (Education Week)
This article shares a few ways to address the virus with your students without causing undue stress or panic, as well as a few coronavirus lesson ideas.

Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus (NPR)
This comic is a great way to engage students in the discussion-in particular those who would benefit from visual scaffolding. A printable and foldable version is available.

Coronavirus Lesson (BrainPOP)
This lesson includes a 4-minute video, reading about viruses, vocabulary terms to preteach, a graphic organizer to help students separate facts from fears, and more.

Lesson of the Day: 'What Is the Coronavirus? Symptoms, Treatment and Risks' ( The New York Times)
In this lesson, older students learn about the virus and how people are responding to it around the world.
Dealing With Coronavirus-Related Racism and Xenophobia
Speaking Up Against Racism Around the New Coronavirus (Teaching Tolerance)
This article covers the historical context behind racism around Asian American or Pacific Islander groups and how to interrupt racism and equip students with the skills to recognize and respond to bias.

Coronavirus: Protect Yourself and Stand Against Racism (Facing History and Ourselves)
This teaching idea provides an outline of facts about the virus, allows students to explore instances of coronavirus-related racism, and gives them the opportunity to become upstanders.

If you have resources about coronavirus or stories to share about teaching related to coronavirus, please share in the comments.

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As the new coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves and spreads globally, closing down public venues, shuttering people in their homes, and suspending schooling, many teachers are left unsure what to do. English language learners and their families can find themselves in a particularly stressful place if they don't have the language proficiency to fully understand the facts about the virus and discern truth from misinformation.

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Landmark School Remote Learning Resources

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Landmark School Remote Learning Resources

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Thank you to those who signed up for our MOOC

Our MOOC is currently closed. When open, it offers a free, self-paced introductory course that provides educators with an overview of language development, executive function, language-based learning disabilities (LBLD), as well as effective teaching methodologies that can be put into practice immediately.

Take an Online Course

Increase your knowledge and earn PD hours.

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Remote Teaching Resources - Landmark Outreach

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This page will be continually updated - please come back frequently! These are stressful and unprecedented times, and many educators are teaching online in a new and complex way.

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Writing is a process. Writing with kids can be incredibly rewarding. It can also be painstaking and frustrating, for the writer and for the adult. For most writers, it's somewhere in-between. This interactive tool is designed to help teachers and parents learn more about writing.

To learn more about teaching writing, see our self-paced online course, Reading 101: A Guide to Teaching Reading and Writing.

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Explore annotated writing samples from kids in pre-K through grade 3, and see next-step suggestions for instruction. You'll also learn about writing milestones and different purposes of writing - along with ideas for how to make room for writing during the day.

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Resources on this page are provided by educators and families from around the world. We are collaborating to support the needs of students with significant disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These materials are open source and may be adapted to fit your child or student's need. They may not be used for purchase.

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Resources on this page are provided by educators and families from around the world. We are collaborating to support the needs of students with significant disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These materials are open source and may be adapted to fit your child or student's need. They may

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Supporting Students with Disabilities during COVID-19

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Supporting Students with Disabilities during COVID-19

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Share My lesson — great compendium of resources on remote learning for students with disabilities, checklists for implementers, questions for districts.

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Supporting Students with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public educ

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Webinar on Demand: Learning Remotely in the Age of COVID-19: Lessons from Evidence and Concerns for Equity

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Webinar on Demand: Learning Remotely in the Age of COVID-19: Lessons from Evidence and Concerns for Equity

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This webinar is for administrators from state education agencies, districts, and schools; teachers; school board members, and others interested in effective distance learning. Submit your questions for the presenters in advance by emailing RELmidatlantic@mathematica-mpr.com You can also ask questions during the webinar.

Presenters include:

Steven Malick, Researcher, Mathematica

Felicia Hurwitz, Researcher, Mathematica

Heather Bennett, Director of School Equity Services, Pennsylvania School Boards Association

https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=lobby20.jsp&eventid=2237295&sessionid=1&key=0D3D8A48AE1F7B4A217C6DB31D439B2F&eventuserid=283878182

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Webinar: Online Tutoring using the OG Approach

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Webinar: Online Tutoring using the OG Approach

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Grace Sharma, FIT/AOGPE

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Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators

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FREE WEBINAR "Online Tutoring using the Orton-Gillingham Approach" Presenter: Grace Sharma, FIT/OGA For those trying to transition to online tutoring/teaching, Grace has been an online Orton-Gillingham tutor for the last 3

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9 Tips for Secondary Teachers & Online Learning

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9 Tips for Secondary Teachers & Online Learning

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As the coronavirus continues to close schools across the country, educators are scrambling to move classes online and help their students stay on track. For the last decade, Betty Chandy, Catalyst @ Penn GSE's Director for Online Learning, has prepared educators and schools for virtual and blended learning.

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New Strategies in Special Education as Kids Learn from Home

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New Strategies in Special Education as Kids Learn from Home

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Edutopia

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In special education, teachers say that schedules, sensory supports, and close collaboration with families can help smooth the transition to remote learning during coronavirus.

Katie Papaccioli, a special education teacher in New York City, holds up a student's lesson.

Around the nation, K-12 schools are frantically trying to adapt to abrupt closures during the coronavirus. But while all teachers are struggling with the new normal, special education teachers in particular are facing unparalleled challenges transitioning both their teaching-and their students and families-to home-based instruction tailored to each student's needs.

"When you say 'special education,' you are talking about an umbrella of ages, interests, abilities, and disabilities, within which are individual needs identified by their Individualized Education Program," explains Margaret Shafer, a third-grade teacher in Morton, Illinois, echoing questions raised by our readers, who wonder how they can provide sufficient support for each of their students who each have very different requirements to learn.

Unlike developing a whole-class lesson plan online, special education teachers are now tasked with developing unique plans for every student that align with their IEPs, as required by federal mandate. One huge hurdle, teachers say, is determining if both the learning and services students are accustomed to receiving in school-things like gross motor remediation and behavioral therapy-can even be offered in a home-based setting or through digital resources.

Both special education and general education teachers have also questioned how much parents and caregivers will be able to help, given that students with special needs often rely on specialized coaching and instruction like cues or sensory activities that keep them on task. "[My students] are non-verbal and need one-on-one direct instruction with multiple prompts or redirection," explained Beth McGreevy Dworak on Facebook. "Many have attention and behavior deficits and are unable to independently complete most tasks."

