Thursday, May 26, 2016

Free Summer Workshop Opportunities, S.O.S. Multisensory Strategy, and Six Syllable Types


School of Education Region In-Service Center 
Summer Workshops 2016
Workshops provided by the UAB Regional Inservice Center 
are free of charge.

Click here to download the 




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S.O.S.

Simultaneous Oral Spelling (S.O.S.) is a multisensory spelling strategy which
incorporates auditory, verbal, and kinesthetic modalities.

Emily, at The Literacy Nest Blog, is an Orton-Gillingham instructor who utilizes S.O.S. with her students. She lists the 6 steps to this strategy on her blog, in addition, she has created a very useful station activity for students to use to continue to practice their spelling skills. 
You may access her S.O.S. blog post here: 

Closed Syllables

Another great series of blog posts on The Literacy Nest Blog explains the importance of teaching the six syllable types. We know that struggling readers need a meaning-based approach to decode and encode new words. Teaching them the six syllable types will help them to become more skillful readers and spellers. Her series of blog posts on syllables begins with closed syllables here:







Monday, May 2, 2016

ALSDE Summer Learning Challenge 2016


2016 SUMMER LEARNING CHALLENGE 

Free Opportunities for All Students!


Click here to download the pdf with hotlinks and additional information:

Summer Learning Challenge

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Journey into Dyslexia

Listed below are some professional development opportunities available through The Literacy Council of Central Alabama.  Click here to go directly to their website: The Literacy Council of Central Alabama

Registration Now Open For Neuhaus Courses
The Literacy Council is proud to partner with the Neuhaus Education Center to present a series of classes on dyslexia and learning differences. Neuhaus is a non-profit organization that provides professional development in research-based methods of literacy instruction and is considered one of the nation’s leaders in reading instruction.

Registration is first-come, first-served and is limited to 22 participants per class. Register now to reserve your seat.

Dyslexia 101: offered four different times in April and May.
A free 2-hour course that will be offered twice on Thursday, April 21 (1 – 3 pm and 5:30 – 7:30 pm) and twice on May 12 (1 – 3 pm and 5:30 – 7:30 pm). This course will provide information on reading difficulties, specifically dyslexia; and multi-sensory, research based instruction. This session will address what dyslexia is and what it is not, and how it relates to reading development.

To register for Dyslexia 101, click this link: https://community.neuhaus.org/dyslexia-101

Unexpected Underachievement: Friday, May 13, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
A difficulty in learning to read or spell that is unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities could indicate dyslexia or a related disorder. Whether there is a diagnosis or not, the instruction for students with dyslexia or a related disorder and those who are struggling with reading and spelling is the same.

In Unexpected Underachievement, participants learn:

1) models of literacy acquisition

2) the domains of language and how they impact literacy and learning

3) characteristics of dyslexia

4) effective activities and strategies for learning to read and spell well

5) appropriate accommodationshttp://www.neuhaus.org/files/302 

Audience:
Teachers interested in or responsible for 
at-risk students or students with dyslexia; 
 limited to 22 participants
(NOT appropriate for those who have 
completed Basic Language Skills)
Objective:
Focused instruction on specific needs; 
Tier II instruction
Hours:
8:30-3:30pm, 6 hours
Fee:
$150
Materials:
Alabama Dyslexia Resource Guide


To register online for Unexpected Underachievement, 

click this link  Online Registration - Birmingham  

Maricela Jimenez (Neuhaus registrar) will cap all classes at 22 participants.

 

Developing Metacognitive Strategies* - Tuesday, May 31, 2016 and 

Wednesday, June 1, 2016, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

 

A 2-day course. In addition to skilled decoding, robust oral language and vocabulary, boundless world knowledge, adequate linguistic development, and sufficient working memory, students need to learn how to think about their thinking to 
understand what they are reading. That is, students need metacognitive skills 
for critical reading of narrative and expository texts.

In Developing Metacognitive Strategies, participants learn:

1) activities that increase oral language
2) strategies for increasing vocabulary and background knowledge
3) summarization activities
4) questioning techniques
5) progress monitoring for fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension
Audience:
Grade 3-8 Teachers, limited to 22 participants
Objective:
Focused instruction for specific needs; Tier II instruction
Hours:
8:30-3:30pm, 12 hours (2 days)
Fee:
$350
Materials:
Developing Metacognitive Skills, Word Detective, Six-way Paragraphs (Middle Level), classroom webs
*prerequisite class for Dyslexia Specialist Preparation Program

To register online for Developing Metacognitive Strategies, 

click this link  Online Registration - Birmingham 

Maricela Jimenez (Neuhaus registrar) will cap all classes at 22 participants.

Reading Readiness* - Friday, June 3, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Research has demonstrated the importance of phonological awareness, letter 
recognition, and oral language in the acquisition of reading and spelling skills. Once students understand the sound structure of spoken language and can instantly name 
letters, they are ready to learn how sounds map onto letters. This knowledge builds their ability to decode unfamiliar words. Comprehension is developed through listening and retelling.

