Dive Brief:
- MindPlay has unveiled a new online professional development program that gives K-12 educators strategies for spotting and teaching dyslexic students.
- According to eSchool News, 10% of the nation is dyslexic and 20 states have legislation in place that requires teachers to complete training on how to deal with the disability.
- Understanding Dyslexia offers educators the opportunity to earn three hours of continuing education credit.
Dive Insight:
While 10% of the nation may have dyslexia, EdSurge reports that as much as 20% has a language-based disability. This means one in five students is affected by a literacy-hindering disability. Just because an educator knows how to teach reading doesn't necessarily mean they are equipped to help students with dyslexia, and programs like Understanding Dyslexia aim to remedy that.
The need for such training has never been more crucial. According to eSchool News, nearly a quarter of students with learning disabilities drop out of school. This fact is why students with disabilities have been lumped into the category of students who are at high risk for being pulled into the school-to-prison pipeline. For example, in October, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reported that an estimated third of students entering the juvenile justice system has an emotional or learning disability.
Some other suggestions for students suffering from disabilities like dyslexia? Tablets and digital readers. Accessible Instruction Materials (AIM) — braille, audio, large print, and digital text in a Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) format — are considered to be great resources for districts looking for dyslexia-friendly options.