Additionally, many students with special needs thrive within the structure of the school day, say educators in our audience, who worry students may be disproportionately impacted by the upheaval brought on by the coronavirus.

But though the new reality is a sudden and upsetting shift, special education educators already have some ideas on how to make the best of it.

Setting up Home-Based Learning

While time is of the essence, special education educators recommend working on establishing an appropriate learning environment and objectives for students and their families before launching into a detailed list of to-dos and daily activities.

What's it like at home? Phone calls to families early on can give teachers a sense of each students' home set-up. Teachers can ask questions like: Will parents be home all day? Will they be working while at home? Is internet available? What electronic devices can students use? Is there space in the home to set aside for gross motor or sensory activities? Teachers can then map individualized plans to the available resources.

"The teacher's work transforms from a direct learning model to a coaching model: The teacher now supports the families through the process of understanding school expectations and goals and objectives," said Patti Sullivan-Kowalski, a senior director of student supports and special education in Meriden, Connecticut.

Recalibrate goals and objectives: After understanding each student's circumstances, Kathryn Fishman-Weaver, director of academic affairs and engagement for Mizzou Academy, suggests that teachers evaluate which IEP goals are achievable in the new environment, and then work with families to break learning targets into manageable benchmarks.

According to federal regulations, schools have greater flexibility in meeting IEP objectives during the pandemic and should work to the best of their ability to provide what services they can-even if they are digital-recognizing these services may not be the same as what a student receives in school.

Proactively engage (but be flexible): Parents are also likely to need continuous guidance, say educators, who advise checking in regularly with families via phone, video conference, or email to make sure they feel supported. For parents and caregivers whose first language is not English, educators encourage translation services like a three-way interpreter to ensure sufficient communication. The Meriden school district created a Google classroom group just for parents of children with special needs so they can connect to each other and swap ideas about what's working well (and what's not) at home.

Kathryn Nieves Licwinko, a special education teacher in Sparta, New Jersey, says teachers should try to be more flexible about their own hours, and make themselves available via different modes of communication to adjust to differing family circumstances.

"Many students have parents still working who are not home with them, so it becomes more difficult for them to complete assignments," she said. "I have students who haven't come into contact with me for a week now because they haven't been able to get onto their device and their parents aren't home to help."

Student Goals and Learning

Upending a regular routine can be especially upsetting for students with special needs, our audience asserted-so teachers and families should work together to create home learning activities that resemble the school day.

Emphasize structure: "Most of my students thrive under structure and routine. They benefit from having teaching staff available for constant instruction, clarification, and focus," said Eric Fieldman, a high school special education teacher in Collingswood, New Jersey. "Being at home, even with the same level of academic work, lacks the same focus and can lead to inconsistent work effort."

Fieldman and other teachers recommend creating a daily list of activities-broken into small chunks with plenty of breaks-that, if possible, follow a similar order to the schedule students had at school. Because many students with special needs respond well to visual cues, a schedule board (tactile or digital) with images of activities that prompt students what to do when can be helpful, teachers said. Fieldman also recommends using a kitchen timer, which reminds students of a bell schedule at school.

Dan Vollrath, a high school special education teacher in Flemington, New Jersey, adds that parents may even want to try having learning activities take place in different spaces or rooms in a home, as students are used to shifting locations at school depending on what they're learning.

Communicate with parents and caregivers clearly: While teachers are likely to create instructional videos (or written directions) for students, our special education educators also advise creating them for parents to teach them how to set up and support their children in various activities. Some video services offer translations for parents whose first language is not English. Teachers can also think of ways parents can use generic objects in the home to teach skills, like Cheerios, toothpicks, or pennies, which can be repurposed as math manipulatives.

Still, parents and teachers shouldn't feel everything from school can or even should be replicated. "There is not a perfect parent out there who can manufacture a full 'school experience' given the school, time, and resource limitations," said Sarah Kesty, a middle school special education teacher in Chula Vista, California. "It's OK not to replace school, and it's certainly OK not to plan every activity down to the minute."

Meeting sensory and movement needs: Educators also are keen to point out that students with special needs may need additional sensory modifications and supports-listed in their IEPs-to help them learn and grow. Teachers said parents can use simple objects like colored play dough and bubble wrap or brain-based games like Jenga if students need to release energy. Rice and beans placed inside pockets can substitute as a weighted vest or blanket to provide a sense of security, while writing and drawing in shaving cream can reduce tension while boosting language development. Even hugs, deep breathing, or allowing a child to run around outside can help.

Overall, teachers in our audience recommend keeping a level head and doing the best they can amid challenging circumstances.
Emelina Minero contributed to this article.
"I do believe that a lot of wonderful learning can take place for special education students at home," said Shafer. "However, special education is a complex web of strategies and activities dependent upon student needs, and at home, students are not likely to get the academic learning they would receive in the classroom. Still, we have no choice but to try."

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New Strategies in Special Education as Kids Learn From Home

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In special education, teachers say that schedules, sensory supports, and close collaboration with families can help smooth the transition to remote learning.

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Achieve the Core

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Learning online is definitely a learning curve for many of our students and families. We can make it easier by sharing purposeful and engaging tasks our students look forward to working on independently and/or with their families.

There are hundreds of free educational websites for educators and families being shared across all social media sites right now, and I want to share my personal recommendations for five websites that represent high-quality, standards-aligned content that encourages student voice and student choice. I have used each of these websites with my students and have shared them with kindergarten through twelfth-grade teachers in professional development and am excited to share them with you.

CommonLit.org https://www.commonlit.org/

This literacy website is geared toward third through twelfth grades. Teachers may access rich fictional and informational text and share assignments via Google Classroom and/or by using a class code. Students can use the website to read a variety of texts, answer questions, pose questions, and analyze with online tools. And all of the text can be easily translated into a student's native language, which can be a valuable scaffold! Students can also use the website independently to read the text that interests them the most.

One of the most valuable resources on CommonLit is its text set collection. These text sets can be assigned in its entirety to help students continue to build knowledge and vocabulary, even if they're reading independently at home-other sources of text sets are Achieve the Core and the Kentucky Text Set Project . Another helpful use for CommonLit is their Related Books filter, which allows you to assign additional knowledge-building texts to support instruction for many popular full-length texts.

