Speaker to Address Literacy Barriers at Conference

The Truman School of Health Sciences and Education will host its sixth annual Language and Literacy Conference April 25 in the Student Union Building.

More than 100 Truman students and area primary and secondary school teachers, speech-language pathologists, and reading specialists interested in improving reading and writing achievement have registered to attend.

The speaker will be Gaye Heath, 95 Percent group client manager. 95 Percent Group, headquartered in Lincolnshire, Ill., specializes in how to use literacy screening data for tiers of intervention, as well as instructional strategies to address specific skill deficits. 

Heath’s topic will be “Promoting Collaboration in the Assessment and Treatment of Literacy Related Problems in Children.” Before joining 95 Percent Group, Heath was a district professional development instructional specialist. Heath has more than 20 years of classroom experience in middle schools. She was a basic skills resource specialist and an adjunct professor at Maricopa Community College. Heath holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership with endorsements as a reading specialist and English as a second language.