Academynews Spring 2013

Orton-Gillingham Training Continues to Expand Into the Classroom The last three issues of the Academy newsletter have been introducing our members to the diverse programs being created by Fellows across the country and in Asia. We are seeing an ever growing amount of training being conducted in school settings, reaching out to more teachers than ever before. The Academy has responded to this new demand for training by creating the Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator Certification. This new category helps to introduce more educators to the Orton-Gillingham Approach in the hope that the newly trained participants will go on to complete the Associate certification and beyond. Also, by conducting training in school settings, more administrators and parents are seeing the results of such teaching in the education of their own students and children. Perhaps the most important benefit of this in-school training is the fact that the trainee is no longer working in isolation. Now the trainee is able to interact daily with peers and mentors as they come to understand the complexity of real language development. In addition to the class hours of each level of certification, the Fellow is able to observe the trainee on a more daily basis. The trainee now has the opportunity to seek clarification on questions in a timelier manner, which can result in better instruction for the student or students involved. So whether completing the Classroom Educator Level, the Associate Level, or the Certified Level, the learning process is enhanced by a practicum piece which totally immerses the trainee in an interactive learning environment. Once again, the newsletter will be highlighting these in-school training opportunities, for both public and private schools. We hope that the information shared by these educators, administrators, and Fellows will help other members of the Academy as they strive to bring more training opportunities to educators.

Equipping All Teachers to Reach Our Most At-Risk Learners By Amanda Sauer, Principal Erie Elementary School, Erie, Colorado I truly believe every educator is trying to reach every child and help them be successful. Unfortunately, sometimes our toolboxes are limited. Our story of success at Erie Elementary (Erie, CO) began with teachers seeing strong work and results from our literacy teacher, Leslie Kesson. Teachers began to talk in professional learning communities saying, “We need to be able to do what Leslie does.” They were looking for more tools in their own toolboxes. Our literacy teacher uses the Multi-Sensory Language/OG approach and had recently fine-tuned her skills with additional training from Ron Yoshimoto, a Fellow of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. She has Classroom Educator Level certification and is moving to the Associate Level of certification. Teachers came back from training with Ron, not only excited, but ready to implement. When the next round of training approached, and it would require multiple days of substitute teacher pay, I again had to honor my teachers’ request for additional tools. At this point, we had groups of teachers working in professional study teams to support their implementation of MSL/OG. I was hearing excitement and small anecdotal stories, but I also asked them to begin collecting data in order for us to make sure that we were seeing impact on student learning. Getting a group of teachers that already value data and collect various data points to come to a consensus on what data to track / collect took time, and often led to deep continued on page 5

The AOGPE Spring Conference Orton-Gillingham Across the Lifespan: A Multi-Tiered Intervention March 15 & 16, 2013 The Academy will be holding the fourteenth annual spring conference titled “Orton–Gillingham Across the Lifespan: A Multi-Tiered Intervention” on March 15th and 16th in Providence, Rhode Island. The conference includes speakers on a variety of topics that offer insight to all areas of dyslexia and the Orton-Gillingham Approach. Sessions discuss the medical diagnosis of language-based learning differences, the working of the brain, and assessments. Other sessions will focus on the many different parts that make up the Orton-Gillingham Approach. In addition, sessions will look at new ways OG is being integrated into different school settings and the new technology that can be incorporated into multisensory learning opportunities. The conference will feature two Keynote speakers. On Friday, March 15th, Dr. Eric Tridas, the Medical Director of the Tridas Center for Child Development will present: “The Physician’s continued on page 6 1

President’smessage

President message ’sthree ver the past years, as Academy News is published bi-annually by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators.News is published bi-annually Academy

by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham AOGPE Practitioners P.O. Box 234 and Educators. Amenia, NY 12501-0234

AOGPE 845 373 8919 845Box 373234 8925 fax P.O. [email protected] Amenia, NY 12501-0234 www.ortonacademy.org 845 373 8919 845 373 8925 fax The purpose of the Academy is to establish and [email protected] maintain the highest professional standards for

practice of the Orton-Gillingham Approach. We

www. certifyortonacademy.org practitioners and accredit practitioner training programs and student instructional

The purpose thethe Academy toaddress programs thatofuse Approachisto the language-based learning difficulties establish and maintain the hightest associated with dyslexia. The Academy is also professional standards for practice ofpublic the active in professional development and Orton-Gillingham Approach. We certify awareness. practitioners and accredit practitioner BOARD programs OF TRUSTEES training and student instructional Rosalie Davis, President, Smyrna, GA programs thatVice usePresident, the Approach to address Marcia Mann, Hilton Head, SC the language-based learningGuilford, difficulties Susan Santora, Vice President, CT John C. Howell, MI associated withTreasurer, dyslexia.Haslett, The Academy is Edith LaFrance, Secretary, Gananoque, alsoON, active in professional development Canada and publicAnderson, awareness. C. Wilson Prior Lake, MN Mary Briggs, Lexington, MA Shelia Costello, Charleston, SC BOARD OF TRUSTEES Ann Edwards, Brooklyn, NY Kay Howell, Haslett, MI Rosalie Davis, President Diana Hanbury King, Amenia, NY Marcia Mann, Vice President Karen Leopold, Ward, CO Susan Santora, Vice President Sharon Marsh, Boring, OR Jean C. Osman, Rochester, MN John Howell, Treasurer Theresea Peterson, Marion, IA

