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Use this log to make to submit questions, suggestions, leads to professional learning tools/resources. You may upload resources to the shared folders once you've filled out this log. All members will be able have access to the responses in this Google Form. You will receive a notification in your email any time a member of this group adds to the log.

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Increase Middle-Grade Teacher Effectiveness and self-efficacy in the implementation of research-based Reading Comprehension Strategies

Affective Strategies for Instructing Students with Dyslexia

Phonics and Decoding Strategies

Morpheme Recognition/Vocabulary Development

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Increase engagement and motivation of gifted students

Differentiated Instruction (student choice)

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

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Creative Reads PLC Targeted Professional Development Learning Plan

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Creative Reads PLC Targeted Professional Development Learning Plan

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Finger Tapping for spelling by Orton Gillingham Mama

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Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators

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Training by a Fellow & Certification through the Academy The Orton-Gillingham Academy (OGA) is an accrediting and certifying body dedicated to upholding the highest professional and ethical standards for the practice of the Orton-Gillingham (OG) Approach for the treatment of dyslexia.

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According to the research of Dr. Samuel Orton , strengths or preferences will vary from student to student but using more than one method will help students better retain information.

3 Components of Multi-Sensory Instruction

Multi-sensory instruction can be broken down into these three components:

The most critical aspect of multi-sensory instruction, such as Orton-Gillingham, is having students use more than one of their senses. T he most effective strategy for children with difficulties learning to read has proven to be u sing multi-sensory techniques .

However, multi-sensory instruction is not just for students that have learning disabilities. According to The Ladder of Reading (Nancy Young, 2017), only 40% of learners can learn to read effortlessly or with relative ease and comprehensive instruction. That leaves 60% of all learners to benefit from instruction like Orton-Gillingham.

Orton-Gillingham helps you to tap into your students' sensory learning pathways. That's why multi-sensory learning and explicit instruction are the most concrete methods for teaching a new concept.

Multi-Sensory Instruction: Visual Learning

When we think about the visual component, we think about the sense of sight. Students should see visuals that represent the meaning of what is being taught.

Showing written-out directions is an example of a visual modality. Teachers can provide students with handouts, a slideshow, or other visual aids to help them follow along during a lesson.

Other visual aids include:

Multi-Sensory Instruction: Auditory Learning

When we think about the auditory component, we think about the sense of hearing. Students should hear the explanation of directions out loud.

Lesson plans should include social elements like:

Rhymes, beats, or songs can reinforce information. Providing recordings of lessons can also be beneficial, so students can go back and listen to the lesson more than once.

Multi-Sensory Instruction: Kinesthetic/Tactile Learning

When we think about the tactile and kinesthetic components, we think about the sense of movement and touch. Tactile instruction incorporates using hands to do something, such as manipulating objects representing a concept. Kinesthetic instruction involves moving to focus and learn.

The main difference between the two strategies is tactile components focus on fine motor movements while kinesthetic components focus on whole-body movements. So, while arm tapping would be a kinesthetic strategy, finger tapping is a tactile strategy.

Methods that support kinesthetic and tactile instruction include:

Providing hands-on tools

Giving breaks to allow students to move around

Using the outdoors

Teaching concepts through games and projects

Even if you've already taught a lesson using auditory and visual elements, it can be highly beneficial to reinforce that information through dance, play, or other activities.

Phonogram Review: Review sound-symbol correspondence with a rapid phonogram card drill

Simultaneous Oral Spelling: Repeat words, sound or spell words out using finger tapping, write words while saying letters, and read the completed word

Reading Words: Read a series of words and sentences that use the new pattern, as well as review words targeting skills that need particular practice

Everyone Benefits From Multi-Sensory Instruction

Our brains have developed to learn and grow in a multi-sensory environment. When teachers and educators introduce new material using multisensory learning, like Orton-Gillingham, they effectively cater to a more expansive audience of learners.

Multi-sensory instruction is used to teach all students effectively, especially those with learning differences. By using multiple senses, all learners have mor e ways to connect with what's being taught.

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According to research, all children need to learn the same multi-sensory skills to become proficient readers.

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I am passionate about teachers learning and applying the science of reading in their classrooms, so I am offering these modules for free! However, if you’d like to donate to show your appreciation, you are welcome to donate to my Donor’s Choose project here.