In Reading Readiness, participants learn:
1) the foundational skills that are necessary to become fluent readers 
and accurate spellers
2) hands-on, multisensory activities to teach and reinforce these skills
3) strategies for building instant recognition of words with reliable and unexpected pronunciations
4) the importance of explicit and systematic handwriting instruction 
to spelling and writing

 

Audience:
Grade K-2 Teachers, limited to 22 participants
Objective:
Focused instruction on specific needs; Tier II instruction; Tier III instruction; Reading Workstations
Hours:
8:30-3:30pm, 6 hours
Fee:
$215
Materials:
Reading Readiness; Story Retelling with deck; Plastic Alphabet Letters; Alphabet Mat and Arc; Alphabet Strip; Mirrors; Sound Cards; Soundboard; Large Alphabet Strip; Red Counters; RR Schedule
*prerequisite class for Dyslexia Specialist Preparation Program


To register online for Reading Readiness, click this link  Online Registration - Birmingham 

Maricela Jimenez (Neuhaus registrar) will cap all classes at 22 participants.


Monday, April 4, 2016

Alabama's Remediation Rate Decreases 5%! New Dyslexia Resources!

ALABAMA’S REMEDIATION RATE 
DECREASES FIVE PERCENT


"Since the Implementation of PLAN 2020, the Number of Students Taking Remedial Courses in Alabama Colleges and Universities Inches Downward. A recent report by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) shows that Alabama high school graduates’ remedial coursework rates are down a full five percent in 2015 (30 percent), compared to 2011 (35 percent). Remedial coursework are classes that some students must take in order to build up math, reading, or English skills before they are allowed to take regular college courses. A major component of the State Board of Education’s PLAN 2020 initiative is to increase the number of students who leave high school fully prepared to enter college without the need for remediation and/or enter the workforce with an industry-recognized credential."

Click here to read the full press release:

ALSDE Press Release on Remediation Decrease 

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Dyslexia Resources:

Hettie Johnson
Educational Diagnostician Dyslexia/LD Support Speech/language Therapist

Hettie Johnson's website

Interview with Hettie Johnson:

Learning Ally Specialist Spotlight

Hettie Johnson's YouTube Channel:

Hettie's YouTube Videos

Dinah Zike

Photo from Dinah Zike website
See link to purchase this book.
One teaching resource that Hettie Johnson lists on her website and is also listed as a Print Resource in Appendix H of the Alabama Dyslexia Resource Guide, is the Dinah Zike Foldables book.  See links below to access some valuable classroom resources:

Dinah Zike website

Dinah Zike's YouTube Videos

Foldables on the Secondary Differentiation Weebly



"Foldables are three-dimensional graphic organizers that take complicated data and information and make it visual and kinesthetic." ~ Dinah Zike website

For hundreds of examples of foldables see these Pinterest boards:
Dinah Zike Foldable Examples


Blog Spotlight

Becky Spence
Author of This Reading Mama blog
Multisensory Learning Fun - 24 Animal Sight Word Chants

Becky has a lot of FREE resources on her blog:
This Reading Mama



Thursday, February 25, 2016

Multisensory Teaching



Multisensory approach in an elementary classroom 

ARI Region 5 has been training school districts on Dyslexia Simulations and Awareness. In addition, our last Coaching Community was focused on utilizing and embedding multisensory routines into our explicit phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension lessons with students. We began with the rationale of using the multisensory approach in the classroom. Coaches engaged in the Ink Think strategy to read, write, and talk about the research and expert opinions on multisensory teaching. 

Click here for the Ink Think Quotes:

The coaches then learned how to use various multisensory routines and practiced using them with students.  

Click here for the Multisensory Routine Cards:

You may download the HOTS Question Fans from April Guenzler's Blog:

Vocabulary Foldables can be found on Laura Candler's website:

Air Writing demonstration and sight word cards can be found here:

Click here for the Phonics Folders Template:

We look forward to sharing more multisensory teaching ideas with you in the future. Keep checking our blog for more updates!  

Click on the tab at the top of the blog for Google Drive access to 
new multisensory techniques!






Friday, January 22, 2016

Strategic Teaching



ARI Region 5 Coaches engage in the coaching cycle with school-based coaches (when available) and teachers in the middle and high school setting using Strategic Teaching. Strategic Teaching takes into account all the variables that affect learning. Strategic teachers understand the process of learning (the Conceptual Framework), the developing adolescent brain, the necessity of actively engaging students, and intervening immediately when learning breaks down.

You may read more about Strategic Teaching on ARI's website (see tab at the top of this blog) or click this link:
Strategic Teaching

Contact one of our ARI Region 5 Coaches for more information:





Friday, December 18, 2015

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from ARI Region 5!




ARI Region 5 will miss Judy Stone, our ARI Coordinator! Wishing her many blessings during her retirement years!


Dyslexia Updates and Resources:
Keep checking the Alabama State Department of Education ARI website for the most current dyslexia information and resources.

Alabama Dyslexia Resource Guide Updated 11/4/15

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