BRINGING TAKE FLIGHT HOME
Just as students are getting used to a new routine for online learning, educators are also adjusting to an unfamiliar approach to teaching. The transition to e-learning requires patience and flexibility from all in our new learning environment.
Our Dallas Academy teachers are resilient and our Take Flight instructor, Kelly Kimbrough, Dyslexia Therapist, is especially determined to bring her distinct strategies to her students despite the distance. Ms. Kimbrough has been teaching Take Flight for 7 years and is enjoying working with her Dallas Academy Bulldogs. Take Flight is a comprehensive intervention for students with dyslexia and Dallas Academy has adopted the Orton-Gillingham based curriculum written by the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Take Flight utilizes multi-sensory techniques, and we have sent home the supplies necessary for this instruction from home. Ms. Kimbrough is now using assistive technology to give students their specialized lessons. The computer touchscreen is used as a SmartBoard and the groups will be transitioning from utilizing Zoom to Microsoft Teams in the next weeks.
Ms. Kimbrough, like all the teachers at Dallas Academy has been Microsoft MIE certified over the summer and is using the Accessibility platform in Microsoft. Accessibility offers students with learning differences many resources including Immersive Reader, sizing of text preferences, grammar options, use of Narrator with voice settings and speed and voice selection (male/female), and many more customization options.
“We’re moving as fast as we can but as slow as we need to” says Ms. Kimbrough. We will continue to give tailored instruction at the pace of each child to meet their individual needs. Our Take Flight program is well positioned to be back in person starting September 8th or continue e-learning if needed in the future.