This informational text website is focused on sharing current and past news articles for second grade through twelfth grade. While many aspects of the website are free at all times, Newsela is currently giving teachers full access to all features of the website for FREE. Students may access the Lexile-leveled text via Google Classroom and/or by using a class code to read what interests them. Students can find text features to support their learning by sharing maps, captions, graphs, photographs, and/or diagrams and include them in their Google Document to show how they engaged in the text. Then students can explain how the text features helped them understand the text more. This can also be done in a virtual group. The text can be translated into a student's native language. They can also use Google Maps to locate where the event took place and to find out more about the location. National Geographic Kids ( https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/ ) is another website that can be paired with Newsela to support student learning.
IllustrativeMath.org https://www.illustrativemathematics.org/ Science Videos-Crash Course Kids (second grade through fifth grade) Crash Course (sixth grade through twelfth grade) https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcoursekids KhanAcademy.org https://www.khanacademy.org/ Bonus Website: TED Talks for kids https://www.ted.com/playlists/86/talks_to_watch_with_kids TED-Ed Lessons https://ed.ted.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse
This math website supports Kindergarten through twelfth grade. It is organized by the Common Core State Standard math clusters and includes the 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice. The website includes high-quality tasks and analysis of answers. Teachers can assign a choice of tasks via Google Classroom using the student view. Students can share their learning via FlipGrid.com and Seesaw (https://web.seesaw.me/), too. Additionally, if educators in grades 6-HS need full curricular materials to facilitate a switch to remote learning, Illustrative Mathematics offers free, full curricula for grades 6-8 , as well as Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry .

These YouTube Channels were created by the Green Brothers (also known as the Vlog Brothers). They explain historical events, engineering and science concepts, and so much more with vivid text features, explicit explanations, and reflective questions. The short videos can be paired with the National Science Teaching Association's Classroom Resources ( ) and Mystery Science ( https://ngss.nsta.org/Classroom-Resources.aspx ), the History Channel's resources ( https://www.history.com/ Google Classroom https://mysteryscience.com/). Teachers can assign the videos via .

This website was created and is moderated by Salman Khan and his team. It includes an expansive list of high-quality, standards-aligned lessons for kindergarten through twelfth grade. The lessons include videos, practice, and a formative assessment for math, science, reading, and more. Students are given immediate feedback and teachers are able to observe daily progress. Teachers may assign the lessons via Google Classroom or by using a class code.

Students can access dozens of TED Talks to learn about a variety of topics. TED-Ed includes lessons, graphic organizers, and reflective questions. Listening and reflecting on TED Talks can be great ways for students to practice writing and speaking (via recordings) in response to sources, using evidence from the text. Remember that videos, images, and recordings like TED Talks texts. The TED Talks can also be used as a launch for students creating their own TED Talk.

The educational community is an amazing group of people who work together to support the needs of all of our students no matter the circumstance. I am a firm believer in sharing and learning from each other. Please connect with me via Twitter @tikaee or by email epstet@nv.ccsd.net anytime. I look forward to working with you.

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Top 5 Resources for Learning Online - Peers and Pedagogy

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Learning online is definitely a learning curve for many of our students and families. We can make it easier by sharing purposeful and engaging tasks our students look forward to working on independently and/or with their families. There are hundreds of free educational websites for educators and families being shared across all social media sites [...]

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A Resource Hub on Remote Learning for Special Education

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A Resource Hub on Remote Learning for Special Education

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Nearly 30 disability rights and education advocacy organizations have launched EducatingAllLearners.org, a resource hub and online network designed to answer questions and provide insight about remote learning for special education students during the coronavirus crisis.

Despite the difficulty schools may face in offering online instruction during the pandemic, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has reaffirmed that districts must provide special education services and supply students with disabilities equal access to the same opportunities.

But keeping services flowing for special education students has been difficult. Confusion over guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and fear of violating federal laws, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, has left some school districts struggling to get their online learning programs off the ground.

Acknowledging that difficulty, the alliance aims to provide resources to ensure the millions of students with disabilities in the nation's schools aren't further marginalized, said Lauren Rhim, the executive director of the National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools.

The global pandemic, which has led to the closure of at least 124,000 U.S. public and private schools and affected at least 55.1 million students, "reveals how little we prepared educators to work with children in an online learning environment," Rhim said.

EducatingAllLearners.org users can create a free account to share ideas, contribute to discussions and access case studies and webinars. The site will also host virtual office hours with special education attorneys, parent advocates, and educators to field questions about legal rights and classroom practice.

"Schools are in crisis mode, adapting quickly to meet the needs of students," said Erin Mote, the executive director of InnovateEDU, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit. "We began to see all these diversified, diffuse resources popping up all over the place. We wanted to provide a place where all those resources could come together."
Related Reading How to Handle IEPS During the Coronavirus Crisis? Some Expert Advice 'Are We Going to Get Ourselves in Trouble?': Districts Struggle With Special Education As Schools Close to Coronavirus, Special Educators Turn to Tele-Therapy

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Just in Time: a Resource Hub on Remote Learning for Special Education Students

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Nearly 30 disability rights and education advocacy organizations have launched EducatingAllLearners.org, a resource hub and online network designed to answer questions and provide insight about remote learning for special education students during the coronavirus crisis. Despite the difficulty schools may face in offering online instruction during the pandemic, U.S.

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To date, at least 124,000 schools across the country have closed to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Some states, including California and New Jersey, have closed their schools until further notice, and many more have closed them for the remainder of the academic year. In response to these closures, educators are scrambling to move lessons online, and families are struggling to adapt to homeschooling.

For the families of the 6 million students with disabilities across the country, this shift away from a school setting presents significant additional challenges, as many of these students rely on interventions, accommodations, and specialized instruction to support their learning needs. To help address these challenges, policymakers, school districts, and educators can-building on previous guidance, and using existing flexibility within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-support students with disabilities by:

ensuring any virtual/distance learning platforms, content, and curriculum are accessible and embed features of universal design for learning;

promoting use of provisional Individualized Education Program (IEPs), developed with parents to outline accommodations, interventions, and supplementary aids and services comparable to the student's current IEP that take into account social distancing guidelines;

expanding access to extended-year services for student's provisional IEPs, to ensure sufficient continuation of learning supports in the summer in addition to consideration for compensatory services; and

providing for flexibility on special education evaluation timelines, so long as districts continue to make progress toward completing evaluations and a new timeline is agreed upon with the parent.

School Districts Need Guidance as They Move to Distance Learning

As school districts across the country shutter their buildings for the foreseeable future in response to the COVID-19 crisis, thousands of district leaders and teachers are scrambling to provide distance learning opportunities for students. Educators and policymakers making this shift are left with glaring questions of how to best serve students with disabilities while remaining in compliance with federal education laws.