Sheila Costello, Secretary C.NEWSLETTER Wilson Anderson STAFF DavidBriggs Katz, Editor Mary Matt Sawicki, Design/Layout Edith AliciaLaFrance Sartori, Administrative Director Ann Edwards Janet George Kay Howell Academy’s Charleston Conference Diana Hanbury King Special Thanks to our Keynote Speaker and Karen Leopold Supporting Organizations Sharon Marsh Jean Osman Dr. Drake Duane Theresea Peterson Trident Academy South Carolina IDA Camp Spring Creek NEWSLETTER STAFF Commonwealth Learning Center David Katz,School Editor Greenhills The Parachute, Key LearningDesign/Layout Center Blue The Kildonan School Alicia Sartori, Administrative Director Learning House The Schenck School Sam’s Club Starbucks

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President of the Board of Trustees am thrilled encouraged readthe about of the and Academy, I havetohad the successes public school teachers are privilege of working with many incredible havingInusing the Orton-Gillingham people. this President’s letter, I would Approach. Beginning of them. the like to say “thank you”on to page many1 of Academy Sauer reports I wouldNews, like toAmanda give a special thanks toimprovements our conference chair whofor hastheir made in test scores outreach a priority. Our most recent students. On page 7, Steve Nakasato conference in Charleston, South Carolinain reports continued growth for his students was a tremendous success. The speakers Hawaii. It was also good to read once more did an outstanding job, and it was also the reprint of Deb Foster Morris’s articleanonenjoyable time to reconnect with friends and colleagues. Our Fellows seminar in Hartford this October and the Met High School in Providence and the our spring conference in 2012 in Indianapolis in conjunction with The positive results for students there. Hutson School will provide continued, excellent professional development opportunities. Those of us in private schools are well aware that our schools are only reaching Our board of trustees is composed of distinguished and accomplished a very small percentage childrenfull with dyslexia and that need to do Fellows, many of whomof aretheworking time jobs every day,we helping what we can to share this incredible knowledge with other educators individuals with dyslexia. For many“gift” yearsofprior to my involvement with thein order to help those children whose families afford private schooling or Academy, I had admired these Fellows for cannot their untiring work and dedication. tutoring. Probably us who are in privatefor schools not only our I even continue to learn from most themofand am very grateful their train commitment and in-house teachers, butyou! we also conduct classes to train tutors and teachers in their support. Thank Further, would likeschools. to thankMany all ofofour working committee members, both public Iand private these teachers seek the training especially those who serve on our Accreditation Committee and our or because they were not adequately prepared either in their undergraduate Certifying Committee. These committees support what the Academy graduate degree programs to teach reading and written language. They are was incorporated docurriculum in establishing and maintaining professional frustrated becausetothe they have been using has not workedand with ethical standards for practitioners and educators of the OG approach; in or many of the children. Thankfully, more and more of them are hearing about certifying individuals who have demonstrated competence as practitioners have seen firsthand the power of O-G and have realized that this approach and educators of the OG approach; in accrediting programs that provide OG works for ALL children. training for practitioners and educators; and in accrediting OG instructional programs in schools, clinics, and camps that meet Academy standards. These The need is great, and there is so much work to be done. I’m sure that for many committee members’ responsibilities are enormous, and they spend many, of youhours who reading have been in this field traveling a long time, the battleclinics seems and never-ending. many applications, to schools, camps, I can tell you from what I meetings have seen to here in Georgiathis andessential in many work other of states, and attending committee accomplish the there is a real thirst for the knowledge to help students who struggle, Academy. andI also I do want believetothat progress is being made. To accomplish we member need to thank our individual Academy members what and our do, we need even trained teachers andtraining, tutors. Fellows, organizations who more are inwellthe trenches teaching, leading,encourage and promoting awareness of children and Certified. adults with dyslexia. You your trainees to learn of all the theyneeds can and become fully Make it a goal to are transforming lives every day with the very important work that you do. nurture trainees to become Fellows. Contact local colleges to begin a dialogue Finally, I givequality specialO-G thanks to both Alicia and Margaret forteacher the hard about including instruction and practicums in their work they do in the Academy office. They are our face to the world, and they training programs. handle all of the requests and inquiries with enthusiasm and professionalism. Their workthat directly our conference and board, We know O-Gsupports works and that it works for allworkshops, learners. Weour have data our committees, our members, and the public. We could not accomplish the that supports the successes that are occurring, and we are eager to see even work we all do without them! Together we form a vibrant organization whose more! Thank you for the amazing work that you are doing. Let’s keep the mission is helping individuals with dyslexia. momentum going! Warmest Regards, Sincerely,

Rosalie Davis, Davis, President President Rosalie

Academynews 2

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Academy Accredited Training Programs Join with Academy Accredited Instructional Programs to Bring Orton-Gillingham into the Classroom

