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Free Reading Program "Builds Wings" For Struggling Learners

Volo, IL (PRWEB) November 8, 2007 -- Don Johnston, the Leader in Intervention Solutions, has partnered with a local school district to offer a free Reader's Theater to support the success of struggling readers.

Educators at Schaumburg School District 54, IL developed the Reader's Theater using Don Johnston's autobiography, Building Wings: How I Made It Through School. The book describes Don's personal journey growing up as a struggling learner and traces his life through an incredible list of challenges, triumphs and accomplishments. The Reader's Theater takes students on a path of self-discovery to tap into their individual learning potential. Students can explore their learning styles and differences by acting out scenes and documenting their feelings.

The Building Wings Reader's Theater program includes:

-    An audio of Building Wings, personally narrated by Don

-    Reader's Theater Overview

-    Compare and Contrast Worksheet

-    Visualization Charts

Dr. Mary F. Spence, School Psychologist and Board Member of the Asperger Society of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI said, "Students are motivated by Don's accomplishments and his dedication to improve literacy skills. I have watched students who struggle with learning disabilities and general academic skills make significant gains once a comprehensive assistive technology process is in place. Don's products and books are often the key to support these students' learning challenges."

Start-to-Finish® Audio and Computer Books

Building Wings is part of a collection of paperback, audio and computer learning books called Start-to-Finish developed by Don Johnston, literacy experts and authors. The books support the Lexile framework and remove the common stumbling blocks for struggling readers. Start-to-Finish includes over 100 titles to provide access to the general curriculum, strengthen reading fluency and improve reading comprehension skills. Teachers and reading specialists can build on the Reader's Theater program using the Start-to-Finish books to provide a positive reading experience for struggling learners. Titles are available in multiple media formats and two readability levels that are written to respect the social maturity of struggling learners and to build reading independence. Each title is designed to complement the curriculum in support of literacy using the classics, biographies, social studies, history and science topics.

Building Wings has also stimulated conversations about the unfortunate practice of labeling struggling learners as behavior problems. This happens when students camouflage their learning disabilities rather than risk appearing stupid in front of their peers. Caron Gibbert, Special Services Literacy Coach, School District 54 Schaumburg, IL said, "Don's book ignited a passion for us to extend reading practice in creative ways! We were able to deliver differentiated instruction and saw our students' positively react to this summer's literacy program. The Building Wings book gets right to the hearts and minds of struggling readers!"

Building Wings Contest--Win FREE Start-to-Finish Collection

Educators and organizations are encouraged to share their creative models using the Reader's Theater in their school, classroom or club. Educators who submit a presentation, video or audio will be entered into a free drawing to win a Start-to-Finish audio and book collection, a value of $400. There is no obligation to purchase. Presentations will be showcased on the Don Johnston website in 2008, along with an open discussion forum about student self-advocacy.

Contest details at this link: www.donjohnston.com/building_wings/BW_ReadersTheaterContest.html.

Click on the student self-advocacy link to view videos from elementary, middle and high school students at Fairfax VA County Schools, as they describe their writing camp and self-advocacy program using Building Wings and assistive technologies.

Don Johnston Incorporated empowers educators with supplemental instruction and intervention solutions to help struggling learners build core literacy skills with confidence. Since 1980, Don has partnered with literacy experts, psychologists, teachers, researchers, and scientists to develop a dozen educational technology products and the Start-to-Finish collection of paperback, audio and computer books. A monthly LeaderLink e-news bulletin features free lesson plans using audio and e-text and offers informative articles about Response to Intervention (RtI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The paperback version of Building Wings is $9.95. Call 1-800-999-4660 or visit www.donjohnston.com.

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