October 10, 2022 by User

In a keynote at Learning Ally’s 2022 Spotlight on Dyslexia, Ameer Baraka, Emmy-nominated actor, author, and dyslexia advocate, gave attendees a dose of reality about living with this learning disability, and how it disproportionately affects children in schools and adults in prisons. Ameer has just released his latest book, “UNDIAGNOSED: The Ugly Side of Dyslexia.” 

Misunderstanding and Shame

As a young black child living in poverty who could not read and write, Ameer Baraka feared not only ridicule from his teachers and classmates, but the wrath of his mother. His grandmother knew education was the best way for him to get ahead, yet by the third grade, he wasn’t learning like other kids. He wasn’t catching on to sight words, reading or spelling. He didn't have access to words, stories, adventures, and examples of black men who led their families through honest work. Ameer could not see beyond his own circumstances, so he did what thousands of young black boys do when failure abounds – he skipped school, ran the streets, got into fights, and pursued a life of crime selling drugs. No one ever explained to Ameer why he couldn’t read. He was spanked and made to feel incompetent and unworthy. People laughed at him. His crimes led to juvenile jail time and multiple felonies. His addiction lasted throughout his adolescence, but the darkest moments for Ameer was the shame of not knowing how to read. 

 What We Don’t Know

Dyslexia is the number one cause of illiteracy. Thirty million adults in the U.S, six million in the U.K., and three million in Canada are estimated to have dyslexia. It occurs in people of all backgrounds. Countless studies of brain imaging tell us that dyslexia is a neurological language development disorder, often hereditary, that impedes our ability to manipulate sounds and letters. The word dyslexia is derived from the Greek word ‘dys’ (meaning difficult) plus ‘lexis’ (words or language). Many people do not know they are dyslexic. They will encounter teachers, neighbors, professionals, and classmates who do not understand the disorder, and falsely believe that all people with dyslexia are geniuses, entrepreneurs, scientists, sports jocks, and celebrities. It is really quite the opposite. Many people who cannot read or write are often labeled lazy. The reality is millions of people have learning disabilities. They struggle to complete basic forms like job applications and grocery lists. Dyslexia affects a person’s education, social and emotional well-being, mental health, and economic status. It affects relationships and discourages children and adults from accomplishing their full potential. 

Effective Teaching Strategies

Under federal law, public school districts are required to identify children with dyslexia and provide appropriate services to them, however state laws and practices vary. You can find the term ‘learning disability,” and ‘dyslexia’ in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Statute & Regulations and in Title I. Data show that specific learning disabilities, called SLD, are the most common special education category; specifically, about 40% of all special education students are identified as having a SLD (U.S. Department of Education, 2017).  Of those identified, 80% have dyslexia or a specific learning disability in reading (Shaywitz, 1998). 

Advancements in technology and brain-based imaging reveal that our brains are not hardwired to read, but instead activates multiple portions to lay the neural pathways used in reading. Thus, we must be systematically taught to read. Dr. Terrie Noland, CALP advises that early diagnosis and intervention is critical to catch children before they fail. “Reading instruction is much more to distinguish and manipulate phonemes, the smallest units of speech sound that can carry meaning,” she said. “Comprehensive reading instruction must also include sounding out words, spelling, learning sight words, building vocabulary, and reading comprehension.” 

Appropriate teaching methods and motivation can impact the learning potential of children with dyslexia in positive ways, including helping them to connect their ideas, thinking critically and out of the box, 3D mapping, and seeing the big picture. Dyslexics use their right brain more than average, which is associated with emotion, spatial relationships, intuition and synthesizing ideas. A proven learning approach for children with dyslexia is to see and hear text read aloud, like human-read audiobooks that are multisensory. With the right teaching strategies, dyslexics can be successful learners.  

Taking On Dyslexia in Schools and Prisons

Even at a young age running the dark alleyways of New Orleans, Ameer recalls wanting to build swing sets for poor neighborhoods. He wanted to help people. After years of feeling failure, Ameer learned what dyslexia was in prison, and why he could not read and write. He was not alone. Many of his inmates were poor readers and writers. 

Most U.S. prisons do not screen for dyslexia, and no national studies have been conducted regarding the prevalence of dyslexia among prisoners. One study of Texas prisoners in 2000 found that 48 percent were dyslexic and two-thirds struggled with reading comprehension. A 2014 study by the Department of Education found that about a third of prisoners surveyed at 98 prisons struggled to pick out basic information while reading simple texts. 

