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Description: Anne Beninghof presented two training sessions on Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) for the T/TAC at William and Mary on February 22, 2024 and March 6, 2024. (These recordings will be available for one year.) Note: TTAC Online does not provide certificates of completion for these presentations.
Description: Each self-paced professional learning session is offered at no cost to Virginia public school educators and provides 3-5 hours of professional learning. These sessions guide educators in learning about specific HLPs through videos that model exemplar teacher behaviors. Educators may enroll in any of the following professional learning sessions described below: Enroll in School Leaders, Administrators, and Instructional Coaches: Strategies for Teacher Retention & Support...
Description: VDOE's Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) webpage - With the passage of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) in the 2022 General Assembly, Virginia is taking the lead nationwide to improve early literacy outcomes for Virginia’s young learners. Through the VLA, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) will support school divisions through a multi-year effort with tools, resources, technical assistance and funding. Updates from VDOE **NEW May 2024** Virginia Literacy Updates Division...
Description: Collaboration HLP Pillars: HLP Highlight Tool - HLP 1: Collaborate with Professionals to Increase Student Success, HLP Highlight Tool - HLP 3: Collaborate with Families to Support Student Learning and Secure Needed Services Embedded HLPs HLP Highlight Tool - HLP 2: Organize and Facilitate Effective Meetings with Professionals and Families Data-Driven Planning HLP Pillar: HLP Highlight Tool - HLP 6: Use Student Assessment Data, Analyze Instructional Practices, and Make Necessary Adjustments that...
Description: 25 Hands-on Ideas for Teaching Syllabification of Words - Rebecca from the blog Adventures in Speech demonstrates 25 different activities to make teaching and learning syllabication fun and easy!
Description: On Eating Elephants and Teaching Syllabication - Shanahan on Literacy presents this informative blog on syllabication. Shanahan states that “syllables matter in English. The consistency of spelling patterns and their relationship to phonemes and pronunciations is determined, in part, by where particular letters appear in syllables rather than where they appear in words (Venezky, 1967). The syllable is an essential unit in phonological processing (Ecalle & Magnan, 2007) and...
Description: The Big Five: Phonics-Teaching Syllabication - Many children have difficulty reading multisyllabic words. Some can decode fairly well at a one-syllable level but do not know how to read words accurately and fluently when reading longer words. Most decoding instruction stops by second grade; children are not being directly taught how to read multisyllabic words when they begin to become frequently used in text.
Description: 6 Techniques for Building Reading Skills—in Any Subject - Without a repertoire of reading strategies that can be applied to any text, students are being shortchanged in their education. In order to teach students to read effectively, teachers must be sure that they are not simply suppliers of information on a particular text but also instructors of techniques to build reading skills.
Description: Knowledge and Skills for Teaching Reading - The following is the proposed core curriculum for teacher candidates presented in Teaching Reading is Rocket Science: What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able to Do, published by the American Federation of Teachers. This curriculum can also serve as a roadmap for practicing teachers’ professional development experiences. The curriculum is divided into four parts. The psychology of reading and reading development Knowledge of...
Description: Beginning Reading - The National Center for Improving Literacy has gathered its best resources for beginning reading into one convenient link. Topics include: Alphabetuc Principle & Phonics Coaching Steps for Families Engaging Children: Interactive Literacy Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten Fluency with Text And much more!
Description: On course for reading success: Best practices for teaching beginning readers - The early literacy skills that students develop set them on course to gain reading proficiency by grade 3, which is a strong indicator of later academic success. This quick reference draws on What Works Clearinghouse™ practice guides to identify research-based instructional practices for supporting beginning readers, along with the level of evidence behind the practices and core literacy skills to target for...
Description: Each checklist uses research to guide teachers through steps for creating an organized and responsive learning environment where all students thrive. Resources for creating a structured learning environment that with class expectations and routines that are consistently reinforced with behavior specific praise are shared.
Description: Parents, educators, and community members are also invited to share their thoughts on cell phone-free education with the VDOE. Cell Phone-Free Education in Virginia K-12 Public Schools - On July 9, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33 to establish cell phone-free education to promote the health and safety of Virginia’s K-12 students. Executive Order 33 is focused on eliminating cell phone use during instructional time and addressing the mental health...
