This presentation identifies some of the challenges in preparing teachers in the science of reading, including misguided priorities in teacher education, limited knowledge of the science of reading among many teacher educators, and a lack of understanding of the difference between reading difficulties due to poor instruction versus those caused by dyslexia. It concludes with some possible ways to build a culture of literacy, including the importance of buy-in from state and local education agencies, and navigating divergent views among teacher educators on how reading should be taught.

About the Presenter:

Jennifer Lindstrom, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education at the University of Georgia. Her teaching and research focus on causes and treatment of dyslexia and other learning disabilities, issues surrounding the provision of accommodations to individuals with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, early literacy with a focus on teacher training and the use of research-based methodologies for improving student performance, and the relationships between cognitive and linguistic abilities and poor reading and writing development.