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What is the Science of Reading? (Educators)

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Free Science of Reading Resources

One of the main objectives of this website has always been to democratize the science of teaching, by providing people with quality research based information. We think that teachers deserve access to quality content without having to make large financial sacrifices. With this in mind, we have created the below list of helpful free resources.

Free or Mostly Free SOR Aligned Programs

Amazing Free Phonics Tools

Free Morphology Resources:

Decodables

Assessments:

Valuable Websites:

Note: We only promote websites that: we believe are in line with the current scientific consensus, are either vetted by research teams and/or make use of academic citations.

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Free SOR resources | Teaching By Science

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Free Science of Reading Resources One of the main objectives of this website has always been to democratize the science of teaching, by providing people with quality research based information. We think that teachers deserve access to quality content without having to make large financial sacrifices.

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How theater and visual arts can help to engage your students to read.

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4 Activities for Music and Reading Integration

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An interdisciplinary approach can help elementary students deepen their appreciation for music while developing their literacy skills.

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Integrating Literacy into Physical Education

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Integrating Literacy into Physical Education

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Scaffolding Literacy Through STEM Instruction for All Learners

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With these scaffolds to support reading and writing skill development, all students can thrive in elementary STEM classes.

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The Science of Reading and Its Educational Implications

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The Science of Reading and Its Educational Implications

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The Science of Reading and Its Educational Implications

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Research in cognitive science and neuroscience has made enormous progress toward understanding skilled reading, the acquisition of reading skill, the brain bases of reading, the causes of developmental reading impairments and how such impairments…

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Feeling Overwhelmed? Simple Ideas for Getting Started.

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Feeling Overwhelmed? Simple Ideas for Getting Started.

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Vol. 81

No. 4

Abstract

How to START

What Does START Look Like in Practice?

Why START?

All teachers can create content-rich lessons that simultaneously develop core literacy skills.

Credit: Rawpixel.com / SHUTTERSTOCK

Abstract

How to START

What Does START Look Like in Practice?

Why START?

Developing core literacy skills is crucial for student success, both in school and beyond. Although schools and teachers have been working to achieve this goal for decades, their efforts have not always been successful. This is because the work of building reading and literacy skills has been left primarily to elementary and English language arts teachers. What we, as educators, realize now is that building high-level literacy skills requires a team effort; teachers across grade levels and content areas need to work together to achieve this goal.

Evidence for this across-the-curriculum approach to literacy can be found everywhere, from our informal conversations with educators to formal education documents. Take a quick look at many states' current standards, and you'll find standards for literacy in science, social studies, and other subjects. In other words, today's educators are being asked to make the commitment to literacy across the curriculum. But committing to something is not the same as making it a reality. As their comments show, some teachers we work with are understandably concerned about the idea of making every teacher a teacher of literacy:

"But I've got so much on my plate already!"

"Won't teaching literacy skills take time away from teaching my content?"

"How am I supposed to teach literacy? I'm not an English teacher!"

If we truly want to integrate literacy skills across the disciplines, we must get past these concerns. The question then becomes how: How can we engage all teachers in the valuable work of building key literacy skills-such as determining main ideas, gathering and evaluating textual evidence, contributing meaningfully to discussions, and developing evidence-based arguments-without interfering with their ability to teach their content?

Building high-level literacy skills requires a team effort; teachers across grade levels and content areas need to work together to achieve this goal.

As Mike Schmoker (2018) reminds us, simplicity and clarity are crucial to bringing about meaningful change. At the Thoughtful Classroom , we (the authors) have been working with schools for over 40 years to implement solutions that are both simple and clear. To help schools address the challenge of incorporating literacy across the curriculum, we've developed a simple and clear framework for getting started, one that helps teachers at all grade levels infuse texts and literacy skills into their everyday lessons without sacrificing their regular content.

How to START

We designed the framework around the acronym START because it spells out a set of planning components that all teachers can use to create content-rich lessons that develop core literacy skills. Here's what the acronym stands for:

S is for standards.

