evidence-based Archives - Decoding Dyslexia CA

Does your school district want to learn more about dyslexia? Don’t miss these five free dyslexia webinars for CA school districts co-sponsored by Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) and Glean Education.

DDCA Leaders recently connected with LACOE, and we are impressed with their lineup of upcoming dyslexia webinars. Each webinar is targeted for a specific audience within your school district. District staff can sign up for all five webinars or just the webinars that they are interested in. A recorded version is available for those who pre-register but are unable to attend the live version. You must be employed by a CA local education agency to register for these free webinars. Please share with your local school district. There are limited spots so pre-register today.

“Quality reading instruction is pivotal in both teaching young learners to access the code, but also in diagnosing issues that students may have. We’re seeking to raise educator awareness in understanding the scope of dyslexia and all of its complexities, while giving tools and strategies for them to address these issues and provide targeted, ongoing supports.”

-Leslie Zoroya, RLA Coordinator, Los Angeles County Office of Education

Here are the links to each of the Dyslexia series webinars (times are PST):

Understanding & Recognizing Dyslexia: What CA Educators Need to Know
Jan. 13, 2021, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Audience: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Coaches, Administrators

Screening for Dyslexia: What School Leaders Need to Know
Feb. 23, 2021, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Audience: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Coaches, Administrators

Implementing Intervention for Students with Dyslexia: What Teachers Need to Know
March 17, 2021, 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Audience: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Coaches, Administrators

Accommodating Students with Dyslexia in the Middle & High School Classroom: What Teachers Need to Know
April 14, 2021, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Audience: Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Secondary Administrators, Instructional Coaches

Assessing & Supporting Dyslexia: What School Psychologists Need to Know
May 12, 2021, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Audience: School Psychologists, Administrators, Instructional Coaches

Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) launched its very own podcast in 2020 for the purpose of engaging in literacy conversations that both inspire and instruct. In the first eleven episodes, experts from the field of reading and dyslexia, including Maryanne Wolf, Louisa Moats, Elizabeth Jimenez Salinas, Emily Hanford, and others joined co-hosts Leslie Zoroya, Coordinator of Reading Language Arts, and Mara Shinn Smith, Senior Program Specialist for LACOE.

DDCA Co-Directors Lori DePole and Megan Potente and Assistant Director Rachel Hurd recently met with Leslie Zoroya to talk about the podcasts and the exciting professional development her team is offering to Los Angeles County school districts on the topic of evidence-based instruction, which benefits all and is crucial for students with dyslexia. Included in their offerings is a “Getting Reading Right” consortium that provides ongoing training to teachers on how to bring the science of reading into their classrooms. LACOE hopes to be able to expand this consortium to all interested County Offices of Education in the near future.

Listen in to Leading Literacy, a learning community dedicated to advancing literacy in Los Angeles and the world!

“The research is very clear on what reading teachers should be addressing and we know that teaching explicit, systematic, and direct instruction in early foundational reading skills is crucial. It’s really an equity issue-when a student can’t read or read well, we know this can hinder a child’s success for a lifetime. Our goal is to build teacher knowledge in the science of reading so every teacher is equipped to provide this kind of instruction and can ensure that reading difficulties are diagnosed early and appropriate interventions enacted. We really do believe that it is possible to get reading right and are committed to doing all we can to support teachers in this effort.”

-Leslie Zoroya, RLA Coordinator, Los Angeles County Office of Education