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Be The Change: Run For Office

7/22/2020

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By guest blogger, Ed Carter, Able Futures
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Are you ready to make a change in the world? Getting elected isn’t easy, even for people who fit the stereotypical mold of a politician. So how do people with disabilities create an effective campaign? We’ll look at a few tips we hope will help motivate you and guide you down the path toward manifesting progress. 
 
Reasons for Change
 
The world was not made for everyone. All the way back through history, able-bodied and neurotypical people have left those with disabilities behind. Architecture, infrastructure, education systems—it was all made for one way of thinking and moving. Anyone who doesn’t fit that mold is essentially forced to figure it out on their own. 
 
Advocacy has helped. As The National Park Service explains, the last several decades have seen people with disabilities and allies fight for change. However, the fight isn’t over. Those with disabilities are still marginalized in employment, housing, even voting. Much still needs to be done to ensure that everyone has an equal chance at success, happiness, and safety. One extremely powerful way for us to see that change is to get people with disabilities into elected government positions. Do you have the knowledge and passion to fight for us all? If so, you should consider running for office. 
 
Looking Inward
 
How do you know if you’re right for an elected position? The first and arguably most important quality is passion. If you have a desperate desire to see the disabled community represented and cared for in government, that’s a good sign. You can build a resume and develop skills, but if you don’t have that drive and passion, you’re not going to ignite voters to care about your cause. 
 
If you feel the call to become an elected official, look at your skill set and interests and consider where you can make the biggest change. Do you have experience advocating for education reform? You can run for your region’s board of education. Have you studied accessibility in infrastructure? Throw your hat in for city planner. Look through the elected positions in your local area and see where your knowledge set fits. 
 
Take On Responsibility
 
If you haven’t already gotten involved in politics, now is the time to start. You won’t get into an elected position without a firm foundation to prove you’re ready. Volunteering, advocacy, and simply showing up gets you in the door. Specifically, you should seek opportunities to take responsibility. 

For example, if you’re involved in a group advocating for early screening in schools, offer to go to schools and speak with administration, or to speak in front of the board of education. Actively make a change before you run for office. You can make a difference, elected or not - and when you do, you can point to that to empower your campaign. 
 
Surround Yourself with Talent 
 
No elected official ever got to where they are alone. Each and every person in office has a team of effective, talented people around them who support them along the way. You’ll need that team, too. Start by hiring a campaign manager. Search for someone who has experience helping marginalized people get into office. They’ll know how to prepare for the obstacles you’ll find along the way. 
 
Next, hire people who can get your campaign seen and understood by the general population. For example, you should hire a graphic design specialist to make sure your promotional material is attractive and easy to read. Experience with disabilities should be a priority at every level - you’ll make the wrong impression if, for example, all your promotional materials use bad practices for dyslexic readers. Set the standard you want to see throughout the rest of the world in how you run your campaign.
 
Representation makes a difference. People with disabilities need to see themselves reflected in their local, state, and federal governments. If you have the skills and the passion to be the change we need, don’t wait. We need you now. 
 
Photo Credit: Pexels
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We Are All in This Together #soALLcanRead

5/12/2020

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Decoding Dyslexia Maryland joined as a mission partner with The Reading League to stand in solidarity with their mission to advance the Science of Reading into practice.  All students deserve reading instruction that is aligned to science; and for students with dyslexia, evidence aligned instruction and interventions are critical.

We support the TRL vision to align practice with the Science of Reading is as follows:
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1. Invest in knowledge-building for all educators, first and foremost.
2. Anchor reading instruction in the scientific evidence base.
3. Abandon practices that lack evidence of effectiveness for all learners.
The Reading League’s Calls to Action

The Science of Reading aims to build a community of diverse stakeholders to empower educators to better support learners.
  1. To educators: Embrace opportunities to learn about the Science of Reading, reflect upon their practice, and challenge approaches to reading instruction that are not aligned with the research evidence.
  2. School Administrators & School Boards: Prioritize professional development on the Science of Reading, for themselves and for educators, and to adopt evidence-aligned assessment and instructional practices.
  3. Schools of Education: Align coursework with the Science of Reading and foster interdisciplinary collaboration between professors of education and cognitive psychology, neuroscience, speech and language studies, and linguistics.
  4. Publishers & Professional Learning Providers: Cease promoting products that are not aligned with the Science of Reading.
  5. Policymakers: Continue to develop policy solutions that prioritize the acquisition and application of the Science of Reading in schools, and ensure that they are supported by realistic timelines and resources.
  6. Parents: Last but not least, parents and students:  please continue to advocate for the value of evidence-aligned reading instruction for all children!

