NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
Dr. R. Scott Ralls, President
July 17, 2009
MEMORANDUM:
TO: Basic Skills Directors
Community Based Organization Directors
FROM: Sillar G. Smith, NCCCS Director of Compensatory Education and
Special Populations
SUBJECT: “Learning to Achieve” Learning Disabilities Training
August 24 –28, 2009
In the last issue of the Basic Skills E-News newsletter, it was announced that
Learning Disabilities training (LD) would be provided during the week of August
24 –28, 2009. The training is still scheduled for that time in Raleigh, North
Carolina. You will be informed of the location as soon as we receive notification
from the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL).
This is a five-day training session and the number of slots available for
participants will be twenty (20). All expenses to attend this training will be paid
by the National Institute for Literacy. Meals and mileage will be reimbursed.
Hotel costs will be paid by NIFL directly. You will need to indicate on the online
registration form whether you will need hotel accommodations or whether you will
be commuting daily to the training.
The selection process for this LD training gives first choice to those applicants
who have received the Bridges-to-Practice training or the learning disabilities
training provided by Nancy Payne and Associates. Anyone having received
either of these trainings must indicate on the registration form the date (or
estimated date) when he/she received the training and give the name of the
training you received. Since the slots are limited to 20, it is crucial that you
complete the online registration as soon as possible, but no later than Monday,
July 27, 2009. You can register online by going to
http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/Basic_Skills/PDFs%20jch/CED/Registration_FormLea
rningToAchieve.htm. Remember, this training is for all Basic Skills staff (ABE,
GED, ESL, CED and AHS).
MAILING ADDRESS: 5016 MAIL SERVICE CENTER ~ RALEIGH, NC 27699-5016
Street Address: 200 West Jones ~ Raleigh, NC 27603 ~ 919-807-7100 ~ Fax 919-807-7164
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Memorandum
Page 2
July 17, 2009
Please note that in return for this free training, the National Institute for Literacy
requires that each participant conduct a one-day training session in his/her locale
for a minimum of 20 participants. To confirm that you will conduct a one-day
training session after receiving the Learning to Achieve LD training, you must
have approval from the appropriate college administrators. A separate form is
attached for this purpose and must be signed and mailed to my attention. This
must be done before you can be confirmed as participant in the training.
You will be notified by August 3, 2009, as to whether or not you have been
selected to participate in this training.
Also, attached is information on the learning disabilities training “Learning to
Achieve,” which includes the national trainers who will conduct the training
sessions and an agenda for the five-day training.
Mail the approval form to: Sillar G. Smith
NCCCS/Basic Skills Department
5016 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-5016
Or fax it to me at: (919) 807-7164.
If you have any question about this training you can contact me by e-mail at:
smiths@nccommunitycolleges.edu or by telephone at (919) 807-7134. You may
also contact Judy Howell at: howellj@nccommunitycolleges.edu or by telephone
her at (919) 807-7141.
Attachments: 2
Learning to Achieve:
A Research-Based Training on Serving Adults with Learning Disabilities
What can participants expect from Learning to Achieve?
Learning to Achieve is a five-day training program designed to help adult education and
vocational training practitioners, social workers, and other human service providers
understand learning disabilities (LD) in adults and learn how to actively support adults with
LD in educational and workplace settings. The training will also prepare participants to
share what they have learned with interested colleagues who did not attend the training.
What materials will participants receive?
Participants will receive a hard copy and electronic version of the training with scripted
trainer notes, a trainer resource guide, and other related training materials.
Who will pay for the training?
The training will be at no cost to the participants. The National Institute for Literacy will pay
for the trainers, facilities and materials, as well as participants’ travel costs, hotel, and per
diem. States will make arrangements for substitutes, if necessary, during the five-day
Learning to Achieve training and subsequent follow-up training given by participants to their
colleagues.
What are the participant requirements?
o Complete the entire 5-day Learning to Achieve training
o Enter an agreement with the National Institute for Literacy to disseminate the Learning
to Achieve materials by training a minimum number of colleagues (that number will be
determined by state officials in consultation with the Institute, and states will provide
assistance in the recruiting process)
o This follow-up training should cover 4-5 modules from the Learning to Achieve
materials, and should take place within 6 months from the completion of the original
training
What are the training objectives?