Many states are letting districts decide how to implement distance learning. This raises the question of what actions districts can and should take to continue educating students with disabilities given substantial constraints, and what guidance states can provide to support districts in this endeavor.

Limited federal guidance has led to confusion about how to provide services to students with disabilities as well as frenzied debate about the potential for waivers from federal special education requirements. Some districts previously advised halting all instruction and grading for fear of noncompliance with federal special education laws. However, federal guidance released thus far has made it clear that this is not an acceptable reason to cease the continuation of learning during this crisis. Additionally, special education law already provides for sufficient flexibility, but educators, school leaders, and parents need support in understanding how to utilize that flexibility.

IDEA Requirements and Virtual/Distance Learning

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal special education law outlining rights and protections for students with disabilities in schools. Specifically, IDEA mandates that students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The Individualized Education Program (IEP)-a legally binding document developed in collaboration with parents, teachers, educational psychologists, and school leaders-outlines the expectations for FAPE and LRE for each student with a disability. As districts increasingly shift to distance learning, these requirements continue to apply, and so policymakers, districts, and parents will need to work collaboratively to determine how to create provisional IEPs for distance learning.

The IEP outlines a variety of services a student must receive to make progress throughout the year, but as districts move to distance learning, many of those services will have to look drastically different. Students with learning disabilities who, for example, receive more intensive reading instruction in an inclusive classroom might instead be asked to work one-on-one with a special educator over the phone or video chat, resulting in a change to their LRE. A student with a disability such as Autism, however, might miss out on important group sessions with school social workers that cannot easily be conducted virtually, requiring perhaps an even more resource-intensive response when school resumes.

If school closures continue for any appreciable time, they may even impact districts' ability to conduct the initial evaluations necessary to determine if a student is eligible for special education in the first place, let alone use that evaluation to support the creation of a student's IEP. Evaluations often require extensive in-person testing to understand a student's current academic and functional abilities. Most assessments are traditionally completed by a school clinician, and schools have sixty days to complete the initial evaluation after receiving parental consent. School closures and shifts to distance learning create a great deal of uncertainty for schools and parents about how to complete these evaluations meaningfully within the required timeline.

With an increasing number of states and districts closing for the remainder of the school year due to COVID-19, maintaining consistent support for students with disabilities requires educators, parents, and school leaders to work together to consider immediate and long-term challenges and answer critical questions. What resources will help students with disabilities during the transition to online learning? What should schools do when IEPs require services that must be delivered in person? What are the implications for students making progress toward learning goals outlined in their IEPs? How should districts and states tackle the inevitable learning loss that is expected during long-term school closures?

The federal government has made an initial response that begins to help districts and the special education community find the answers to some of these questions, but there is, as shown below, far more that it can do.

The Beginnings of a Federal Response

The Department of Education released guidance in mid-March stating that as schools close for extended periods due to the pandemic, they must continue to provide FAPE to students with disabilities if distance education is provided for the general student population. The guidance also notes that IEP teams may meet virtually when schools are closed, and any evaluations that are able to be conducted virtually can proceed, with parent consent. If students are not able to receive their required services for an extended period of time due to school closures, the guidance states that the IEP team should determine whether compensatory services are needed, meaning students may receive services at a later time.

Additionally, the recently passed CARES Act included provisions to support education. Specifically, it provides $13.5 billion for elementary and secondary education, which can be used to purchase education technology to support online learning for all students during long-term school closures. State governors will all also receive access to an additional $3 billion for emergency support to school districts and institutions of higher education most significantly impacted by COVID-19.

In addition to providing support through funding, the CARES Act gives the U.S. secretary of education waiver authority for certain provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Importantly, the CARES Act does not provide waiver authority for IDEA. It does, however, require the secretary to submit a report to Congress within thirty days detailing what waivers may be needed for states and districts to remain in compliance with IDEA. From the outset, disability and civil rights groups have cautioned the use of blanket waivers on IDEA to protect the hard-fought rights of students with disabilities under the IDEA, stating that any waivers that are provided would need to have limits and accountability.

Looking to Past Examples and Guidance

At no time in our country have we experienced such widespread school closures. However, in the wake of past disasters, educators and school leaders in individual districts, states, and regions have faced similar questions about supporting students with disabilities. For instance, after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the New York Department of Education issued guidance, aligned with federal guidance, on its implementation of IDEA. As students relocated to other schools because of the disaster, the guidance called on schools to consider provisions related to transfer students under IDEA and determine and provide, in consultation with parents, comparable services to each student's previous IEP. During this time, the state did not find districts in noncompliance if they were unable to meet requirements as a direct result of the emergency. The state also provided flexibility related to timeline requirements to acknowledge the logistical challenges imposed by disasters, but did not waive fundamental due process rights afforded to parents.

The U.S. Department of Education has also issued guidance related to highly mobile children-those who move multiple times throughout their K-12 schooling, such as children in foster care or military connected families-and implementation of IDEA that can provide a useful framework for considering education in our current circumstances. This guidance outlines considerations for determining comparable services for highly mobile students, including the provision of extended-year services-special education and related services typically provided during the summer. The guidance also clarifies that when a child has moved school districts while in the process of evaluation that, though not ideal, districts are allowed to extend the timeline if (1) the district is "making sufficient progress" to complete the evaluation, and (2) the district and a student's parents come to a mutual agreement on a new timeframe. Importantly, the guidance also strongly encourages schools to complete evaluations for highly mobile children within an expedited thirty-day timeframe.

Policy Recommendations

States are currently tackling special education issues in a variety of ways. For instance, states including Minnesota, Kansas, and Connecticut are updating online question and answer pages multiple times a week to address topics on special education. Given the uncertainty of the timeline for a return to normalcy, it is important for states to provide clear guidance to district leaders, educators, and parents on how to support students with disabilities. In developing further guidance at the federal and state level, policymakers should consider the following principles.

Accessible Technology

Schools and districts should prioritize platforms, content, and curriculum that embed universal-design for learning (UDL) features. UDL is a framework to embed multiple means of engagement, recognition, and instruction into curriculum broadly, and technology provides an opportunity where this can be accomplished more universally. For instance, ensuring online content and platforms embed features, including screen-readers, to help support students with disabilities such as dyslexia and visual impairments. Having this feature in advance reduces the need for educators to adapt content later.