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Public Education Makes Maryland's Economic Recovery Possible

5/12/2020

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Maryland State Department of Education Announces Education Recovery Plan

5/12/2020

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Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Karen Salmon, announces that schools are closed, but remote learning will continue until the close of the academic year. Dr. Salmon also released an Education Recovery Plan that includes suggestions for local school districts.
Originally posted May 6; updated May 12 to reflect the removal of "draft" from the title of the Recovery Plan and to add a summary of the Plan.

Both the State of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Education released plans on May 6 to "recover" and resume activities in a phased manner.  The major difference between the two plans: the state plan includes minimum requirements for each county that MUST be met and the 
education plan is optional for each of the 24 school districts.

Without minimum requirements, education recovery could potentially be well done or poorly done depending on local leadership and the strength of the community advocacy partnership.   Please read the plan and offer feedback.
Dr. Karen Salmon also announced that schools would be closed the remainder of the academic year but would continue learning remotely. Dr. Salmon reiterated that the Recovery Plan was not prescriptive or binding on any district nor was there a minimum level of requirement.
state of maryland roadmap to recovery
MD education REcovery plan
DDMD Summary of MD Education Recovery Plan
DDMD feedback
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Parent Nominations to the Maryland State Board of Education Now Open

11/8/2019

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Parent Position Applications Accepted through November 16, 2019 

Applications are now available for Maryland residents interested in serving as a designated parent member on the State Board of Education, as vetted through Maryland PTA.  Maryland PTA is excited to be a part of this process as we are the second state in the nation to have such an honor; the first being Massachusetts PTA.   

Maryland PTA also recognizes that not all parent advocates work through local, council or the state PTA.  Hence, parents who are not members of PTA are encouraged to apply as well.  Furthermore, we also encourage new parents of public school students who are in pre-kindergarten or kindergarten to apply.  

​In addition to the vetting process, all persons seeking to serve on a state Board must also apply via the Governor's Appointments Office at https://govappointments.maryland.gov/ and https://govapps.md.gov/appointments/apply/ 

Applicants must fill out the MDPTA application for nomination posted below.



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Baltimore County Continues to Address Professional Learning for Reading & Dyslexia

8/7/2019

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Maryland Advocates Changing Reading Instruction One District at a Time

Elizabeth Hembling, Decoding Dyslexia Maryland, thanks the Baltimore County Board of Education and BCPS administrators for providing professional learning in cognitive reading science and dyslexia interventions.

Baltimore County Public Schools is filling educator knowledge gap left open by colleges of education -- BCPS provides 60 hours of course work in the Orton Gillingham approach for hundreds of educators and the opportunity to attend Notre Dame of Maryland University Dyslexia Certificate Program. The district also is boosting teacher knowledge and practice in the essential components of reading instruction by providing coursework in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS). Ms. Hembling asks that the Board of Education support the pending contract for additional LETRS training in the district. Jump to 35:27.
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Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and The Reading League Announce Alliance to Boost Maryland's Use of Evidence Aligned Reading Instruction

7/9/2019

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Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and The Reading League Announce Alliance

Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and The Reading League are partnering to boost the use of evidence aligned reading instruction in Maryland public schools.  

The Kirwan Commission and the State of Maryland will release $312 million over the next 5 years to provide reading screening and interventions to struggling readers.  Although there are many reasons students struggle to learn to read, one important factor is instruction that is not aligned to the science of reading.  A recent podcast and national conversation on reading called "Hard Words: Why Aren't Kids Being Taught to Read" documents the problem. 

