How DVASH Got Started
DVASH was developed by Jewish educators working in conjunction with a special education teacher certified in a multisensory method of reading instruction under the auspices of the special needs department of the Agency of Jewish Learning in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
After many years of developing accommodations for students with learning disabilities, it became clear that the existing curricula did not address the challenges facing students with special needs when learning to read Hebrew.
A national survey of Hebrew reading curricula confirmed this gap.
To respond to this need, we developed DVASH, a curriculum based on current best practices from reading science.
This multisensory approach was originally developed to teach students with dyslexia, but it has also been shown to be effective in helping students without disabilities to learn to read Hebrew.
DVASH is unique because it incorporates ongoing professional development for teachers, and offers explicit and systematic reading instruction for students.
Significant evaluation was central to DVASH’s development process, and student evaluations have shown impressive progress towards all educational goals.
DVASH’s curriculum was tested through pilot programs run in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Both typical students and those with learning needs alike show great gains in Hebrew reading and Hebrew language acquisition from participating in DVASH’s innovative teaching methods.
About the DVASH Program
Successfully learning to read Hebrew significantly enhances full participation in Jewish life.
Unfortunately, up to 35 percent of Jewish students struggle with learning to read Hebrew.
These students either drop out of Hebrew studies, are segregated into separate classrooms, or learn in isolation with a tutor.
Based on current research, DVASH implements the best practices of reading instruction for teaching Hebrew in schools.
DVASH is so successful at improving competency for all students that in most cases it even allows for the inclusion of students with learning disabilities in the classroom.
This success results in a more inclusive learning community and translates to greater satisfaction for both teachers and students.
After completing DVASH’s curriculum, it has been shown that students with reading disabilities will be able to thrive in an inclusive program.
CONNECTIONS Newsletter
Read an article about DVASH by Vita Nemirovsky, from the spring/summer 2015 edition of CONNECTIONS Newsletter.
Our Schools
Schools and programs that are using DVASH include Congregation Beth El, JJEP Joint Jewish Educational Program: Congregations Beth Shalom and Rodef Shalom, and Beth Israel Congregation of Waterville Maine.
Special Thanks
DVASH is supported generously through a grant from The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