During the selection process, school leaders should test platforms and curriculum for accessibility and UDL before making decisions. For instance, assistive technology specialists can help identify possible barriers. School leaders identifying which content and curriculum to use can utilize the National Center on Accessible Educational materials' POUR principles when evaluating new materials: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. Organizations including the American Federation of Teachers, Edutopia, and the National Center on Systemic Improvement have compiled lists of accessible digital learning platforms, apps, and other resources for accessible digital learning that are available for educators. If platforms, content, and curriculum are not sufficiently accessible, school leaders should not select those tools.

Provisional IEPs with Comparable Services

States and districts could consider proactively creating guidelines for virtual IEP meetings and the possible implementation of provisional IEPs. Using the model of transfer students applied in other emergency situations, the U.S. Department of Education could issue guidance permitting states to interpret students as transfer students as they transition to distance learning. Educators along with parents could consider identifying services comparable to those in a student's existing IEP to be offered in the virtual/telecommunication format to ensure the student can access and make progress in any distance learning program. Provisional IEPs allow for short-term implementation of required services within the new distance learning context. Educators and parents should also consider if any additional supplementary aids and services, parental communication, and assistive technology will better support the student during school closures. Any such provisional IEPs should stay in place only until schools reopen, at which time the original IEP should be reinstated and compensatory services should still be considered.

Extended-Year Services

Even with the best intentions of teachers and school leaders across the country, this temporary adjustment to distance learning will likely result in lapses in services for students with disabilities. Districts and states need to be ready to remedy this by implementing extended school-year services (ESY) in addition to considering compensatory services. It is imperative to proactively plan for lost time by creating systems to allow more students access to ESY. In the development of provisional IEPs, parents and educators should consider whether extended-year services will be beneficial to ensure comparable services to the current IEP. States and districts can work together to advocate for funding from the stimulus package to be used to expand access to ESY and compensatory services.

Evaluations

Given the timeline restrictions for evaluations, policymakers should be proactive in relaying additional guidance to districts, educators, and parents. To ensure students are sufficiently supported, schools should be expected to complete as much of the evaluation that can be completed in a distance format adapting to virtual or tele-evaluation procedures, when possible. Acknowledging that this may not be feasible in all circumstances, the U.S. Department of Education should align flexibility to the guidance for highly mobile students-districts should be permitted to extend the sixty-day timeline if they continue to make sufficient progress toward the evaluation and agree on an extended timeline with the parents. If evaluations are unable to be completed during the duration of school closures, districts should complete the evaluation process on an expedited timeline when schools reopen (for example, thirty days). This gives schools the flexibility needed to complete the evaluations in a timely and meaningful manner without requiring blanket waiver provisions on evaluation policies.

Looking Ahead

Each day brings new updates of disruption to schooling across the country as states continue to extend their school closures. Regardless of the uncertainty of what the future impact of COVID-19 will have on the educational system in the United States, what is certain is that state and district leaders need to act quickly to protect the rights of students with disabilities. In this moment, they must act to empower educators to collaborate with parents and ensure effective support for students with disabilities are maintained in the shift toward virtual learning.

Header photos: A playground swing hangs at the KT Murphy Elementary School in Stamford, Connecticut. Sourcc: John Moore/Getty Images

Tags: k-12, special education, k-12 education, coronavirus, covid-19

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Special Education and COVID-19 School Closures

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To date, at least 124,000 schools across the country have closed to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Some states, including California and New Jersey, have closed their schools until further notice, and many more have closed them for the remainder of the academic year.

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DyslexiaConnect.com was created by Peter Groth, an experienced reading tutor from Wisconsin. Peter created the program to make reading, spelling and comprehension tutoring more convenient and accessible for the children, teenagers and adults who need it.

Peter Groth graduated Summa Cum Laude from Edgewood College, in Madison, WI, in 2002. In 2002, Peter began working as a private tutor for several different subjects. Peter really enjoyed private tutoring, and he decided to pursue tutoring full time.

In 2004, Peter was trained in the Orton-Gillingham Method, the oldest, and most respected method for teaching remedial reading.

In early 2010, Peter became interested in online education. In particular, he was interested in the increased convenience this sort of approach offered to parents, and also the opportunity to reach students who did not live close to reading tutoring providers. After a year of perfecting a method for online reading tutoring, Peter welcomed the first students to our online reading tutoring program.

Since 2010, Peter has overseen the growth of Dyslexia Connect to include students and tutors from six different countries.

Peter manages our team and oversees the daily operations of Dyslexia Connect Online Tutoring.

We use the Orton-Gillingham Method. Orton-Gillingham is a well-respected and highly effective method for teaching children, teens and adults who have dyslexia. We have refined and perfected our online tutoring through many years of working with individuals with reading difficulties. Our priorities are to make learning effective, engaging and fun! We have seen our method work with our students time and time again, and as a result, we teach every new student in our tutoring program with the confidence that we will be able to help them succeed.

Our Tutors

Pauline Piner moved to North Carolina in 1988 as an Exceptional Children's teacher at Camp LeJeune Dependents' Schools. She became trained in the Orton-Gillingham Method and became a member of the North Carolina Board of the International Dyslexia Association for three years.

Pauline is currently teaching at CFCI as an Exceptional Children's teacher for grades K-8 specializing in reading. In 2008, she received licensure in Birth through Preschool and earned national board certification in 2010. In 2011, she earned licensure in Middle School English Language Arts.

Pauline tutors dyslexic students of all different ages.

In her spare time, Pauline loves to travel with her husband, Stuart. She also loves spending time with family especially her grandchildren, Hunter and Halle.

Pauline joined The Reading Tutors in 2011.

Linda Burlile is a graduate of Ohio State University. She has always had a passion for teaching, and she homeschooled her three children. This led her to seek out effective ways to teach reading and spelling. Eventually, her children started attending public school, and Linda decided to pursue her love of teaching further.

Linda began to tutor in math, reading and cognitive skills. She realized that one of the reading students she was working with was dyslexic, and this led her to pursue training in an Orton-Gillingham based method.

Linda was certified in the Barton method, and completed a graduate-level class in dyslexia screening. She also received training in a multisensory math program. Linda looks forward to every day of tutoring, and helping her students reach their goals.

Linda joined the our team in 2011.

Sharon Hundley-Spangler

Sharon Hundley graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor is Special Education. After graduation, she taught special education in a few different elementary schools, including a special school for children with learning difficulties in California.