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy pushed for screening prisoners for dyslexia, which was included in the First Step Act that passed in December 2018. [See: PLN, April 2019, p.1; Jan. 2019, p.34]. The Act includes provisions that require the Attorney General to implement dyslexia screening programs for federal prisoners, and to “incorporate programs designed to treat dyslexia into the evidence-based recidivism reduction programs required to be implemented” by the statute. Senator Cassidy, a former doctor, encountered many illiterate prisoners while running clinics in three Louisiana facilities. “If someone learns to read, they’re less likely to end up in prison and more likely to be a productive member of society,” said Senator Cassidy. Ameer Baraka gave testimony on his firsthand experiences with Dyslexia at the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) committee hearing on Dyslexia chaired by Senator Cassidy. 

Committed to Do the Right Thing

“Many people are oblivious to dyslexia,” says Ameer. “When we fully address it in our schools, we will improve education for marginalized children. We need to understand the enemy so we can stop it from stealing our most fundamental asset, our youth. No one should ever be shamed for not reading well. When we commit to doing this, we can alter the pattern of failure for millions of children and prison inmates. The ability to read well will lift people out of poverty to enjoy equitable economic prosperity, academic success, and improved mental health. It will reduce dropout rates, bullying, juvenile delinquency, and crime. It will increase self-esteem and well-being among disadvantaged populations. As a society, we can transform literacy by helping all children learn to read and write, and be proud of their unique selves.” 

Learn about Ameer Baraka and his non-profit, Dyslexia Awareness Foundation.

To purchase “UNDIAGNOSED: The Ugly Side of Dyslexia,” visit Amazon or purchase direct. 

Learn more about Learning Ally's Spotlight Learning Series.

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Categories: Books, Authors, & Movies, dyslexia, Early Literacy, Education & Teaching, Educators, General, Student Centric Learning, The Digital Age

October 4, 2022 by User

In April, Learning Ally team celebrated National Volunteer Appreciation Week by recognizing the amazing community that makes up our #VolunteerNation.
Now, as we jump back into the school year, we would like to personally acknowledge two volunteers who go above and beyond—even as they pursue their own education.

Arwa Ouali is a high school senior and an integral member of our volunteer community. Since joining our team in 2020, she has donated as many as 262 hours, researching school districts to support outreach, and performing quality checks on our audiobooks. “She is someone who you can always depend on,” says Maria Lelie, Learning Ally’s Program Manager of Volunteer Services. “She has a strong ability to assess community needs, learn tasks quickly, and jump right into a project.”

Newer to Learning Ally’s Volunteer Nation, Adoesha Taylor has quickly become an integral member of the community. As a college senior, Adoesha is on track to receive a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration this spring. Despite the rigorous demands of college life, she has already donated 22 hours since she joined our team last year. “Only recently joining our volunteer community, Adoesha has already made an enormous impact, serving on three high-priority projects in less than one month,” explains Lelie.

Recently, Ouali and Taylor worked together to research school districts and school principal contacts in Massachusetts. The aim of their work was to identify districts that may be eligible to receive a state grant. Grants of this kind allow U.S. schools to provide their students with additional support without ever spending a dime. Many of the students who depend on Learning Ally are able to do so as a result of government grants. However, a surprising amount of districts are unaware that these programs even exist. 

Luckily, this outstanding volunteer duo were able to curate a list of 137 eligible schools, and they did so in less than a week. Thanks to their diligent work, principals at these schools will now be made aware of this awesome opportunity. 

In another recent project, Ouali and Taylor helped to expand Learning Ally’s volunteer network. This time, they focused on the civic engagement departments at colleges and universities, nationwide. In less than one day, the two volunteer superstars scouted 170 new contacts at 86 different schools. These efforts will help connect Learning Ally with many more young volunteers, like Ouali and Taylor, who are committed to making a positive impact on struggling readers.

“Find an organization that is aligned with your beliefs and take the initiative to start,” says Ouali encouragingly. “Volunteering has proven to be rewarding for me and gives me a feeling of fulfillment”. 

Taylor shares the sentiments, “[Volunteering] can help connect you to others, advance your career, teach you new skills, and impact the lives of others”.

If these two superstars sound like you, you may be a great addition to our #VolunteerNation. 

Learning Ally is always excited to work with motivated community members who are passionate about supporting students, educators, and schools. 

To join our network and make an impact, simply fill out the Volunteer Interest Form. 

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Categories: General, Volunteerism

September 26, 2022 by User

The month of September has a special place in my heart. September always symbolizes “Back to School” for me and the excitement of learning and reconnecting with friends and teachers. It is also International Literacy Month. Founded by UNESCO, this month we are meant to reflect on the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and societies, and the need for intensified efforts towards more literate societies. 