The Garside Institute for Teacher Training at the Carroll School The Academy has six Accredited Training Programs connected directly to six Accredited Instructional Programs. These associations enable the Fellows and Trainees to move from classroom hours to practicum programs on a more interactive basis. This direct bridge of instruction and actual tutorial allows opportunities for trainees to receive feedback and redirection on a daily basis, not unlike what happens at the graduate level programs in universities. The Academy newsletter is running a series of articles highlighting these unique pairings, beginning with Carroll School. Carroll School, located in Lincoln and Waltham, Massachusetts, is an Academy Accredited Instructional Program. It is made up of an elementary school of 162 students in grades 1-5 and a middle school of 220 students in grades 6-9. One unique feature of this school is the direct connection to training offered through the Garside Institute for Teacher Training, which is an Academy Accredited Training Program. Carroll School has over 90 faculty members who have been trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach. They work with students one-on-one, in pairs, or in small groups. Carroll School takes the teaching principles of Orton-Gillingham and applies them across all subject areas in all classes. The school believes in direct and explicit instruction that is structured, sequential, and multisensory. The foundation of the alphabetic and phonetic structure of the English language is the key component in all instruction. Garside Institute for Teacher Training (GIFTT) is directed by Fellow, Louise Freese. Carroll School was established in 1967 under the guidance of Dr. Edwin M. Cole. Teacher Training, with Alice H. Garside, began at Carroll in 1985. The Garside Institute Associate Level Academic Year OrtonGillingham course provides 90 hours of coursework and 350

hours of supervised practicum. The course runs the entire school year from early September to early June. The trainees begin with two weeks of coursework. Next, they begin conducting daily, individualized O-G tutoring sessions with students. They meet with their students four days a week and attend coursework sessions every Wednesday. The trainees benefit from being in a school environment where they can apply what they are learning under careful supervision. This opportunity for mentoring and interactive learning helps the new trainees to more clearly see how the multisensory approach works in actual practice. Carroll’s Orton-Gillingham courses are open to applications from faculty members and outside participants. The Garside Institute also offers an Academy Accredited Certified Level Orton-Gillingham course of study, which brings individuals to an advanced level of training. The course is presented by Fellow, Kally Kumler, and provides 100 hours of coursework and 200 hours of supervised practicum over two years. Carroll School collaborates with Lesley University and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in two dynamic Master’s Degree Programs. Angela Wilkins, Director of Carroll’s Graduate M.Ed. Programs and a Founding Fellow of the Academy, developed this fourteen-month collaborative. The program offers interns collaboration with experienced mentor teachers, preparation in teaching at two exceptional schools, and daily immersion in practical application. As interns complete credits toward their M.Ed., they participate in an Associate Level Orton-Gillingham training course. Carroll School, with the Garside Institute for Teacher Training and the Collaborative Master’s Degree Program, enables trainees to be fully immersed in an opportunity to learn Orton-Gillingham in an interactive learning situation that brings coursework hours together with practicum experience.

Academy Offers a One Day Seminar:

Latin and Greek Institute: Morphology for Students from Kindergarten to Middle School On Sunday, March 17th, following the spring conference, the Academy is presenting a one day long institute presented by Fellow, Ron Yoshimoto. Titled Latin and Greek Institute: Morphology for Students from Kindergarten to Middle School, the seminar will focus on how to teach morphology in all grades using multisensory procedures in a structured framework. Areas to be covered are prefixes, chameleon prefixes, suffixes and their relationship to grammar, roots, word building, lesson planning, and integrating with the content subjects/thinking skills. Common Core recommends that public school teachers provide instruction in morphology from as early as kindergarten because it enhances vocabulary development and hence, reading comprehension. Morphology also develops higher levels of decoding/encoding and is a vehicle for integrating science, social studies, and math. The seminar will be held at the conference site in Providence, Rhode Island. For more information, please go to the Academy website.

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The following article is a reprint / update from our spring issue of last year. We thought that it might be appropriate to remind Academy members that the MET School being introduced in this article is the local arrangements school for our spring conference being held on March 15th and March 16th in Providence, Rhode Island. Attendees may wish to contact the MET School to see if visitation opportunities are available. Fellows Bring Academy Level Curriculum Training to Public Schools

The O-G Approach in Public Schools By Deb Foster Morris, F/AOGPE I began “stalking” the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center (Met High School) for three years as a volunteer before they hired me. Their motto –“One Student at a Time”– and their commitment to real-world learning experiences attracted me. The Met, located in Providence, Rhode Island, is a public urban high school that is its own district. Sixty-five percent of the school body receives free or reduced lunch. The percentage of students who are English Language Learners and Title One mirrors the student body in the Providence Public School System. However, the Met’s graduation rate is 90% versus 69.5% in other Providence public high schools. Its success rate is largely due to two components: 1) strong teacher/student relationships due to the small teacher/student ratio (1:16) and 2) its commitment to hands-on and real-life learning. The Met encourages students to follow their passion by participating in internships two days a week. This enables them to find mentors in a business or agency in their area of interest. It works closely with the mentors, and then develops a curriculum around students’ experiences. For example, if a student is interested in banking, he or she interns in a bank; working closely with the mentors, the school designs a curriculum for this particular student. It is fertile ground for students with a learning disability to excel in an environment in which they can focus on a single domain of knowledge and gain expertise in their fields. This fertile ground also requires an abundance of OrtonGillingham practitioners to tend it. I first got involved in September, 2003 as part of an education course at Rhode Island College. I enjoyed working with Met students so much that I continued volunteering into the spring of 2004. About the same time, I met Andrea Greer Silvia who told me about the Orton-Gillingham Approach. It was exactly what my students needed, and in July, 2004, I began the Associate Level course with Andrea under the aegis of Fellow Helaine Schupack.

