2022 Literacy Academy Live
Viewing Guide
Literacy Academy provides professional learning to support the use of evidence-based language and literacy practices and to assist districts, schools and early childhood education programs working towards raising literacy achievement. Literacy Academy Live 2022 will include four livestream keynotes featuring conversations between national experts bringing the lens of both research and practice to important topics regarding evidence-based language and literacy instruction for students birth through grade 12.
Questions should be sent to
ComprehensiveLiteracy@education.ohio.gov.
Registration is not required. Participants can access each livestream keynote via this webpage on its scheduled date and time. All keynote conversations and accompanying resources will be available on the Literacy Academy Live webpage after the livestream and can be accessed at any time. Districts, schools and early childhood education programs are encouraged to utilize these resources as a part of a comprehensive professional learning plan that is data-driven, sustained, intensive, collaborative, job-embedded and instructionally focused.
Debunking Myths about Dyslexia and Brain-based Teaching Methods: Implications for Systems Change
Jan. 14, 2022
Viewing Guide
It comes as no surprise that educators are learning as much as they can about how best to respond to students with dyslexia. Drs. Nadine Gaab and Tracy Weeden share their expertise by helping us dispel some of the common myths about the brain research and dyslexia, with a focus on what we know from evidence and research. This session will support educators and administrators in helping lead real systems change in their schools.
About the Presenters
Dr. Tracy Weeden is a seasoned leader dedicated to advancing literacy success for all, and academic excellence for children regardless of zip code. Weeden has spent her career developing innovative academic programs while scaling transformational systems change.
While serving for the past 5 years as President and CEO of Neuhaus Education Center (NEC), Dr. Weeden has expanded the reach and impact of the Neuhaus Education Center from a local non-profit to a broader impact across the State of Texas, and on a national and international level. The NEC mission provides evidence-based professional learning to educators, information and resources to families, and adult literacy services.
Prior to serving at NEC, Dr. Weeden was the Executive Director of Academic Planning for Scholastic Achievement Partners. Dr. Weeden also spent 5 years as the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for the Houston ISD. In Katy ISD, Weeden served as a high school English teacher, a recruiter, and then as the Coordinator of Personnel Development in central office for Katy ISD. Dr. Weeden also served as a middle school Dean of Instruction in Katy ISD. Her roots are in her beloved City of Detroit, where and she served as a high school English and Theatre Arts Teacher. Weeden professes to always remaining a teacher at heart.
A graduate from the University of Detroit, with a B.A. in Speech Communications and English, Dr. Weeden also received her M.Ed. and Ed.D.; in Educational Leadership from the University of Houston and is a loyal Cougar
Dr. Nadine Gaab received her PhD from the University of Zurich, Switzerland and received postdoctoral training at Stanford University and MIT. She started her first faculty position at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in 2007 and switched to her current position in January 2021. Currently, she is an Associate Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her work focuses on typical/atypical learning trajectories from infancy to adulthood with a special emphasis on language and reading development and the role of the environment in shaping these trajectories. Her work is at the intersection of neuroscience, education, EdTech, and policy within a learning disability framework. Her laboratory employs longitudinal behavioral and neuroimaging studies to characterize differences in learning as a complex outcome of cumulative risk and protective factors interacting within and across genetic, neurobiological, cognitive, and environmental levels from infancy to adulthood. Her theoretical work focuses on early multifactorial frameworks of learning differences with an emphasis on screening, early identification, and ‘preventive education’. Additionally, one important key aspect of her work is the translation of our research findings to address contemporary challenges in educational and clinical practice and policy.
She is the 2019 recipient of the LDA Award (Learning Disabilities Association America) for her work on learning disabilities. In 2018, Nadine was presented with the Allan C. Crocker Award for her advocacy on behalf of children with dyslexia and reading disabilities and efforts around the recent passage of the Massachusetts screening legislation (under the guidance of Decoding Dyslexia MA). She has also been recognized by the International Dyslexia Association in her receipt of the Norman Geschwind Memorial lecture 2020 and the Alice H. Garside Award for outstanding leadership in advancing the science and advocacy of dyslexia. She is currently an Associate Editor at the journals Scientific Studies of Reading, Developmental Science, and the Journal of Learning Disabilities. She is an international speaker, frequently presenting to teachers on the brain science of typical and atypical literacy development as well as best screening practices for early literacy milestones, dyslexia and reading impairments. Her website with her publications can be found at www.gaablab.com and her twitter handle is @GaabLab.
Back to top
The Science of Reading and English Learners: Instruction that Makes a Difference
Jan. 21, 2022
Viewing Guide
How does what we know about the science of reading and evidence-based language and literacy instruction impact the supports and instruction provided for English learners? Dr. Claude Goldenberg and Dr. Elsa Cardenas Hagan share their wealth of knowledge in this conversation on language and literacy instruction for English learners. This session will provide Ohio educators with examples of how to provide this instruction in an intentional and meaningful way and how systems can be supported in making these instructional shifts.
About the Presenters
Dr. Claude Goldenberg is the Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Education, emeritus, at Stanford University. He received his A.B. in history from Princeton University and M.A. and Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has taught junior high school in San Antonio, TX, and first grade in a bilingual elementary school in Los Angeles. A native of Argentina, his areas of research centered on promoting academic achievement among language minority students, particularly those from Spanish-speaking backgrounds. He continues writing, volunteering, and consulting on literacy research and policy and on promoting literacy development among students not yet proficient in English.