As literacy champions, this is not something that we do just once a year. You are focused on literacy all year long, as are we, in our collaboration to solve the literacy crisis and to help students to read and learn for success in their school years and beyond. So I wanted to take a moment during International Literacy Month to celebrate you, our community of educators for all that you do to support America’s students.  Thanks to you, in the last school year we really made a difference together. You have persevered through a global pandemic, through the challenges of remote and hybrid learning formats, through the ongoing harsh realities and the imposition of disrupted learning, and the heart breaking social-emotional issues that have emerged and impacted our students, our classrooms and ourselves. 

Our partnership has grown in strength and in numbers. Our impact with Learning Ally Solutions now extends to over 2 million students, and supports nearly a half million educators in schools across the country. Our work together continues to accelerate, with pages read by students through the Learning Ally Audiobook Solution reaching over 161 million, a gain of 20% from FY19 and quadrupled since FY16. Our work together continues as many of you have brought and implemented our newest solution for emergent readers, Excite Reading™ into your PreK-2nd grade classrooms, supporting the building of foundational reading skills in the earliest school years. Our work together continues as we join together in our Professional Learning Solutions, events and communities, immersing ourselves in the training, conversation and inspiration that promotes the literacy leadership required to drive transformational change at scale.  

The struggle is real. The early summaries on the soon to be released NAEP scores highlight that even while our work and impact grows, we are still seeing the majority of students falling behind, especially those with learning differences and those from poor and underserved communities. Lifting up these communities through literacy is key to educational equity and solving the literacy crisis. Students can’t learn if they can’t read. And they can’t learn to read if there are barriers present impacting their ability to learn.  That is why our solutions are informed by our unique approach, Whole Child Literacy™.  This approach is designed to understand how each child learns. It focuses on three major components to learning to read, including the core foundational skills, based in the Science of Reading, that contribute to reading comprehension and skilled reading, and as importantly it addresses the cognitive and environmental factors that impact how a student learns. Through this approach, we’ve piloted solutions that have doubled the rate of reading growth for students and measured a host of benefits for teachers and students that include reduced prep time and alleviated stress for teachers, increased student achievement and independent reading, and growth in self confidence and class participation. We are thrilled to be able to partner with even more districts and schools this year, to support educators in delivering personalized instruction at scale and positive student outcomes.

Your role as teachers is the key to unlocking the potential for your students.  As you return to school, energized to tackle the challenges and guide your students in their academic goals, we are here to support you. Thank you for all that you do as literacy champions and for your partnership. Our students are fortunate to have your continued dedication and expertise. Here’s to making literacy leaps in the coming school year!

—------------------

Andrew Friedman was appointed to Learning Ally as President and CEO in January, 2011. As CEO, Andrew has led the transition from a government funded library of audiobooks for students with disabilities to a leading nonprofit, education solutions organization aimed to solve the literacy crisis in America by 2040.  As an innovator, dedicated to educational equity, Friedman has championed the development of Whole Child Literacy Solutions and an “ecosystem” approach to breaking down the barriers of inequity in education.  Friedman serves as a connector for partnerships between Districts, Policymakers, Researchers and Families/Communities, to bring a coordinated and orchestrated effort to benefit students across the country and drive transformational change in literacy and learning achievement.

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Categories: Audiobook Library, Education & Teaching, General, The Digital Age

September 26, 2022 by User

BeLinda Martin, an English Language Arts and History teacher, faces a challenge familiar to many educators across America. Students come to her class not liking to read. Some have never passed a reading test, and others even fake reading because they don’t want to look dumb. 

By fifth grade, struggling readers are disheartened. They label themselves as poor readers. They have reading angst, which makes reading comprehension that much harder. For these students to become successful readers, applying a whole child literacy strategy could be the key to unlocking their potential. "If you don’t like to read because you cannot understand the story, you are not going to feel good about yourself as a learner," says Mrs. Martin. Her whole child literacy strategy includes dynamic teaching which entails making reading fun and enjoyable. This approach helps to change the way her students perceive themselves as learners. 

Dynamic Teaching…Let the Play Begin! 

"Unless children intrinsically enjoy the act of reading and get value from it (pleasure, knowledge, confidence, respect from peers), they will not produce the desired achievement levels,” says Mrs. Martin. “Audiobooks are a beneficial resource to remove reading stigmas, especially with students who have difficulty decoding words. Watch their eyes move across the screen. You can almost see their minds processing information. Decoding becomes less intense. Students read with more comprehension, fluency and frequency.”  

In Mrs. Martin's classes, you won’t find neat rows of chairs. What you will find are students busily rotating through reading stations. For thirty minutes, they focus on skill building exercises. Her reading instruction revolves around education “game-like” activities that fifth graders can relate to: roll the dice, theater role-play, artistic expression, and human-read audiobooks. Story selections feature protagonists who display perseverance. Learning Ally's skillful narrators make characters and plots come alive for readers. 