Both organizations plan to provide educators with opportunities to improve student outcomes through evidence aligned reading instruction and interventions. #knowbetterdobetter #soallcanread


Full Text of Press Release: DDMD and Reading League Alliance

Contact: Laura Schultz
Email:  decodingdyslexiamd@gmail.com
Website:www.DecodingDyslexiaMD.org
 
Contact: Toni Ann Walsh
Email:toni@thereadingleague.org
Website:www.thereadingleague.org

Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and The Reading League Announce Alliance 
Reading advocates & educators set to boost the use of evidence aligned reading instruction in Maryland public schools
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July 9, 2019, Baltimore, Maryland. Decoding Dyslexia Maryland (DDMD) and The Reading League (TRL) announced today they have formalized their strong relationship and are now Alliance Partners. DDMD and TRL share a mission to raise awareness about reading difficulties and increase the use and understanding of science-based reading instruction. By partnering, the two organizations can help provide teachers and school administrators with access to evidence-aligned reading practices so all students have the opportunity to learn to read. 

Decoding Dyslexia has raised awareness of the importance of effective reading instruction and The Reading Leagueworks with educators to boost their knowledge and skills to fulfill that mission.  “The decision to ally with The Reading League underscores Decoding Dyslexia Maryland’s commitment to closing the reading gap in Maryland,” said Karleen Spitulnik, Decoding Dyslexia Maryland State Leader.  “Too many school districts use instruction and curriculum that is not based on the science of how students learn to read -- more than half of all Maryland students struggle with reading,” she continued.  The Maryland Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, or the “Kirwan Commission,” acknowledged the gap in reading skills when they funded the $312 million “Transitional Supplemental Instruction” program where each school district is required to provide supplemental reading instruction to students who read below grade level.

The Reading League produces relevant, accessible literacy content for educators, created by some of the top literacy experts in the country.  “We feel it is imperative that DDMD help connect educators in Maryland with the extensive knowledge base offered by TRL to bridge the knowledge and practice gap in literacy instruction for educators,” said Dr. Maria Murray, Founder and CEO of The Reading League (TRL).

“The Reading League is comprised of a diverse group of professionals and advocates, all committed to improving educator knowledge of reading instruction in order to improve reading outcomes for children and adults,” explained Dr. Murray. “As a result of decades of research from a number of fields, we have the knowledge and practice needed to teach reading to educators.  Decoding Dyslexia chapters like Maryland are a perfect example of the professionals who are extending the reach of evidence aligned best practices for reading into each classroom.”

About Decoding Dyslexia Maryland 
Decoding Dyslexia Maryland (DDMD) is a grassroots movement driven by Maryland parents, educators and students concerned about reading instruction and interventions for all students, including those with dyslexia, in Maryland Public Schools. 3 minute video that includes parent, student, expert and educator reflections on the Ready to Read Act
 
About The Reading League
The Reading League is a non-profit organization that offers innovative and meaningful professional development to thousands of educators through bimonthly Live Events, and through an annual conference that features reading experts from across the US and around the globe. TRL also partners with individual schools and districts to disseminate research findings on approaches to teaching reading that achieve maximum instructional impact, and provide school-based coaches to support educators in order to refine literacy practices. For more information contact: Dr. Maria Murray, CEO of TRL at maria@thereadingleague.com. Join TRL for free by visitinghttp://www.thereadingleague.org, or like TRL’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/thereadingleague
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An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure:  Why Maryland Needs Reading Screening

3/10/2019

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A letter IN FAVOR of the Ready to Read Act – SB 734
By 
Tamara L. Karwacki
March 10, 2019
Via email
Dear Members of the Maryland Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee:
As a Maryland constituent, a resident of Baltimore County and a parent of a child who was failed by the Maryland Public School System, I am writing in support of Senate Bill 734 – the Ready to Read Act.   I understand your committee has had recent concerns focused around funding of this bill. My question to you is… how can Maryland's children afford for you to not pass this bill? Have you looked at the proficiency numbers from the Maryland Report Card website for the children you were elected to represent?

Senator Young – in Frederick County, 50.5% of third graders are not proficient in reading; and 38.4% of your county’s tenth graders will walk across the graduation stage in 2 years without the basic foundational reading skills to be successful in real life.

