dyslexia: collaborative support and services

Dyslexia: Collaborative Support and ServicesFall Institute 2021Presented by Danielle Snyder

What is Dyslexia?

What is Dyslexia?• Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It

is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

• International Dyslexia Association, November 2002

What is Dyslexia?

• Specific learning disability

• Characterized by specific brain differences, as evident by fMRI studies

• Neurobiological in origin

• Trends in families

What is Dyslexia?

Characteristics include difficulty with:

- Letter-sound recall

- Blending sounds

- Fluent word recognition

- Phonological awareness activities and sequencing

- Letter formation and spacing

- Letter reversals

What is Dyslexia?


- Spelling, repeated and erratic errors

- Inconsistent performance

What is Dyslexia?


- Fluency

- Comprehension

- Organized writing

MDE Public School Guidance


- Dyslexia Training (2021)

- Dyslexia Screeners- K5 – Spring

- 1st grade – Fall

- MTSS Interventions


- Where are students with dyslexia during the school day?

- MTSS - TST- Tier 1- Tier 2- Tier 3


• What’s after Tier 3?

• Referral for a Comprehensive Evaluation

• Conducted by Psychologist, Psychometrist and Speech-Language Pathologist

• Determine identification of a learning disability

• 504 or IEP

• Testing for dyslexia?


• Not required to diagnose dyslexia

• Testing for dyslexia typically occurs outside of the school district.

• Schools accept and discuss dyslexia diagnosis

• SLD in Reading and/or Written Expression


•MDE recommended reading interventions

• Interventions specifically designed for students with dyslexia

Structured Literacy Model


• Crucial for students with reading disabilities, specifically dyslexia

• Most effective approach to teaching reading and writing to students who are experiencing difficulty with written language.


• Move as quickly as they can, but as slow as they need.

• Frequency of dyslexia therapy/structured literacy intervention• 4-5 days per week (International Dyslexia Association)


• Systematic

• Cumulative

• Explicit

• Diagnostic

• Multi-sensory


• Structured Literacy Sequence and Components:

• Phonology• Sound-symbol association• Syllable Types• Morphology • Syntax• Explicit• Systematic and Cumulative• Diagnostic Teaching• Multi-sensory approach

Structured Literacy Model: Phonology

• Structured Literacy: Phonology• Skills that encompass the identification and manipulation of oral

oral language structure

• Oral, not written

• Phonological awareness activities

• https://heggerty.org/


• The ability to understand and carry out phonological awareness activities is a strong predictor of reading success.

• Phonological Awareness ➞ Reading

• Oral Language ➞ Written Language


• Activities include, but are not limited to:

• Listening games

• Rhyming

• Segmenting sentences

• Syllable counting

• Syllable deletion

• Onset/rimes

• https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/phonemic


• When to begin phonological awareness activities?

• Pre-kindergarten

• Kindergarten

• How long to continue phonological awareness activities?

• Until a student can correctly decode with accuracy and automaticity


• Systematic

• Multisensory

• Repetitive!

Structured Literacy Model: Sound Symbol Association

• Structured Literacy: Sound-Symbol Association• Basic code of written words is this correspondence

• Transition from one sound to the next sound

• One syllable word

• Coding to unlock the sound

Coding Help for Parents

Short Vowels

tap a

cut u

dim i

not o

met e

Long Vowels

tape a

cube u

dime i

nose o

concrete e

*When the vowels “say their

name”

)

⎯⎯⎯

)

))

)

))

)

)

)

⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯

Silent Letters

know rise light nose

Suffixes

going

kids

dirty

watched

These are the basic symbols we use in the classroom to “code” new words. This strategy helps new readers attack each part of the words and helps them sound it out.


• Knowing how to isolate, combine and manipulate sounds is critical to understanding the relationship between speech and print.

• Phonemes to graphemes

• Oral to written

• Specific sequence of instruction


• Single consonants, short vowels and CVC words

• Consonant Digraphs

• Double final consonants (Floss Rule)

• Consonant blends

• Long vowels – CV/CVCE


• Vowel teams

• Dipthongs

• R-controlled

• Advanced digraphs and trigraphs


• Sound-Symbol Association Activities• Build large letters• Gross motor movements, glitter/sand, playdough, erase the

letter • Who lives here?• Students takes turns reading words and then they’re placed in

their correct word family house.


• Sound-Symbol Association Activities• Stretch it• Provide students with CVC, CCVC, or CVCC words on a

blending board.• Chaining Games • Use letters, tiles, magnets, blocks, cards to create words


• Systematic • Multisensory• Repetitive!

Structured Literacy Model: Syllable Types

• Structured Literacy Model: Syllable Types

• Multi-syllable word instruction

• Helps readers with the decoding process by setting guidelines for sounding out words

• Helps spellers with the spelling process by setting guidelines for encoding purposes


• Structured Literacy Model: Syllable Types

• Reading multi-syllable words:• Count syllables• Divide syllables according to syllable division patterns• Coding within each syllable


• Closed Syllables• “cat, bug, pond”• “pumpkin, mascot, picnic”

• Open Syllables• “me, so, be”• “bonus, donate, tulip”

• CVCE Syllables• “cake, note, mine” • “concrete, reptile, costume”


• R-Controlled Syllables• “car, north, chirp”• “perfect, market, survive”

• Vowel Team Syllables• ”creek, pie, boat, soup, moon”

