A new resource for teachers who work with students that have or are at risk for dyslexia, co-written by an IU School of Education faculty member, is now available from the Indiana Department of Education.

The Dyslexia Toolkit is a free resource that provides educators with high-quality materials such as articles, teaching guides, sample lessons, and videos that can be used to teach basic reading skills to students with and at risk for dyslexia, a learning disability that often leads to struggles with basic reading and language problems. After Indiana enacted the Dyslexia Screening and Intervention Act, requiring all public and charter schools to provide appropriate intervention and accommodations for students identified with the characteristics of dyslexia, Kelly Williams, Assistant Professor of Special Education and the lead author of the materials, says some educators do not have access to high-quality instructional materials or curricula. The toolkit attempts to fill that gap while also addressing challenges due to many students learning remotely.

“Many students with disabilities, including students with dyslexia, have faced challenges with online or remote learning because these environments are often very ‘text-heavy’ and require proficient reading skills to interact with and understand content,” Williams said. “Our considerations for remote learning section of the toolkit addresses these unique challenges and also provides resources, such as webinars that address teaching reading online and virtual reading manipulatives, that can be used to enhance online or remote instruction.”

Although the toolkit is not designed to take the place of professional development, Williams says it provides additional resources about different intervention components and instructional approaches for teachers who many not feel prepared to work with students with reading difficulties.

The resource pages will also be updated frequently, providing educators with a place where they can share resources they have found or created.