All titles are available on-site and by request as of 07/01/11
to members of the Region 10 Professional Development Cooperative
Full-Day Sessions (6.0 CPEs)
Cursive Handwriting: Complying with the ELAR TEKS (2-4)
In this session, participants will explore the benefits of cursive handwriting, especially for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties. Participants will learn how handwriting can improve spelling skills, written composition, and self-confidence. Teachers will reap the benefits as student handwriting becomes more legible.
Dyslexia Assessment: The Process (K-12)
This session will outline Dyslexia State Law, State Board of Education Rule, and procedures for assessment of dyslexia from The Dyslexia Handbook ~ Revised 2007. Also covered will be areas to assess, the meaning of collected data, and the profile of a typical dyslexic student. Dyslexia and how it links to the Section 504 process, as well as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will also be discussed.
Dyslexia: District Procedures for Revising District and Campus Plans (K-12)
Dyslexia State Law §TEC 38.003, and State Board of Education Rule §TAC 74.28 outline procedures for the identification, placement, and instruction of students with dyslexia. This session will help districts to understand the requirements for developing district procedures for dyslexia, and it will assist participants in revising district protocols that are already in place.
LETRS - Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (District must provide materials for any of the following seven LETRS modules.)
1) The Alphabetic System: Exploring Spelling/English Orthography (K-6)
English orthography uses twenty-six alphabet letters. An English grapheme (letter) may have as many as four letters that map to only one phoneme (sound), making spelling English harder than reading English. This session will assist participants in identifying why English orthography is one of the most challenging alphabetic systems. Misunderstood principles of English orthography (spelling) will be explored. Rethinking what goes into learning to write and how best to teach beginning writing to children in grades K-2 will be outlined. Contrasting children's writing to that of adults, using a rubric to describe children's writing to estimate their instructional needs, examining the relationship between writing skill development and composition quality, considering the differences between written and spoken language, and structuring writing tasks are the focus of this hands-on session. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) by Louisa Moats content and workbook will be used.
2) Beginning Spelling and Writing (K-2)
Rethinking what goes into learning to write and how best to teach beginning writing to children in grades K-2 will be outlined. Contrasting children's writing to that of adults, using a rubric to describe children's writing to estimate their instructional needs, examining the relationship between writing skill development and composition quality, considering the differences between written and spoken language, and structuring writing tasks are the focus of this hands-on session. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) by Louisa Moats content and workbook will be used.
3) The Four P's of Phonological Awareness: Phonological Processing, Phonetics, Phonemic Awareness and Phonics (K-6)
Linguistic differentiation between phonological processing, phonetics, phoneme awareness, and phonics will be outlined including detailing how the phonological progression unfolds from recognizing rhyme through phoneme segmenting, blending, and manipulation. The 44 consonant and vowel sounds will be taught. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) by Louisa Moats content and workbook will be used.
4) Reaching Tweens and Teens: The Reading and Writing Connection (5-12)
This session is for middle and high school teachers who wish to learn specific procedures for teaching reading comprehension through skill and strategy instruction that involves written responses. The focus will be for participants to: review the causes of reading comprehension difficulties, know the research consensus on teaching reading comprehension, understand the importance of vocabulary knowledge for comprehension, explore text structure, learn to implement a model for comprehension strategy instruction, and plan for school-wide support of routines and study strategies. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) by Louisa Moats content and workbook will be used.
5) Strategies for Comprehending Text: From the Basic to the Complex (2-6)
Comprehension is determined by a number of factors: the text itself, verbal ability and background knowledge of the reader, the circumstances under which reading is conducted, and the purpose and nature of the reading assignment. Selected strategies supported by research will be explored. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) by Louisa Moats content and workbook will be used.
6) Syllabication and Advanced Decoding for Dyslexic Students (4-12)
Evaluating one's own knowledge of word structure is the first step in understanding and articulating word structure and decoding. Anglo-Saxon, Norman French, Latin, and Greek historical layers to English will be reviewed. Phoneme-grapheme mapping to single-syllable words, and identification, categorization, and combining the six predictable syllable structures in written English (and the exceptions) will be explored. Lessons for teaching will be practiced. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) by Louisa Moats content and workbook will be used.
7) Vocabulary: What Every Dyslexia Teacher Should Know (3-8)
Word meanings are multi-faceted and learned from direct definition and exposure to contextual use, and vocabulary knowledge is essential for reading comprehension. A strong vocabulary predicts strong phonology understanding. Vocabulary development, analysis of semantic features in words, word structure, and instructional planning will be outlined during this session. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) by Louisa Moats content and workbook will be used.
Multisensory Grammar by Neuhaus (2-12) (District must provide workbook materials.)
Participants will learn sequential steps in teaching sentence construction and multisensory methods for teaching the eight parts of speech. This session is for elementary regular education teachers, elementary and secondary special education teachers, educational therapists, and dyslexia specialists.
Parent Information Sessions (K-12)
§TAC 74.28 (State Board of Education Rule) (h) each school district shall provide a parent education program for parents/guardians of students with dyslexia and related disorders. This session will provide awareness of characteristics of dyslexia and related disorders, information on testing and diagnosis of dyslexia, information on effective strategies for teaching dyslexic students, and awareness of information on modification, especially modification allowed for standardized testing.
Scientific Spelling by Neuhaus (K-8) (District must provide workbook materials.)
Participants will learn reliable spelling patterns of the English language, the major spelling rules, and a multisensory procedure for permanently memorizing irregular words. Scientific Spelling supplements any state-adopted spelling textbook, and this session is for elementary regular education teachers elementary and secondary special education teachers, educational therapists, and dyslexia specialists.
What Every General Education Teacher Needs To Know About Dyslexia (K-12) NEW
Welcome to Dyslexia 101 for the general education teacher. The degree of difficulty dyslexic individuals have with reading, spelling, and writing varies from student to student. In this workshop, participants will receive an overview of dyslexia including the characteristics, facts and misconceptions, as well as an examination of basic laws and rules that govern what we do in Texas. Participants will also engage in a dyslexia simulation to help them better understand the challenges students with dyslexia face.
After School Specials (3.0 CPEs)
(Two-hour face-to-face with a pre and post online learning experience)
Supporting Students with Dyslexia in Regular Education Classrooms (K-12) NEW
This workshop will focus on best practices proven to support students with dyslexia in the regular education classroom, explore practical instructional strategies, and offer appropriate accommodations to ensure success for all students.
Power Planning Period (1.0 CPE)
(45-60 minute face-to-face mini-workshop)
Dyslexia Plans: Planning, Reviewing, and Revising (K-12) NEW
Dyslexia State Law §TEC 38.003 and State Board of Education Rule §TAC 74.28 outline procedures for the identification, placement, and instruction of students with dyslexia. This session will help districts to understand the requirements for developing district procedures for dyslexia, or it will assist participants in revising district protocols that are already in place.