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Why so Many Students Can't Read

Unfortunately, this one can't be blamed on COVID or online schooling or learning loss. No, the trend of student reading scores coming in well below what is expected has been going on for many years. Since it's a long-term issue, a litany of factors like poverty, higher rates of immigrant students first having to learn English, learning disabilities, or children traumatized by war, neglect, abuse or injury are trotted out next. Nope, they are not to blame either. These factors may make learning to read more difficult, but they don't prevent it. So, what is to blame?

Listen to the Podcast

Check our January Events Calendar for webinars and courses.

Events Calendar

News For Parents

January Programming for Children & Families

The start of the new year also means the start of many programs for children and families for literacy, ADHD management, social skills and counselling. Both CanLearn and Foothills Academy Community Services offer a large variety of programming that can be accessed online and in-person, and with financial support for eligible families.

Here are just two samples!

Calm Kids, Happy Families

This is a 6-week group for parents with children (aged 6-12) with ADHD and related conditions. Learn strategies, problem solve, discuss, and seek advice on best supporting your child's social, emotional, and behavioural needs.

Online
Tuesdays from 6 to 8 pm
Jan. 24 to Feb. 28, 2023
Offered by CanLearn

Amicus Recreation

Amicus winter recreation programs are open! We intentionally teach social skills and friendship skills through a variety of engaging programs.

* Coordination Building Blocks

* Science & Engineering

* Multisport

* POLARIS Teens

* Gamers Paradise

* Chef Amicus (cooking)

* Art

Programs start the week of Jan. 16, 2023
In-Person
Offered by Foothills Academy Community Services

News For Adults

Adults with ADHD! Two excellent options for support & treatment groups are coming up in January:

Let's Talk ADHD

A 7-week group for adults with ADHD. Come learn skills and tools for common challenges associated with ADHD in adulthood and meet others with ADHD.

Designed for adults 18+.
Wednesdays 5:30-7:00 pm.
In-person and online options
January 25 to March 8, 2023
Offered by CanLearn in Calgary

Learn More & Register

News For Educators & Professionals

The Science of Reading: How the Brain Learns to Read and What It Means for Classroom Instruction

"This presentation will help you bridge the gap between the Science of Reading and practice. Together, we will translate the Science of Reading into practical ideas that you can implement in your classroom the next day. By exploring the relationships between the neuroscience of reading, the Simple View of Reading, and orthographic mapping, we will gain further insights into how to teach the five essential skills of reading."

With: Denise Eide, Founder of Logic of English

When: Thursday January 5, 6:30:00-8:30 pm

Where: Online

Cost: $10

Order Your Copy

The Phonics Companion

"The Phonics Companion supports a research-based, systematic, and explicit approach to phonics instruction that will enhance what you are currently doing in your broader literacy program."

Dr. Georgiou and Kristy Dunn, both from the University of Alberta, have recently coauthored this Canadian-based comprehensive resource. It features:

Lesson plans for 120 frequent letter-sound correspondences
Consistent, step-by-step instructions for modelling letter-sound associations
A pronunciation guide including a video that allows teachers and students to hear the sound and see a Speech & Language Pathologist make the sound
A companion website with 600+ digital files to support activities – projectable, sharable, printable!

Learn More & Register

Building Readers: Critical Shifts in Reading Instruction

This year’s Inclusive Education Symposium, a collaboration between Mount Royal University and the Calgary City Teachers' Convention, is focusing on the critical shifts in reading instruction that are necessary to build effective readers.

Dr. Heidi Beverine-Curry, Chief Academic Officer of the Reading League, presents a keynote and follow-up session that outlines critical research to make the necessary shifts in literacy instruction in the classroom.
Pam Lougheed-Stack (Network member and Learning Disabilities of Alberta Literacy Specialist) will facilitate a hands-on workshop that provides concrete examples of phonics and word reading strategies.
Tanya Keto provides teachers with valuable information on the identification and understanding of dyslexia.

We are excited to host this amazing lineup of speakers who will address this critical issue in education.

News For Employers

Rivera’s Workplace Neurodiversity Rising: Trend For 2023

"An intersectional approach to Neurodiversity is a sign of maturity within the field, an indication that the movement has developed reflexivity - the ability to ponder its own failings and respond positively. Rivera is a forerunner here, showing the trend that we expect to see growing, of dynamic, widely inclusive HR, which transforms increased awareness into action and practical steps."

The Learning Disabilities & ADHD Network is a collaborative initiative of a broad group of organizations, which is operated through Foothills Academy and supported by an Anonymous Donor at the Calgary Foundation.

(1) 403 - 630 - 1616

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