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Building Literacy Success for English Learners: Real Results from the District Level
Monday, October 19, 2026 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT
Building Literacy Success for English Learners: Real Results from the District Level
Presented by Dr. Antonio A. Fierro, Literacy Expert, Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz; Sarah Walters, Literacy Instructional Support Specialist and IMSE Level 4 Orton-Gillingham (OG) Master Instructor, Troy City Schools (OH); Silvia Gonzalez-Powers, District Literacy and Multilingual Learner Leader, Boston Public Schools (MA); and Dr. Nicole Florez, Former Educator, Current Curriculum Designer, Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE)
Sponsored by The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE)
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EL instruction frequently operates in isolation from Tier 1 literacy instruction, leaving gaps in both language development and reading achievement. What does it take to close that gap at scale?
Watch Dr. Antonio Fierro, literacy expert and English language educator, and K–12 district leaders in a candid conversation on building literacy systems that work for English Learners. Moderated by Dr. Nicole Florez, literacy expert and curriculum designer at IMSE, this session moves beyond theory into practice: what changed when EL instruction became aligned with Tier 1 classroom instruction, how growing teacher knowledge helped sustain it and what the results show.
Hear how two districts are supporting English Learners with an aligned approach, moving away from fragmented, pull-out instruction toward a shared literacy framework built into Tier 1 instruction. Panelists share the progress they've seen, from stronger foundational skills to growing confidence and engagement in the classroom.
District leaders gain a practical understanding of how to align EL support with Tier 1 instruction, sustain ongoing professional learning, and use data to track progress, all grounded in real outcomes from districts that have done the work.
This recorded edLeader Panel will be of interest to PreK-8 school and district leaders.
About the Presenters
Dr. Antonio A. Fierro is a nationally recognized literacy scholar and leader, author of El muro de sonidos y deletreo, a Spanish sound–spelling phonetics curriculum for young children, and co-author of Kid Lips. Dr. Fierro spent nearly two decades as part of the national LETRS cohort of literacy consultants led by Dr. Louisa Moats. He has spearheaded initiatives to strengthen instruction for English learners, influencing educational policy and practice at both state and national levels. Drawing on this experience, he is dedicated to partnering with institutions of higher education to strengthen educator preparation programs, emphasizing the psychology of reading and preparing future teachers to meet the needs of all learners. Dr. Fierro currently serves on the advisory board for the third edition of LETRS, is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz, and is a member of the Utah Science of Reading Panel Advisory Committee.
Sarah Walters is a Literacy Instructional Support Specialist for Troy City Schools in Troy, OH, and a Level 4 IMSE Orton-Gillingham (OG) Master Instructor. Additionally, Sarah is a licensed school counselor and certified dyslexia interventionist with nearly 20 years of experience in education. She holds two master’s degrees in education, as well as P-3 and K-12 reading endorsements alongside CERI (Center for Effective Reading Instruction) Structured Literacy Certification. Sarah is passionate about empowering students and educators through multi-sensory teaching methods, and she co-authored Kit’s Reading Adventure to inspire young readers to embrace their unique learning journeys. Sarah enjoys building collaborative and sustainable literacy support networks in her work as an IMSE District Instructor. Recently, Sarah was honored as Ohio’s Teacher of the Year representative for District 3 in Ohio and additionally as one of four finalists for Ohio’s 2027 Teacher of the Year.
Silvia Gonzalez-Powers is a district-level literacy and multilingual learner leader with Boston Public Schools. In her current role as Lead Reading Interventionist, she trains and coaches educators K-12 throughout the district, helping strengthen evidence-aligned literacy practices and ensure instruction is responsive to the needs of multilingual learners. Silvia brings 25 years of experience in Boston Public Schools, including 20 years teaching multilingual learners at the elementary and middle school levels. Her extensive classroom experience informs her districtwide work connecting structured literacy with effective instruction for English learners. Silvia is an IMSE Orton-Gillingham Master Instructor and Practicum Supervisor, an IDA-CERI Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist, and a National Board Certified Teacher. She holds master’s degrees in human development, elementary education, and special education from Wheelock College.
Dr. Nicole Florez is a Curriculum Designer at the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE). She has 20+ years of experience in elementary education, including teaching internationally in Spain and Argentina. Before IMSE, Dr. Florez served students, parents, and teachers as a dyslexia interventionist, advocate, and coach at independent schools in Atlanta and Albuquerque. Dr. Florez co-founded the Bridge Literacy of New Mexico program, a Structured Literacy intensive for students facing reading challenges in grades 1-7. She is also a founding board member of The Reading League New Mexico Chapter. Dr. Florez received her doctorate from Mount St. Joseph University, where her research focused on English learners, pedagogical translanguaging, and teacher knowledge.
Join the Helping ELL, ESL, and Bilingual Students Succeed community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) offers Structured Literacy curricula and professional learning based on the Orton-Gillingham approach. IMSE’s training and resources help educators learn to teach reading the right way and improve reading proficiency across all student levels. The focus areas include phonological awareness, morphology, and direct, explicit instruction tailored to meet diverse learning needs. IMSE’s programs are designed to align with the latest research in the Science of Reading, supporting equitable literacy education in classrooms nationwide.
