Edhat Staff
Source: City of Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara Public Library will offer a free online training course for community members who would like to be able to help adults and children with dyslexia learn to read better. Interested participants must preregister by Saturday, October 7. Dyslexia Training Institute of San Diego will provide instruction. The online course, which should take 20-30 hours, runs from October 9 through the first week of November.
The online workshops present an introduction to evidence-based instruction for individuals with dyslexia. They are intended for tutors, parents, and others interested in teaching individuals with dyslexia. Dyslexia is a brain-based, phonological processing problem that occurs in up to 20% of the population, occurring along a continuum from mild to severe. Dyslexia is not an “illness” but an example of neurodiversity, differences in the way that human brains work. Appropriate instruction can help learners overcome challenges in manipulating language.
The course covers tutoring research-based techniques and resources to help readers develop phonemic awareness and phonics skills, which help to build fluency and comprehension skills. Instruction is based on Orton-Gillingham principles, research-based and tested practices that help individuals with dyslexia learn and practice specific skills that boost reading. The course is intended for library volunteers, adult educators, and local parents, but any interested party should contact the library to inquire about registration.
The event is supported by Team Read, a joint project of the Santa Barbara Public Library’s Adult Literacy Program, the community group Dyslexia Santa Barbara, and an Adult Education Block Grant administered by Santa Barbara City College. For more information, call 805-564-5619 or contact Literacy@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.
Information about Santa Barbara Public Library System locations, hours, events, and programs is available at SBPLibrary.org. All Library programs are free and open to the public.