As I finished my last year of Certified training in 2006-2007, I realized that the students I tutored were the tip of a Titanicsized iceberg of students with undiagnosed dyslexia: on average, 26% of the incoming freshman test three or more years below grade level in reading. Public schools generally do not have funding to provide Orton-Gillingham services to that many students. Small group classes make the cost prohibitive. Therefore, the challenge became not how to hire more staff members, but how to maximize the talents of the current staff. The logical solution was to train interested staff members in the Approach. For me, this meant Fellow training, but my financial resources were limited.

“...students have had their learning influenced because they work with advisors, special educators, or learning specialists who have been through the O-G Associate or Certified level training.” Divine intervention in the form of Helaine Schupack appeared. I had called her to brainstorm grant options, and she offered to train me (thus three generations of Associate and Certified trainees) for free because she wanted to see O-G in the public school system. The Met’s administration was thrilled and continues to be supportive of the O-G training program and support services that our practitioners provide. Associate training is intense, and one of my earliest lessons was that the most successful trainees were those who volunteered to take the program, not those who were pressured to take it. I encourage all trainees to finish the Associate course and go on to Certified, but I don’t pressure them. O-G is not for every educator, and the most successful practitioners are the ones with a passion for it. Similarly, not everyone is called to Fellow training. Allowing people to excel at the level at which they are comfortable while encouraging them to improve their skills has worked best for me.

Training sessions take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons when students are at their internships. I monitor trainees’ lesson plans via the computer. They email them to me, which helps to insure that they are following a logical scope and sequence with their students; it also allows me to correct errors and make suggestions. The only lesson plans I don’t preview are those that I will see during an observation or those that are for their Academy application. This requires a significant time investment during the first months of training, but it eases up as tutors progress in their practicum and begin to fully understand and integrate the principles of O-G. This year the number of Certified trainees was enough for us to introduce teaching in small groups, each no larger than five students. Training O-G practitioners in a public school requires the flexibility that is the cornerstone of the O-G Approach. Even though some do not finish the training, the concepts that they have learned impact the students with whom they work. Over the course of five years, 33 staff members have been trained at the Associate level, five have been trained at the Certified level, and six are currently in training at the Classroom Educator Level. In these five years, over 150 students have received direct O-G services from these 44 trainees. More than 300 additional students have had their learning influenced because they work with advisors, special educators, or learning specialists who have been through the O-G Associate or Certified level training. The school also offers workshops regarding the nature of the dyslexic learner as part of professional development, and staff members get instruction in tailoring individual multisensory lesson plans to meet the needs of every student. We tend to innovate and update the delivery of O-G training and support services as changes in the structure of our O-G team and student need dictate. Although this can be complex at times, our work is reaping benefits. Reading scores at The Met have jumped 14 points in the three years commensurate with the O-G program. A recent study states that it believes that direct and indirect results of the O-G program have contributed to this growth. 4

Equipping All Teachers to Reach Our Most At-Risk Learners continued from page 1

discussions of what they were trying to impact and what results they were seeing. In the meantime, our first bit of data came back from an outside source that pointed to the fact that we were doing something different and getting different results.

70   60   50   40   30   20   10   0   Unsat   0  

Paraal  Prof.   20  

Proficient   68  

Advanced   12  

District  

5  

13  

70  

11  

State  

8  

18  

67  

7  

Erie  

 

Erie had gone from a typical rate of 4-10%, either at or above district/state norms, to ZERO unsats. People starting asking, “Wow, what did the teachers do differently?” The only answer we had was that we implemented MSL/OG as a classroom intervention for our most at-risk students. Our fourth grade does not have anyone MSL/OG trained and saw the usual at or above district averages for the most struggling readers. Our fifth grade has one teacher trained, and they flex group for reading to put the lowest level readers with the MSL trained teacher. These students did not have intervention in MSL/ OG for fourth or third grade. The last real dose of intervention they would have had would have been in 2nd grade! Using this approach for only five months with the most at-risk group in the classroom resulted in lower than average unsats and lower than average partially proficient scores. With this group we saw the largest impact in the shortest time with moving students that were marginal into the proficient category. GROUP

UNSAT %

PARTIALLY PROFICIENT

PROFICIENT

ADVANCED

Erie

7

5

65

20

District

11

18

62

9

State

12

18

61

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“The mother kept exclaiming, ‘He can read, he can really read!’

The most powerful part of our journey is about to happen. Most of the staff is trained (14 out of 19 key personnel preschool-5th), and students are now in year two of being supported in literacy in both the lit lab and in the classroom. We call it “double-dipping” in MSL/OG. It feels as if we are at the top of a rollercoaster hill and have begun to gain momentum as we head down the track.

3rd  Grade  Reading  TCAP  Results  

%  of  Students    

 

Two-thirds of our third grade team had been trained in MSL/OG and had just implemented the practices in small groups to their most at-risk students. This was key in our building because our literacy expert serves only grades K-2. Some of these students had had intervention by the literacy teacher, but to be able to connect to that learning for an additional year, had an impact. Our school results came in on third grade reading state assessments (TCAP) and we had a definite shift in the data!

