Audiobooks provide students who struggle to read due to reading deficit access to all the books they need and want to read, including literature, popular fiction, curriculum-aligned textbooks, and more. The session will cover the following questions: (Tentative Agenda)
1. Why is it important to give back now that struggling readers are learning virtually?
2. What is Dyslexia? – A framework around the huge need for audiobooks in the classroom for individuals with learning differences. Attendees will go through a Dyslexia Simulation.
3. How does the Learning Ally Audiobook Solution work? With an extensive library of more than 82,000 human-read audiobooks and a suite of educator tools and resources, Learning Ally helps struggling readers become engaged, independent learners. By using audiobooks, children can read independently, develop a love of learning, and reach their full potential
4. How does the Learning Ally Volunteer Nation Model satisfy your needs and compare to the industry you’re in?
5. How to get involved! And how can volunteering for Learning Ally impact your career? a. Success stories of VO Talent volunteering for Learning Ally b. I started volunteering and then I discovered a career in the VO world.

Learning Ally audiobooks can have a dramatic impact on students. Content, stories, and the ultimate goal of learning elude approximately 1 out of every 5 students who struggle with dyslexia. That struggle disappears when Learning Ally volunteers share their voices to articulate the words in a book. You would never tell someone who is blind that reading with their fingers is a crutch; the same is true for someone with a reading deficit. Learning Ally audiobooks offer a unique and beneficial window into the world of reading.

What is a Dyslexia Simulation?
At least 1 in 5 students around the country struggle with reading. This struggle could be the result of dyslexia, a learning disability that is neurological in origin. Students with dyslexia experience difficulty inaccurate or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding ability. Spelling and writing skills are impacted as well. VO Atlanta attendees will experience Learning Ally’s Dyslexia Simulation to step into the shoes of our struggling students. Volunteers will understand what it is like to struggle to decode a text, becoming aware of why writing and spelling is so difficult through engaging and interactive exercise. A student with dyslexia describes their experience with reading like this: “it feels like my brain is a baseball stadium that is sold out and people are still trying to get in!” After the simulation, attendees will be able to relate to the struggles these students experience and empathize with them.