Kelly Mendoza, a reading specialist at West Elementary School in Long Beach, was invited to present her innovative literacy strategies at the National Council of Teachers of English annual conference in Denver last weekend.
Mendoza's presentation, "Making Reading Come Alive: Strategies for Struggling Readers," drew from her 15 years of classroom experience and her research into multisensory learning techniques. Over 200 educators from across the country attended her session.
"Every child deserves to experience the joy of reading. When we meet students where they are and give them the tools they need, the transformation is incredible." — Kelly Mendoza
Her approach combines traditional phonics instruction with movement, music, and art — techniques she developed while working with diverse learners in Long Beach's public schools. The district has seen significant improvements in reading scores since implementing her methods three years ago.
Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Cenatiempo praised Mendoza's recognition: "Kelly represents the best of what our teachers do every day. Her dedication to her students and her willingness to share her expertise nationally makes us all proud."
Mendoza plans to write a book based on her methods and hopes to conduct professional development workshops across Long Island in the coming year.