AIM Academy Provides Resources and Tips for Remote Learning

AIM understands the great need for support for learners and educators across the nation as we face unprecedented times. In a recent blog post on Future Ready Schools, AIM Head of School Chris Herman described how AIM Academy's Remote Learning program is working to prevent the COVID-Slide and provides suggestions and tips for other schools. And the AIM Institute for Learning & Research, which provides teacher training in the science of reading to educators across the country, recently released resources from it's online teacher training platform AIM Pathways to to assist educators and parents in providing evidence-based literacy instruction to children.

"It has been a heavy lift for schools to move their programs online," said Herman. "Even as schools across the country are doing their best to provide positive learning experiences for all students, the task is much harder than it sounds and even more so for those trying to educate children with learning issues."

About 95% of American special education students spend at least part of their day included in regular education classes with 60% spending almost the entire day in the regular education setting where class sizes average in the low to mid-20s.

The most effective classrooms are tactile, involve intentional peer pairings, have very specific programs in place, and are led by nimble and sophisticated educators. This type of individualized attention and specific programming is hard enough to deliver in classes of that size when we are in person. Now put all of those children in a class meeting on Zoom and it becomes quite difficult to individualize materials, instructional techniques, and to find that small group and 1:1 time it takes for children with LDs to avoid COVID Slide.

AIM's Pathways to Practice series seeks to support educators with FREE access to videos and downloadable materials grounded in the Science of Reading. Participants will learn the “Why” behind the science as well as “What to Teach.” Lastly, and most importantly, educators will learn “How to Teach It” in their classrooms based upon the research. This last step is the most critical step as it enables teachers and parents to apply the science through everyday classroom practices.

“Many of us need help in understanding the science of reading and AIM is happy to use its research partnerships and AIM Pathways platform to share that information with educators and parents,” said Dawn Brookhart, Associate Director of the AIM Institute for Learning & Research. “We know that students around the country and world are experiencing what is being called "the COVID-Slide" as a result of schools being forced to change to online instruction. We hope to be a resource for educators and parents looking to make learning from home more meaningful for students and to prevent the need for remediation.”