Senator Simonaire – in Anne Arundel County, 55.9% of third graders are not proficient readers.  And in your county, half of tenth graders are not proficient in reading (50.1%). These students should have been flagged, and provided proper interventions in elementary school.  That is not currently happening, very obviously. Employers don’t hire people who can’t read.

Senator Patterson – in Prince George’s County, 73.8% of third graders are not proficient readers.  And, 75.2% (yes 75.2%!) of your district's tenth graders are not proficient in reading and have missed their opportunity to become college and career ready.

Senator Lam – 63% of Baltimore County third graders and 66.3% of Baltimore County 10th graders are not proficient readers.  In Howard County, which is continuously praised as one of the best LEA’s in the country, only 51.4% of third graders are proficient.   And, Howard has 39.1% of tenth graders not proficient. How can Howard be the best, when they are leaving so many kids behind?

Senator Kagan – in Montgomery County, another well respected school system, i.e. “one of the best”, we have 52.4% of third graders not proficient, and 43.8% of the  tenth graders you represent will graduate unprepared for post high school due to a lack of basic reading skills.

Senator Gallion - In Cecil County, only 36.1% of your district’s third graders are proficient and less than half of your 10th graders are proficient (49.3%).  In Harford County, only 42.3% of your third graders are proficient…. And just over 50% (50.4%) of your district’s 10th graders are proficient.

Senator Ellis – in Charles County, 59.2 % of your third graders are not proficient readers.  Only 34.6% of your tenth graders are proficient. Charles County Public Schools will be graduating 65.4% of its tenth graders in 2 years without proficiency in reading.

Senator Carozza – In Wicomico County, 62.4 % of your district’s third graders are not proficient readers and 63.1 % of your tenth graders will graduate in two years without the basic reading skills that they need in life to be successful.

Senator Bailey – in St. Mary’s County, 55.7% of third graders are not proficient readers.  And, almost half (48.9%) of the county’s tenth graders are not proficient. In Calvert County, 43.7% of third graders are not proficient and 34.5% of Calvert’s tenth graders have not gained the basic reading skills necessary to navigate the world after high school.

At the time of the year that PARCC is administered to third graders, the curriculum has changed from leaning to read to reading to learn.  In all of the districts you represent, we are failing unacceptable and truly unfathomable numbers of children. In all but one of the districts you represent, we are failing more than 50% of third graders. So, I ask you, how in the world can we continue to do what we are doing when Maryland Public School systems are failing more than 50% of their students in reading and leaving them behind at the age of 10?

I ask you to look deeper into the funding. Our schools’ most basic function is to teach kids to read… but currently there are millions and millions of dollars being put into programs and curriculum that are not based on the science of reading. There is $23 million in Kirwan funding set aside for screening and supplemental reading instruction for students in K-3.  Passing the Ready to Read Act is the only way to ensure that the $23 Million earmarked for FY2020 for Transitional Supplemental Instruction is spent responsibly.   ​
Reading screening will ensure that the $312 million allocation in Kirwan for Transitional Supplemental Instruction (TSI) over 5 years is spent wisely.  There are also federal grants focused on reading which Baltimore County has successfully sought. I encourage you to call Baltimore County Public Schools and ask them how they are doing early screening and early intervention which they began in the 2015-2016 school year with screening of kindergarteners….they are using a free screener.  They did not have to find an additional 16 million dollars to do this work… they worked within their own literacy budget making it a focus to change this unacceptable trajectory for BCPS’ students. 

I encourage you to look at what school systems are spending on lawyer fees, mediation, endless hours of drawn out IEP meetings where up to 8 staff members sit around tables during the school day interrupting instruction, payment to outside providers to provide proper testing, and the cost of  non-public placement of struggling readers…. I will tell you that parents who can afford it, are hiring tutors, advocates, and lawyers, and are pulling their kids out of our public schools, many times at the expense of the public schools. Kids, who don’t have parents with the funds, are forced to stay in failure.  This is 1000% an equity issue…. Please go onto the MD Report Card website and look at subgroup scores in the areas you represent….the subgroup scores make the counties’ 50%+ “All Students” failure rates mentioned above look like shining stars.