“What are we doing differently in literacy?” Yes, we also became a STEM school at the same time and work to use science to engage students in other subjects including reading, but as far as systematic intervention, MSL/OG was also impacting our literacy scores.

It is great when the hard work of your team to help every child begins to show in data as well as in anecdotal stories. People are asking,

This is just a quick sample of in-process data. We used data from two schools for this sample. Our literacy teacher works at both schools; therefore the data we look at of just the at-risk students can show us the impact of implementing MSL/OG in regular education classrooms. These samples give us information that shows the results of double dipping after just a few months. This was data from students eligible for literacy lab services because of low initial screening scores. 1st Grade Students Taught by Teacher Trained in OG/MSL & Lit Lab - Phonics Survey Benchmark 36 out of 50 student A=38, student B=46, student C =44, student D=41, student E=30, student F=42, student J=45, student K= 39 average score range % at or above benchmark 40.6 30-46 87.5% 1st Grade Students with OG/MSL – only in Lit Lab student L=40, student M=30, student N=44, student O=37, student P=36, student Q= 42, student R=24, student S=41, student T=32 average score range % at or above benchmark 36 24-44 66.7% Another indicator came from the district assessment benchmark. The first trimester assessment had phonics items. Galileo Test Score - First Trimester 1st G Reading Standard: CO-01.RAP.3a.ii Decode regularly spelled onesyllable words. (CC-RF.1.3b) Erie Elementary (MSL/OG trained) 81.25% proficient St. Vrain Valley School District Avg. 48.03% proficient Normally our first grade classes on the standards score at or slightly above district average. For the phonics standard, we almost doubled the district average for proficiency. These were students that had MSL/OG in kindergarten and then three months of first grade. continued on page 9 5

The AOGPE Spring Conference continued from page 1

Perspective of Dyslexia.” Dr. Tridas is a Developmental Pediatrician who specializes in the diagnosis and management of handicapping conditions involving ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, and other neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems. He is the editor of a book for parents titled From ABC TO ADHD: What Every Parent Should Know About Dyslexia and Attention Problems. Dr. Tridas is the President of the International Dyslexia Association. The second Keynote presentation will be by Michele Berg, Ph.D., who will present: “Working Memory and the Dyslexic Learner.” Dr. Berg is the Director of the Center for Learning Disorders at the Family Service and Guidance Center in Topeka, Kansas. Dr. Berg formally founded and directed the Center for Learning Disabilities at the Menninger Clinic and served on the faculty of the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry for over twenty years. Dr. Berg specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex learning disorders in children and adults. At every conference there are sessions that present insights to the teaching of language across the language continuum. For instance, Helaine Schupack, F/AOGPE, will present Grammar, ala Orton-Gillingham, discussing the structured multisensory approach to teach grammar. Kerri McDonald-Schaub, FIT/ AOGPE, will present OG: The Comprehension Connection, a session looking at how wordlists can give the OG practitioner the opportunity to teach decoding and vocabulary, which leads to stronger comprehension. Louise Freese, F/AOGPE, will present Oral Reading Fluency: Teaching Fluency in an Orton-Gillingham Lesson, which focuses on the importance of oral reading and fluency as it links efficient single word decoding to comprehension. Susan Santora, F/AOGPE, will present Spelling: Rules and Generalizations, where the participant will learn the distinction between spelling rules and spelling generalizations. Evelyn Reiss, F/AOGPE, will present Teaching Sentence Patterning: Creating Complex Structure and Meaning, which discusses how complex sentence patterns can be taught without invoking the use of esoteric grammar terminology. In addition, Linda Atamian, F/AOGPE, will present An Introduction to Syllable Types and Syllable Division, which discusses the structural analysis skills that support students to decode unfamiliar words. Also, Angela Wilkins, F/AOGPE, will present The Cognitive Shift: Phonemic to Morphemic Awareness, which will provide practical suggestions to help students to recognize orthographic patterns and to understand the importance of the cognitive shift as foundational to upper level reading and spelling. Another session will be presented by Beth Moore, F/AOGPE, entitled The Art of Blending – Overview, which discusses the finite steps needed in the successful blending of sounds into words. This year, the spring conference will present a number of sessions that address the ever growing array of classroom settings and schools where Orton-Gillingham is being utilized. For instance, Mary Briggs, F/AOGPE, Lisa Brooks, F/AOGPE, Judith Todd, Director of Special Education, and Erin Perkins, Team Administrator of Quincy Public Schools, will present An

