Commonwealth Learning Online Institute updates Dyslexia Professional Development courses

Commonwealth Learning Online Institute (CLOI) has recently announced updates to its Dyslexia Professional Development courses. The organisation made its updates specifically to fall in line with the current educational landscape in today’s pandemic-stucken world along with the shifts to digitalisation and remote learning.

The goal is to help professional educators better understand dyslexic learners and give them the support they need as they receive an education.

High-quality professional development and inclusive educational practices for individuals with dyslexia have become increasingly crucial. Globally, Dyslexia International suggested in 2017 that between 5-10% of the population experiences dyslexia, which equates to around 700 million people worldwide. 

Without the right resources and tools, educators will not be able to support or provide these students with accessible training. Given the prevalence of dyslexia, learning communities will have to make it a point to include dyslexic learners, meaning establishments and practitioners will be required to develop an awareness of the learning disability and knowledge of appropriate inclusive approaches for dyslexic learners and their needs.

“Most teachers and students alike struggle in some way with remote, hybrid, and in-person learning, children with dyslexia—both diagnosed and undiagnosed—are in critical need of additional support and services. Educators are working diligently to identify and provide appropriate instruction for each learner’s needs, but this can be a challenge even in the most optimal environment. Trying to deliver this level of individualised schooling remotely is an entirely different ballgame,” says Kim Michel, director of CLOI. 

“CLOI has been able to update the Professional Development programming to reflect the newly current educational landscape in order to provide the best resources possible to educators.”

CLOI’s module courses have been developed to meet the rigorous standards of a graduate-level course and can be taken for graduate credit or professional development points (PDPs). The course expectations are the same for either route. Graduate credit is provided by Gordon College, Westfield State University, and MidAmerica Nazarene University; registrants receive graduate credit from the college of their choice. PDPs are offered through Westfield State University.

“I am learning about skills that are foundational for my students. This information will help me to better support them, so it is very important to me that I truly understand what I am learning. The course is well-structured for that. The materials and assignments challenge me to ensure that I am practicing the skills and processing them deeply. I feel that I am gaining valuable insights,” shares Rina, a CLOI Phonemic Awareness participant.

What is CLIO? The Commonwealth Learning Online Institute provides professional development services across curriculums based on current standards used throughout the nation. The not-for-profit organisation works with other experts in the field to develop and facilitate courses in the online environment using state of the art technology tools coupled with research-based assessments and teaching methods. 

Through this platform, educators gain access to an all-inclusive e-learning opportunity that improves teacher effectiveness, streamlines implementation of state standards, and increases the percentage of college and career-ready students.