• Final Stable Syllables• “bubble, candle, ruffle, giggle”

• Prefixes and Suffixes


• Syllable Types Activities• Syllable Sort • Syllable pattern cut-outs • Syllable strips – combining words • Match the missing syllable • Twister! 2 colors- open and closed syllables

Structured Literacy Model: Morphology

• Structured Literacy: Morphology• Morpheme: smallest unit of meaning in language

• How parts of meaning fit together to form words

• Morphemes include prefixes, suffixes, base words and roots

• Recognizing morphemes helps students understand the meaning of words


• Morphology Strategies and Activities:• Word Matrix• to show how words are related

• Find the Roots-• Find the main part of the word

• Fix the affixes• Fix the broken base word with the correct affix


• Morphology Strategies and Activities:• Word Sort • Sort words based on their affixes

• Building Blocks• Flashcard a variety of base words, prefixes and suffixes and student will build

words. • Foldable Model• Provide student with a model where a variety of suffixes and affixes

Structured Literacy Model: Syntax

• Structured Literacy: Syntax• System of ordering words in sentences so that meaning can be

communicated.• Simple and compound sentences• Sentence construction• Grammar usage

Structured Literacy Model:Syntax

• Structured Literacy: Syntax

• Syntax is the set of principles that dictate the sequence and function of words in a sentence in order to convey meaning. This includes:• Grammar• Sentence variation• Mechanics of language


• Structured Literacy: Syntax Activities• Words categorization and classification • Sentence structure and word order • Sentence scramble• Sentence combining• Anchor Charts


• Structured Literacy: Explicit• Teacher explains each concept directly and clearly• Providing guided practice• Lessons include: instructional routines, practice drills for fluency

• Structured Literacy: Systematic and Cumulative • Teaching language concepts systematically• Explaining how each element fits the whole• Instruction follows a planned scope and sequence• Goal is automatic and fluent application of phonics rules• Repetitive, repetitive, repetitive!


• Structured Literacy: Diagnostic Teaching • Teacher uses student response patterns to adjust teaching• As fast as they can, but as slow as they need

• Structured Literacy: Multi-sensory Approach • Involves the use of visual, auditory and tactile pathways simultaneously to

enhance memory and learning of written language.• Used when planning out each component of structured literacy. • When using all 3, the stronger mode strengthens the weaker modes.

Structured Literacy Model • Project Read

• Alphabetic Phonics

• Wilson Reading System

• SEE

• S.P.I.R.E

• Barton Reading and Spelling

• Lexia Learning: Core 5 Reading

• Collaborative Classroom: SIPPS


• MDE Approved Reading Interventions Programs

• https://www.mdek12.org/sites/default/files/Offices/MDE/OAE/OEER/Intervention/approved_academic_intervention_list_2021.pdf

Structured Literacy Model:Spelling

• Spelling is learned through a logical, scientific process that should be directly taught as a set of spelling rules.• Follows structured literacy scope and sequence


• Students with dyslexia need anywhere from 500-1500 repetitions of a word before it becomes a part of their long-term memory.

• Repetition is key!

Collaborative Intervention Model

Collaborative Therapy Model

• Purpose

• Unified instructional approach, learning objectives and long-term goals

• Collaborative effort to encourage student success across different learning environments


• Dyslexia intervention support team may include:• Homeroom teachers

• Special education teachers

• Speech-language pathologists

• Dyslexia therapists

• Reading/tier interventionists

• Counselors

• Parents


• Student performance?

• Scope and Sequence of current reading curriculum

• Tiers – Special Education• Tier Reading Intervention


• Reading Interventions

•What does your school use? • Classroom?• Tiers?• Special Education?


•Where to begin?

• STAR Assessment• Assessment Reports (inside or outside district) • Universal Screeners• AR• Classroom grades and performance• Previous years


• Therapy SHOULD:• Follow the structured literacy model• Compliment classroom and/or intervention reading program• Be designed to set the student up for success• Be carefully planned • Include curriculum-driven word choice • Encompass multisensory activities!• Be Repetitive• Move as fast as the student can, or as slow as he needs.

Common Core Standards: ELA and

Reading Foundations

Common Core Standards

• Kindergarten ELA: Reading Foundational Skills Standards• Reference for intervention planning

• http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RF/K/


• First Grade ELA: Reading Foundational skills standards• Reference for intervention planning

• http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RF/1/


• Second Grade ELA: Reading Foundational skills standards• Reference for intervention planning



• Third Grade ELA: Reading Foundational skills standards • Reference for intervention planning



• Fourth Grade ELA: Reading Foundational skills standards• Reference for Intervention Planning


How can I help my student?


Your dyslexic students need you to:

- Set them up for success!

- Understand their learning style


• Your dyslexic students need you to:• Praise them for accomplishments, no matter how large or small

• Provide them with the gift of time and patience

• Connect your teaching style to their learning capabilities

References and Resources• https://sarahsnippets.com/teachthealphabet/

• https://www.readingrockets.org/article/writing-made-easier-helping-students-develop-automatic-soundsymbol-correspondence

• www.teacherspayteachers.com• https://or.dyslexiaida.org/wp-

content/uploads/sites/20/2020/06/OG-Training-Manual-2019.pdf• www.dyslexiaida.org• www.readingrockets.org

THANK YOU!

Oxford Dyslexia

www.oxforddyslexia.com - (662) 259.0811 - [email protected]

dyslexia: collaborative support and services

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