There are a lot of approaches to teaching kids to read; but not all of them are effective. This is especially important for kids with disabilities who need explicit instruction.

That’s why in episode 102, I had special education consultant and host of the Science of Special Education podcast, Brett Stevens, on the show to talk about the Science of Reading.

Brett is a special education consultant focused on literacy and legal compliance. She has spent over 20 years within the field of special education serving in a variety of roles including special education teacher, school administrator, and special education attorney. She has a bachelor’s in special education, a master’s in instructional technology, and a juris doctorate of law with a specialization in special education. She is currently completing her doctoral dissertation with a focus on legal trends in the curriculum and instruction of students with Autism. Brett Stevens is the host of The Science of Special Education podcast, where she dives into research and evidenced based practices and their application in the special education classroom.

In this conversation, we discuss:

✅What exactly is the Science of Reading and why is it so important for school leaders to know about it?

✅The components of Scarborough’s reading rope and why they’re necessary for kids to read successfully.

✅The different approaches to teaching reading, and the problems with some of the existing curriculums (and which ones are most effective).

✅How to work together as a team to support literacy: both the IEP team as well as supporting parents.

You can connect with Brett on her website here, and listen to the Science of Special Education podcast here. 

You can connect with her on Instagram @scienceofspecialeducation and in her Science of Reading Facebook group here. 

You can also find her list of free resources for parents and educators here.

In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids . You can download this free resource here. 

I also mentioned my Language Therapy Advance Foundations program, my course that teaches SLPs a system for supporting the language skills kids need to support reading and writing. You can learn how to sign up here. 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

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🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.