Due to recent federal legislation, nationwide, prisoners are now being screened for reading difficulties and are then being provided evidence-based interventions. Our school aged children can’t get best practices in preventing reading failure but our prisoners are?  That will go over like a lead balloon with your constituents.

In 1999, it cost an estimated extra $6K per year to educate a child in special education than it did in the gen education classroom.  That number is now elevated. When a child is not taught to read, and they struggle in later grades, the only answer is special ed. The numbers of students who have experienced the effects of no early identification and poor first reading instruction and who are forced into special ed because there is no other option, is growing.  

My child experienced this. We removed my child from the public schools system after 3 years of back and forth trying to get him the help he needed. When we left the Public School system at the end of third grade (at a blue ribbon school mind you), he was a shut down learner, hated school and had lost all self-confidence. Today, after 3 ½ years at a private dyslexia school, he is successful, happy, learning and his future is bright.  I am advocating for this bill and have been active in reading advocacy since we moved my son out almost 4 years ago, because I truly believe it’s not right that a child can succeed only when parents have the income to help. I am sure we can all agree that becoming a successful reader should not depend on zip code, skin color or affluence, yet our LEA’s prove currently, that it does. 


We know what best practices are …they are represented in this bill.  If you don’t understand why this needs to pass, I encourage you to reach out and learn before you make your decision.  This bill has the support of so many educational related groups, organizations, senators, delegates, teachers, BOE’s, administrators, educators and parents, because the status quo of reading in MD is not acceptable.  Not passing the Ready to Read act as members of the Senate committee in charge of educational bills, surely does not compute. I urge you to do your homework, look at the numbers, call BCPS and speak to the Superintendent who has made literacy a key focus of her system and who is implementing best practice screening and intervention across the 25th largest school system in the country…. this is not a cost issue.
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We must turn this around….we must.  Or, we will pay much more for it later…in social welfare programs, prison, and lack of a productive citizenship in our State.  There is no one who can justify 50% failure rates of third graders in Maryland… no one. Please do what our children, the children you were elected to represent, need…

Pass the Ready to Read Act, as written.
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It was Dyslexia. Dyslexia. Dyslexia.  Megan's Story

10/17/2018

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School: "Maybe Megan can't read because she can't focus."

MOM:  "Maybe Megan can't focus because she can't read."

“Megan is now in 4th grade. She could have been screened in Kindergarten. She could have been placed into a proper reading program right away instead of bouncing around several programs over four years.

​I don’t blame her K, 1st, and 2nd grade teachers. Teacher preparation programs must teach teachers about dyslexia interventions and screening.  I never want another student or family to have to go through what we have gone through to get a child the correct and proper reading program that they need in order to be successful and confident in school, and in life.” 
Megan's mother.


In 2014, Megan went to Kindergarten. She had a wonderful teacher who gave her confidence and a wonderful first year in school. My smart, sweet child was put in a “Speedy Speech” program and a Fundations reading group. Megan was still struggling. Her Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) score was a 0. Her Fountas & Pinnell score was still an A (lowest level). How could a child who was so smart, who was doing well in all other areas of school, not be able to read?

In 2015, Megan’s first grade teacher and reading specialist met with me during conferences. At this point Megan had been in several different reading programs. According to her data she was not progressing. I was told that Megan “is a sweet child but besides her reading issues, they were worried about attention issues.” Within a week following the meeting, Megan was seen by her pediatrician and began a low dose of ADHD medicine to control her “attention.” 

In January 2016 we had our first IEP meeting.  Megan’s first grade teacher stated that while Megan’s attentiveness in class had improved greatly, her reading performance had not. Megan was referred for a comprehensive education evaluation, and her results showed significant deficits for reading fluency, reading comprehension, phonics, and writing.  She received an IEP label of “Multiple Disabilities and OHI.”
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The multiple disabilities were Specific Learning Disabilities about reading. I was confused. I knew she specifically had Dyslexia. Why weren’t we saying that word? After the IEP meeting, I asked the Special  Educator about that. “Megan has Dyslexia, correct?” She replied with “Oh definitely. But we can’t use that word on the IEP.”