Use your content standards as a starting point for mapping out your lesson. Ask yourself, What standards do I want to target? What key understandings do I want students to develop? What knowledge or skills will they need to acquire? Use this information to develop lesson-specific learning targets and share those targets with students.

T is for texts.

Select a text or texts that align with your learning targets. Develop a question or prompt that will give students a purpose for reading and engage them in thinking deeply about the content (e.g., "Does treating everyone fairly mean treating everyone the same?" or "What does it mean for a chemical equation to be balanced?"). When selecting texts, be creative and consider options in addition to the textbook. Can you find opportunities to incorporate primary texts? Up-to-date online content? High-interest readings? How about multimedia, video, or visual resources?

A is for assessment.

Well-designed assessments will require students to demonstrate a deep understanding of what they've read and learned (e.g., by explaining, evaluating, applying, or expressing an opinion). Assessments should also test students' command of the reading and literacy skills you choose to target. Assessments don't have to be formal to be effective. They can involve anything from observing a student's note-taking process, to listening in on a discussion, to reviewing a polished piece of writing.

R is for reading and literacy skills.

Target specific literacy skills in your lesson. These can be reading, writing, speaking, listening, or language skills. You can focus on skills that will help students understand the content-skills like previewing a text before reading it, calling up prior knowledge and comparing it with new information in a reading, or taking organized notes. You can also pick skills that will help students demonstrate their learning either orally or in writing-skills like writing a well-organized paragraph, supporting a position with evidence, or summarizing.

T is for tools.

Look for instructional tools and strategies that will help students develop the literacy skills you identified and deepen their understanding of the content. Ask colleagues for suggestions. Look online for tried-and-true standbys. Or try one of the following literacy tools we've developed (Boutz et al., 2012; Silver & Boutz, 2015). These tools address common challenges students face when we ask them to use literacy skills to deepen their understanding of classroom content, and they're designed for easy integration into lessons and units:

Single-Sentence Summaries help students slow down their reading and create deeper understanding. Students read assigned texts one chunk at a time and summarize each chunk using a single sentence or an image.

Speak-Up Stems help students overcome that "I don't know what to say" feeling that can hold them back in classroom discussions. This tool provides students with a list of options for what to say. For example, "I agree/disagree because ___." "To summarize what I've heard so far, ___." "That reminds me of ___."

Map It Out is a prewriting tool that helps students assemble and shape ideas so they can draft them into common writing genres: arguments, explanatory pieces, and narratives. By mapping out their ideas on specially designed visual organizers, students begin to internalize the structural elements of different kinds of writing.

Most Valuable Point (MVP) helps students focus on the main idea. Students draft a single paragraph in which they identify the most valuable point in the text and elaborate on it using information from the text.

Having a common bank of instructional techniques can be especially helpful in the pursuit of literacy across the curriculum. In Williamsville Central School District in New York, for example, making sure that all teachers are equipped with the same high-impact literacy tools-like "Reading for Meaning" (in Boutz et al., 2012), which uses simple statements to help students collect and evaluate textual evidence-is a goal that's built into the district's teacher induction program. This establishes a common language for teachers to collaborate with one another and refine instructional practices.

What Does START Look Like in Practice?

The examples that follow show how the START framework helped content-area teachers (whose primary focus isn't literacy) build texts and literacy skills into their lessons. As you read the examples, notice how core reading and literacy skills are being developed alongside the relevant content knowledge.

Figure 1 shows how a middle school math team used the START template to design a text-focused lesson around the properties of equality that were embedded in one of their content standards. Because some students in previous years had been overwhelmed by learning about four different properties in a single lesson (the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division properties), the team designed this year's lesson to help students recognize that the properties are actually quite similar. They opened their lesson by telling students they'd be reading about four different mathematical properties-and that once they were done, they'd use the Forced Choice framework (Silver, Perini, & Boutz, 2016) to make a choice about whether the properties were more alike or more different. When students were ready, the teachers had them share their "forced choices" as a class and support them with concrete examples and equations from the text ("I think the properties are more alike/different because ___.") After continued practice and discussion over the course of the week, the teachers used the MVP tool to assess whether students had gotten the big idea that unites the four properties-that anything goes as long as you do the same thing on both sides of the equation.

