Are you looking for effective tools and strategies to implement reading interventions in your classroom? In this episode, Emily Gibbons, a dyslexia specialist remarks on the importance of building trust and relationships with struggling students, as well as being proactive in targeted instruction. She explains why using explicit instruction, building background knowledge, and being flexible is key to helping students improve their literacy skills. Let's dive in!

Emily Gibbons, M.Ed, C/OGA, SLDP is CEO of The Literacy Nest, an extensive online resource and networking site for families and educators. She has nurtured a collaborative community where families and educators can learn more about dyslexia, Orton-Gillingham's methodology, and evidence-based practices for teaching literacy since 2013.

Key Highlights: 

[00:01 - 07:30] Opening Segment

• Emily shares her background and story

• Why she decided of creating The Literacy Nest
• The Orton-Gillingham approach

[07:31 - 14:24] Improving Literacy Skills

• Build trust and positive relationships with students from the start

• Make sure you focus on literacy interventions that are effective for students of all levels

• Be intentional in instruction to target weaknesses

[14:25 - 21:04] Build Background Knowledge in Literacy

• How to help students with phonological awareness, letter recognition, and fluency

• Build background knowledge into the curriculum and be flexible to best serve students

• There is no one magic program that will encompass everything a teacher needs to do

• A structured literacy model is the most effective way to benefit students

• Check out Explicit Instruction by Anita Archer

[21:05 - 27:56] Implementing Reading Interventions in Your Classroom

• The biggest challenges for implementing reading interventions in classrooms

• There is a lack of admin support
• Teachers feel they have to do everything at once and feel overwhelmed

• Focus on one or two areas that are going to be the most impactful for your students

[27:57 - 28:37] Closing Segment

Let’s Connect!
Want to connect with Emily? Follow her on Facebook & Instagram. Head to The Literacy Nest, and learn more about dyslexia and the science of reading!

You can connect with our host Erica Terry on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Be sure to check out the Healthy Wealthy Educators website to learn more about different strategies to achieve your teaching goals!

You can connect with the TeacherGoals community on Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, Instagram, and Twitter. If you'd like to engage in Q&A 

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