Workshop features:

• Single day (8:45AM to 4:30PM)
• Scheduled for all regions across metropolitan and rural NSW
• Theory: how technology can help struggling readers
• Hands-on: hands-on work with a range of reading learning-support technologies
• Hands-on: creating your own reading learning-support resources using Microsoft FrontPage (Microsoft FrontPage is available to all schools as part of the Microsoft Office licence).

Workshop program:

• Introduction
• Overview and discussion of current research into the essential components of a reading instruction program
• Overview of the different genres and categories of reading-support technology and how they support the components of a reading instruction program
• Differentiation between struggling readers and “struggling comprehenders” and how different reading-support technology addresses these differences
• Overview and practice with technology-supported assessments that identify specific reading difficulties
• Hands-on practice with a selection of leading reading-support technology applications with discussion on how each addresses different student needs
• Hands-on practice creating personalised reading-support technology tools using Microsoft FrontPage

Workshop outcomes:
After attending this workshop teachers will be able to:

• Utilise current research into technology and the components of an effective reading program in planning a technology-supported reading program for struggling readers, including:
  • phonemic awareness
  • phonics
  • vocabulary development
  • reading fluency
  • reading comprehension
• Apply assessment strategies to diagnose student needs and measure student progress
• Identify the different categories of reading-support technologies that achieve different outcomes
• Select the appropriate reading-support technology to achieve the required outcome
• Use a selection of reading-support technologies
• Instruct students in the use of reading-support technologies
• Create their own reading-support technology resources using generic software (Microsoft FrontPage)

Attendance prerequisites.
Attendees must have a working knowledge of the Windows operating system and of Microsoft Word

Professional Teaching Standards addressed
The workshop addresses Professional Teaching Standards 1.2.2, 1.3.2, 1.2.4, 1.3.4, 1.4.4, 2.2.3, 2.3.3, 2.4.3, 2.2.5, 2.3.5, 2.4.5, 2.2.6, 2.3.6, 2.4.6, 3.2.2, 3.3.2, 3.4.2, 3.2.4, 3.3.4 3.4.4, 3.2.5, 3.3.5, 3.4.5, 3.2.10, 3.3.10, 3.4.10, 4.2.5, 4.3.5 and 4.4.5

Note: For ethical reasons Pedacomp maintains an arms-length relationship with technology suppliers and does not have a commercial interest in any of the software utilised in the workshop

Click here to view the course venues and scheduled dates