For over 3 years I knew my daughter had Dyslexia when no one else did or was willing to admit. I have read up on Dyslexia and Wilson Reading Systems. So what next? I had no choice but to continue. I hired an advocate and Megan was to be re-assessed. 

April 2018.  Finally, 3 years after figuring out that Megan had Dyslexia, the school agreed with me. Her IEP says “Specific Learning Disability: Dyslexia”. The IEP team had Megan placed into the Wilson Reading System in April 2018  -- the same reading program I have had her tutored in since 2015. 

By Kathleen Khoury, Megan's Mom
Harford County
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Unbalanced Literacy: The Fight to Read

10/5/2018

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Casualties of the Reading War
Very few schools use the appropriate balance of literacy components to teach reading, which is what is inherently wrong with the term "Balanced Literacy." If reading teachers, and especially special educators, are not given the support and tools they need to teach any one of the literacy components they are supposed to balance, that is unbalanced literacy.
By Marilyn Zecher, former secondary school classroom teacher, Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland and Certified Academic Language Therapist

The opinion piece in The Washington Post on the Reading Wars gets a lot right; but some practitioners of “balanced” literacy get some things wrong. (Also see the comment section of the article.)
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  • “Balanced Literacy” can work IF it is truly balanced. The National Reading Panel recommended “healthy doses of explicit phonics instruction and comprehension based instruction,” which the article acknowledges.

  • Many of the failures of reading instruction can be traced to the reluctance of educators or districts to fully accept, and then explicitly and systematically teach, the decoding/phonics components of “Balanced” Literacy. This is especially true of syllable and structural components of language which are essential for older students who struggle.

  • Many school districts do not provide explicit phonics instruction which IS part of a “balanced” literacy approach. Some schools and districts may teach sound symbol correspondence and single small word decoding but neglect to teach the larger structural elements of English, syllables, syllable division and morphology.

  • Additionally, many districts do NOT teach skills like phonics or language structure after 3rd grade because the standards (like Maryland) indicate that those skills should be well established by then. Some students were never adequately taught basic skills like decoding, especially syllable types and syllable division, as outlined in Appendix A of the Maryland College & Career Readiness Standards (MCCRS). Teachers in secondary reading programs may not have been provided the knowledge base needed to ensure students receive effective interventions.

  • When older students fail to read on grade level because they lack basic reading skills, many districts refuse to include basic skills instruction in interventions or include it in “response to intervention frameworks,” thus perpetuating and compounding reading failure.

  • People in the field of dyslexia and reading difficulties have long understood that comprehension-building skills must be taught; for students to be successful readers, comprehension must build on a solid footing of core skills: decoding, syllable patterns and division, vocabulary knowledge, and accurate and fluent word recognition.

  • Without the core skill knowledge, students who struggle with reading and students with reading disabilities like dyslexia will have difficulty decoding words. Comprehension for independent reading depends on a 95% accuracy rate in decoding or word recognition which many “Balanced” Literacy proponents do not accept. (See: Reading Rockets-Fluency)
    ​We MUST teach the structure of English language to students - this approach, also known as Structured Literacy, includes phonemic awareness, phonics, syllable structure and division, morphology/spelling/vocabulary, syntax/grammar, and semantic/meaning/comprehension skills. Competency in the structural elements of language leads to accurate and rapid decoding known as fluency which frees the mind to focus on comprehension.

  • Very few schools use the appropriate balance of literacy components to teach reading, which is what is inherently wrong with the term "Balanced Literacy." If reading teachers, and especially special educators, are not given the support and tools they need to teach any one of the literacy components they are supposed to balance, that is unbalanced literacy.

  • In a conversation with the head of a university reading program, I was told that only graduate students could "elect" to take a course in the phonology and structure of the English language. Pre-service teachers and special educators were not expected to acquire that knowledge, nor were they offered a choice to take a course which is central to providing effective, evidence-based instruction and appropriate intervention.
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  • “Balanced” Literacy is a worthy and achievable goal, but educators need to know both the principles and elements of evidence based instruction for phonics and comprehension based approaches to achieve success.
#DyslexiaAwareness
#earlyID
#soAllCanRead
​#addressdyslexia
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