Speaker - Natalie Hale, Founder - Special Reads for Special Needs

Workshop title:
WHOLE CHILD READING: Go in Through the Heart and Teach to the Brain

A national and international speaker for over 20 years, Natalie's passion for teaching reading to our learners is based on the firm belief that our children/teens/adults can learn to read. An educator and parent of an adult son with Down syndrome, Natalie's enthusiasm is contagious. Giving tools that are immediately applicable by attendees, she leads the audience through an effective plan to teach reading to learners of any age with Down syndrome or other developmental delays. With the goal of reading success achieved through “Going in through the heart and teaching to the brain,” she covers in detail the most effective methods, materials, and motivation guidelines. Topics covered include current best practice, the optimal order of learning to read, sight word learning, phonemic awareness, effective teaching materials, teaching nonverbal learners and older non-readers, the Fast Flash method, comprehension tips, errorless testing techniques, and more.