In 1991, Sharon was trained in Slingerland, a program developed by Beth Slingerland and Anna Gillingham, one of the creators of the Orton-Gillingham Method. For a time, she taught in school and tutored in the evenings, at a Dyslexia Institute of America center.

Eventually, she returned to Indiana and helped found a Dyslexia Institute of America center there, where she was the assistant director in charge of client testing and training other tutors. She was also in charge of maintaining the curriculum at the home office, as well as three satellite locations.

Sharon joined our team in 2010.

Christine began tutoring dyslexic students in 2002, using an Orton-Gillingham based program that she was trained in. She is a member of the International Dyslexia Association and is active in the local branch of that organization. Through the IDA, she attends online webinars to stay current on the latest developments and techniques in dyslexia tutoring. She feels that her work is very rewarding. Christine joined Dyslexia Connect in 2012.

Trina Harsh received a Bachelor's of Education from Texas Christian University and a Master's of Education in Literacy Studies from the University of Texas in Arlington. She is a certified Texas educator in general education, English as a Second Language, Educational Administration and a Reading Specialist grades PK-12. She is trained in the Multi-sensory Teaching Approach, MTA, which is a dyslexia therapy program based on the Orton-Gillingham Method. She has taught in the Texas Public Schools for 15 years and is currently a middle school Dyslexia Therapist.

Trina is a married mother of 3 boys, ages 3-13, who keep her very busy! She joined Dyslexia Connect in 2016.

Dianne Moore graduated from the Prescott College Adult Degree Program in 1995 with a BA in Environmental Studies and Education. She has since been an educator in various settings, including Arizona State Parks as a program writer and facilitator, Maricopa County Literacy Volunteers as a staff teacher, Edu-Prize Charter School as a hands-on science and Spanish teacher, and Gulfstream Goodwill as a staff teacher. She became certified in the Barton Reading and Spelling System (an Orton-Gillingham based program) in 2012 after taking the required two students through all ten Levels of the program, and has continued to tutor children with dyslexia using the Barton System since then. She is a firm believer in the Barton System based on the resulting improvements her students have achieved.

Geri graduated from Western Governors university with a degree in Education, and she is a certified teacher for pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. She completed her Orton-Gillingham training at the Mayerson Academy, and she has used the O.G. method in the classroom and in private tutoring.

Geri also has a personal connection to dyslexia. In 3rd grade, her son was diagnosed with dyslexia, and Geri feels that this allows her to easily empathize with other parents of children who have dyslexia. Her son is now in college and successfully pursuing his goals.

Geri joined Dyslexia Connect in 2017

Holly Potter received her Masters Degree in Diagnosis and Treatment of Reading Disorders from SUNY Fredonia in 2003. This program was fully Orton Gillingham based. She moved to North Carolina in 2004 to become a public school teacher for Alamance Burlington Schools. After 9 years in the regular classroom, she moved to an intervention position where she worked with students with undiagnosed reading and math disabilities, assisting in gathering the data needed to help families either receive a diagnosis or help students by providing intensive interventions.

She has been trained in the Orton-Gillingham and Wilson Language programs, and is currently pursuing certification by the Hill Center in Durham, NC. She has moved from a public school setting to pursue an Exceptional Children's position in a charter school, allowing her to continue her passion for teaching students with learning difficulties.

She joined Dyslexia Connect in 2018.

Rebecca Neyhard graduated from Bloomsburg University with a BS in Elementary Education from Bloomsburg University. In 2002, she began her Orton-Gillingham Training at the Children's Dyslexia Center of Susquehanna Valley. Through the center, she became certified with the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC). Upon certification, she continued tutoring at the center and is still there today. Rebecca completes 30 hours of training every 3 years, to keep her IMSLEC certification valid. In 2014, Rebecca received her Master's degree in Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from Edinboro University.

Currently, Rebecca is a graduate student at Bloomsburg University pursuing her Reading Specialist Certification, which she hopes to have by the end of 2018.

In addition, to her work at the learning center, Rebecca has taught in a Head Start classroom and is now a Head Start Educational Coach.

Rebecca started with Dyslexia Connect in 2018.

Ana Robins is currently a public school teacher. She began her teaching career in NJ in 2000 and moved to Florida in the summer of 2007. She has taught almost every grade level between preschool and 8th grade, including Spanish and bi-lingual kindergarten. In an effort to better help her students who had difficulty with reading and writing, she went back to school full time and received a Master's Degree in Reading Education through the University of South Florida in 2014. She has been specializing in teaching English Language Arts since then. In July 2017 Ana obtained additional training in the Orton Gillingham method through the Institute for Multisensory Education. Ana is a member of the International Literacy Association and keeps up to date with the latest in reading education.

In her spare time, Ana enjoys reading and being outside enjoying the Florida sunshine.

She joined Dyslexia Connect in 2017.

Lola Faye Arnold graduated from the University of Charleston with a Master's of Education degree and a minor in Special Education. She is a certified teacher in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education. She is also certified to teach English as a Second Language. Lola has 30 plus years of experience working with children who have dyslexia in the public education system and privately. She served as the Reading Interventionist for the last three years of her public school teaching career in South Carolina. In 2015, Lola completed the writing of her first novel, "Out With the Tide".

Lola has been trained in, and has utilized, a number of Orton-Gillingham based programs (Barton Reading, Project Read/ Language Circle, and The Institute of Multi-Sensory Educaton/IMSE). She owned and operated a private reading clinic in Florida.

She joined Dyslexia Connect in 2018

Nancy was certified with the Michigan Dyslexia Institute in 1997, where she studied the Orton-Gillingham Method. She tutored students through the 3 R's program (Reading to Reduce Recidivism),
which entailed working with individuals who couldn't read or write. It was sponsored by the Oakland County Court System in Pontiac, Michigan. She homeschooled her two sons. She has a personal connection to dyslexia, as her youngest son has dyslexia.

She was the Assistant Director at The Boys & Girls Club in Bonita Springs, FL
where she tutored children and taught Healthy Habits and a Street Smart Program.

Nancy and her husband live in St. Petersburg, FL which is close to her two sons and grandkids.

Nancy joined our team in 2016.