Figure 2 shows how the START template guided a middle school science team to incorporate rigorous texts and core literacy skills into a lesson on the impact of plastic water bottles. To get students interested and engaged, the teachers opened their lesson with this provocative prompt: Should plastic water bottles be banned? Students used multiple texts to learn about the issue and developed core note-taking skills by collecting relevant information on a graphic organizer. They then shaped and sharpened their positions using Speak-Up Stems to discuss their thoughts and ideas as a class. To assess students' grasp of the content, as well as their ability to gather and organize key ideas from a text, the teachers had students draft a written response to the prompt for homework. They prepared students to write strong, well-organized arguments by having them use the Map It Out tool to map out their positions and supporting evidence in advance.

Why START?

Vicki Phillips and Carina Wong (2010) encourage educators to think of literacy "as a spine; it holds everything together. The branches of learning connect to it, meaning that all core content teachers have a responsibility to teach literacy" (p. 41). No matter what we teach, when we develop students' literacy skills and give them opportunities to read about, talk about, and write about classroom content, we help them learn and retain that content more deeply. That's why it's so important to get all hands on deck. We need to get students reading, writing, and speaking on a regular basis-and we need to do it in all content areas and grade levels.

But for many schools, getting started is often the hardest part. That's what makes the simplicity of the START process so beneficial. As Jessica Catrett, an instructional coach at South Hall Middle School in Georgia, puts it, "This process has allowed me to show teachers how clear and manageable integrating literacy tools into everyday instruction can be. With it, we have been getting more and more intentional in using literacy tools to ensure our students are learning the content at a deeper level."

Because START works with current lessons in all content areas, it doesn't feel like 'one more thing' to do.

When you're ready to START, keep in mind that much of the foundational work may already be in place. After all, many teachers are already integrating texts into their lessons. And if we expect students to comprehend, discuss, or write about those texts, it means that literacy skills are already implicitly in the mix. Yet START makes this work more focused and intentional by helping teachers regularly build texts and literacy skills into their lessons. Moreover, because START works with current lessons in all content areas, it doesn't feel like "one more thing" to do. And, of course, tapping into the power of the team, so that teachers can design literacy-rich lessons together, always makes taking that first step easier and more enjoyable.

In other words, there really is no better time than now to START.

References

Boutz, A. L., Silver, H. F., Jackson, J. W., & Perini, M. J. (2012). Tools for thoughtful assessment: Classroom-ready techniques for improving teaching and learning. Thoughtful Education Press.

Phillips, V., & Wong, C. (2010). Tying together the Common Core of standards, instruction, and assessments. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(5), 37-42.

Schmoker, M. (2018). Focus: Elevating the essentials to radically improve student learning (2nd ed.). ASCD.

Silver, H. F., & Boutz, A. L. (2015). Tools for conquering the Common Core: Classroom-ready techniques for targeting the ELA/literacy standard s. Thoughtful Education Press.

Silver, H. F., Perini, M. J., & Boutz, A. L. (2016). Tools for a successful school year (starting on day one): Classroom-ready techniques for building the four cornerstones of an effective classroom. Thoughtful Education Press.

ASCD is a community dedicated to educators' professional growth and well-being.

Let us help you put your vision into action.

We empower educators to reimagine and redesign learning through impactful pedagogy and meaningful technology use. We achieve this by offering transformative professional learning, fostering vibrant communities, and ensuring that digital tools and experiences are accessible and effective.

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Integrating Literacy Across the Curriculum: An Easy Way to START

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All teachers can create content-rich lessons that simultaneously develop core literacy skills.

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New Changes to Ohio's Dyslexia Support Laws

House Bill 33 of the 135th General Assembly included several important updates to Ohio's dyslexia support laws.

Professional Development (Ohio Revised Code 3319.077)

The following dyslexia professional development requirements apply to teachers in grades K-3 and special education teachers in grades K-12 who are employed by a city, local or exempted village school district, community school or STEM school.

Teachers hired before April 12, 2021, who provide instruction to students in the following grade bands must complete the required professional development in accordance with the following timeline:

By the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year: Teachers of grades K-1, including special education teachers.

By Sept. 15 of the 2024-2025 school year: Teachers of grades 2-3, including special education teachers.

By Sept. 15 of the 2025-2026 school year: Special education teachers of students in grades 4-12.

