Description: Come learn about specific strategies to improve literacy outcomes for all students and how Health Education can support literacy instruction while ensuring Health is taught with rigor and a skills-based focus. Key skills of focus include communication, advocacy, accessing resources, analyzing influences, practices and behaviors to support health and wellness, all while incorporating functional health information. Literacy instruction benefits all students but is critical for students with disabilities and multilingual learners.

Attendees will learn how to: 

·        Use children’s books to introduce vocabulary

·        Use writing frames for scaffolds while writing arguments and reflections. 

Outcomes:

·        Learn about resources to support reading and writing in Health Education

·        View and get copies of templates and writing frames to use and adapt for own state needs

·        Learn supports for MLL and at risk students

Presenter: Jodi Parker, Utah State Board of Education

Jodi Parker is the current Health Education Specialist and Title IV, Part A State Coordinator for the Utah State Board of Education. Through her role, she supports several local community coalitions and advisory committees on Health Education policy and needs. In addition, Jodi is the Society of State Leaders of Health and Physical Education’s President-Elect.

Jodi has a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Sport Science with a Spanish minor from the University of Utah and a master’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix. Jodi previously taught and coached for ten years in Northern Utah. She is an advocate for all education, but especially health education for the whole child. Jodi believes that there is nothing more important than teaching a student the skills and behaviors for them to lead a healthy lifestyle: physically, mentally, and socially.