Deb has a bachelors degree in English education and a masters degree in special education. She is certified in English 7-12 and Special Education K-12 in two states. Deb has taught English at the college and high school level, and she has taught special education at the middle and elementary school level. During her time as a special education teacher, Deb was trained in and used the Wilson Reading Program to help students with reading disabilities to increase both their skills and confidence. Deb has since decided to specialize in teaching students with dyslexia through our online tutoring platform. Her husband has dyslexia, so she knows full well the obstacles he has worked to overcome and is proud of his achievement as a successful businessman. She is passionate about helping others to achieve success as well.

Erin DiPrima received a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University and Teaching Licensure from the University of St. Thomas. Erin was trained in Orton-Gillingham through Orton-Gillingham of Minnesota.

Erin taught elementary and middle school education for five years in Minneapolis and Chicago. After teaching, she stayed home to raise her family, and home-school her five children.

Erin believes in teaching kids in a way that helps them learn and feel successful. She is passionate about meeting the individual needs of each student with tailored instruction. She enjoys fostering self-motivation and passion for learning. She hopes all her students find joy in reading, writing, and life long learning.

Joyce has lived in Texas since 1983, and as a child of a parent in the military, spent her childhood moving around the United States. Home for Joyce now is Texas. She graduated from Texas Woman's University with a Bachelor's Degree in elementary education, specializing in mathematics. She then received a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Grand Canyon University and is working on a Doctoral Degree in Teacher Leadership. She has taught math in various grade levels (4th - 8th grade) and spent four years as a math specialist for an elementary school.

Joyce is currently in her tenth year as a dyslexia specialist for an elementary campus in North Texas. She is working on her CALT (Certified Academic Language Therapist) license. She teaches the MTA (Multisensory Teaching Approach) program that was developed by Margaret Taylor Smith, specifically for those identified with dyslexia. Joyce works with small groups of students identified with dyslexia, and also conducts full assessments on students referred for dyslexia testing.

Joyce has a real passion for students with dyslexia that developed from the struggles her own child faced, due to his dyslexia. She strives to make every student realize how brilliant they are, to recognize their gifts, and that with some hard work, they can accomplish anything.

Joyce tutors students with dyslexia in reading, as well as in math. She also acts as an advocate for parents who need help communicating with their child's school and teachers.

Stephanie Rodriguez is a dyslexia teacher for Waxahachie ISD in Waxahachie, Texas. Stephanie graduated from Cameron University, in Lawton, Oklahoma, with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. Stephanie has been a public school teacher for 20 years, and has taught the 1st, 4th and 5th grades. Stephanie received her dyslexia therapist training through the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders at Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, Texas. She has been a dyslexia teacher for 3 years and absolutely loves her job! Stephanie is currently studying for her CALT (Certified Academic Language Therapist) certification. Stephanie lives in Waxahachie, Texas with her husband and 3 kids.

Katherine Ulibarri first started her career in teaching shortly after getting her Master's in Education with an emphasis in Diverse Learning from the University of Colorado. She has taught for the past twelve years in the Adams 12 school district in Colorado, working in the elementary education classroom, English as a second language classroom, and also tutoring in grades K-12 through the district's homebound services program (helping students needing to stay home due to medical needs).

After her nephew was diagnosed with dyslexia, Kathy became passionate about educating herself in the Orton-Gillingham approach. She started working on her certification through the Susan Barton method, tutoring students after school. In 2017 she was hired by the Rocky Mountain Camp for Dyslexic Kids where she received further training in OG by the founder of the camp.

Kathy is extremely passionate about her new career path as a private tutor, connecting with parents in her area to help advocate for their students, as well as furthering her learning in the OG approach.

She started working with Dyslexia Connect in 2018.

Tahleen earned her Associate Teaching Permit in California and began her teaching career as a Preschool Teacher, planning and supervising for a classroom of 30 students of 3-4 yr olds for 7 years.

Tahleen has 8 years of tutoring experience in multiple subjects and is extensively trained in The Barton Reading and Spelling Program, an Orton-Gillingham based curriculum; rooted in phonemic awareness, it's a sequential system that builds on itself to show how letters and sounds are related and how they act in words. Tahleen has successfully taught 10 children to read from the very basics of what a letter is, to forming and reading successful paragraphs and essays. In her free time, Tahleen and her husband enjoy outdoor activities and crafting at their Arizona mountain home.

Kelley Joseph graduated from Worcester State University, located in Massachusetts, where she earned both her B.S and M.Ed degrees, with a concentration in Elementary Education. She continued her education and achieved a Level I Wilson Reading System Certification (Dyslexia Practioner), Reading Recovery Teacher Certification, has had Fundations Training, and is a member of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practioners and Educators at the Associate Level. Kelley began her career teaching sixth grade students. Currently, she is in her 19th year as a Literacy Specialist in a public school system. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family and friends, traveling, boating, exercising and reading.

Jenny Hayes graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Elementary and Special Education. She has taught multiple subjects to students of varied ages and grade levels from preschool to middle school in both public and private school settings for more than 25 years. Literacy is a passion for Jenny and helping students be excited about reading has always been a focus, whether working with students with learning differences in small groups, or working with students in large groups in grade level classrooms. Through the years, Jenny has had extensive training and experience using Orton-Gillingham programs including Wilson, Linda Mood-Bell and S.P.I.R.E. to instruct students with dyslexia. She has also worked as a literacy coach training Language Arts middle school teachers to use best practices in the classroom to increase students' reading and writing skills. Being a part of the Dyslexia Connect team, Jenny looks forward to meeting new students and helping them be academically successful and increase their love of learning. She lives in the beautiful countryside of middle Tennessee and enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and relaxing on Kentucky lake.

Haley Speed earned a Bachelor's degree in Education from Texas A&M in 2006. She has been an educator for the last 13 years in the elementary setting as well as a Reading Specialist. In 2017, she attended San Diego State University to work on a Master's degree in Literacy. During this time, she received a Reading and Literacy certification to work with struggling readers in many capacities. Again in 2018, Haley attended the Dyslexia Training Institute at University of San Diego and became Orton Gillingham certified to teach dyslexic readers using a multisensory OG approach. Haley is a parent to a dyslexic child and is dedicated to help all students feel successful on their education journey.

Diann Richardson graduated from Western Illinois University with a Master's in Special Education. She also has a Master's in School Administration and a PhD in K-12 School Leadership. She is experienced as a an elementary special education teacher, principal, and Director of Special Education. She has worked in Iowa, Colorado, and Illinois. She has participated in many different trainings in regards to teaching reading, including Orton Gillingham training.

