Six students and alumni of Reinhardt’s Shade and Gladys Price School of Education (PSOE) dedicated part of their summer to learn new strategies for supporting dyslexic students. From July 7-11, the group participated in Orton-Gillingham (OG) Training at Gracepoint School in Marietta, Georgia. The course, provided by the Georgia Educational Training Agency, teaches written language development and multisensory teaching techniques.
Throughout the academic year, PSOE partners with Gracepoint, a school dedicated to equipping dyslexic students with the skills necessary to become independent learners. Teachers employ the OG approach to aid students in mastering language skills, and the training complements Reinhardt’s Dyslexia Endorsement Program. PSOE recognizes the importance of identifying students with dyslexia and providing learning tools to help them succeed.
Reinhardt University is one of only 13 Georgia colleges offering an educator dyslexia endorsement. Under the instruction of Assistant Professor of Education Debby Pinion, all Reinhardt elementary and middle school education majors earn this endorsement along with their teaching certificate. Pinion explained, “Having OG training and a dyslexia endorsement makes our graduates exceptional teachers.”
A 2024 dyslexia endorsement grant from the Georgia Department of Education made this vital learning opportunity possible. Looking ahead to Fall, PSOE plans additional initiatives, including utilizing a simulator that allows students to experience reading and writing with dyslexia, and an expert-led discussion on the social and emotional impacts of dyslexia.
For more information on the PSOE programs, visit https://www.reinhardt.edu/academics/academic-schools/price-school-of-education/
-By Suzy Alstrin
