Language and Literacy

Professional Development Manual Home | Special Event Offerings | 2024-25 Learning Opportunities

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L-1 Integrating Literacy for Students with Complex Communication Needs

Presenters

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist
• Laura Lavery, M.A., Education Specialist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), Assistive Technology Specialists, School Psychologists, General and Special Education Administrators, Parents, Special Education Administrators, Program Specialists, and Paraprofessionals

Time

3 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

Literacy is important in virtually all aspects of our daily lives. It is fundamental in education, at work, in accessing the internet, and in communicating with friends. For students with complex communication needs, developing literacy skills is a critical component. Because of challenges—perceived or otherwise—of providing literacy instruction to learners with complex communication needs, these students are often overlooked in receiving meaningful learning experiences and access to the core curriculum. The development of literacy skills in individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) requires the collective efforts of collaborative literacy teams who have expertise in language, literacy, and AAC. Literacy teams responsible for teaching reading and writing skills to students with complex communication needs face many challenges including students who often cannot participate in conventional literacy activities (e.g., reading aloud), and a lack of materials and resources in the area of AAC and literacy.

Participants will be able to

• Define the needs/characteristics of a complex communicator.
• Define the qualities of literacy instruction and assistive technology tools to support reading, writing and communication.
• Identify evidence-based strategies and interventions.
• Identify effective strategies for creating or adapting literacy materials for students with complex communication needs.

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L-2 What is Dyslexia?

Presenter

• Paula Velez, M.A., Education Specialist

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), School Psychologists, Administrators, Paraeducators, and Parents

Time

1.5 to 2 hours

Format

In Person or Virtual

Summary

This training is designed to help educators and families understand what dyslexia is according to the definition provided in the California Dyslexia Guidelines (2017). Key features of the definition will be highlighted and explained, followed by a brief discussion of identifying dyslexia through assessment. Finally, best practices for teaching students with dyslexia are described.

Participants will be able to

• Be familiar with the key characteristics of California Dyslexia Guidelines (2017).
• Identify assessment considerations given this definition of dyslexia.
• Learn about recommended teaching strategies to address educational needs of students with dyslexia.

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L-3 Once Upon a Word: Morphology

Presenter

• Patricia Deroian, M.A., Education Specialist

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), School Psychologists, Administrators, Paraeducators, and Parents

Time

2.5 or 3.0 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

This training will provide the participants with the background and history of the English language. We will learn the importance of teaching morphology and etymology to students to help them develop a deeper meaning of words that will aid in developing reading skills, spelling skills, vocabulary, and comprehension. This training will also teach students how to divide multisyllabic words.

Participants will be able to

• Understand syllabication.
• Understand the etymology of the English language (Anglo Saxon, Latin, Greek).
• Understand morphology (affixes and bases).
• Understand the connection between morphology, orthography, and phonology.

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L-4 Assistive Technology and Dyslexia

Presenters

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist
• Laura Lavery, M.A., Education Specialist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Special Education Teachers, General Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists, Assistive Technology Specialists

Time

3 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

The term Assistive Technology (AT) refers to the services and devices that enable people with disabilities to help achieve independence and enhance their quality of life. For people with dyslexia, assistive technology provides tools that ease the demands of reading and writing and allow them to learn and function independently. Assistive technology helps students with dyslexia save time and overcome challenges, such as messy notetaking, slow reading speed, and poor handwriting allowing them to demonstrate their abilities in ways that were once unimaginable. As a result of using assistive technology, a student may actually develop a love of reading while building their vocabulary, decoding skills, fluency, comprehension, and confidence. Assistive technology is not a substitute for good teaching or remediation. It simply gives a student access to the curriculum while the student continues to build skills through quality instruction. According to the California Dyslexia Guidelines, "it is never too early to introduce assistive technology to a student. If the student is struggling despite the use of interventions and strategies, assistive technology may help them experience more success. It can help a student to develop independence, bolster self-esteem, and reduce time and stress spent on schoolwork."