Teachers hired after April 12, 2021, who provide instruction to students in the grade bands outlined above must complete the required professional development by the later of the aforementioned dates or two calendar years after the hiring date (unless the teacher completed the professional development while employed by a different district or school).

Dyslexia Screening (ORC 3323.251)

A district or school is not required to administer a tier one dyslexia screening measure to a student in grades K-6 who transfers into the district or school midyear if the student's records indicate a screening was administered to the student by the district or school from which the student transferred during that year.

Additional updates for screening transfer students can be found on the Dyslexia Screening webpage.

The 2023-2024 List of Approved Universal Dyslexia Screeners is now available

The list and detailed information are available at the List of Approved Assessments page on the Department's website.

A streamlined list of approved assessments that meet the requirements of tier 1 dyslexia screening and/or the K-3 diagnostic can be found here.

Administering Literacy Assessments for students with Low incidence disabilities and complex communication needs

This document provides resources and recommendations for accommodations and scaffolds districts may use when administering district wide literacy screenings and benchmarks or reading diagnostics. These can be used when administering the required tier 1 dyslexia screener, as well as the reading diagnostic required under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee and other district assessments. The purpose of these is to ensure these assessments provide proper data related to the reading abilities of students with complex communication need and low incidence disabilities. The document can be found here.

Literacy Assessment SelEction Tool K-6 now available

This document describes the different skills that should be assessed by tier 1 and tier 2 dyslexia screeners and will assist districts and schools with choosing screeners. The document can be found here.

Ohio's Introduction to Dyslexia, Kindergarten-Grade 3 course is available through the learning management system

Questions can be sent to Dyslexia@education.ohio.gov. If you need additional account support after consulting the linked support documents above, please contact OH|ID Profile Help at Profile.Help@education.ohio.gov for OH|ID assistance. If you are in the LMS application and need additional support, please contact LMS Support at LMSSupport@education.ohio.gov.

OHIO'S INTRODUCTION TO DYSLEXIA, Grade 4-12 COURSE IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Questions can be sent to Dyslexia@education.ohio.gov. If you need additional account support after consulting the linked support documents above, please contact OH|ID Profile Help at Profile.Help@education.ohio.gov for OH|ID assistance. If you are in the LMS application and need additional support, please contact LMS Support at LMSSupport@education.ohio.gov.

Helpful Resources for Districts and Families

Ohio's Dyslexia Guidebook

The Department is pleased to announce Ohio's Dyslexia Guidebook is available. As required by Ohio law, Ohio's Dyslexia Guidebook contains best practices and methods for universal screening, intervention and remediation for children with dyslexia or children displaying dyslexic characteristics and tendencies. Districts and schools should use the guidebook to access critical information for successful implementation of Ohio's dyslexia support laws.

The Department will develop additional resources and guidance to support schools and districts. The FAQ page will be updated as needed.

For questions about Ohio's Dyslexia Guidebook or Ohio's dyslexia support laws, please contact Dyslexia@education.ohio.gov.

Helpful Resources

Federal Funding Guidance: This document contains federal funding guidance for districts and schools to use federal Title funds, IDEA Part B School-aged Special Education funds (ages 3-21) and IDEA Part B Early Childhood Special Education funds (ages 3-5) to implement Ohio's Dyslexia Support laws.

House Bill 436 mandated a cost analysis report to ascertain the potential financial costs incurred by school districts to implement Ohio's dyslexia support laws. The final Cost Study Analysis is now available to download as well as the accompanying Appendix with detailed information.

On January 9, 2021, Governor Mike DeWine signed a set of laws strengthening dyslexia supports for Ohio's children. The new dyslexia support laws establish dyslexia screening measures (ORC 3323.251), professional development for identifying dyslexia and instructing students with dyslexia (ORC 3319.077), a structured literacy certification process for teachers (ORC 3319.078) and the Ohio Dyslexia Committee (ORC 3323.25). The following is a summary of the new set of laws:

Requires the Ohio Department of Education to establish the Ohio Dyslexia Committee consisting of 11 members;

Requires the Ohio Dyslexia Committee to develop a dyslexia guidebook for screening, intervention and remediation for children with dyslexia or displaying dyslexic characteristics and tendencies;

