TEACHER TRAINING –
Hillside School Professional Development Training for Educators
Hillside School is a Boulder-based half-day program than enables students with dyslexia and other learning differences become capable and confident learners. Learn from our experienced faculty as we share best practices, research, and cutting-edge strategies that have been making life-changing impacts on students since 2005.Two-day summer courses that were offered in 2019 (stay tuned for 2020 info soon):
Building Number Sense and Foundational Skills
Target Audience: 3-8 GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND MATH INTERVENTIONISTS
This two-day, interactive workshop will focus on the difficulties so many upper-elementary and middle school students with learning disabilities face when it comes to understanding numbers and the too-often abstract nature of math. Through hands-on activities and example lessons, we will explore how to develop a deeper understanding of the number concepts upon which all math instruction is based.
Topics will include:
- The neuroscience of math learning and its application in the classroom
- Understanding how learning disabilities affect math skills and conceptual understanding
- Building a rich conception of numbers and how they can be constructed and deconstructed
- Using tactile, visual, and verbal tools to enhance learning through multiple modalities
- Alternatives to teaching traditional algorithms for multiplication, division, decimals, and fractions.
Lunch Provided
Dates: July 18-19, 2019
Times: 8:30-4:00
Cost: $300*
*Graduate credit available for an additional fee through Adam’s State University
Cracking the Code: An In-Depth Study of the Rules of Decoding and Spelling
Target Audience: K-6 GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND READING INTERVENTIONISTS
While all students benefit from explicit, sequential phonics and decoding instruction, for students with dyslexia it is critical. This two-day class is an in-depth study of the decoding and spelling rules of the English language. Participants will not only increase their own knowledge base, but also create a resource of instructional stories and techniques to use in the classroom.
Topics will include:
- Intensive study of letters and letter patterns with their sounds and spelling rules
- Stories, rhymes, or visuals to use while teaching in order to increase student learning
- Understanding the six syllable types and applying them to effectively decode and spell multisyllabic words
- An appropriate sequence for instruction
- Activities for initial instruction and ongoing reinforcement
Lunch Provided
Dates: July 25-26, 2019
Times: 8:30-4:00
Cost: $300*
*Graduate credit available for an additional fee through Adam’s State University
Writing with Dyslexia: Moving Beyond the Sentence to Meaningful Composition
Target Audience: 3-8 GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND LITERACY INTERVENTIONISTS
It is proven that providing an explicit and structured approach to reading instruction is critical for students with dyslexia, yet we often neglect to do the same with our writing curriculum. This two-day course will provide a framework and activities to supplement existing writing curriculums. Participants will learn how to help students understand the various structures of written language and create meaningful pieces of writing.
Topics will include:
- Understanding the foundations of language learning and the implications for students with dyslexia
- Reviewing universal structures of oral storytelling, narratives, poetry and content area text structures in order to create classroom-ready multi-sensory and multi-modality activities and lessons for instruction of various writing genres
- Understand accommodations, strategies and tools to help writers create meaningful content
Lunch Provided
Dates: July 25-26, 2019
Times: 8:30-4:00
Cost: $300*
*Graduate credit available for an additional fee through Adam’s State University
Understanding Dyslexia in the Classroom:
Hillside School Professional Development for Educators
This fifteen-hour, two-day course is designed to help educators gain a greater understanding of dyslexia and how it impacts students in the classroom, specifically in the areas of reading and written language. Course content will address the following three areas:
- What is dyslexia? This module will highlight common indicators of dyslexia at various age-groups, how dyslexia can contribute to student dysregulation, and best practices for teaching dyslexic learners.
- What makes an effective reading intervention program? In this module, participants will learn strategies to improve phonological awareness, decoding, spelling, and reading fluency in classroom instruction, and identify when more intensive intervention is necessary.
- Why is writing so difficult for the dyslexic student? Educators will increase their understanding of the neurological demands of writing and learn techniques and strategies to support struggling writers.
Upon completion of this course, educators will be able to describe the challenges that a dyslexic learner faces in the classroom, understand how a dyslexic student learns best, and implement instructional strategies in reading and writing that will help their students experience greater success.
Lunch Provided
Dates: July 25-26, 2019
Times: 8:30-4:00
Cost: $300*
This course qualifies for 15 hours in standards III and IV towards the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners professional development requirements.
*Graduate credit available for an additional fee through Adam’s State University
