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Building Early Literacy Skills for Nonverbal Children: Every Voice Counts
Thursday, April 23, 2026 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Presented by Cindy Mudroch, Educational Consultant, Special Education Teacher, and Author
Moderated by Laura Wilhelm, Ed.D., VP of Professional Learning Services, Kaplan Early Learning Company
Sponsored by Kaplan Early Learning Company
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This edWebinar is designed to support early childhood educators in building foundational literacy skills for young learners, including children who are nonverbal or have limited expressive language. The goal of this session is to provide practical, evidence-based strategies that make early literacy accessible, meaningful, and engaging for all children.
Viewers explore how to support early reading skills through multisensory approaches, visual supports, and intentional instructional routines. The session highlights strategies for developing phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and early comprehension without relying solely on verbal responses. Educators learn how to use modeling, assistive communication systems, hands-on materials, and structured supports to increase participation and independence.
Learning objectives include:
- Understanding key components of early literacy development for diverse learners
- Identifying strategies to support nonverbal students in accessing literacy instruction
- Implementing practical tools and routines that can be used immediately in the classroom
Viewers leave with ready-to-use ideas, adaptable strategies, and a deeper understanding of how to create inclusive literacy experiences that honor all forms of communication. This recorded edWebinar is ideal for teachers, support staff, and administrators seeking to strengthen inclusive practices and improve literacy outcomes for all young learners.
About the Presenter
Cindy Mudroch is a veteran educator with over 40 years of experience in early childhood and elementary education, specializing in supporting young learners with diverse needs. She currently teaches in a self-contained K–2 special education classroom in Florida. Cindy is the author of Accessible Learning Spaces (Gryphon House) and a presenter with Kaplan Early Learning. Her work focuses on inclusive practices, Universal Design for Learning, and hands-on, multisensory strategies that make literacy accessible for all learners, including nonverbal children.
About the Moderator
As the Vice President for Professional Learning at Kaplan, Laura Wilhelm, Ed.D., draws on decades of experience teaching young children and early childhood professionals, starting with toddlers in the 1980s, followed by PreK-third grade in urban and suburban schools, and as a university lab school director. Since earning her doctorate in ECE curriculum and instruction in 1999, she has served as a program director, full professor, national validator for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and a site visitor for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Programs (CAEP). She enjoys planning professional development, speaking at conferences, leading study tours, visiting early education programs around the world, and returning home to her family. She is the author of The Neglected Child: How to Recognize, Respond, and Prevent (2013); Treasure Baskets: Heuristic Learning for Infants and Toddlers (2017); Enticing Environments for People Under Three (2021); and Living Loose Parts: Creatures of Curiosity (2024), all from Gryphon House.
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
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For more than 50 years, Kaplan Early Learning Company has been a champion for play. From our research-based curricula to enriching classroom environments and innovative technology solutions, Kaplan’s products and services inspire a lifelong love of learning in children and educators. We are architects of learning good and defenders of the imagination. We live for inseparable bonds and open minds. We encourage the eager and inspire the inspirers. We transform lives through play.
