About the Author
Barbara A. Wilson is the co-founder of the Wilson Learning Center for children and adults with language learning disabilities, and the president of Wilson Language Training Corporation in Oxford, MA. She is the author of three multisensory structured language programs: the Wilson Reading System®, Wilson Fundations® and Wilson Fluency™.
Barbara has written several articles and chapters on literacy instruction. Among her most recent is a chapter entitled, “Instruction for Middle and High School Students Struggling with Reading” which can be found in the 2005 edition of “Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills,” edited by Judith Birsh.
Barbara has served on the committees of several national educational organizations, including:
- The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators, Founding Fellow
- The International Dyslexia Association, Chair of the Nominating Committee
- New England Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, Branch Secretary
- The International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC), Board of Directors
- National Institute for Literacy, Bridges to Practice project, consultant
In early 2004, Barbara was invited to the White House to speak to the President’s Domestic Policy Adviser on Education regarding the issue of literacy in America’s Middle and High Schools. Barbara is also involved in several government-funded reading research projects and currently serves as a co-investigator of an NIH-funded research study on the Prevalence and Treatment of Young Adult Literacy Problems.
Under Barbara’s leadership, more than 8,500 teachers nationwide have been certified in the Wilson Reading System. This intensive certification process requires a depth of knowledge of the structure of English and the ability to put into practice direct, systematic and multisensory teaching in a diagnostic approach. This professional development certification program is recognized by the National Staff Development Council as one of the programs for including in their research-based initiative, What Works in K-12 Literacy Staff Development.
Barbara is also chairperson of the Advisory Council for the Language and Literacy graduate program at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts.
Over the years, Barbara has presented the topic of achieving literacy with struggling readers at more than 300 conferences, both in the U.S. and internationally, including keynote addresses.
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| Barbara Wilson with a student |