Description: HJR 17 - Designating July, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Disability Pride Month in Virginia - Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July by people across the United States and provides an opportunity for all Virginians to celebrate the achievements of people with disabilities and take an active role in preventing discrimination against people with disabilities.
Description: This interactive module on Curriculum Framework aims to empower educators to confidently support children with Individualized Education Programs, taking into account their unique strengths and interests. Educators can enhance their effectiveness in the classroom by understanding the key elements of a curriculum framework and how they work in tandem to nurture children and families. This resource encourages reflection on how to implement these elements to create a supportive learning environment...
Description: The SETT Framework, developed by Joy Zabala, guides teams in gathering and organizing information about the Student, Environments, Tasks, and Tools that are needed to support student participation and achievement. The following SETT resources will assist you in utilizing a person-centered framework that promotes collaboration when making decisions about assistive technology tools and services. The SETT is one of the most important components of the Virginia Assistive Technology, Tools, and...
Description: The Consideration and Assessement section of the AT Network website has the following sections: Consideration of AT (2022 Virginia Assistive Technology, Tools, and Stragegies (VATTS) Consideration Guide and Resources) Referral Process Information Gathering Decision-Making Process Trial Implementation
Description: YouTube Video: What is Digital Accessibility? (2:40) (Deque Systems) Accessibility: It's About People (W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, WAI) View Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Video Series on Accessibility (20 short videos) 2023 Digital Accessibility Conference (North Carolina Higher Education Digital Accessibility Collaborative) Recording of Accessible and Inclusive Presentation & Presentation Slides Accessible and Inclusive Instruction Presentation - In this session, attendees...
Description: Nomination for Yes I Can Awards - CEC is proud to recognize children and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated their determination and achievements in multiple ways. Presented each year at the CEC Convention & Expo, the Yes I Can Awards recognize 12 outstanding students with exceptionalities in six categories: Academics, Arts, School & Community Activities, Self-Advocacy, Technology, and Transition. Deadline: September 27, 2024
Description: Legislation passed during the 2020 Virginia General Assembly session requires Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams to consider the need for age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate instruction related to sexual health, self-restraint, self-protection, respect for personal privacy, and personal boundaries of others (§22.1-217.03). Under this legislation, the VDOE has developed guidelines to support IEP Teams in considering the need for this instruction when developing IEPs for...
Description: Call PEATC (703-923-0010) for free and confidential help with your special education & disability questions. PEATC's help is now available in over 300 languages!
Description: Take the Virginia High-Leverage Practices Priority Survey - It aims to collect information from relevant stakeholders, such as principals, general and special education teachers, paraprofessionals, central-office administrators, and other service providers, about statewide needs regarding supporting struggling learners, including students with disabilities, across Virginia. The information from this survey will be used to support a state leadership team comprised of members from the Virginia...
Description: HLP 22 Highlight Tool 2024.docx - The High Leverage Practices (HLP) Highlight Tools were developed to acquaint educators with the key components of each HLP in order to begin implementation into their instruction and strengthen inclusive practices with students. Each Highlight Tool contains a brief description, video clips, suggested activities and a Plan of Action activity teachers can implement with students to help get them started. As teachers become more acquainted with HLPs, additional...
Description: VCU-RRTC Autism Center for Education (ACE) is conducting a brief Statewide Needs Assessment of people who live or work in Virginia AND educate or support autistic individuals. The purpose of the survey is to learn more about your learning and informational needs, such as specific topics you are interested in and the ways you prefer to get information about autism. The information gathered will help us design training and technical assistance for Virginians who educate and support autistic...
Description: Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits: Volume 18 Overview - The Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits (ATOB) journal was launched by the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) in 2004 in effort to advance the assistive technology (AT) field and highlight new information on the outcomes and benefits of AT for persons with disabilities. ATOB is a leading, open access, peer-reviewed journal in the field of AT. Volume 18 includes all three categories of articles published by...
Description: Four-Part Self-Paced Course Collection: DBI 101: Getting Started with Intensive Intervention - This four-part course collection provides a guide to available NCII self-paced learning courses for those who are newer to learning about intensive intervention and the data-based individualization (DBI) process. The collection begins with an overview and introduction to intensive intervention and then dives deeper into courses focused on the DBI process and key components of the DBI process...