Requires the Ohio Dyslexia Committee to prescribe the number of clock hours of dyslexia-related professional development required for teachers;

Permits the Ohio Dyslexia Committee to make recommendations regarding ratios of students to teachers who have received certification in identifying and addressing dyslexia, the school personnel who should receive the certification and whether professional development requirements should include completing a practicum;

Requires the Department, in collaboration with the Ohio Dyslexia Committee, to identify screening and intervention measures that evaluate the literacy skills of students using a structured literacy program;

Requires school districts and other public schools to administer annual dyslexia screenings beginning in the 2022-2023 school year;

Phases in over three years dyslexia-related professional development requirements for public school teachers;

Requires school districts and other public schools, beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, to establish a structured literacy certification process for teachers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ohio's Rule for Phonics

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House Bill 33 of the 135th General Assembly included several important updates to Ohio's dyslexia support laws. The following dyslexia professional development requirements apply to teachers in grades K-3 and special education teachers in grades K-12 who are employed by a city, local or exempted village school district, community school or STEM school.

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STRUCTURED LITERACY CERTIFICATION process
Certification Process
Districts are required to establish a Structured Literacy Certification process for teachers providing instruction in kindergarten through third grade. Districts determine locally which educators will become certified through this process. The certification process must align with Ohio's Dyslexia Guidebook.

NEW - District leaders may consider using this Certification Process Planning Tool, which includes a checklist of items to consider when establishing their structured literacy certification process.
Certification Pathways
Ohio law defines appropriate certification as either certification at a certified level, or higher, from a research-based structured literacy program or any other certification as recognized by a majority vote of the Ohio dyslexia committee.

This includes, but is not limited to, the following pathways recognized by a majority vote of the Ohio dyslexia committee. This document from the Ohio Dyslexia Committee provides more information on these pathways.

Completion of an independent training program or higher education program accredited by the International Dyslexia Association at the Accreditation Plus level. Note that programs with Accreditation Plus status include coursework, practicum, and an exam.

Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist Certification or Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist Alternate Route Certification from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction

Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist Certification or Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist Alternate Route Certification from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction

Certified Academic Language Practitioner from the Academic Language Therapy Association

Certified Academic Language Therapist from the Academic Language Therapy Association￼

Completion of an International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) accredited program.

Completion of an independent training program or higher education program accredited by the International Dyslexia Association at the Accreditation level, in addition to completing a practicum provided by an accredited provider and passing the Knowledge and Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI). Further details and specifications for these three components can be found on this template, which will be used to document completion.

Note about this option: This process and form is for educators who already have completed significant work in structured literacy knowledge building and teaching but do not have the full training from an International Dyslexia Association-Accreditation Plus organization. This may be because their training was completed prior to the International Dyslexia Association introducing the Accreditation Plus status or they had a unique set of circumstances (significant prior training) that allowed them to complete an Accreditation Plus practicum without the connected coursework (typically not allowed). Individuals must complete the coursework, practicum and exam, as described below, to meet the certification requirement. Please use the template provided on page 2 to submit documentation of completion of all three components to the district.

It is recommended individuals beginning their certification journeys complete one of the International Dyslexia Association-Accreditation Plus trainings (all of these include coursework and a connected practicum). Practicums have specific coursework that is connected to their practicum experience. It may be most efficient to do a connected coursework and practicum option, all of which are included on the Accreditation Plus list.

OHIO REVISED CODE

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Certification Process Districts are required to establish a Structured Literacy Certification process for teachers providing instruction in kindergarten through third grade. Districts determine locally which educators will become certified through this process. The certification process must align with Ohio's Dyslexia Guidebook.

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Teacher professional development

The Dyslexia Support Laws require all kindergarten through third grade teachers, as well as teachers providing special education instruction to children in kindergarten through grade 12, to complete professional development on identifying characteristics of dyslexia and understanding pedagogy for instruction of students with dyslexia.
Requirements from the Ohio Dyslexia Committee
The Ohio Dyslexia Committee is requiring educators to complete 18 hours of professional development aligned with the Ohio Dyslexia Guidebook. This professional development will support educators in identifying characteristics of dyslexia and understanding the pedagogy for instruction of students with or at risk of dyslexia.