By the end of this course, participants will:
o Be knowledgeable about the most recent rigorous research as it relates to adults with
LD
o Have strengthened their training skills through practice with Learning to Achieve
materials
o Know the definitions of LD
o Understand the concept of self-determination and how it can help adults with LD
o Know the LD-related legal, confidentiality, and self-disclosure issues
o Be able to identify the testing and instructional accommodations appropriate for adults
with LD
o Understand the testing and accommodation considerations for English language
learners
o Be able to discuss tutoring issues and instructional approaches for individuals with LD
o Be able to describe considerations and strategies on how to teach basic reading to
individuals with LD
o Understand the instructional approaches specific to assisting adults with LD in learning
academic content
o Be able to identify issues adults with LD may face in writing
Module Overview:
o Trainer Skills – Learn skills and techniques associated with effective training
o Definition of Learning Disabilities – Discuss differences in the definitions of learning
disabilities and the consequences for adults with LD
o Self-determination – Consider ways in which service providers can support adults with
LD in developing self-determination to achieve their goals
o Legal Issues – Identify the legal, confidentiality, and self-disclosure issues that apply to
service providers working with adults with LD
o Accommodations (online) – Describe testing and instructional accommodations
appropriate for individuals with LD
o English Language Learners – Identify testing and accommodation considerations for
English language learners
o Tutoring – Review issues tutors can face as well as instructional approaches that can
assist adults with LD in becoming successful learners
o Basic Reading – Describe considerations and strategies for working with adults with LD
who struggle with word recognition
o Content – Learn instructional approaches that can assist adults with LD learn academic
content
o Writing – Identify issues adults with LD may face in writing and methods to help adults
structure their writing
How is this training different from Bridges to Practice or STAR?
Learning to Achieve is replacing Bridges to Practice, the National Institute for Literacy’s
previous training for practitioners who work with adults with LD. Learning to Achieve is
based on the most recent rigorous research on LD, addresses new topics such as English
language learners and LD, provides a standard set of materials, and offers numerous
opportunities to practice training techniques.
The U.S. Department of Educations’ Student Achievement in Reading (STAR) project focuses
exclusively on helping practitioners teach reading more effectively while Learning to Achieve
covers a wide range of issues relevant to adults with LD. The portion of Learning to Achieve
that addresses reading instruction uses the same foundational reading research used in
STAR so a consistent message is delivered. States may choose to participate in STAR or
Learning to Achieve or both or neither. Participation in the two programs is not linked.
Trainer Biographies
Shannon Peters
Shannon Peters, Ph.D. is a director at TATC Consulting and leads TATC’s practice in the area
of disability management with more than 13 years of experience in adult learning and
organizational development consulting in the private, federal, state, and local sectors. She is
an accomplished project manager, team facilitator, researcher, curriculum designer, trainer,
and executive coach.
In her leadership roles with both The George Washington University and TATC, Dr. Peters
has led a wide scope of organizational development and training programs as well as
provided technical guidance and oversight to ensure superior quality of products and
services.
A primary area of interest and expertise for Dr. Peters is facilitating the empowerment of
individuals with disabilities and those professionals who work with them to maximize
employment, economic self-sufficiency and independence, and overall physical and
psychological well-being. Dr. Peters has led a variety of projects in the area of disabilities
and has ongoing relationships with organizations such as the National Council on
Rehabilitation Education, the Regional Rehabilitation Continuing Education Programs, State
Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, the American Association of People with Disabilities
(AAPD), and the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the US Department of Labor.
Dr. Peters has considerable experience working with multidisciplinary teams including
healthcare professionals, rehabilitation professionals, social workers, psychologists, nurses,
and medical doctors within Federal agencies and state and community healthcare
organizations. Dr. Peters has experience coaching and developing teams in a number of
areas including: leadership coaching, organizational culture and learning coaching, high
performance teams and individual coaching, and career coaching. A specialty of Dr. Peters
is leadership coaching using a resiliency model. Her leadership coaching focus area has
included performance coaching to meet specific agency results, personal coaching to help
achieve life balance and perspective, skill training in specific areas (i.e., conflict
management, technical skills, interpersonal skills), succession planning, helping with
managing transitions, and finding new vision and strategy planning.
Dr. Peters keeps up with the most recent research in the areas of organizational
development, counseling, and disabilities as a member of The George Washington
University, Counseling, Human and Organizational Development Department where she
instructs Career Counseling, Assessment, Theories of Counseling, Interview Skills, and
Substance Abuse Counseling.
