Workshop description

The READ Act sparked an important opportunity for Minnesota to strengthen equitable access to Structured Literacy for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind learners. This session will highlight recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Education's Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Working Group on literacy training, screeners, and curriculum for students who cannot fully access sound-based approaches, such as phonics. Participants will explore research on alternative pathways to reading development, expanded definitions of literacy, and considerations for screening, curriculum, and professional development. Presenters will showcase emerging tools and innovations, including curriculum rubrics, decision-making flowcharts, training resources, and body-of-evidence approaches for screening. This session connects research, implementation, and access as Minnesota works to support equitable Structured Literacy for all students.

Presented by Debbie Golos, Kayna Plaisted, Emily Manson, Danelle Gournaris, Leah Dolezal, and Chris Bretz.