Description: Three-Part Self-Paced Course Collection: Academic Progress Monitoring - This three-part course provides a guide to available NCII self-paced learning courses that focus on academic progress monitoring. The collection begins with an overview of progress monitoring and the role of progress monitoring within the DBI process. The second module focuses defining two types of academic progress monitoring measures (general outcome measures and mastery measures) and considerations for identifying a...
Description: Self-Care Exercises and Activities- The topics provided cover ways to maintain your physical health, decrease stress, increase relaxation and equanimity, and deal with challenging emotional situations (including work situations). We invite you to find the ones that are applicable to your life and situation.
Description: The 3 R’s for Teacher Self-Care: Reflect. Release. Recharge Consider these prompts for your daily reflection: What has been a challenge for you today? What is one win or a joyful moment that you had today? Think about one person that helped you out today and send them a thank you email or text expressing your gratitude.
Description: 3 Self-Compassion Exercises - Self-compassion involves treating the self with care and concern when considering personal inadequacies, mistakes, failures, and painful life situations. This product contains 3 different self-compassion tools. Each tool is structured in the same way, consisting of abackground section, a goal description, advice for using the exercise and suggested readings.
Description: Here are some strategies to relax and reset this summer: Focus YouTube: One Minute Pinky-Thumb Breathing Sheetali (Rolled Tongue Breathing) YouTube: Colour Breathing Square Breathing for Stress Reduction Muscle Relaxation Progressive Muscle Relaxation Stress Management: Doing Progressive Muscle Relaxation Mindfulness Mindfulness podcasts Guided Meditations and Scripts from UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center
Description: Prioritizing your Mental Health with Summer Self-Care - Pause for a moment. Take a breath. You’ve made it to the end of a school year unlike any before. You’ve dealt with new developments, mastered new technologies, and likely found your students to be more resilient than you’ve ever imagined. You deserve this summer to rest, recover, and find new ways to further your craft as a valued educator. No matter how you are feeling, as an educator and as a person, this summer is a...
Description: This article discusses how a University of Virginia professor shaped Virginia’s Literacy Act. The new laws address teacher training, screening for reading risk, the provision of evidence-based curricula, funding for intervention services and other aspects of effective literacy instruction.
Description: VLA Implementation Playbook - The Virginia Department of Education is excited to collaborate with school divisions as they work diligently to implement the Virginia Literacy Act over the next six months. To assist school divisions in creating a vision for what literacy instruction looks like in every classroom, the Department of Education has created a playbook. This document will act as a framework for decision making and help provide a roadmap for a successful 2024-2025 school year. This...
Description: Transition and Court-Involved Youth: Workplace Readiness Skills Assessment is an informal assessment used to gauge early job assets and needs. This assessment can be conducted with a team or independently with a student, teacher, and parent/guardian.
Description: The Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Pre-K Project is a video series, based on mental health research, created to make important mental health skills available to preschool children (age 3 to 5). These videos introduce important ideas, taught the way young children learn best: through entertaining, relatable stories set in a vivid, imaginary world. Each video features a memorable song that reinforces the key messages. We invite you to watch the complete series with your children or students. You can...
Description: This Rubric - HLP 11 is a tool that can be used during teacher observations to provide meaningful feedback to teachers about areas of strength and growth as they implement specific HLPs (High Leverage Practices). Instructional coaches, administrators, and collaborative learning teams can use the rubrics for ongoing professional development and teacher support. Each HLP rubric identifies essential components of each HLP and the teacher behaviors that facilitate HLP...
Description: Recorded Webinar: Instructional Practices for Students with Significant Disabilities - The Office of Student Assessment, in collaboration with the Department of Special Populations, is pleased to offer another resource for teachers providing instruction to students with significant cognitive disabilities. This resource is a recorded presentation, Instructional Practices for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities, featuring educators from three Virginia school divisions. The...
