New clinic provides tools and resources for students and educators

Empowering educators with the tools they need to help students succeed is a top priority in the College of Education and Human Development. Beginning this summer, the new Clinic for Advanced Literacy Studies will offer resources for educators as well as parents of K-12 students.

“We couldn’t be starting this at a better time. There is an array of potential unintended consequences as a result of virtual instruction over the past year. It is more important than ever to provide children with access to quality reading tutoring and to provide educators with access to high-quality reading instruction and intervention,” said Heather McMahan, clinic director. “With the reading clinic, we are serving as a support for those students who’ve been in virtual learning while also preventing the summer slide that happens every single year.”

Professional development

This summer, a reading comprehension teacher professional development opportunity is being offered through the Clinic for Advanced Literacy Studies. There will be three opportunities for teachers to attend, one in June, a second in July and the final in August.  

This two-day reading comprehension series utilizes evidence-based and grant-funded research from Dr. Kay Wijekumar, professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture.  The sessions will be live, with a self-paced option offered.  Teachers will better understand comprehension and the best ways to support students as they learn to read and comprehend.

“We want to get the great work our faculty researchers are doing into the hands of classroom teachers. They’re excited to get their hands on good, quality instruction to hit the ground running with their students in the fall,” said McMahan.

Click here to register for this summer’s professional development.

Reading clinic

The deadline is also quickly approaching for parents to enroll their students in this summer’s reading clinic. Services will be offered free of charge, both virtual and in-person. The deadline to register is May 21.

The Reading Clinic is supported by trained pre-service teachers and graduate students. Each student receives assessments, evidence-based interventions tailored to their needs and progress monitoring to encourage improvements. The goal is to improve literacy for all children.

Click here to register your child for this summer’s tutoring sessions.

Beginning this fall, tutoring will be offered in several area schools. McMahan hopes to expand the clinic to partner with schools as well as families outside of the Bryan-College Station area in the near future.

“One of the few positive things that came from COVID is we learned how to teach online, a little bit better than we ever thought we could,” said McMahan. “This gives us the opportunity to reach out to other communities we previously would not have thought to partner with. We’re really broadening the scope.”