COPAA announces Webinar Training Series on Reading

Announcing COPAA’s Inaugural Webinar Series: Understanding Reading: Development, Assessment, and Instruction - A Four Part Webinar Series

In this four part series Dr. Holden and Dr. Farrall will introduce participants to the stages of reading development, issues related to reading assessment and the principles of direct, systematic multisensory instruction.

They will review how reading skills develop in typical learners with the struggle experienced by those with educational disabilities and dyslexia; and will discuss the role of Response to Intervention (RTI) in designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions.

Part One: Learning to Read - Thursday, June 25, 2009 2:00 – 3:30 pm (Eastern)

Participants will learn about the oral language foundation for reading, and how young children acquire the rules for phonics based upon their awareness of sound patterns in words. Dr. Farrall will discuss the significance of delays in the acquisition of basic reading skills and how to use current research to advocate for instruction that will be effective for children of all ages with reading challenges.

Part Two: Reading to Learn - Thursday, July 9, 2009 2:00 – 3:30 pm (Eastern)

Dr. Holden will continue the discussion of how reading develops. Building on the skills addressed in Part One, Dr, Holden will discuss the importance of reading fluency as a necessary skill for reading comprehension. She will also discuss the higher-level language skills (vocabulary, sentence structure, and inferential thinking) that contribute to a deep understanding of text. Participants will learn about current research in fluency and reading comprehension as a means of better understanding the needs of young readers.

Part Three: Assessment - Tuesday, July 14, 2009 2:00 – 3:30 pm (Eastern)
Children with reading difficulty vary in their profiles as readers and in their instructional needs. What works for one child may not be appropriate for another. A good reading assessment will provide a foundation for establishing current skills level, making decisions regarding appropriate types of remedial programs, scoring systems, and documenting progress. Participants will learn about the components of a comprehensive reading evaluation, scoring systems, and how to relate performance on reading tests to the writing of IEPs and remedial instruction.

Part Four: Direct, Systematic Multisensory Instruction – Tuesday, July 21, 2009 2:00 – 3:30 pm (Eastern)

Much misunderstanding surrounds the definition of multisensory instruction and this seminar will not only dispel many myths but also clarify what multisensory reading instruction means. Teaching the concepts that serve as a structure to the English language is just as important as teaching the letters themselves. The very basic concepts will be discussed and participants will see how these concepts become part of a true multisensory reading lesson. Some direct modeling of steps in a multisensory reading lesson will be included.