Overview
This University of Toronto-accredited course provides Speech Language Pathologists (S-LPs) with the unique opportunity to connect with S-LPs from across Canada to co-learn together while sharing their perspectives, ideas, practices, and experiences on various topics in the multidisciplinary field of literacy.
This six-month-long course will consist of:
- 12 three-hour long online sessions;
- one Independent-Study Module; and
- four Application to Practice Modules*.
Intended audience
Speech-Language Pathologists
Location
Virtual
* The Application to Practice Modules consist of completing a full language and literacy assessment in two parts on a selected Grade 1 or above student and planning and completing a minimum of four intervention sessions.
Course Description
The course will describe contemporary and advanced, evidence-based approaches to assessment and intervention in emergent literacy, reading, and writing disorders across populations. Culturally relevant and responsive practices will be discussed throughout the course. The online session learning will involve interactive lectures interspersed with small group case-study discussions, problem-solving, and sharing by learners.
Evaluation will consist of:
- one research-to-practice reflection (one page in length);
- two assessment summaries (one page in length each);
- brief learning reflections at the end of each module; and
“Highly recommended for school-based S-LPs looking to expand their practice with confidence into the domain of literacy! I now feel ready to support reading and writing at all grade levels using specific resources and strategies, and I can offer help to teachers and parents supporting struggling students. I am better equipped to foster mutual understanding and successful collaboration with educators, and I’m confident that my contribution to my students’ literacy growth will have a positive impact on their overall wellness.”
Simone Klann, Speech-Language Pathologist
During the Independent-Learning Module, participants will be given time to review and reflect on assigned readings, and relate them to their current practice.
In the Application to Practice Modules, learners will have time to apply their learning to their practice as they conduct assessments, develop intervention plans, and complete intervention sessions. The participants will deliver a minimum of four intervention sessions, tracking student progress and adjusting their session plans in response to their students’ strengths and needs.
After each lecture, learners will be asked to review their lecture notes along with the assigned readings and complete a brief learning reflection (maximum 250 words in length).
“The Advanced Literacy Practices course provides in-depth learning in current research on literacy and how to implement these evidence-based practices. The instructors are knowledgeable, and the content is clearly presented and organized. It not only changed my practice with students but also guided my conversations with other educators. Some of the research articles that were shared and the group conversations helped focus my daily work with educators supporting literacy in the K-12 education system. I highly recommend this course to any speech-language pathologist who wants to improve their understanding of literacy.”
Kim Lawlor, Speech-Language Pathologist
Course Prerequisites
Course Readings
Readings will be provided during the course.
Course Requirements
To receive a Certificate of Course Completion, all learners must:
- attend all sessions or provide a physician’s note for missing a lecture or an assignment due date;
- come prepared to participate in large and small group discussions;
- complete all assessments and interventions with a target student; and
- participants must pass all 5 assignments described in this syllabus.
NOTE: Learners who do not complete the course requirements will need to complete a remedial assignment. You must submit in writing any requests for re-evaluation to the course instructor.
Course Prerequisites
- Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Speech-Language Pathology
- good standing with their provincial/state regulatory body
- minimum of two years of practice with school-age children (i.e., age 5 to 18 years) with a variety of speech and language needs
- access to a Grade 1 or older student with difficulties in emergent literacy, reading, and writing
- access to emergent literacy, reading, and writing assessment tools
- familiarity with the Ministry of Education’s curricular documents
CEEs:
This workshop is eligible for 51 SAC CEEs.
Instructors
Jana Leggett, MHSc
Jana is a speech-language pathologist with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). She works directly with students completing language and literacy assessments and running intervention groups. Part of her role includes collaborative work with the TDSB’s Early Years Department in developing and delivering professional learning to system senior teams, school administrators, educators, and parents in the areas of language and literacy development, assessment, instruction, and intervention. Jana holds an appointment with the University of Toronto where she teaches an undergraduate course, Reading and Literacy Disorders, and co-teaches in a graduate course, School Age Language Intervention. She is the co-author of Oral Language at Your Finger Tips and the author and instructor of the Accredited Continued Education Course, Advanced Literacy Practices, for speech-language pathologists.
Sherry Raffalovitch, MHSc
Sherry Raffalovitch is a speech-language pathologist who is in her 21st year working for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Sherry has held several roles within the TDSB, including Kindergarten Early Language Intervention S-LP, consultant, summer school program designer and is currently one of the S-LPs assigned to the Early Literacy Intervention Team. Sherry has been a course facilitator for the Advanced Literacy Practices Course since it started.
