**THIS COURSE IS PENDING FOR CPE POINTS FOR ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS; SUBJECT TO APPROVAL
**UTAP funding approved: Course Code C00034977
- UTAP funding is only applicable to NTUC union members who will enjoy 50% unfunded course fee support, capped at $250 or $500 (aged 40 years old and above; this will apply from 15 April 2025 to 31 March 2027) each year when they sign up for courses supported under UTAP. This excludes SkillsFuture Credit utilisation and other government subsidies.
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Union Members Eligibility for UTAP Application (https://www.ntuc.org.sg/skillsupgrade)
- Union member must commence the course within UTAP approved period.
- Union member must achieve minimum attendance (75%) for the course based on existing Government regulations and sit for all prescribed examination(s) if any.
- Union member must submit claims via UTAP system within 6 months after course completion.
- Union member must not claim full funding through company sponsorship or other types of funding.
- Union member must have paid-up union membership before course commencement, throughout the entire course duration and at the point of claim.
- Should trainees have queries on the UTAP funding scheme, they can email to UTAP@e2i.com.sg or use the Live Chat function to enquire on membership matters
Overview
In this course, participants will explore how the brain learns to read and how neuroplasticity enables educators to “rewire” neural pathways through specialized instruction.
Common dyslexia myths will be debunked, and participants will learn to recognize key red flags. A dyslexia simulation will foster greater empathy and understanding, equipping teachers to better support struggling readers. Videos will be shared to enable trainees to become more empathetic to our dyslexic learners.
The course will also cover the principles of Orton-Gillingham and other structured literacy approaches, emphasizing the role of simultaneous multisensory instruction in reshaping the reading brain. Hands-on multisensory activities will be implemented.
Additionally, educators will deepen their understanding of sound production, phonology, and the alphabetic principle—essential foundations for effective OG instruction. Teachers will work in breakout rooms to engage in a deepend practice of OG skills and concepts.
Course Fees & Closing Dates
| Registration Type | Closing Date | Fees (S$) /pax |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | 1 May 2026 | 200 |
| Normal | Till Full | 260 |
Schedule
Duration : Half-Day Workshop
| Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 2026 | 9.00am – 1.00pm (Singapore Standard Time GMT+0800) |
Live Online Training |
Corporate Registration Individual Registration
Speaker
Kim Nau
Kim Nau has an M.S. degree from Hofstra Universit in New York, and she is a full-time dyslexia therapist. She is one of less than 200 Fellows (worldwide) in the prestigious Orton-Gillingham Academy. She is also a certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. She is a board member of the Long Island, New York branch of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). Kim Nau is a published author with a book called, Orton-Gillingham Lesson Planning Guide: Differentiated word lists with decodable phrases and sentences for little kids and big kids.
Kim has had a wide-ranging teaching career with experience working with a varied population of students. She began her teaching career in New York City over 20 years ago as a classroom teacher and then moved on to teaching English to speakers of other languages at local colleges. Her passion for teaching students with dyslexia began in 2016 when she had the opportunity to study the Orton-Gillingham approach. Kim now has over 4,000 hours of experience working one-on-one with students (ranging in ages from 6-74) who have language-based learning disabilities.
Course Outline
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Investigate how the reading brain works
- Trainer models a dyslexic brain vs. neurotypical brain.
- Discuss the role of functional MRI machines to view the brain while the subject is reading
- Compare a diagram of a neurotypical brain to a dyslexic brain.
- Explain how the reading circuit (highway) works.
- Address how neuroplasticity allows teachers to “rewire” the brain with specialized instruction.
- Trainer refers to the article: Dyslexia and the Brain: What Does Current Research Tell Us? By Hudson, Otaiba, and Reading Rockets.
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Define dyslexia
- Trainer will dispel the many myths associated with dyslexia.
- Trainees will be guided to unpack the definition of the term, dyslexia, in breakout rooms.
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Examine the characteristics of a dyslexic learner
- Trainer will discuss the struggles and signs of dyslexia from preschool through adulthood.
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Discuss other language-based co-morbidities that could be present
- Examples: dysgraphia, dyscalculia, auditory processing, autism, speech and language disorders, attention disorders, anxiety and executive function issues. How do these impact students in the classroom?
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Analyze the OG approach
- Compare and contrast the OG approach to curriculum-based programs derived from OG.
- Discuss the type of instruction that dyslexic students require to succeed.
- Discuss the structural multisensory approaches to teaching language.
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Phonological and phonemic awareness
- Discuss the hierarchy of phonological skill development.
- Trainees practice: rhyming, tapping sounds, counting phonemes vs. syllables, substitutions, manipulations, and deletions of phonemes.
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Understand sound production
- Trainer will use general knowledge of sound production to explain the role it has on articulating phonemes correctly and activates kinesthetic learning.
- Discuss characteristics of vowels and consonants.
- Trainees will practice sound production with voiced/voiceless sounds and discuss the principle of least effort.
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Discuss sound/symbol relationships
- Trainer discusses the basic 26 letters (including digraphs).
Course Objectives
- Understand how the brain learns to read and acquire language
- Learn about dyslexia and how to support struggling readers
- Discuss Orton-Gillingham and other structured literacy approaches
- Identify the role of sound production, phonology, and the alphabetic principle
Who Can Benefit?
Speech Therapists, special educators, mainstream teachers, therapists, support staff, and parents will benefit from a deeper knowledge of how the brain learns to read and how instruction needs to be more supportive for children with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities.
