Joplin area Catholic Schools host dyslexia training event

JOPLIN, Mo. (KOAM) -- Joplin Area Catholic Schools host a dyslexia training event for teachers and staff.

According to U.S. News, dyslexia is when people have difficulty sounding words out and reading comprehension and it affects one in five Americans.

Teachers and staff members from St. Mary's Elementary, St. Peter's Middle School, and McAuley Catholic participated in a systemwide professional development day that provides tools to assist dyslexic students in school. The training event featured Itzia Aparicio an Emporia, Kansas, Certified Academic Language Therapist.

"We were thrilled when the opportunity to have Itzia join us for our professional development day arose," said Dr. Steve Gilbreth, principal of St. Peter's Middle School and McAuley Catholic High School. "She is a known expert within the dyslexia community, and investing in this level of training empowers our teachers with tools to better assist our students as they learn."

According to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, on average across the nation, only 61% of 4th graders are reading at or above basic level.

"To improve our reading literacy numbers, it is paramount that our teachers receive structured literacy training," Aparicio said. "Our educators deserve to receive research-based professional development that will not only help them understand the science of reading but also give them the tools to effectively teach reading following the structured literacy approach. Changing how we teach reading is necessary, it will make a world of difference in our students' lives."

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