Webinar Wednesday: How to Move Your Entire District to Support Struggling Readers

This week's "Webinar Wednesday" brings to you a free (hooray!) upcoming webinar from Learning Ally and edweb, which discusses strategies developed by the Denver Public Schools and Learning Ally to help narrow the gap struggling readers face through the use of technology. How to Move Your Entire District to Support Struggling Readers webinar takes place on Monday, September 26, 2016 from 3pm-4pm EDT. The description below provides a more in-depth overview of what can be expected when joining the webinar. You can register at the bottom of the article.

Do you have strategies to deliver content to struggling readers in your district? A significant percent of students are at great risk of failing to meet standards, with dire consequences.

If not identified and addressed, consequences of dyslexia alone include students dropping out of school and being less able to support themselves or their families. The Knowledge and Practice Standards of the International Dyslexia Association states “reading disabilities are the most common cause of academic failure and underachievement.”

In response, Denver Public Schools and Learning Ally joined forces to find solutions to bridge this content and education gap. In this webinar, Rob Frantum-Allen (Director of Integrated Services) and Jackie Bott (Assistive Technology Coordinator) will explain how the organizations created a strategically designed model program where assistive technology (AT) is being integrated into educational efforts. They’ll discuss:

•  How ongoing tailored training of teachers and school staff helps ensure the full activation of ear reading through audiobooks
• Designing effective strategies to address needs of eligible students through Universal Design for Learning methodology
• Techniques to encourage eligible students to proactively and consistently use AT to access grade level content and achieve grade level learning

Robert Frantum-Allen currently serves as the Director of Integrated Services at Adams County School District 14 in Colorado. Robert was instrumental in Denver schools when he served as a Program Manager for many years. He also serves as adjunct professor at the University of Denver. Rob has expertise in Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning. He also has studied metacognition pertaining to student achievement. Rob is a champion for students and leads cross-functional teams to produce better outcomes.

Jackie Bott is the Assistive Technology Coordinator for Denver Public Schools. She has taught many populations of students, including elementary general education students, students with mild or moderate disabilities of all kinds, kids with severe developmental disabilities of all ages, and kids with severe social and/or emotional disabilities at the secondary level. She has a master’s degree in Research & Evaluation and is committed to research-based applications of technology in the classroom. Jackie is always looking for innovative ways to combine new technologies and strong professional development for teachers to close the achievement gap and increase positive student outcomes across all areas affecting child development and learning.

Join the Empowering Struggling Readers community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming webinars, view past webinars, take a quiz to receive a CE certificate for a past webinar, and access free resources.

REGISTER HERE JOIN THE LIVE SESSION

 Learning Ally empowers students who read and learn differently so that they may thrive. We help them to overcome obstacles and discover strengths, as we guide them along a path that ensures success.