Diann is currently serving as a Director of Student Services and living in the central part of Illinois. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cross stitching, and traveling. Her family includes a husband, son, a dog and cat.

She is appreciative of the opportunity to work with students to improve their reading skills.

Kim Duren is a native Texan and graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has worked in the Irving Independent School District for 25 years teaching reading and dyslexia services. She is a Certified Academic Language Practitioner and enjoys helping students become successful with their reading. Kim has worked with students of all ages and is an Assessor for Dyslexia Testing as well. She is the proud mother of two beautiful girls and resides with her husband in Hurst, Texas. When she is not working with students, she enjoys watching her oldest daughter in the Color Guard at TCU and her youngest daughter play select soccer. In her spare time, she enjoys scrap booking and reading. Kim joined our team in 2019.

Rebecca (Becky) Stonecypher graduated from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana in 1980 with a B.S.
in Elementary Education and in 1986 with a M.A.E. in Elementary and Special Education. Teaching in two
international mission schools in West Africa brought the realization that further training was needed to
meet the needs of those students struggling in both reading and English.

Rebecca completed courses with NILD (National Institute of Learning Development) program and taught students using that method for many years. In 2012, a change to a different school and country made it necessary to change teaching methods. During time in the United States, she was able to complete Phonics First Foundations and Structures, an Orton-Gillingham based approach accredited by both IMSLEC and IDA.

She is currently certified by the International Dyslexia Association as a Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist. She holds valid teacher licenses from both the states of Indiana and Alabama, as well as certification from England in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Rebecca and her husband retired from overseas service in 2019. She enjoys quilting, reading, and her grandson.

She started with Dyslexia Connect in 2019.

Lydia Byers has been teaching dyslexic learners since 2006. She has worked one on one with students ,teaching them according to the Orton Gillingham method. She was trained at the Jemicy School, The Odyssey School, and at Dyslexia Tutoring Company in Baltimore, Maryland. She maintains a current Maryland State License for teaching and earned her Masters Degree at McDaniel University and her Bachelors Degree at Stevenson University (both in Maryland).

Lydia has taught Orton-Gillingham using many different methods, including Wilson, Recipe for Reading, and Phonographix.

Lydia enjoys sewing, scrapbooking, and reading for fun.

She joined Dyslexia Connect in 2019.

Nancy Ganiko has a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education/English, a Master's degree in Theological studies, along with a Master's in Counseling Education. She is certified in both Elementary and Secondary Education, English Second Language, and in School Counseling grades K-12.

After 21 years in Public Education, she retired early

in order to complete the two year Scottish Rite Take Flight Dyslexia Program and to become a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT)/Dyslexia Therapist. She chose this path due to an incident that occurred during her final year in Public Education. The School District where she worked had lost funding for the Dyslexia program and she offered to oversee it, along with her Counseling duties. It was a life changing decision!

Upon facilitating the older version of Take Flight and helping a 3rd grade student who could not read overcome his Dyslexia and learn to read, she knew that this was something she wanted to devote her life to. For the past six years, that is what she has been doing. She loves her work and loves her students! It is amazing to watch them not only grow and develop in reading, but in believing in themselves.

Nancy started with Dyslexia Connect in 2019.

As a person who has overcome a diagnosed learning disability herself, Gretchen is thrilled to work for an organization that helps individuals who struggle in the same ways she once did. She has worked with students for over 18 years and has served as an elementary school teacher, educational therapist, ABA line therapist and tutor.Gretchen has been trained in SPIRE, Project Read, and the NILD Blue Book Method- all of which are rooted in Ortin Gillingham methodology and have been approved by the International Dyslexia Association.

Gretchen joined the Dyslexia Connect team in 2019.

Beth Fairfield received her Masters in Special Education in 2009. She decided to became certified in Orton Gillingham in 2008 through The International Dyslexia Association after taking a phonics class in college. Beth has worked as a Title 1 Reading teacher in a small private school for 6 years using OG with grades K-4. Beth also has tutored privately in homes using OG methods. Besides tutoring online, Beth also subs for multiple grades at a local private school.

Beth joined Dyslexia Connect in 2018.

Joan has been teaching dyslexic students since 2005. She received her Orton-Gillingham training through the Children's Dyslexia Centers, a charity of the Scottish Rite, NMJ Freemasons. She tutored with the Children's Dyslexia Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania for ten years. Joan received her Bachelor of Science degree from Temple University, teaching elementary students in the Philadelphia area for more than thirty years. She has received Certified Academic Language Practitioner (C.A.L.P.) accreditation through the Academic Language Therapy Association.

Joan's passion is learning and sharing language with students. She loves to figure out the best approach for reaching each individual student. Joan understands the frustration families feel when a students shows a learning difficulty, because of a close family member's autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. In her free time Joan loves to read, visit museums, and play with the family cat. Joan is married and has a successful adult son.

She joined Dyslexia Connect in 2019.

Leslie was trained as an Orton- Gillingham Academic Language Specialist at Teachers College, Columbia University in the early 1990'S, while receiving her Ed.M. in Instructional Practices in Special Education. Since then, Leslie has been teaching and tutoring students with a variety of learning styles. Alphabetic Phonic, Dyslexia Training Program, and The Gillingham Manual are the foundational pedagogy from which she develops individualized OG programs.

As a dedicated, passionate teacher, her purpose is to inspire joyous, stimulating and engaging learning environments that will encourage all types of learners to reach their highest potential. Rooted in a commitment to holistic education, it is Leslie's goal to combine her range of experience with her ability to be a compassionate, enthusiastic, and flexible tutor.

Leslie has a NJ Standard Certificate, 2470 - Teacher of the Handicapped. She is also Montessori Method of Education for Children certified.

She enjoys taking walks with her husband and two miniature poodles. She also enjoy yoga, especially teaching kids yoga.

Leslie joined the Dyslexia Connect team in 2019.

Betsy Emerson received a Bachelor's degree in English Literature with a Minor in Elementary Education from the University of Tennessee. In 2017 she completed the Associate Level Training in the Orton Gillingham Method at Greengate School for Dyslexia in Huntsville, Alabama.

Betsy joined the Dyslexia Connect team in 2020.

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DyslexiaConnect.com was created by Peter Groth, an experienced reading tutor from Wisconsin. Peter created the program to make reading, spelling and comprehension tutoring more convenient and accessible for the children, teenagers and adults who need it. Peter Groth graduated Summa Cum Laude from Edgewood College, in Madison, WI, in 2002.