Presented by Stacy Hurst, M.Ed., Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, Southern Utah University, and Chief Education Officer, Reading Horizons; Donell Pons, MAT, M.Ed., Literacy and Reading Coordinator at American International School of Utah; and Jeanette Beninati, Marketing Director, Reading Horizons

Sponsored by Reading Horizons

Watch the Recording

Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation. Get a CE Certificate for this edWebinar Learn more.

The dynamic duo, Stacy Hurst, M.Ed. and Donell Pons, M.Ed., return for the second in a series of edWebinars that focuses on the literacy building blocks that lead to reading proficiency by Grade 3. In this edWebinar, these literacy leaders and innovators explore the aspects of reading instruction that impact K-3 students’ grasp of content and concepts across the curriculum.

From English language arts and social studies to mathematics, science, music, art and more, students’ abilities to build vocabulary and apply word-learning strategies by third grade will measurably boost their academic success going forward. Attend this session to come away with approaches, techniques, and activities you can use in your classroom when the first day of school begins and throughout the school year ahead.

This recorded edWebinar will be of interest to K-3 teachers, librarians, school and district leaders, reading and literacy coaches and specialists, special education teachers and department chairs, district-level special education directors, professional development leaders, curriculum leaders, equity/inclusion/diversity leaders, school improvement leaders, and Title I and federal funding directors. 

About the Presenters

Stacy Hurst is an assistant professor of teacher education at Southern Utah University where she teaches courses in literacy and early childhood education. She has degrees in sociology and elementary education and a master’s degree in education. Her extensive experience also includes teaching first grade and working as a literacy coach and reading specialist. Stacy is the co-author of a foundational literacy program and is also the chief education officer at Reading Horizons, an educational software company that teaches structured literacy concepts through a blended software and direct instruction approach. Stacy is passionate about literacy and believes that learning how to read well is a civil right.

Donell Pons has a husband and several children with dyslexia. When Donell discovered her son had dyslexia and was struggling to find appropriate services, she went back to school and received a dual MED and MAT in teaching and learning with a special education certification, none of which addressed dyslexia. Donell has taught secondary language arts and worked at a charter school focusing on supporting students on the autism spectrum. Donell is trained in multiple structured literacy-based reading methods. She was the literacy and reading coordinator and ELL director at a public charter school and her efforts to implement a comprehensive literacy program there were featured in Language Magazine, October 2016 and MiddleWeb SmartBrief. Donell has produced a nationally recognized three-part webcast series on teaching reading and recognizing dyslexia and has had numerous articles in educational publications. She is a member of Decoding Dyslexia Utah and helped compose the Utah State Dyslexia Handbook. She is currently working with adults in a workplace literacy program as well as supporting students with dyslexia in the transition to college.

Jeanette Beninati is a former educator with a strong background in strategic planning, education technology and training, and professional development. Her experience spans education, technology, assessment and instruction, consulting, training, efficacy research, and learning disabilities. In her role as Marketing Director, she oversees the company’s K-12 education marketing initiatives. Jeanette received both her undergraduate and M.Ed. degrees from Boston University.

Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation.

Join the Be a Literacy Hero community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

Reading Horizons offers professional learning and curriculum tools that prepare teachers to deliver the principles of reading science in a classroom, hybrid, or virtual setting. Direct Instruction coupled with technology-supported explicit phonics instruction helps students build a solid foundation in reading and spelling.