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View a welcome message to participants from Dr. Musselwhite!
Literacy for All: Practical Strategies for Teaching Students with
Multiple ChallengesFeaturing Dr. Caroline Musselwhite, CCC-SLP
The primary goal of this project is to provide teachers and instructional support staff with the tools, techniques, and confidence to provide high-quality literacy instruction to severely impacted students with complex motor and communication needs - drawing upon best practices in the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and other adaptive tools and methods.
During each follow-up web session, Caroline will share a new strategy or tool that educators can take away and try with their students. The strategies build upon one another and our goal is to divide the content in a way that ensures implementation is doable (versus overwhelming participants with two many new strategies all at one time). The online sessions also provide educations with an opportunity to share what they've tried, to celebrate successes, and to problem-solve with Caroline and the other participants.
We recognize that educators often struggle in knowing where to start and what to do in providing reading and writing instruction for children and students with complex, multiple disabilities. This project is designed to help!
Literacy instruction is often neglected for students who are not able to communicate effectively using speech. In education, we often make the mistake of presuming that students who are "too low", too limited in their use of speech, or too motor impaired cannot benefit from literacy instruction - or that literacy simply isn't a priority.
Yet as David Yoder, Ph.D. (Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at UNC) states, “No student is too anything to be able to read and write.” Our students with multiple challenges and complex communication and motor needs can and do benefit from literacy instruction. Caroline Musselwhite is a passionate advocate for "Literacy for All" who understands the tools and techniques that work for this population.
Project Description
A group of educators and specialists will come together to participate in face-to-face and web-based training and professional dialogue with Dr. Musselwhite. The training sequence is as follows:
December 5, 2018, 3:30 PM: "Assessment: Setting the Stage for Literacy Instruction" (video conference/Zoom - 75 min)
January 9, 2019: "LITERACY FOR ALL" (face-to-face full-day overview of essential concepts - at Columbia Regional Program)
8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Literacy for All Cohort meets with Dr. Musselwhite from 3:15 - 4:15 p.m.
Caroline's Dropbox link with all the great files of resources: https:/tinyurl.com/EmergentLit
*Also remember to accept your invitation to the Workplace Forum for Success Stories and discussions
January 16, 2019: "Alternative Pencils and the Alphabet" (3:30 to 4:45 via video conference/Zoom - 75 minutes)
Alternative Pencil and Alphabet PowerPoint slides
February 11, 2019 (Monday) "Phonological Awareness and Predictable Chart Writing" (via video conference/Zoom - 3:30 to 4:45)
Phonological Awareness/Predictable Chart Writing slides
BONUS! March 5, 2019: LIVE Presentation with Caroline "Phonics" (Live - Cohort only, 5:00 - 7:00 PM) CHANGED TIME!
Columbia Regional Program - dinner and take-away Literacy tool "goodie bags"
April 3, 2019 "Shared Reading" (via video conference/Zoom - 3:30 - 4:45, 75 minutes)
Shared Reading Dropbox: http://bit.ly/AACBooks
Project Core Shared Reading Observation
April 17, 2019 "Generative Writing" (via video conference/Zoom - 3;30 - 4:45, 75 minutes)
Dropbox: https://tinyurl.com/EmergentLit
Emergent Writing Slides
May 1, 2019 "Self-Directed Story Listening" (via video conference/Zoom - 3:30 - 4:45, 75 minutes)
Independent/Self Directed Reading
Have questions? Email Deborah Lesher at dlesher@pps.net
(Note: If you are interested in attending only the one-day conference on January 9th "Literacy for All" presentation, this event will be posted to the CRP website where participants can register. We will send a notification when registration opens in mid-to-late November)
Resources
Dropbox: https://tinyurl.com/EmergentLit
What is an alternative pencil?
What is predictable chart writing?