Students can curl up in cozy chairs with a print or digital book and enjoy the extra time and support they need to have a really awesome reading experience. They read aloud and work on individual reading skills. They learn new vocabulary words using artistic expressions. They carry on conversations with peers and their teacher to demonstrate knowledge. They build skills to reinforce reading engagement, comprehension, social and communication skills. Reading at home independently is encouraged. 

In her Texas Region 14, many of Mrs. Martin's students have achieved top reading scores. They all passed to the following grade -- an exceptional accomplishment for struggling readers. “My students were over the moon with pride, and so were their parents!” 

Thanks to Mrs. Martin and her dynamic teaching instruction, more struggling learners and non-readers now enjoy reading. They are working successfully, and their learning confidence is on par with grade-level requirements. With the right resources and creative expression, reading can be fun!

Read More about Dynamic Teaching - Let the Play Begin For Children Who Hate to Read

Categories: Assistive Technology, Curriculum & Access, Education & Teaching, Educators, Learning Ally “How-To Use”, Reading Strategies for K-12, Student Centric Learning, Teacher Best Practices

September 19, 2022 by User

Casas Christian School is a 2022 recipient of Learning Ally’s Winslow Coyne Reitnouer Excellence in Education Award, an award recognizing exemplary educators and schools. Principal Joshua Kempf says, “Our mission is to meet each student where they are in their learning process. The “readiness-level” approach is a core value to identify literacy needs in small group instruction.” 

Voted Best Private Christian School in Tucson, Arizona for four years, this school is unique because of its “readiness-level” education philosophy valuing the whole child. 

Whole Child Learning - A Top Priority

Mr. Kempf’s teaching team conducts its mission with consistent needs assessment, continuity of instruction, an instructional SIS support team, and close relationships with families. SIS stands for Student Instructional Support, a team assisting teachers in meeting individual needs. After evaluating scientific research studies on evidence-based reading instruction grounded in the science of reading, Casas took a 180-degree turn in the reading curriculum -- from a balanced literacy approach to a structured literacy program. School leaders participate in professional development workshops like the Learning and Brain conference to broaden their knowledge of the science of reading and then share it with other school staff. 

Student Instructional Support 

Classrooms conduct learning in small group rotations where the SIS teacher and classroom teacher work with subsets of students on decoding multi-syllabic words, another subset on specific comprehension strategies, and another on depth and complexity with higher-level texts. The beauty of this model is there is no stigma or labels attached to students because SIS teachers work equally to approach, meet, and exceed standards. The team also models for students how to advocate for themselves and to set growth and achievement goals.

Schoolwide Screening to Advance Literacy 

The SIS support staff provide critical, systematic, and explicit instruction. Within their processes are school-wide screenings to identify learning gaps as early as possible. Teachers are trained in dyslexia to help identify and provide reading support. Students with cognitive challenges such as executive functioning receive an accommodation plan and SIS assists teachers in breaking large assignments up into smaller chunks, providing note-taking support, and the use of appropriate assistive technology. “We’ve heard incredibly positive feedback from parents, teachers and students about Learning Ally’s resource,” says Mr. Kempf.  

Home-School Communication 

In their school-to-home relationships with families, Casas has grown dramatically in their efforts to connect with families who are expecting the school to help their children love learning, and to feel valued and connected, especially during the global pandemic. 

In this effort, teachers send visual representations home so parents can see what is going on in the classroom, along with having an open line of communication regarding readiness-level groupings and progress. “Students with all types of learning needs flourish regardless of their ability or circumstance,” says Mr. Kempf. “It is our job to let them know that they are ‘okay’, just as they are.”

Mr. Kempf recalls a conversation with an Instruction Support Director presenting Learning Ally data about a sixth grader with learning barriers. “The data showed a positive trajectory toward literacy growth in fluency and fundamental skills,” he said. “Learning Ally is a massive resource for teachers to monitor reading progress and learn about students’ reading behaviors. We believe our model is beneficial for any school who wants to provide more individualized instruction by adapting and meeting each student’s abilities at their ‘readiness level,’ and to use resources and support to advance them forward academically, spiritually and emotionally.”

On behalf of the Learning Ally organization, we congratulate Casas Christian School and Principal Joshua Kempf for exemplary service to improve literacy for all learners. 

Read More about Casas Christian School “Readiness-Level” Approach Values the "Whole Child" As Core Value to Identify Literacy Needs

Categories: Awards, Early Literacy, Education & Teaching, Educators, Reading Strategies for K-12, Student Centric Learning, Teacher Best Practices