Reading is the foundation for success in all academic areas, and when students struggle with reading, it has a profound impact on their entire educational journey. This is why the recent focus on dyslexia and reading risk, particularly with the implementation of California’s screening law, is so vital. Finding the right tools for reading is essential for these students.With the recent implementation of California’s new screening law for reading risk and characteristics of dyslexia, schools and educators face both challenges and opportunities. Here at Learning Ally, a national nonprofit with a 75-year legacy of supporting students with reading difficulties, we are deeply invested in partnering with schools and teachers to ensure a smooth and effective implementation of these new screening requirements. In a recent webinar, Dr. Terrie Noland and Dr. Sarah Brown provided practical guidance, shared best practices, and offered actionable strategies to help unlock literacy for every student.
Some key takeaways from this webinar included how to think about required screening laws, how to implement effective literacy support for students found to have dyslexia, and how to leverage tools like audiobooks to bridge the gap for struggling readers in a supportive school environment.
Screening is Essential to Identify Students with Reading Deficits
Screening is an essential first step toward improving reading outcomes and increasing the number of proficient readers in your school.
Understanding the Assessment Toolkit: Dyslexia Reading Tools and Strategies
Think of reading assessment as a comprehensive toolkit. Educators need a variety of assessment types to address different needs effectively and answer specific questions. We can break down the key assessments, their purpose, and how they connect to providing effective reading tools for students with dyslexia into five elements:
- Screening: This is the critical first step. Screening assessments help us identify students who are at risk for reading difficulties and predict which students are unlikely to reach reading proficiency. Screening can also reveal systemic issues within grade levels or classrooms, highlighting areas where the school system itself needs to provide more support.
- Diagnostic: For students identified as at-risk, diagnostic assessments delve deeper to pinpoint specific skills that have been mastered and those that still need to be learned. This granular level of understanding allows us to target interventions effectively and address individual learning needs.
- Outcome: Outcome assessments measure what students have learned after a period of instruction. They help us understand the effectiveness of our teaching strategies and identify areas where we need to adjust our approach.
- Daily Formative/Classroom Formative: These ongoing assessments provide continuous feedback during instruction. Simple techniques like choral responding, individual whiteboards, and “tickets out the door” allow teachers to gauge student understanding in real time and adapt their teaching accordingly.
- Progress Monitoring: For at-risk readers, progress monitoring involves tracking their progress using valid and reliable measures. This data helps us determine whether the instruction and interventions are effective and whether adjustments are needed to accelerate their growth. It’s particularly important when evaluating the effectiveness of dyslexia reading tools being used.
Implementation Science: It’s More Than Just Choosing the Right Program
While selecting evidence-based reading practices is essential, it’s not enough. Implementation science teaches us that we must also create a supportive context and provide proactive support for teachers. Here’s what that looks like:
Purposeful Context: A supportive school system that allows teachers to succeed with these practices. A schedule that allows teachers to teach all components of reading. Strong curriculum materials and knowledge-building resources.
Proactive Support: Continuous support to eliminate barriers as they arise.
Leveraging Audio Textbooks and Other Assistive Technologies
For many students with dyslexia, audio textbooks can be a game-changer. These resources help students access the curriculum in a way that avoids some challenges with decoding and fluency.
Audio textbooks for students with dyslexia offer several benefits:
Improved Comprehension: By listening to the text, students can focus on understanding the content rather than struggling with decoding.
Increased Engagement: Audio textbooks can make reading with dyslexia more engaging and enjoyable, leading to increased motivation.
Enhanced Independence: Audio textbooks empower students to access materials independently, fostering a sense of self-reliance.
Here at Learning Ally, we specialize in providing high-quality audio textbooks and other assistive technologies to support students with dyslexia. These resources are invaluable tools for reading and can significantly improve outcomes.
Considering options like curriculum-aligned audio textbooks can open doors for students who struggle with traditional print. Audio versions allow for multisensory engagement, combining auditory input with visual text, which can be particularly effective for students with dyslexia.
Building a Supportive School Environment
Creating a supportive school environment is essential for successful implementation. This includes:
Professional Development: Ongoing training and support for teachers on evidence-based reading practices, assessment, and intervention strategies.
Collaboration: Opportunities for teachers to collaborate, share best practices, and learn from one another.
Resources: Providing teachers with the necessary resources, including high-quality instructional materials, assessment tools for reading, and technology, like audio textbooks.
Administrative Support: Strong leadership and support from school administrators to champion the initiative and remove barriers to implementation.
Transforming Challenges into Opportunities
The implementation of California’s screening law presents both challenges and opportunities. By embracing a comprehensive assessment approach, using dyslexia reading tools like audiobooks, building a supportive school environment, and investing in professional development, we can transform these challenges into opportunities to unlock literacy for all students, especially those with dyslexia. Together, we can create a future where every student has the reading skills they need to succeed.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m a teacher feeling overwhelmed by the new California screening law. Where do I even begin?
You’re not alone! Many educators feel this way. Start by familiarizing yourself with the specific requirements of the law. Then, focus on building your understanding of evidence-based reading practices and the different types of assessments available (screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, etc.).
What are some practical dyslexia reading tools I can use in my classroom right away, even before formal screening?
There are many things you can start doing right away. Evidence-based practices for all students will help students with dyslexia as well. In addition to these practices, you can offer audiobooks, larger font sizes, highlighters, and graphic organizers.
My school district has limited resources. Are curriculum-aligned audiobooks and other assistive technologies really feasible for all students who need them?
While funding can be a challenge, there are creative solutions. Explore free or low-cost audio textbooks options through organizations like Learning Ally. Advocate for districtwide subscriptions or grants to expand access.
How does MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) fit into all of this?
MTSS is your framework! MTSS is a systematic approach to providing differentiated instruction and support to all students. Screening data informs which students need additional support (Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions). Progress monitoring helps you track the effectiveness of those interventions and adjust as needed. MTSS ensures that resources are allocated efficiently to meet individual student needs.