Professional Development Training

Each professional development option is evidence-based and includes instruction and training for identifying characteristics of dyslexia and understanding the pedagogy for instructing students with dyslexia as required under ORC 3319.077. The list was developed by the Department in collaboration with the Ohio Dyslexia Committee pursuant to ORC 3323.25 and 3319.077. This list is subject to change to align with the version of the guidebook that will be approved by the State Board of Education. Check back frequently for updated information.

Questions can be sent to Dyslexia@education.ohio.gov. If you need additional account support after consulting the linked support documents above, please contact OH|ID Profile Help at Profile.Help@education.ohio.gov for OH|ID assistance. If you are in the LMS application and need additional support, please contact LMS Support at LMSSupport@education.ohio.gov.

Note to providers: This is not an endorsement process, and no course provider should market themselves as offering an Ohio Department of Education endorsed course.

Timeline for Completing Professional Development

Teachers hired before April 12, 2021, who provide instruction to students in the following grade bands must complete the required professional development in accordance with the following timeline:

By the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year: Teachers of grades K-1, including special education teachers.

By Sept. 15 of the 2024-2025 school year: Teachers of grades 2-3, including special education teachers.

By Sept. 15 of the 2025-2026 school year: Special education teachers of students in grades 4-12.

Teachers hired after April 12, 2021, who provide instruction to students in the grade bands outlined above must complete the required professional development by the later of the aforementioned dates or two calendar years after the hiring date (unless the teacher completed the professional development while employed by a different district or school).

Note: Any professional development previously completed by a teacher that is included on the list of approved courses counts toward the required 18 hours in approved professional development. Courses Accredited by the International Dyslexia Association
Independent Training Programs and Higher Education Programs accredited by the International Dyslexia Association are approved to meet the professional development requirements of the Dyslexia Support Laws. Programs with Accreditation and Accreditation Plus status are recognized. Training programs that offer training similar trainings to those on this list are encouraged to apply for accreditation to provide additional high quality professional development options for Ohio educators.

Courses approved for Structured Literacy Certification
The Ohio Dyslexia Committee has provided a list of approved programs for Structured Literacy Certification. Educators completing at least 18 hours of this coursework will have met the professional development requirements. Completion of the course and practicum in full is required for Structured Literacy Certification.

Training Provided by Instructors of Structured Literacy Certification Programs

Individuals qualified to provide the coursework and practicum approved for Structured Literacy Certification by the Ohio Dyslexia Committee may develop and provide training for the purpose of this requirement. If the instructor is developing training that is different from what is already approved through the Structured Literacy Certification program, the training must be at least 18 hours and include the content recommended by the Ohio Dyslexia Committee (outlined below).

Ohio Department of Education Dyslexia Course
The Ohio Department of Education has developed a free course for teachers providing instruction to students in grades K-3 to meet the professional development requirements.
For information on accessing the course, please review the Instructions for Accessing the Introduction to Dyslexia Course.

The Ohio Department of Education will be developing an additional free course to meet the professional development requirements for intervention specialists and teachers providing instruction to students in grades 4-12. Intervention specialists serving these grade bands must complete the PD by the beginning of the 2025-26 school year. More information about this course, including its release date, is forthcoming.

The following outlines the 18 hours of content recommended by the Ohio Dyslexia Committee:

Pre and Post Assessment for Participants

What is Structured Literacy?

Science of Reading Overview

Defining Dyslexia and Identifying Characteristics of Dyslexia

Multi-Tiered System of Support Overview

Structured Literacy in Core (Tier 1) Instruction

Using Data to Plan Instruction through Reading Profiles and Aligned Interventions

Teaching Word Recognition

Phonological awareness

Basic phonics

Advanced phonics (morphology, syllable types, etymology)

​Sight word recognition

Teaching Handwriting

Print / Manuscript

Cursive

Brief, explicit and systematic instruction

Teaching Language Comprehension

Language Structures (Syntax)

Vocabulary

Background Knowledge

Fluency

Comprehending Grade-Level Texts

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The Dyslexia Support Laws require all kindergarten through third grade teachers, as well as teachers providing special education instruction to children in kindergarten through grade 12, to complete professional development on identifying characteristics of dyslexia and understanding pedagogy for instruction of students with dyslexia.

