Date: 03/29/2025 Time: 9:00-3:00 Location: Bellingham, 1985 Barkley Blvd, Bellingham, WA 98226 Type: In-Person Class
Description
Class Cost: $65 (includes hands-on materials fee, lunch on your own) Make Payment
Class Limit: 25
Every student deserves access to meaningful, core literacy instruction—regardless of their abilities. Making this vision a reality requires intentional planning, collaboration, and strategic tools.
Join us for a dynamic and hands-on 6-hour in-person retreat, where you’ll dive deeper into the strategies, tools, and practices needed to create inclusive literacy opportunities for ALL learners. Grounded in insights from the book Comprehensive Literacy for All: Teaching Students with Significant Disabilities to Read and Write, this retreat offers a unique opportunity to not only learn evidence-based approaches but also put them into action as you create materials tailored for your classroom.
This retreat is perfect for educators looking to expand their skills, deepen their understanding, and leave with concrete materials to support students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and complex communication needs.
Let’s work together to ensure every student has the chance to read, write, and thrive. Join us for this immersive and inspiring learning experience!
Learning Objectives
- Set Measurable Goals: Define clear, achievable literacy goals for students at all developmental stages, from early communication to advanced language use.
- Hands-On Learning: Practice evidence-based strategies from Comprehensive Literacy for All and adapt them to real-world scenarios, ensuring your lessons are ready to meet the needs of every learner.
- Create Classroom Materials: Spend dedicated time designing literacy materials and resources that you can implement immediately.
- Explore Innovative Tools: Get hands-on experience with the latest technologies to enhance student engagement and accelerate literacy growth.
- Collaborate and Problem-Solve: Work closely with peers to share ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and learn from one another’s expertise.
- Reflect and Refine: Examine your current practices in depth and develop actionable steps to strengthen your approach to literacy instruction for students with disabilities.
In Person Literacy Retreat Agenda –
Asynchronous Learning: Podcast and Reflection (1 hour, complete prior to event)
9:00-10:00 Introduction – Project VC Progress Monitoring Tool Introduction
10:00-10:45 Reflecting on Instructional Practices and Setting Goals
10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-12:00 Enhancing Instructional Practices with Available Tools:
- Foundational Techniques Demo
- Unlocking Literacy Modules
- Comprehensive Literacy Book Collection & Clicker Sets
- Hands-On Practice
12:00-1:00 Lunch (on your own)
1:00-2:45 Comprehensive Literacy Program Planning, Collaboration, and Goal-Setting
2:45-3:00 Reflection & Feedback
Presenters
Sarah Kinsella, MA CCC-SLP
Sarah Kinsella is a Speech-Language Pathologist with a passion for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and supporting students with complex communication needs. She holds a Master’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and has worked in the public school setting for 11 years. She also served as the district Assistive Technology Specialist for 7 years, working with multidisciplinary teams and families to support students with a variety of Assistive Technology and AAC needs. She is passionate about her field and thankful for the students with whom she works as they help her learn and grow along the way.
Sara Ayars, MS, CCC-SLP
Sara is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Assistive Technology Specialist with the Special Education Technology Center. She also contracts with the Bellevue School District and serves as an adjunct professor in Western Washington University’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program. With over 17 years of experience in public schools, Sara specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and supporting the communication needs of students aged 3 to 21. She collaborates with educators to provide coaching and to ensure comprehensive care for students with high support needs, focusing on fostering inclusivity, promoting accessibility, and creating meaningful educational experiences.
Amy Connolly, OTR/L, ATP
Amy is an OT and Assistive Technology Specialist for the Bellingham Public Schools in Bellingham, Washington. She provides collaborative consultations and professional development across the state with the Special Education Technology Center. Beyond the school setting, Amy is a volunteer with Empower Spinal Cord Injury, Inc., where she contributes to a second chance at rehab for individuals with spinal cord injury.
Contact
Email Sue Wright at the SETC office
Clock hours for this webinar and others in this series are available from ESD105 for a small fee. The following Professional Development Enroller link provides more information about clock hours: pending