Associate Level Training Model in a Public School Setting, which discusses a successful training model implemented in resource rooms and self-contained public classroom settings. The session will outline the training program and practicum, and share student growth data. Deb Foster Morris, F/AOGPE, will present Teaching OG in an Urban Setting, where she will discuss the OG teacher training and student services in a public high school. Ann Edwards, F/AOGPE, will present Integration of Orton-Gillingham into the Public School Curriculum, which discusses how teacher training is integrating Orton-Gillingham into balanced literacy curriculums. Also, Ron Yoshimoto, F/AOGPE, will present Early Interventions for Literacy, which discusses how to incorporate OG literacy for the youngest students in school settings. The spring conference will also feature a number of sessions on the multisensory instruction of mathematics. For instance, Carrie Coleman Strasburger will present Piecing Together Fraction Concepts, which will discuss how to use manipulatives when teaching the basic fraction concepts. The participants will learn about the vocabulary and questioning techniques needed for each lesson. Marilyn Wardrop, HF/AOGPE, will present OG Multisensory Math and Manipulatives: Focus on Multiplication and Division Concepts, which will introduce participants to the interactive, cognitive approach for learning math which enables students to develop ways of thinking about math and applying new skills. Ron Yoshimoto will also present multisensory mathematics in his presentation, Early Interventions for Math. This double session will demonstrate strategies for teaching math to preschool/kindergarten children using manipulatives. The spring conference will also feature sessions on new types of assessment. Dr. Eric Falke, Director of Research, and Steve Wilkins, Head of the Carroll School, will present The Complex Profile of the Dyslexic Learner which discusses new ways of looking at the student profile. The participants will learn about new assessment tools that are helping to define underlying cognitive differences that more precisely describe a student who falls within the dyslexia definition. The purpose of this session is to draw a tighter relationship between cognitive assessment and educational intervention. Also, Nancy M. Hatcher, Ph.D., will present Psychological Assessment: Identification of Dyslexia and Report Interpretation, which discusses how a thorough assessment can guide focused remediation. In addition, the spring conference will feature sessions on the neurology of dyslexia, metacognitive skill development, new assistive technology in the delivery of OG instruction, and new multisensory strategies, techniques, and interactive games. The spring conference is an opportunity for educators, tutors, administrators, psychologists, speech therapists, and parents to be introduced to dyslexia and the Orton-Gillingham Approach. That is why the Academy will include the Subscriber Course for attendees who would like to join the Academy. The conference program lists the sessions needed to complete the course. For more information, please go to the AOGPE web site. 6

OG in the Public Schools: More Results By Ron Yoshimoto, F/AOGPE The following letter was written by an elementary public school principal from Hawaii. Mr. Steve Nakasato is a visionary principal who is committed to enhancing the performance of all students in reading and math. He took my two-week OG course a number of years ago and he could see the power of OG in conjunction with other good teaching practices. With this support, other teachers were also trained and now all K-3 general education teachers as well as special education teachers are now trained in OG. Mililani Ike’s teachers have been using OG consistently for the last three/four years. In his letter, Mr. Nakasato notes the results of the Hawaii State Assessment in reading for the 2011-2012 school year. The results are quite striking and he attributes the success partly to OG/MSL. His commitment, dedication and leadership are to be commended.

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Getting Certified: A Guide to Fellows and their Certified Applicants By Marcia Mann, F/AOGPE In 1946, Annie Get Your Gun opened on Broadway. With a book by Dorothy and Herbert Fields and lyrics by Irving Berlin, it was an immediate hit. I still get a thrill when I think of Ethel Merman belting out the song, “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better; I Can Do Anything Better Than You.”

SO THIS IS WHAT I TELL MY TRAINEES: “You don’t have to do it better, but you have to do it as well. If you can, then you are ready to apply for Certified.” AND THEY ANSWER: “But I did my three years, and I took the beginning and advanced, and I did all the readings, and I did all 300 hours of my supervised practicum. Why can’t I apply now?” SO THIS IS WHAT I ASK MY TRAINEES: “So, do you understand testing well enough to be able to extract, not copy or paraphrase, information from the psychological report so that you can develop an instructional program for an individual based on this information? Can you understand the information you have amassed from you own testing?” “Are you proficient in administering a variety of tests, both standardized and non-standardized? Do you understand and can you effectively develop and use criterion referenced tests? Are you able to put all the information together with a family history, educational history, and developmental history? Then, can you speak knowledgeably about this youngster and your plan for intervention and therapeutic strategies with the parents or caregivers, school officials, and professionals like psychologists, physicians, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists?” “Are you able to explain Dyslexia and the way it impacts a person’s ability to function well academically, not just with reading, but with the entire language continuum, and with all other academic achievement, because we know that all academic learning is dependent upon the ability to function well with language? Can you explain the Orton-Gillingham Approach and defend it against its critics?”

“Can you develop intervention strategies based on the OrtonGillingham philosophy, without any reliance on published or proprietary material, kits, or programs? Are you able to develop your own scope and sequence, and your own materials based on your knowledge of the structure of the language and the OrtonGillingham philosophy?” “As a private practitioner, are you available to become a resource for other professionals to help develop appropriate educational placements, programs, and conditions that will promote optimal learning for your student?” “Then ask yourself this question: Am I as good as the practitioners in the field to whom the Academy has given their stamp of approval: Arlene Sonday? Diana King? Jean Osman? Ron Yoshimoto? Angela Wilkins? Kay Howell? Helaine Schupack? Betty Sheffield? Dorothy Whitehead? Ruth Harris? Marcia Henry? Or your own Fellow?” “Have you practiced your craft over a period of time and with all manner of students - those with a multitude of difficulties such as Aspergers, ADHD, low cognitive abilities, physical and emotional problems, and executive function problems? Can you work with older students who can decode but cannot comprehend? Can you help those students who cannot write or organize their ideas? Can you help those students who need instruction in grammar and punctuation? Can you teach these concepts: Individually? In small groups? In large classrooms? With other Special Education youngsters? For Inclusion classes? Ultimately, can you do all of this with the general student population, who may not be dyslexic but would certainly benefit from the strong teaching that is the basis of OG?” If the answer is “Yes,” that you can do anything I can do and do it well, then get started on the Certified application.