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5 Orton Gillingham Multi-Sensory Tools to Use in the Classroom

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5 Orton Gillingham Multi-Sensory Tools to Use in the Classroom

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For every student, one of the modalities mentioned in the image above is usually predominant. Some students may prefer to see a visual representation of an image to grasp it, while others may choose to use their hands.

According to Dr. Samuel Orton's research, brain dominance significantly impacts learning to read. Both hemispheres of the brain act and react, think and process, and solve problems in their own specific and quite different ways, and one side is usually dominant.

A student can capitalize on their strengths and strengthen their weaknesses when all four learning pathways are utilized within a lesson. Educators also have a higher chance of students grasping the concept during initial instruction.

Many believe the Orton-Gillingham approach is only beneficial in special education or reading intervention, but that is just not the case. Orton-Gillingham is for students.

Multisensory Orton-Gillingham Activities

Every student learns at their own pace, but when multisensory (also known as multimodal) strategies are utilized, students are given the opportunity to reach their full potential through various delivery styles.

Check out these five activities that you can begin using in your classroom today!

Read it, Build it, Write it

Consider using this Orton-Gillingham activity when teaching Red Words or irregular words (i.e. 'does' or 'was'). Students need to be able to master these words that do not fit the expected spelling patterns.

Start by giving each student a sheet of paper with three boxes on it with the labels "Read It," "Build It," and "Write It." Additionally, you should provide your students with Red Word flashcards, block or magnetic letters, and a pencil or crayon.

Read the irregular words in the "Read It" box aloud with your students. Students are then asked to identify what makes the word irregular and what is unexpected in the spelling pattern. Students should then use the block or magnetic letters to build out the word in the "Build It" box. Once they successfully build it out, the students should write it in the "Write It" box.

Writing in Shaving Cream or Sand

This Orton-Gillingham activity utilizes visual, auditory, and tactile (fine motor) pathways. Take a plastic tray, cookie sheet, tabletop, or other medium and cover them with shaving cream or sand. Call out a known sound and have your students repeat the sound. Then they should use their fingers to write the letter that makes that sound while verbalizing the letter name and sound (/d/ d says /d/). By utilizing their fingers to write the letter, they are accessing thousands of nerve endings that transfer patterns to the brain.

You can also use this strategy for whole words, but be sure they are phonetic words that follow expected spelling patterns.

Writing in the Air

This Orton-Gillingham activity is similar to the shaving cream or sand activity but instead uses kinesthetic (gross motor) pathways. Utilize muscle memory to reinforce the letter and sound each letter makes through air writing.

Your students should use their dominant arm for this activity and move from the shoulder to promote large muscle movement. As the students write the letter in the air, have them visualize it in a specific color while verbalizing the letter name and sound.

Arm Tapping

This Orton-Gillingham activity helps students master irregular words through multisensory review.

Start this activity with a stack of cards containing the words your students are learning. State the words one by one while holding the card, with your non-dominant hand, in front of you. Ensure your students can see the word by making sure the card is at eye level with them.

Have students tap left to right using their dominant hand. Right-handed students start with their right hand on their left shoulder, and left-handed students start with their left hand on their right wrist. State each letter of the word while your students tap down their arms, and once they tap out each letter, state the whole word while creating a sweeping motion down the arm. Think of this sweeping motion as underlining the word.

Blending Boards

Blending boards can be used to prepare students for multisyllabic words. Blending boards help with the practice of segmenting sounds and blending those sounds into syllables.

Take phoneme cards and place them in CVC (consonant vowel consonant) order on the blending board. Place your hand over each card while your students sound them out, and once they state each sound, sweep your hands across the board and have your students state the word or syllable.

You can use VC patterns or start with a continuant sound versus a stopped sound with students who struggle.

Additional Resources

Bringing Orton-Gillingham strategies into your classroom creates endless opportunities for your students. For more insights and strategies, visit the links below:

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5 Multisensory Orton-Gillingham Activities to Use in the Classroom - Orton-Gillingham.com

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By bringing Orton-Gillingham strategies into your classroom, you create endless opportunities for your students.