Participants will be able to

• Understand the cognitive elements of reading and its relationship to assistive technology.
• Analyze student data using assistive technology assessment to determine appropriate tools.
• Create a list of possible assistive technology tools to support students with dyslexia.

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L-5 The What, the How, and the Why of Phonology and Phonics for Parents, Paraeducators, and Child Care Providers

Presenter

• Jodie Dittmar, M.S., Education Specialist

Intended Audience

Early Childhood Educators, Paraeducators, Parents, and Care Providers

Time

2 to 3 hours

Format

In Person or Virtual

Summary

Learning to read includes language development, sound, and print. Often parents, paraeducators, child-care providers, and others find themselves providing help, but may or may not feel comfortable with these skills themselves! Paraeducators may be assigned direct instructional roles in reading while parents or child-care providers provide tutoring and homework support. This highly interactive workshop includes vocabulary and comprehension supports for reading but predominantly addresses phonemes, phonics, auditory processing, and decoding for the early or struggling reader.

Participant activities will include practice in

• isolating, sequencing, blending, and deleting syllables
• isolating, sequencing, blending, and deleting first, medial, and final sounds in words
• individual sounds of the English language (and strategies for teaching)
• reading with children in ways that enhance relationships as well as concepts, vocabulary, and practice with print

Participants will be able to

• Describe the overall picture and specific components of the science of learning to read.
• Describe what "sounding out words," phoneme-grapheme mapping and other terms mean, as well as how they fit into the science of learning to read.
• Support young children and older struggling readers in more accurate ways (especially as it relates to decoding print).

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L-6 Best Practices in Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners

Presenter

• Paula Velez, M.A., Education Specialist

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech Language Pathologists, School Psychologists, Administrators, Paraeducators, and Parents

Time

1.5 to 2 hours

Format

Virtual or In-person

Summary

Learning to read is a complex process, and this is no less true for the one in four California students who are English learners. This training will look at specific ways to support the literacy and language development of English learners. Topics explored will include the best practices in teaching the key components of reading – phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension – as well as two areas that are specific to the English learner: students' home language and oral language development. Finally, the distinction between language differences and learning disability will be discussed.

Participants will be able to

• Consider components of effective literacy instruction for English learners (EL's), including EL's with dyslexia or learning disabilities.
• Focus on foundational reading skills necessary for English learners.
• Learn effective strategies for building language and promoting literacy skills.
• Distinguish between language differences and learning disabilities.

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L-7 Assisting Older Struggling Readers: It's Never Too Late!

Presenter

• Jodie Dittmar, Education Specialist

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech Language Pathologists, School Psychologists, Administrators, Paraeducators, and Parents

Time

6 hours

Format

Virtual or in person

Summary

For the older struggling reader, school tasks can be laborious, frustrating, and time consuming and with little success in the end. Reasons for this may be complex, but, for many, it lies in underlying language-based literacy difficulty. The Science of Reading (both instruction and intervention) has been well-established for years. Understanding has also grown regarding social emotional impacts to the older struggling reader.

This workshop addresses evidence-based practices in reading and writing. Resources will be provided for literacy assessment and intervention, multi-tiered supports (MTSS), and both universal and individualized accommodations. Participants will gain strategies for instruction and intervention, as well as assistive technology tools to facilitate text comprehension and day to day tasks.

For additional information email Jodie Dittmar at jdittmar@dcc-cde.ca.gov.

Participants will be able to

• Outline essential elements of teaching reading.
• Consider day-to-day implementation in upper, middle, and high school settings.
• Describe the Science of Reading and consider older struggling reader needs as they relate to:
  • Phonological skills
  • Decoding and Phoneme/Grapheme Mapping
  • Reading Fluency
  • Vocabulary and Word Study
  • Reading comprehension.
• Address "learned helplessness" in the older struggling reader.
• Add to appropriate reading, writing, and MTSS resources for older students.