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VDOE Dyslexia Activities

Current Initiatives
Guidelines - Virginia's Guidelines for Educating Students with Specific Learning
Disabilities (PDF) The guidelines serve as resource for teachers and administrators
as they address the educational needs of students with a specific learning disability
(LD). These guidelines offer an overview of best practices for educating individuals
with LD. Parents of children with LD may find this document useful as well. Dyslexia
is addressed and instructional best practices are provided. The guidance document
was posted to VDOEs website October 2013.
Accessible Instructional Materials of Virginia (AIM-VA) Successful people
with dyslexia report using alternate print formats such as text-to-speech software
and dynamic technology enhancement features (digital enlarging, highlighting,
etc.) to make print more easy to navigate and to learn content, similar to options
used by people who are visually impaired.
VDOE directed AIM-VA to market the services on behalf of students with a
print disability due to an organic dysfunction (i.e., dyslexia, minimal brain
dysfunction, etc.).
VDOE is offering additional funds to school divisions to reimburse them for
the required medical certification costs for students to qualify for the
instructional materials from AIM-VA.
VCU Lecture on Dyslexia VDOE staff attended the 4th Annual Ruth Harris
Professorship lecture, Six Major Issues Confronting the Field of Learning
Disabilities by Dr. H. Lee Swanson, University of California, hosted by Dr. Paul
Gerber at VCU (February 25, 2014).
Schools in Improvement VDOE is providing additional funds ( $2 million) to
address the requirements of the school improvement for Non-Title 1 schools. Use of
the funds includes addressing reading instruction using a multisensory instructional
approach. A link to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Matrix of
Multisensory Structured Language Programs is provided as a resource.
Partnerships Partnerships are formed with private professional organizations,
entrepreneurs, parent and advocacy groups to systematically address reported
concerns and needs.

Reading Network Expansion- Special education instructional and TTAC staffs


are engaging with VDOEs English instruction office staff to collaborate in
providing a teacher professional development institute for both special
education and general education participants. Priority will be given to
schools in improvement who did not meet their AMOs for student with
disabilities. Topics to be included:
o Beyond PALS-recognizing the characteristics of dyslexia and additional
screening options, and
o Multisensory instructional practices including LETRS (Language
Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling). Over the last two
years, 6 of 12 modules have been presented by a national certified

Dyslexia Briefing Paper (1/26/15)

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VDOE Dyslexia Activities


trainer. Approximately 60 teachers from school improvement schools
and TTAC staff have received training. LETRS professional
development is based in the science of reading, prepares educators to
diagnose why some students fail to learn to read, spell, or write, and
provides strategies and activities that can be implemented
immediately.

DyslexiaEd http://www.dyslexiaed.com/ - As a result of supporting the


Sparktop assemblies, the VDOE purchased a state subscription for each
school division to have unlimited access to this new Website. This site
includes interviews with successful students and adults with dyslexia, who
offer advice to children and their parents. A meeting was held (February 27,
2014) for VDOE instruction, special education, teacher education
representatives, and TTAC staff to introduce a teacher training series
addressing dyslexia developed by Rob Langston, DyslexiaEds CEO.

Advocacy Groups - Meetings have occurred and are ongoing with private
school providers, professional advocacy organizations, and political action
advocacy groups:
o New Community School
o Virginia International Dyslexia Association
o Decoding Dyslexia
o Literate Nation

TTAC Work Related to Dyslexia TTACs have staff with experience and training
in LD and reading who comprise a network led by the VDOE LD specialist.

The TTAC reading network staff and the VDOE staff attended the LETRS
(Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) training. VDOE is
exploring having selected TTAC staff become certified trainers.
Multisensory and specific reading interventions are provided as a result of
requests from schools as part of their improvement plans. An example is
middle schools working on structured/multisensory approach to syllable
types, moving to morphology (use of the Strategic Instruction Model SIM
Word Mapping routine).
Multisensory Structured Language Teaching (MSLT) series and articles:
o February/March 2013 Newsletter Article to Introduce MSLT Series
Online
http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/resources/articles/teachtechniqu
e/multisensorystructuredlanguage/index.php
o May/June 2013 Newsletter Supplementary Article to MSLR (updated
and reprinted September/October 2013 Newsletter)
http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/resources/articles/teachtechniqu
e/instructionalsequence/index.php
Webinar Series (97 registered users, 1,284 hits on this webinar series ) Multisensory Structured Language Instruction and Teaching Series,
http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/resources/webinar/languageinstruction/i
ndex.php
Library resources

Dyslexia Briefing Paper (1/26/15)

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VDOE Dyslexia Activities

Maintain resources and information from IDA National Conference and


Virginia Branch of the International Dyslexia Association.
Staff member trained in Wilson Reading System at Virginia Tech TTAC. Wilson
Reading System support is provided to local school division upon request.
Wilson Reading System provides multisensory structured language programs
and strategies with fidelity to successfully teach reading and spelling to the
targeted student populations. The Orton-Gillingham philosophy of reading
instruction and phonological coding research form the basis of Wilson
Reading System.
TTAC staff joined teachers participated in the Orton-Gillingham Approach to
Teaching Dyslexic Children at Riverside School. The course offers applied
practice and mentoring, and was recommended by the advocacy groups,
Decoding Dyslexia and Literate Nation. This 49 hour Orton-Gillingham
introductory course provides participants with instruction in the basics of the
Orton-Gillingham approach. The Orton-Gillingham approach is a systematic,
multisensory and diagnostic/prescriptive approach to the teaching of
language skills including reading, spelling and handwriting. The course
includes the characteristics and needs of the dyslexic learner, instruction in
the structure of the English language, and instruction in designing and
implementing lessons. (Dates: June 16 July 3, 2014 Costs: $600, plus $50
deposit/per participant)

Proposed Initiatives
Virtual Course for Teachers: Working with the Community College Workforce
Alliance, VDOE is planning to provide leadership and support for, a virtual/blended
course for continuing education units (CEUs) for general and special educators. The
course will be based on the Orton-Gillingham Academy standards for classroom
educators. The training covers use of the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading
remediation in classroom settings (elementary and secondary). The start-up year,
summer 2015, will provide a financial incentive for teachers to enroll. Ongoing
support is in the planning process for colleges and universities to offer a certificate
program in structured literacy.
Assessment/Praxis Preparation: Development and implement an
Assessment/Praxis Preparation institute incorporating the Orton-Gillingham
Academy standards for special education pre-service and provisionally certified
teachers to prepare for the Reading for Virginia Educators (RVE) assessment.

Dyslexia Briefing Paper (1/26/15)

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