Some states are leading the way in providing teacher training based in the science of reading. Let’s hope more follow this path!
News & Articles
Riccards: Twenty Years After the National Reading Panel, It’s Time for a Reading Rights Movement
Senators Call for Additional Funding in Next Stimulus Package, Write Letter to Education Secretary DeVos Asking for Clear Guidance to Protect Students with Disabilities
Why every child needs explicit phonics instruction to learn to read
Good overview of the importance of teaching phonics explicitly. Students need decoding skills to read unfamiliar words.
“Without decoding skills, children could not read made-up words such as Harry Potter’s “quidditch”. Nor could they read unfamiliar names (of places such as Oodnadatta) or medication names (such as azithromycin) as these have no other cues to guide the reader to pronunciation.”
IEP and 504 Accommodations for Zoom/Online Classes.
This blog lists a few reasonable ideas on how to make Zoom or other online classes more manageable.
Why Copying from a Board is Ineffective for Dyslexics
An older article, but still relevant to student accommodations.
Researchers to measure ‘coronavirus slide’ in kids’ reading skills
Google Lens can now copy and paste handwritten notes to your computer
Seven Distance Learning Priorities to Consider Before Reopening Schools
Tech Thursday: Microsoft Accessibility Tools, Part 1
“Microsoft Assistive Tech Specialist Rachel Berger demonstrates free, accessible AT to support students who struggle with reading, and writing. This presentation showcases how tools can be used to support student engagement and accessibility for users with learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, ELL or a combination of any of the broad range of unique student abilities.”
Literacy is a Constitutional Right, Let’s Now Treat is as Such
Based upon a United States Court of Appeals case out of Detroit, MI.
“We recognize that the Constitution provides a fundamental right to a basic minimum education.”
With COVID-19, The African-American Literacy Crisis Will Get Much Worse
How to Reduce the Stress of Homeschooling on Everyone
Children’s story book released to help children and young people cope with COVID-19
“A new story book that aims to help children understand and come to terms with COVID-19 has been produced by a collaboration of more than 50 organizations working in the humanitarian sector, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Save the Children.”
WEBINAR 4/22: Learning for Students with Disabilities in the Time of COVID-19
“Our panel of experts will provide a brief overview of the law protecting students with disabilities during the crisis. They will then discuss the challenges and barriers homeschooling and other educational models raise for students with disabilities and educators, and recommend strategies for moving forward.”
8 Tips for Conducting Virtual IEP Meetings
Educators Get Creative To Serve Students With Disabilities
Rushing to Fill the Gaps Coronavirus Has Widened
More great resources for distance-learning! These resources are not specific to struggling readers; however, all parents might find helpful information in the links about working on reading at home, including reading passages to use at home – some even offer passages in Spanish.
Special Education Law Blog: COVID Requires Some Creativity from Schools
This article includes links to additional resources.
IDA Annual Conference: Reading, Literacy & Learning – November 2020
Reaching New Heights: Advancing Every Classroom Through the Science of Reading.
Located at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado, just outside of Denver.
Wrightslaw Special Education Law & Advocacy Conference – October 26
Hosted by PC READS in Park City, UT!
Rescheduled from April 23rd to October 26th.
Early Bird rates extended to September 14th.
Registration Link.
Reading in the City: October 3, 2020 (Denver, CO)
Postponed from Spring 2020.
Registration will re-open once all speakers are confirmed.
Wasatch Reading Summit – October 2020
Learning Ally: Spotlight on Dyslexia Virtual Conference – June 5
Conference Date: June 5th
Join us for a full day of professional learning featuring keynote speakers
Dr. Anita Archer and Emily Hanford plus 14 other speakers, and
earn up to 16 CE certificates.
June 5, 2020
9:00am – 4:00pm EST
Price: $99
Co-hosted by edWeb.net
Watch live or on-demand through September 30, 2020 to earn up to 16 CE Certificates.
DTI’s 4th Annual Virtual Dyslexia Conference – Spring 2020
Conference Dates: April 20th – May 8th
Early Bird : Jan 2 – Feb 29, 2020 – $175.00
Regular Registration – March 1 – April 19, 2020 – $249.00
Late Registration – After April 20, 2020 – $299.00
14 Tips for Fine-Tuning Your Virtual Reading Instruction
Distance Learning Despite the Broadband Gap
Teachers everywhere are adapting to distance learning and some areas are more challenging than others. Read about what one teacher in Appalachia is doing to keep in touch with his students.
How to Handle IEPs During the Coronavirus Crisis? Some Expert Advice
EXCERPT: Education Week interviewed three experts—a special education attorney, an attorney who represents school districts in special education disputes, and a professor who studied special education law for decades—to find out what advice they have on handling IEPs during the global pandemic.
During the discussions, three common themes emerged. Schools should: provide services to students as soon as possible; worry more about making progress than following the letter of the law; and understand that much of federal law wasn’t written with online education in mind.




