Michigan: New training for early childhood teachers to recognize dyslexia

July 30, 2026, New Training Will Help Early Childhood Educators Recognize Early Signs of Dyslexia and Strengthen Literacy Foundations

LANSING, Mich. – A new two-day professional development training is being offered in Michigan to equip early childhood educators with practical, research-based strategies to identify early warning signs of dyslexia and support the development of the foundational language and literacy skills children need to become successful readers. 

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) and the Michigan Dyslexia Institute (MDI) are partnering to offer the training, Dyslexia Starts Early: Building Strong Language and Literacy Foundations for Future Readers; A Michigan Dyslexia Institute/Orton-Gillingham Approach, across three locations this summer.

The training supports Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Every Child Reads initiative by strengthening educator knowledge of the Science of Reading, increasing awareness of dyslexia, and providing research-based instructional practices that benefit all learners before they enter kindergarten. . . .

The training is the first professional development opportunity offered by MDI specifically for early childhood educators and is designed to complement, not replace, existing classroom practices. "Educators should expect an engaging, hands-on experience with activities they can immediately incorporate into their classrooms," said Sue Angell, OG implementation coordinator, and instructor with the Michigan Dyslexia Institute who will be co-leading the training. "The training isn't about adding more to teachers' plates. It's about strengthening the excellent work they already do by providing practical tools that support language development and early literacy for all children." 

"We're not teaching educators to diagnose dyslexia," said Marlene Tebben, OG instruction advisor and instructor for the Michigan Dyslexia Institute who will be co-leading the training. "We're helping them recognize early indicators, understand how children learn to read and adjust instruction using research-based practices, so every child has the strongest possible foundation for future reading success." . . .