Juliana Taymans
Juliana Taymans, Ph.D. is a Professor of Special Education within the Transition Special
Education program at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. She teaches
and advises graduate students preparing to be special education teachers at the secondary
level with a focus on services to students with learning disabilities. In that role she worked
with a team of faculty and research staff in the Urban Initiative, a nine-year collaboration
with the District of Columbia public schools that provided pre-service and in-service
professional development aimed at improved literacy services.
Dr. Taymans has worked as a special education teacher on both the elementary and
secondary levels. As an adult educator she taught social studies in adult secondary
education and English as a second language. She is currently a volunteer with the
Washington Literacy Council's family literacy program.
Dr. Taymans is actively involved in correctional education. She is co-author of Thinking for a
Change, a cognitive-behavioral program used throughout correctional systems in the United
States. She regularly offers training and technical assistance to correctional programs.
Dr. Taymans is also associated with the University of Kansas, Center for Research on
Learning. She has contributed to the Center's publications and is a professional developer in
learning strategies and content enhancements.
Sarah Campbell
Sarah Campbell has extensive experience working in organizational development and
training consulting in both private organizations and federal, state and local government
agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. House of
Representatives, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute for
Literacy, and the U.S. Department of Labor. Ms. Campbell’s unique background in the field
of Positive Psychology contributes significantly to her work in leadership development, goal-
setting theory, effective communication techniques, and worksite wellness.
Ms. Campbell has a particular interest in the area of disability management and has worked
with the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the US Department of Labor and the
Office of Diversity at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to develop related
training programs.
Another one of Ms. Campbell’s areas of expertise is using a resiliency model in organization
development interventions and coaching. She is a certified Resiliency trainer through the
University of Pennsylvania and has used this certification in her work with numerous public
and private sector clients to help individuals better manage their non-resilient thinking and
decrease stress levels.
As a certified professional in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Ms. Campbell has
designed and delivered numerous workshops using the MBTI to coach participants in career
and life choices. She has used the MBTI with clients to help work teams and individuals
understand and accept their unique differences and to build a framework to enhance team
effectiveness, strengthen relationships, cultivate leadership skills, deal with conflict, manage
diversity, and to successfully handle change.
Before completing her Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) degree at the
University of Pennsylvania, Sarah received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of
Pittsburgh.
Learning to Achieve Agenda
Several weeks before the training begins, participants will receive an online module via
email on LD accommodations. Participants should plan on spending at least one hour
completing the module.
During the training, there will be a break in the morning and in the afternoon of each day.
Lunch will be provided each day.
One day of the training, dinner will be provided and an expert scientist in the field will give a
presentation afterwards.
Participants should note that this is an intensive training program, and expect to spend time
in the evenings preparing for the following day.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Morning: 8:30 – Morning: 8:30 – 12:45 Morning: 8:30 – 12:00 Morning: 8:30 – Morning: 8:30 –
12:15 Practice Definition of Practice Legal Issues 11:30 12:30
Opening, LD Practice Review and Content Practice
Background, Practice Self- debrief online Writing Tutoring/Conte
and determination Accommodations nt
Introductions module Afternoon: 12:30 – Practice Basic
Trainer Skills Afternoon: 1:45 – 4:30 4:30 Reading/Writing
Definition of LD Legal Issues Afternoon: 1:00 – 4:30 Trainer Skills
Review and debrief English Language Afternoon: 1:30 –
Afternoon: 1:15 – online Learners (ELL) 4:30
4:30 Accommodations Tutoring Discussion on
Definition of LD modules Basic Reading other topics and
(continued) questions
Self- Wrap up and
determination evaluation
Approval Form
Learning to Achieve/LD Training
August 24 – 28, 2009
I agree that if the following individual is selected to participate in the five-days of free
training, he/she will conduct a one-day training session in this locale for a minimum of
20 participants as required by the National Institute for Literacy.
Name of College: ________________________________________________________
Name, Phone Number, and Email Address of Proposed Participant:
Name___________________________________________________________________
Phone Number___________________________________________________________
Email Address___________________________________________________________
To Be Completed by Community College Administrators
_________________________________________________ __________
Signature of Basic Skills Director Date
__________________________________________________ __________
Signature of Dean/Vice President Date
__________________________________________________ __________
Signature of President Date