Description: This Rubric - HLP 5 is a tool that can be used during teacher observations to provide meaningful feedback to teachers about areas of strength and growth as they implement specific HLPs (High Leverage Practices). Instructional coaches, administrators, and collaborative learning teams can use the rubrics for ongoing professional development and teacher support. Each HLP rubric identifies essential components of each HLP and the teacher behaviors that facilitate HLP implementation....
Description: This Rubric - HLP 22 is a tool that can be used during teacher observations to provide meaningful feedback to teachers about areas of strength and growth as they implement specific HLPs (High Leverage Practices). Instructional coaches, administrators, and collaborative learning teams can use the rubrics for ongoing professional development and teacher support. Each HLP rubric identifies essential components of each HLP and the teacher behaviors that facilitate HLP implementation....
Description: This is a collection of featured resources from the Trauma Support for Schools Virtual Summit 2021. Selecting the Right Interventions to Support Students' Mental Health Needs (881 KB) PDF Menu of Trauma-Informed Programs for Schools (360 KB) PDF Common Trauma Symptoms in Students and Helpful Strategies for Educators (349 KB) PDF Community-School Collaboration to Address Opioid-Related Trauma (401 KB) PDF Glossary: Common Terms for Frameworks, Initiatives, and Approaches that Address Trauma (172...
Description: Behavioral Health & Wellness - Helping schools address the unprecedented rise in mental health and behavioral challenges facing Virginia students post-pandemic, Behavioral Health and Wellness helps to focus resources and attention to our students who are struggling with these evolving challenges. Sharpening the focus on the “Right Help, Right Now” resources available to Virginia students, Behavioral Health and Wellness will assists schools with teams of...
Description: Best Practices in Universal Screening for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes: An Implementation Guide - Universal social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) screening is increasingly being recognized as a foundational component of a comprehensive, multi-tiered system of school-based supports. As schools strive to develop a systematic approach to meeting the SEB health of all students, often with limited resources and competing priorities, there is a need for responsive, efficient,...
Description: Mental Health/Social-Emotional-Behavioral Well-Being - The term ‘mental health’ refers to how we think, feel and behave; it is a critical part of our overall health. Current rates of mental illness, substance misuse and opioid abuse are alarming and require significant societal shifts. Mental health is now recognized as a critical part of education, but schools struggle with how to establish a comprehensive system of mental health support. The Interconnected Systems Framework...
Description: Camp List for Children & Adults with Disabilities 5.2024.docx, 2024 Summer Camps (Northern Virginia, Region 4) Websites to Search for Camps: American Camp Association’s Camp Finder - Lists camps accredited by ACA. The advanced search function allows you to search by disability, distance from home, inclusive camps, and other variables. VerySpecialCamps - Summer Camps & Programs for Individuals with Special Needs MySummerCamps (general finder) - Find the Perfect Summer Camp for...
Description: This webpage provides every episode of Melissa & Lori Love Literacy starting with the most recent episodes. You can even search for any guests or topics you are interested in to find all the episodes you want to listen to!
Description: Podcasts - Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong - There's an idea about how children learn to read that's held sway in schools for more than a generation — even though it was proven wrong by cognitive scientists decades ago. Teaching methods based on this idea can make it harder for children to learn how to read. In this podcast, host Emily Hanford investigates the influential authors who promote this idea and the company that sells their work. It's an...
Description: Literacy Talks, a podcast series from Reading Horizons, is where reading momentum begins. Each episode features our trio of literacy champions: Stacy Hurst, an assistant professor of reading at Southern Utah University and Chief Academic Advisor at Reading Horizons; Donell Pons, a dyslexia specialist, educator, presenter, and writer, who now works with adults who struggle with reading; Lindsay Kemeny, an innovative, dedicated elementary teacher who is a CERI certified Structured Literacy...
Description: Revised Universal Design for Learning Innovation Configuration (IC) - This IC provides recommendations for embedding UDL in general and special education pre-service teacher preparation programs and can improve PD for in-service teachers. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research from the learning sciences. The framework guides the development of flexible learning environments that account for individual learning differences. It provides a blueprint...
Description: The topics included are: Attention and Focus Communication Collaboration Language Development Math Memory Motivation Organization Problem Solving Positive Relationships Reading Reading Comprehension Remote Learning Resilience/Flexibility Self-Monitoring Writing