RI Right to Read Act

The Rhode Island Right to Read Act was passed in July 2019. The law requires educators to exhibit either proficiency in or awareness of the knowledge and practices of the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy. Elementary Educators are required to exhibit proficiency in the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy will complete a rigorous training, including a classroom application component, from a professional learning provider approved by RIDE.
 
To meet this requirement, our elementary educators are being trained in Orton Gillingham. The Orton Gillingham approach is a structured method of instruction that helps students master skills in a cumulative way, incorporating tactile and visual as well as auditory elements. This approach provides students with a solid foundation for building a thorough understanding of reading, writing, spelling, and vocabulary, ensuring that every student has the skills and the confidence to succeed in the classroom. This training program was first developed in order to teach dyslexic students to read, however, the strategies and methods will certainly help all students.
 
This training is quite a heavy lift for our educators as it requires much time and effort. However, we are confident that this training will have a positive impact on teaching and learning.