Registration Fees
| Early Bird (extended to December 22, 2025) | Regular | |
|---|---|---|
| SAC Members* | $1699 | $1799 |
| ASHA Members** | $1699 | $1799 |
| Non-Members | $2339 | $2439 |
Registration Deadline
- January 8, 2026
- There is a maximum of 25 spots with each instructor.
*SAC Members
- are required to be a current member at the time of the course to receive the member rate.
- Sign in at the top of the registration page to receive the member rate.
10% Group Discount for Groups of Five or More
- Register five or more colleagues to attend the Advanced Literacy Practices: Making it Happen! virtual workshop and receive a 10% discount on the total registration cost.
- To qualify for the discount, you must be from the same organization.
- Email events@sac-oac.ca for details to receive a promo code.
**ASHA Members
- are required to provide proof of ASHA membership.
- Must email events@sac-oac.ca for details to receive a promo code.
Cancellation Policy
- An administration fee of $75 will apply to all refunds.
- Requests for refunds must be received by December 16, 2025.
- No refunds after December 16, 2025.
- Please email events@sac-oac.ca to request a refund.
Objectives
Speech-language pathologists will:
- be able to utilize and apply their knowledge and understanding of the science of reading in their clinical work to improve assessment, goal selection and intervention to improve client outcomes;
- understand the reciprocity that exists between oral and written language to better understand how various linguistic and literacy skills influence and impact each other;
- apply advances in research-to-practice and culturally responsive literature to the assessment and intervention of language and literacy disorders;
- develop integrative knowledge of evidence-based intervention practices that are explicit, systematic, and linked to the curriculum;
- develop and apply critical thinking skills when selecting, evaluating, and interpreting assessment and intervention materials and tools;
- apply their knowledge in authentic, job-embedded situations (i.e., assessment, intervention, consultation); and
- engage in reflective practice to evaluate and amend their learning as needed throughout the course.
Course Outline
Note: Each session consists of three hours of synchronous, online learning with one 15-minute break, and three to four small group discussion opportunities.
Module 1: Building a Context for Practice in Literacy
Monday, January 12, or Tuesday, January 13 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 1: Building a Context for Practice in Literacy
- This session will focus on expanding the participants’ understanding of what is meant by literacy and the societal impact of poor literacy and illiteracy.
- Participants will explore Canadian statistics to learn more about the literacy rates of Canadian adults and students of all ages.
- The field of literacy is multidisciplinary. The role of a speech-language pathologist in literacy will be reviewed.
- Learning theories in the context of multidisciplinary collaborations and their implications for practice will be discussed and applied to a case study.
Module 2: The Reading Wars and Literacy Frameworks
Monday, January 19, or Tuesday, January 20 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 2: The Reading Wars and Literacy Frameworks
- How should students be taught to read? The Reading Wars have been raging for over 30 years. Is it possible to find common ground? The history of the Reading Wars will be briefly reviewed through the lens of the most current research.
- Having access to a literacy framework that informs assessment, intervention, and differential diagnosis is critical to guide clinical work. Through large and small group discussions, several literacy frameworks and their implications for practice will be discussed.
Independent Study Module
January 26 – 30
Independent Study Module
- Participants engage in independent learning to gain a deeper understanding of various literacy frameworks and how they might inform one’s practice.
- Learner’s Participation in this self-study module will be evaluated through a 1-page written reflection submitted to the course instructor.
Module 3: Moving from Phonological Recoding to Orthographic Mapping in Single-Syllable Words
Monday, February 2, or Tuesday, February 3 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 3: Moving from Phonological Recoding to Orthographic Mapping in Single-Syllable Words
- This session will explore research related to phonological and phonemic awareness. Predictors of reading challenges will be discussed.
- The reciprocity between phonological, orthographic, and semantic knowledge will be discussed.
- Participants will also be given opportunities to discuss and work on case studies related to varied populations.
Module 4: Exploring Morphological Awareness and Reading of Multisyllabic Words
Monday, February 9, or Tuesday, February 10 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 4: Exploring Morphological Awareness and Reading of Multisyllabic Words
- The role of morphology in reading and writing will be discussed in detail.
- Participants will take part in a simulation to gain insight into the experiences of students who struggle with decoding. Implications for practice will be discussed in small groups.
- Various tools of decoding, as well as oral language (e.g., expressive semantics, language sample), will be reviewed during this session by the participants. Pros and cons of the selected tools will be discussed in small groups.
- Participants will have an opportunity to apply their learning by interpreting sample assessments.
Application and Implementation Module
February 16 – 27
Application and Implementation Module
- There will be no in-class sessions. Participants will be asked to complete decoding and encoding assessments with their students.
