Alternate Professional Learning: Tech in the Dyslexia Classroom

Incorporating the Five Principles

 

A. Duration/Ongoing Support

• The duration of this professional learning experience will be one school year. 

• DTs will split into collaborative groups paired by sister schools (4-5 therapists) and each group will have a coach.

• The whole group (around 40 therapists) will meet on district PL days (August, September, October, January, February) 

• Each collaborative group will meet monthly for a with their coach during their conference period

• A Microsoft Teams chat will be created for all DTs and for each collaborative group for real time support 

Supporting Research: Gulamhussein (2013) and Wei et al. (2009) both express that effective professional development is intensive and ongoing. Teacher’s need time to try new strategies and actually master them in their classroom. 

 

B. Implementation Support

• Coaches will co-teach and observe therapists to provide feedforward when implementing a new concept. 

• Therapists will have opportunities to observe and teach with each other.

Supporting Research: Building strong working relationships is key to successful professional learning and coaching also enhances the likelihood that teachers will implement the new practice (Wei et al., 2009). 

 

C. Active Participation

• At group gatherings, therapists will not simply be “shown” a technology tool.  After a brief overview they will be broken into groups mimicking dyslexia groups and will take turns using the tool with coaches.

Supporting Research: Learners acquire more information when the instruction goes from a lecture style to a participation experience (Andrews et al., 2011)

 

D. Modeling

• Modeling will occur at all PL sessions as well as during co-teaching sessions with coaches. 

Supporting Research: Gulamhussein (2013) and Wei et al. (2009) stress the importance of modeling for teacher success and affecting professional learning. 

 

E. Specific Content:

• Content will be specific to dyslexia therapy. For example, when introducing Blooket and Gimkit as tools, therapists will be provided with sets that match their programming that are ready to use and then asked for ideas for what might be a good set to make and will work in groups to make one together. 

Supporting Research: Again, Gulamhussein (2013) and Wei et al. (2009) both stress that professional learning is most effective and teachers are most engaged when it is specifically connected to their content area and their everyday struggles and life in the classroom. 

 

Fostering Collaboration

• Therapists are partnered at their campus and with their sister school for small collaboration groups and peer observation and feedback. 

• At District PL sessions there will be allotted time for collaboration with guiding questions. 

• Microsoft Teams chats will be set up to allow for instant connection for collaboration or assistance as needed 

Supporting Research: Having opportunities to collaborate creates a life-long learning culture (Canadian Education Association [CEA], 2016). As well as having specific guiding questions to have quality peer collaboration (Goodwin, 2015).

 

Leadership Team

• Lead CALT-QI with high Technology Experience 

  • Will make sure that suggested activities are tying in with dyslexia research and best practices for student learning 

• Coaches: Therapists who have proven passion for technology integration in the classroom

  • Facilitators at district sessions, lead small collaboration groups, observe and model for therapists 

• Peer Leaders: 

  • Therapist volunteers who are interested in contributing to the ideas for technology integration, potentially could become coaches in the future 

 

Audience and Needs

• Team of about 40 dyslexia therapists with varying technology experience and comfort 

• When coaches meet with their groups they will discuss with each person their learning needs and their preference for learning and support 

 

Instructional Design

• Finks 3 Column Table will be utilized to ensure that therapists create an effective professional learning experience for therapists by focusing on learning outcomes, identifying the knowledge and skills needed, and planning engaging, meaningful activities that align with these goals.  This helps therapists not only understand the content but also can also bring it into their classrooms.

 

BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)

• By the end of the school year, 80% of therapists will have implemented a technology activity to support their dyslexia therapy once a week with trying a new activity at least once a 9 week grading period. 

 

Schedule

• August/Back to School PL: Explain Tech Integration Program, Create Collaboration Groups, and Assign Coaches

• September PL Day: First Tech Tool Experience

• October PL Day: Collaboration, New Tech Tool Experience

• January PL Day: Collaboration, New Tech Tool Experience

• February PL Day: Collaboration, New Tech Tool Experience

• May: Off Campus Day, Celebration, End of Program Survey, Final Collaboration

• Ongoing: Monthly Collaboration Meetings, Co-Teaching/Observations

 

Materials Needed

• Google Classroom and Google Drive to house all information

• Microsoft Teams: for chats and online meetings if necessary between campuses

• Online Subscriptions for Learning Tools (Gimkit, Blooket, etc)