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Continuing with this issue of the newsletter, we are inviting members of the Academy to share their experiences which we hope will encourage and inspire others. We also want to acknowledge Academy members who have achieved a notable milestone in their career.

Academy Board Member wins the Alice H. Garside Award At its annual meeting on November 30, 2012, the Massachusetts Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (MABIDA) awarded the 2012 Alice H. Garside Award to Academy Fellow and Board Member Mary Briggs. The Garside Award is presented annually to an individual who has shown significant leadership in the field of dyslexia. Mary Briggs trained under Alice Garside at the Language Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital and completed her Orton-Gillingham practicum in public schools under Alice’s supervision.  Mary taught in Cambridge Public Schools for over 30 years, working with students using the Orton-Gillingham Approach and providing staff development in structured reading. In her presentation speech at the award dinner, Mary fondly remembered Alice Garside as a “no nonsense lady” who was “ahead of her time” in supporting multisensory instruction in public school settings. She recalled Alice’s frequent refrain “It depends,” when she was asked to offer advice about Orton-Gillingham teaching. This exemplified her wisdom about the flexibility and diagnostic-prescriptive nature of our work. For the last twelve years, Mary has served as Director of Orton-Gillingham training at Commonwealth Learning Center’s Professional Training Institute, an Academy accredited training program. She continues to train and supervise public school teachers throughout New England. Previous Alice H. Garside Award winners include Academy members Carolyn Cowen, C/AOGPE, Jean Foss, F/AOGPE, Joyce Goldweitz, F/AOGPE, Sharon Marsh, F/AOGPE, Helaine Schupack, F/AOGPE, Isabel Wesley, F/AOGPE, Angela Wilkins, F/AOGPE, and Barbara Wilson, F/AOGPE. Mary Briggs exemplifies outstanding teaching and leadership in the field of dyslexia. We are pleased to celebrate her contributions.

Equipping All Teachers to Reach Our Most At-Risk Learners continued from page 5

There are many anecdotal stories that accompany the data as well. One severely dyslexic student, who joined us late in his kinder year, was reading independently by mid first grade. His kinder teacher, his first grade teacher, and his mother had taken the MSL/OG training with Ron Yoshimoto. The mother kept exclaiming, “He can read, he can really read!” As an administrator, I support this intervention in my building because it reaches all types of struggling readers, supplements our reading/writing programs by improving writing confidence for all students, and is getting unprecedented results. When you have teachers excited because they finally feel that they have tools in their tool belt to reach all students, it is a wonderful thing. Success breeds success, and I would say that Erie’s story is just the beginning, and our data and student successes in literacy are about to go through the roof. We would like to say a special “thank you” to Ron Yoshimoto, and the Rocky Mountain Branch of the International Dyslexia Association for helping to make our trainings happen, and more importantly, for helping more students than ever before be successful at Erie Elementary.

U P CO M I N G E V E NTS

October 4th and 5th, 2013 Academy’s Annual Fellows Seminar Sheraton Hartford Hotel Bradley Airport Windsor Locks, Connecticut Open to Fellows and Certified Members of the Academy

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NEW MEMBERS 2013 The Academy congratulates the following new members HONORARY TRUSTEE Sylvia Richardson, Tampa, FL FELLOW Louise Doud, Warwick, MA Beth McClure, Canterbury, NH Fay VanVliet, Rochester, MI CERTIFIED Maxine Bennett, Greenville, SC Janet Bergman, Fishers, IN Julie Do, Honolulu, HI Lea Foti, Billerica, PA Ann Marie Harshaw, Princeton, NJ Kathleen Kleckner, Indianapolis, IN ASSOCIATE Meredith Adner, Swampscott, MA Doreen Agena, Miliani, HI Diana Andrews, Hilton Head Island, SC Lisa Baker, Madison, AL Margaret Benhamu, Brooklyn, NY Orania Bonofas, Vancouver, BC Canada Lisa Boone, Westport, CT Debra Bucchianeri, Atkinson, NH Chere Campbell, New York, NY Mary Ellen Clark, Weston, MA Laura Cox, Birmingham, AL Stephanie Jay Crement, Brookline, MA Jodie Curran, Waitsfield, VT Caitlin Duffy, Methuen, MA Rebecca Duryea, Jasper, GA Carol Dyer, Milton, MA Jeanie Edwards, Norwalk, CT

