Educators have an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in children’s lives every day. With this privileged position, Grace Montessori School teachers also have a desire and responsibility to stay up to date on the best practices for each subject. Teaching different learning styles isn’t always easy, especially when students struggle with learning disabilities like dyslexia.
Dyslexia is prevalent, affecting one in five people and representing 80–90 percent of all learning disabilities (Yale). Despite the regularity of this disorder, most students only receive proper dyslexia accommodations if their disability is reported to their school and if they qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Grace Montessori School’s elementary teachers recognized students struggling while learning to read and wanted to offer a solution that didn’t isolate them like other school programs might. With significantly smaller class sizes, our teachers provide personalized attention to aid cognitive development.
To meet every student where their abilities are, Ms. Jessie and Ms. Radhika participated in the Children’s Dyslexia Center of the Lehigh Valley’s Advanced Course, accredited through the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council’s (IMSLEC®), to earn a Dyslexia Practitioner 2 certification. Both elementary teachers completed 200 hours of supervised practice with students over two years, attended 70 hours of lecture, observed advanced tutors, and completed many reading assignments to earn the highest qualification available.
While the training is dyslexic-specific, the lessons easily apply to educating all their students. Ms. Jessie and Ms. Radhika began implementing their training using lesson plans provided for guidance in 2020.
“Ms. Radhika and I use program knowledge in reading and spelling instruction. Our reading lessons are now explicit and follow a comprehensive sequence,” reflected Ms. Jessie, an elementary level teacher. “We deliver the lessons using a ‘guided discovery’ technique, and the lessons are short but actively engage students in the learning process.”
Grace Montessori School strives to educate the whole child – cognitively, spiritually, and physically. Classroom environments are well equipped with developmentally designed materials that perfectly align with the dyslexia-centric lessons that involve several senses, including touch and sight.
“We saw the benefits of this training come to life almost immediately. Parents of six year olds came back and told us that their child was not able to read fluently at the beginning of the school year, but by December, they were already reading billboards or restaurant menus,” said Ms. Radhika, elementary level teacher and Grace Montessori School Director. “It’s amazing to see how much the students took out of the classroom and applied to their daily life in a short period of time.”
Proper reading and spelling instruction at the elementary level is critical to educational success down the line. If a student falls behind early on, it can be challenging to meet academic standards.
“We pursued this accreditation because we could tell something wasn’t clicking for some students, but we couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong to offer a solution,” commented Ms. Radhika. “Schools need reading specialists on board. While we cannot diagnose students with disabilities, we can look at what students need, encourage parents to meet with an appropriate professional, and offer this program. And we find it to be beneficial for all students, not just those with special needs.”
Grace Montessori School teachers are committed to seeking opportunities to further education and enrich student experiences for all learning capabilities. Learn more about our student programs here.
