Like so many other nonprofit organizations in Alberta it has been a challenging year. With change comes opportunity and while we have been challenged to adjust our programs to accommodate the various COVID restrictions, we have also taken the opportunity to offer some new programs online and virtual. We co- hosted our first webinar, “The Science of Reading: What School Psychologists Need To Know”,with the Psychologists Association of Alberta, and we had over 40 people participate. This was our first webinar, and we anticipate hosting a series of follow-up sessions in coming months.
Our online Right To Read (RTR) Program continues to be a great success and the new session starts January 1, 2021This course will teach you how to screen for deficits in fundamental reading skills: oral language, phonological skills, and print-based skills involved in early reading and then provides interventions to support growth in these areas.
The Right to Read course is designed for practicing teachers, tutors, and homeschoolers. The LDAA has partnered with Foothills Academy Society to offer the online version of this course, created to be flexible for professionals who have busy lifestyles, with a learning platform that is open 24/7 and can be accessed in the comfort of your own home. You work on the course at your own pace within the 4-month window that the course is open.
For more details and course registration go to: https://foothillsacademyoutreach.org.
It is exciting that having an online course in place has opened several unexpected opportunities. We are currently working with The Calgary Board of Education to train 300 of their K – 1 teachers as they prepare to implement the Right to Read Program in the 2021-2022 school year. With the online course any school board across the province can access the online course as part of their teacher training program. As an alternative for groups of 5 or more, we can create a private “classroom” (i.e., cohort) with flexible start and end dates. For more information on group discounts and private cohorts, please email Tanya Keto at tketo@foothillsacademy.org.
We are continuing to revise our website and enhance our social media strategy. While it is a very busy time for the Association, it is also an exciting time for all of us. In many ways we are at a crossroads. I will keep everyone informed as these developments unfold.
Please stay safe!
For more information please contact
Toby Rabinovitz, LDAA Executive Director
at: execdir@ldalberta.ca
Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta (LDAA)