- Learner’s Participation in this Application to Practice Module will be evaluated through a 1-page written reflection.
Module 5: Decoding & Encoding Intervention – Part 1
Monday, March 2, or Tuesday, March 3 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 5: Decoding & Encoding Intervention – Part 1
- Intervention research as it relates to word reading and spelling, with a specific focus on single-syllable words, will be discussed.
- Participants will have an opportunity to practice goal setting and intervention application using case studies.
Module 6: Decoding & Encoding Intervention – Part 2
Monday, March 9, or Tuesday, March 10 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 6: Decoding & Encoding Intervention – Part 2
- Intervention research as it relates to multisyllabic and morphologically complex word reading and spelling will be discussed.
- Participants will have an opportunity to practice goal setting and intervention application using case studies.
Application and Practice Module
March 16 – 27
Application and Practice Module
- Participants will be given time to plan and carry out decoding/encoding intervention sessions.
Module 7: Lesson Planning, Progress Monitoring, and Next Steps
Monday, March 30, or Tuesday, March 31 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 7: Lesson Planning, Progress Monitoring, and Next Steps
- This module is a continuation of Modules 5 and 6 with a specific focus on developing lesson plans based on student needs and next steps.
- Selection of resources, progress monitoring and next steps will be discussed through various case studies.
Application-to-Practice Module – Continued
April 6 – 10
Application-to-Practice Module – Continued
- This week is an additional week for participants to carry out an additional lesson that demonstrates their adjustment of a second lesson plan based on the first intervention session.
- Learner’s Participation in this Application to Practice Module will be evaluated through a 1-page written reflection documenting their observations and learning.
Module 8: How do high-quality lexical knowledge and morphological and syntactic awareness support literacy development?
Monday, April 13, or Tuesday, April 14 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 8: How do high-quality lexical knowledge and morphological and syntactic awareness support literacy development?
- Having covered word reading and spelling, this session is the introduction to reading comprehension and written expression beyond the level of the word. The role of semantics, morphology and syntax in academic success will be discussed in detail.
- Participants will engage in collaborative discussions relating to the depth of vocabulary development and how to support the development of high-quality lexical knowledge while integrating their understanding of decoding and encoding, as well as morphology and syntax.
Module 9: What do I need to know about reading comprehension and written expression assessments?
Monday, April 20, or Tuesday, April 21 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 9: What do I need to know about reading comprehension and written expression assessments?
- This session will discuss considerations relating to the assessment of reading comprehension and written expression.
- Culturally relevant practices and considerations for English language learners will be discussed.
- Participants will have an opportunity to plan further assessment of their student.
Application-to-Practice Module
April 27 – May 1
Application-to-Practice Module
- There will be no in-class sessions. Participants will be given time to complete RC and WC assessments with their student.
- Learner’s Participation in this Application to Practice Module will be evaluated through a 1-page written reflection documenting their observations and learning.
Module 10: What does the research say about reading comprehension intervention?
Monday, May 4, or Tuesday, May 5 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 10: What does the research say about reading comprehension intervention?
- Intervention research as it relates to reading comprehension will be discussed.
- Participants will have an opportunity to practice goal setting and intervention application using case studies.
- Participants will be provided with an opportunity to include reading comprehension into their intervention sessions with their target student.
Module 11: What Does the Research Say About Reading Comprehension and Written Language Intervention?
Monday, May 4, or Tuesday, May 5 | 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 11: What Does the Research Say About Reading Comprehension and Written Language Intervention?
- Intervention research as it relates to written expression will be discussed. Participants will have an opportunity to practice goal setting and intervention application using case studies.
- Participants will be provided with an opportunity to include written expression focus into their intervention sessions with their target student.
Application-to-Practice Module
May 16 – 29
Application-to-Practice Module
- Participants will be given time to carry out RC/WC intervention sessions.
- Learner’s Participation in this Application to Practice Module will be evaluated through a written reflection submitted to the course instructor documenting their observations and learning.
Module 12: Aligning Current, Cross-Disciplinary Literacy Research with Practice
Monday, June 1, or Tuesday, June 2 6 – 9 p.m. EST
Module 12: Aligning Current, Cross-Disciplinary Literacy Research with Practice
- Critical research from the fields of cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychology, special education and genetics will be reviewed.
- Throughout the session, participants will work in small groups to integrate the presented research and theories with their practice-based knowledge and relate the consolidated information to various curricular expectations.
Final Course Reflection Due
Friday, June 5
Final Course Reflection Due
Graduation
Tuesday, June 16
Graduation
- Time: TBD
- Monday and Tuesday Classes