About RTR
About Right to Read (RTR)
Right to Read is the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta’s (LDAA) initiative for early identification and intervention of reading difficulties.
Our Vision:
- All children in Kindergarten and Grade 1 will be screened for reading difficulties.
- Children at risk for reading difficulties will receive effective intervention at the earliest possible stage in their educational career.
- Students will realize their maximum potential.
How many students struggle with reading and learning difficulties?
- Groundbreaking brain research clearly demonstrates that people with learning disabilities process language in a different part of their brain compared to people who do not struggle with reading problems.
- Emerging research places risk for learning disabilities (including reading difficulties) at approximately 20% of all students. This means that about 4 to 5 students in most typical classrooms will have learning and reading difficulties.
- Learning disabilities often co-exist with other conditions including attention, behavioural and emotional disorders, sensory impairments or other medical conditions, lending complexity to the issue.
- Each person with a learning challenge is unique. Their challenges may be mild to quite severe.
What is the best way to educate students who struggle to learn how to read?
- A variety of approaches have been utilized to provide effective programming to students who struggle to learn how to read.
- For children identified at risk for learning disabilities, a pedagogy that focuses on phonemic awareness appears to be critical, as demonstrated by several well constructed longitudinal evaluations.
- Ideally, intervention and support should begin as early as possible in the educational process. It can be highly effective, and minimizes the likelihood of reduced self esteem and other secondary disabilities in later grades.
What is the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta’s Right to Read Project?
The LDAA’s RTR project is comprised of a number of related initiatives.
Reading Readiness Screening Tool: The LDAA has created the Reading Readiness Screening Tool. The RRST is a universal screening tool. It is designed for use by teachers in their classroom to identify students who may be at risk for reading difficulties. Click here for more detailed information about the RRST.
Promoting Response to Intervention (RTI): The LDAA has been aware for some time of the longitudinal research conducted on the efficacy of different phonemic based programs for students with learning/reading disabilities. The LDAA are working with different school districts to use credible interventions that have been demonstrated to be effective in maximizing the overall literacy level of all children, and in addressing the needs of students who have poor phonological awareness or learning disabilities.
Professional Development and Awareness: Experts associated with the Right to Read Project are available to conduct professional development sessions, speak at conferences, and other information sessions about the emerging literacy on the efficacy of screening and successful response to intervention programs for students with learning difficulties.
Working with Partners to Promote Screening and Early Intervention: The LDAA is working actively with several partners to support achievement of the objective that all children at risk for reading problems will be identified early and that an effective response to intervention will be put in place to meet the needs of those students. The LDAA has worked with the Edmonton Public School Board and is forging partnerships with other school districts in Alberta.
