Dyslexia 101
Sonequa Reeves, M.Ed
sreevesids@gmail.com
216-359-1044
Course Description: According to the Dyslexia Center of Utah, one in five students , or 15-20% of the population has a language based learning disability. Dyslexia is the most common of language-based learning disabilities.
This course will introduce you to some practical ways you can help your struggling readers become proficient readers! This class will focus on Sally Shaywitz’s amazing and practical book, Overcoming Dyslexia. This book is guaranteed to change the way you see your students as readers, and it will engage you in a powerful, informative, engaging, and classroom-relevant text. You will learn how to recognize indicators of dyslexia in any age student, the science behind dyslexia research, and give you new tools to help your students become stronger readers.
Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, participants will have:
- Explored and become familiar with how your brain works to read.
- Explored and become familiar with symptoms of dyslexia.
- Built background knowledge about effective instructional strategies for teaching reading to all students.
- Gained strategies to turn struggling readers into effective readers.
Required Text: Overcoming Dyslexia (2020 edition): second edition
ISBN#9780679781592
By Shaywitz M.D., Sally Vintage
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Assignment #1: Introduction & Reasons for taking the course
- Introduce yourself, where you teach, what you teach and how long you have been teaching and demographics of the students you teach.
- Tell me about your family, pets, hobbies, anything that would help me know you better.
- Talk about the things you love about teaching.
- Discuss one of the challenges you are facing with your students.
- Share about your background information / knowledge about Dyslexia
- What are three things you hope to learn from this class?
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Assignment #2: Introduction to Dyslexia
- Watch the following YouTube Video entitled: “Advice for Parents” Dyslexia Advice for Parents
- Imagine that a parent asked you about the video. Share your thoughts with them by writing a 1-2 double space paper summarizing her important advice to parents.
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Assignment #3: The Nature of Reading & Dyslexia
- Read Chapters 3-5 in Overcoming Dyslexia (pages 25-60)
- Take Notes on a T-Chart Provided in Google Classroom
- Watch a short You Tube Video With Ryann describing her experience at school with dyslexia. Dyslexia- The Struggle Through School
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Assignment #4: Reading and the Brain
- Read Chapters 6 & 7 in Overcoming Dyslexia (pages 61-88)
- Create an engaging 4-5 slide Google Slide provided for you in Google Classroom: titled, How the Brain Reads. The Google Slide presentation should be geared towards sharing with students, parents, and colleagues. The presentation should explain the basics of what happens in the brains of dyslexic readers.
- Resource: Dyslexia and the Brain
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Assignment #5: Diagnosing Dyslexia Part I
- Read Chapters 8-11 in Overcoming Dyslexia (pages 89-138)
- Resource: What are the early warning signs of dyslexia?
- Create a public service announcement that shares the early signs of Dyslexia Include the following:
- Graphics , texts, and things you have learned from reading & watching videos.
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Assignment #6: Diagnosing Dyslexia Part II
- Read Chapters 12-15 in Overcoming Dyslexia (pages 139-189)
- Write a four page double space paper outlining the signs of dyslexia at each of the following stages ( a page per stage):
- Preschool Years
- Kindergarten-First Grade
- Second Grade-High School
- Young Adults & Adults
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Assignment #7: All Children Can Be Taught To Read
- Read Chapters 16-17 in Overcoming Dyslexia (pages 197-223).
- Resource: What Is Phonological Awareness? page 208 defines Phonological Awareness the video gives examples
- Create a Google Slide® Presentation that describes the critical components of helping students break “the reading code” 5 slide minimum / slides provided
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Assignment #8: Helping Children Learn to Read
- Read Overcoming Dyslexia Chapters 18-19 (pages 224-274)
- Write a 1-2 Double page paper on how you can support at risk readers. Use the following resources to assist:
- Chapters 18-19 Overcoming Dyslexia
- Article: Kids Can’t Wait : Strategies to Support Struggling Readers
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Assignment #9: Turning Struggling Readers into Proficient Readers
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Assignment #10: Choosing a School
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Assignment #11: Solutions for Dyslexia
- Read Overcoming Dyslexia Chapters 26-29 (pages 359-418)
- Resource: https://www.dys-add.com/videos/dyslexiaSymptomsSolutions
- _Part04.html Gifts of Dyslexia
- Create a 5-8 Google Slide Presentation that highlights the gifts of dyslexia gear towards colleagues, students or parents. Google Slides will be provided for you inside of Google Classroom®
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Assignment #12: Making It Work For the Dyslexic Child & Adult
- Read Overcoming Dyslexia Chapters 30-33 (pages 419-488).
- In a 2-4 Double page paper analyze your strengths and areas of growth as a teacher when reflecting on all you have learned during this course
- Focus on what you are currently doing as a teacher that supports all the learners in your classroom
- Areas you want to improve on or implement new strategies to meet your students’ needs.
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Assignment #13 : Making It Work For the Dyslexia Child/Adult ( No Classroom)
- Read Overcoming Dyslexia Chapters 30-33 (pages 419-488).
- Adapt/create several lessons with accommodations for your dyslexic
students to reflect what you’ve learned in this course. (Do not implement it.)
- Write a 500+ word article concerning any noteworthy success you’ve
had as a teacher with one or more students who struggle with dyslexia.
- Submit via Google Classroom® Learning Management System
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