Dr. Elsa Cardenas Hagan is a Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist, Certified Academic Language Therapist, Certified Dyslexia Therapist and Qualified Instructor. She is the President of Valley Speech Language and Learning Center in Brownsville, Texas which was established in 1993. She also works with Texas Institute for Measurement Evaluation and Statistics at the University of Houston. Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan is the author of Esperanza (HOPE), a Spanish language program designed to assist students who struggle with learning to read. Her research interests include the development of early reading assessments for Spanish-speaking students and the development of reading interventions for bilingual students. She was the co-principal investigator of a longitudinal study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Institute for Education Sciences that examined the oracy and literacy development in English and Spanish of Spanish-speaking children. She is currently working with the American Institute for Research on a national project for Response to Intervention among English Learners, which is sponsored by the Office of Special Education. Elsa currently serves as Chairperson of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. She is a past Vice-Chairperson of International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and served for 6 years as the Executive Editor in Chief for IDA publications. Elsa continues to participate on the IDA Global Partners Committee and is the International Dyslexia Association’s Conference Chairperson. Elsa is the former Chairperson for the Texas State Dyslexia Advisory Board and the State Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and Audiology. She also served as a board member for the Academic Language Therapy Association. She has authored scholarly articles, curricular programs, book chapters, and journal articles related to the oracy and literacy development for English language learners. Elsa is the recipient of the Luke Waites Service Award by the Academic Language Therapy Association, the Champion of Dyslexia Award by the Texas Education Agency, the Outstanding Alumni Award of the University of Houston- College of Education and the Spirt Award on behalf of Saint Mary’s School for the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. Elsa co-founded the non-profit organization, Brownsville READS! and continues to be dedicated to improving evidence-based literacy instruction for ALL students especially those with learning disabilities.
Back to top
Meaningful Language: Intentional Conversation and Play in Early Care and Education
Jan. 28, 2022
Viewing Guide
Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement spans birth through grade 12. This conversation will focus on supporting Ohio’s youngest learners, particularly as it relates to language development. Dr. Lucy Hart Paulson and Dr. Susan Neuman share the importance of oral language and the intentionality behind the language rich opportunities we provide in early care and education classrooms. This session will provide actionable ideas surrounding vocabulary, conversational turns, shared book reading and more.
About the Presenters
Dr. Susan B. Neuman is a Professor of Teaching and Learning at New York University specializing in childhood education and early literacy development. Previously, she has been a Professor at the University of Michigan and has served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. In her role as Assistant Secretary, she established the Early Reading First program, the Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Program and was responsible for all activities in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act. She has served on the IRA Board of Directors (2001-2003), and other numerous boards of non-profit organizations, and served as Co-editor of Reading Research Quarterly (2011-2018), ILA flagship research journal. Her research and teaching interests include early childhood policy, curriculum, and early reading instruction, preK-grade 3 for children who live in poverty. Neuman has received two life-time achievement awards for research in literacy development, and is a member of the Reading Hall of Fame, and a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. She has written over 100 articles, and authored and edited 11 books, including the Handbook of Early Literacy Research (Volumes I, II, III) with David Dickinson, “Changing the Odds for Children at Risk” (Teachers College Press, 2009) “Educating the Other America” (Brookes, 2008) and “Multimedia and Literacy Development (Taylor & Francis, 2008). Her most recent books are “Giving our children a fighting chance: Poverty literacy, and the development of information capital.” (Teachers College Press, 2012); and “All about Words: Improving vocabulary in the age of Common Core Standards, preK-grade 2 (2014).
Lucy Hart Paulson, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is a literacy specialist with years of experience working with young children and their families in public school, Head Start, private and university settings. She is on the faculty of the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at the University of Montana, sharing responsibilities for teaching, supervising, research and service. Hart Paulson is the lead author of Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) for Early Childhood Educators; Building Early Literacy and Language Skills (BELLS), a resource and activity guide for young children; and Good Talking Words, a social communication skills program for preschool and kindergarten classes.
Back to top
Leading Literacy, Growing Equity: How School Leaders can Improve Reading Instruction for All Students
Feb. 4, 2022
Equity is embedded in both Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement and Each Child Our Future: Ohio’s strategic plan for education. Ohio is committed to creating the learning conditions that ensure each child acquires the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. Dr. Doug Fisher and Kareem Weaver share their expertise on how leaders can support equity in their buildings and districts by improving the quality of literacy instruction for each child. This session will also provide a discussion of the vital role of research in identifying student needs and determining the approaches that are necessary to increase literacy outcomes for all students.
About the Presenters
Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is the recipient of an International Reading Association William S. Grey citation of merit and an Exemplary Leader award from the Conference on English Leadership of NCTE. He has published numerous articles on teaching and learning as well as books such as The Teacher Clarity Playbook, PLC+, Visible Learning for Literacy, Comprehension: The Skill, Will, and Thrill of Reading, How Tutoring Works, and most recently, How Learning Works. Doug loves being an educator and hopes to share that passion with others.
Kareem Weaver is a leader of Full and Complete Reading is a Universal Mandate (FULCRUM) which partners with various stakeholders to improve reading results for students. He is also a member of the Oakland and California NAACP Education Committees. Previously, Kareem was a Managing Partner at NewSchools Venture Fund, served as New Leaders’ Executive Director of the Western Region, and was an award-winning teacher and administrator in Oakland, California, and Columbia, South Carolina. Kareem has undergraduate degrees from Morehouse College and a master’s in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of South Carolina.
Back to top
Last Modified: 8/8/2024 8:30:58 AM