Karen Farrington, Harvest, AL Natalie Felix, Alpharetta, GA Pamela Gentile, Westerly, RI Thamizh Chelvi Gopinath, Chennai, Tamiz Napu, India Elizabeth Grisewood, Tucker, GA Marie Guzman, Washingtonville, NY Meredith Hutchings, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada Stacey Inzer, Gill, MA Allison Jabaley, Dunwoody, GA Gina Beth Johnson, Andover, MA Marianne LaRosa, Dublin, OH Gaylene Long, Upper Arlington, OH Kristen Machi, Darien, CT Kathleen Mack, Baltimore, VT Gail Martin, Riverside, CT Nabia Meghelli, Del Mar, CA Sandra Minichetti, Greenwich, CT Wendy Munce, Charlotte, NC Colleen O’Connor, Winooski, VT Kerry O’Neill, Haverhill, MA Lorna Olberding, Madison, AL Angela Patton, Lawrenceville, GA Anna Pierce, Atlanta, GA Stephanie Pullon, Hilton Head Island, SC Jodie Rucci, New Canaan, CT Cara Sanchez, Barrington, RI Carol Schutz, N. Andover, MA Karen Shearer, Essex Jct., VT Karen Sparks-Bakota, Stratford, CT Christine Speciale, West Greenwich, RI Rita Stevenson, Golden, CO Diane Taylor, Greenwich, CT Lara Thompson, Atlanta, GA

Catherine Tichow, Owens Cross Roads, AL Michelle Trotter, Duluth, GA Kathleen Whitbread, Clinton, CT Mary Worthington, Shoreham, VT Meghan Zavory, Stamford, CT

CLASSROOM EDUCATOR Celeste Antonucci, Sarasota, FL Kristie Autry, Micaville, NC Anna Marie Deem, White Plains, NY Leslie Kesson, Erie, CO Harriett Litzky, Marietta, GA Greta Massey, Roswell, GA Stephanie Siegel, Sandy Springs, GA SUBSCRIBER Linda Bosse, Edmonds, WA Terri Bridgman, Wilmette, IL Tanja Browne, Honolulu, HI Trudi Buscemi, Tampa, FL Kathleen Douglas, Biltmore Lake, NC Carrie Evans, New York, NY Ann Friedman, Bethesda, MD Maria Gramuglia, Mahwah, NJ Amy Jablonski, Madison, CT Angie Jackson, Wilmington, NC Renee Jansen, Windsor Heights, IA Penelope Lindblom, Monroe, NC David Mack, Highland Park, NJ Kristi Perry, New Albany, OH Rosana Quintana, Brooklyn, NY Danielle Rea-Loccisano, Brooklyn, NY Christy Setzke, Ashland, WI Mary Weidman, Augusta, GA

The Academy and Membership The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators is the only organization expressly established and authorized to set standards for the practice of the Orton-Gillingham Approach, to certify teachers, and to accredit instructional programs that meet these standards. Incorporated in 1995, the Academy derives its authority from action taken by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and operates under New York State Education Law. For comprehensive information regarding training opportunities, requirements, and applications for Academy membership at all levels, visit our website at: www.ortonacademy.org

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2012 Gifts The Academy thanks the following contributors GENERAL FUND Roseanne Aman C. Wilson Anderson Christina Anselmo-Quinlan Linda Atamian Cynthia Boller Christina Bruno Anne Marie Butler Rosalie Davis Janet Derick Sally Dorn Bronwen Edwards-Denney Shelley Einhorn Joan Gerken Allyson Greene Ruth Harris Tena Hargrove Lois Hass Cathryn Holinger John & Kay Howell Catherine Irwin Cheryl Kliest Suzanne Knowlton Edith “Dee” LaFrance Karen Leopold Brenda Mackaness Sharon Marsh Gabrielle Miller/ The Boston Foundation Jennings Miller Barbara Muench Lisa Murray Dawn Nieman Gwen Norris Jean Osman Katherine Patterson Amy Rominger Elaine Sacks Marco & Linda Sartori Jean Schedler Renee Schreibman Holly Shapiro Andrea Silvia

Janet Snapp Arlene Sonday Ruth M. Stobbe Virginia Thomas Kathryn Trudell Dorothy Blosser Whitehead Carol Woods

COMMEMORATIVE GIFTS In Memory of Patricia Rudick Ellen Linsky In Memory of Lucia Karnes John & Elizabeth Allison Joan Crawford Amy Davis R. Edward & Ellen Hickman Amy Lawrence Dianne Mitchell In Memory of Alice Garside Mary Briggs Sheila Clark-Edmonds

ACADEMY CONFERENCE 2012, INDIANAPOLIS, IN The Hutson School (Fortune Academy) The Hutson School Students Commonwealth Learning Center Indiana Branch IDA Key School at Carolina Day The Kildonan School Learning House M.A. Rooney Foundation The Schenck School Keynote Speaker: Ronald Yoshimoto, M.Ed, M.S.W., F/AOGPE Lunch Speaker: Sylvia Richardson, M.D., Honorary Trustee/AOGPE

FELLOW SEMINAR 2012 ASHEVILLE, NC Key School at Carolina Day North Carolina Branch IDA Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Kostava, MFA

In Memory of Regina Cicci C. Wilson Anderson In Honor of Roseanne Aman David & Rachel Zimmers In Honor of Marcia Mann Triad Academy at Summit School In Honor of Helaine Schupack Smalletz Family Dorothy Lloyd Tyack Memorial Scholarship Fund Ellen Linsky Ronald Yoshimoto Scholarship Fund Ronald Yoshimoto

HARRIS TRAVEL AWARD Kathleen Cooper Candice Sellers

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