The Special Education Teacher Reading Academy for teachers of children in grades 4-12 will provide a four-day opportunity for those enrolled to participate in hands-on learning activities designed to improve reading instruction and intervention for students with special needs. Topics include a developmental overview of literacy development, phonemic awareness and phonics, using assessment to guide instruction, strategies to build vocabulary and comprehension, and how writing fits into the literacy curriculum. Teachers will be asked to bring copies of their own classroom instructional materials with them to the academy so that effective lesson plans can be designed as part of our activities. All other materials will be provided, including notes and materials for interactives during the week.

Instructors for the Teacher Reading Academies affiliated with the University of Virginia are adjunct instructors of the Curry School of Education and Reading First trainers. Instructors and designers of this academy have both reading and special education backgrounds.

The Teacher Reading Academy is a non-credit experience. Teachers will be awarded certificates of attendance for 100 percent attendance and professional participation in activities. The academy may also be taken for credit (EDIS 589W Reading First in Virginia: Effective Literacy Instruction) upon enrollment in the graduate course through the University of Virginia. Completion of the course will entail web-based activities that will be specified in the course syllabus.

Click here to go to Topics page for the SPE ED 4-12 Academy