DyslexiaAn Introduction

Provided by: WCSSSDKayla Berger: School Psychologist

Stephen Parigi: LDT-CCassandra Weinschenk: Social Worker

Today’s Workshop will cover :Screening, Intervention,

Accommodations, and Assistive Technology

What is this law? Where did it come from?Who does this effect? What do the experts say? How can we help?

Rethinking “Dyslexia”… dispelling the myths and stigma

Law #1

Incorporates the definition of dyslexia into the Administrator’s code:

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in

origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent

word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.

These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological

component of language that is often unexpected in relation to

other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom

instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in

reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can

impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

New legislation that affects screening, evaluation, and remediation

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin.

It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.

What is Dyslexia? Video

What does that mean?

These difficulties typically result

from a deficit in the phonological

component of language that is often

unexpected in relation to other

cognitive abilities and the provision

of effective classroom instruction.

Remember…

Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension reduced reading experience Impeding growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Reading is such a struggle that there is little room left for

enjoyment, comprehension, or knowledge acquisition.

Finally…

Requires a minimum of 2 HOURS of professional development each year on the screening, intervention, accommodation, and use of technology for students with reading disabilities, including dyslexia. general education teachers K-3 special education, basic skills ESL teachers and reading specialists LDT/Cs, and speech-language specialists

Law #2

NJDOE will provide districts with information on

screening tools, as well as guide boards on the

proper interventions for those diagnosed. As of

yet there is no information related to suggested

screenings on the DOE website

Screenings will be mandatory by 2015-16

Screening should be completed by end of 1st

semester of second grade

Law #3

Most early childhood teachers already use reading screening or assessment tools in their classrooms.

Examples are: DRADIBELSFountas and Pinnell

Screening and Assessment

There is a localized impairment in the left hemisphere temporal lobe in the phonological module of the brain, which is the area of the brain responsible for processing sound elements.

This is directly responsible for delays in phonemic awareness

The Dyslexic Brain

Phonemic awareness: ability to hear, identify, and manipulate phonemes which is central to learning to read and spell. It is an auditory training process that does not involve print.

Phonics connect print (letters) to sound

The Dyslexic Brain video

A little review:

Dyslexia is common and effects up to 20% of the population

Dyslexia occurs on a continuum or spectrum

It is a lifelong disorder – strategies are designed to help compensate for,

not cure dyslexia

Facts and Figures….

Dyslexia is a neurological problem, not a visual or perceptual problem.

An accurate diagnosis can be made by a medical professional by the time a child turns 6 years old.

It effects people in every language.

A student’s ability to perform mathematical calculations may also be impaired (dyscalculia).

Dyslexia: a hidden disability

Other Facts

80-85% of SLD students have a form of dyslexia (remember, it’s a continuum and some cases are more severe than others)

Dyslexia may be co-morbid with executive functioning disorders such as ADHD

There is a proportionally high number of artists, creative thinkers, and scientists who are dyslexic!

Did you know….

Students may display delays in processing speed, fluency, spelling, writing, or speaking. THESE STUDENTS MAY NEVER REVERSE LETTERS!

Students may also demonstrate difficulty with the rapid naming of letters and sight words, reading comprehension, and synonyms/ antonyms.

Signs and Symptoms

Some dyslexics have difficulty keeping

up with conversations due to their

difficulty processing verbal information.

Dyslexics have difficulty understanding

jokes, proverbs, or sarcasm.

…continued

All of these effects can have a

big impact on a person's self-image. Without help, children often get frustrated

with learning. The stress of dealing with schoolwork often

makes children with dyslexia lose the motivation to continue schooling.

Interview with Henry Winkler video

The result…

Warning signs

So what do we do now?

Reflect on students you teach…

have taught…

or will teach…....

What can I do differently?

Recognizing letters, matching letters to sounds and blending sounds into speech

Pronouncing words, for example saying “mawn lower” instead of “lawn mower”

Learning and correctly using new vocabulary words

Learning the alphabet, numbers, and days of the week or similar common word sequences

Rhyming

Young children may demonstrate trouble with:

Mastering the rules of spelling Remembering facts and numbers Handwriting or difficulty gripping the

pencil correctly Learning and understanding new skills;

instead, relying heavily on memorization

Reading and spelling, such as reversing letters (d, b) or moving letters around (left, felt)

Following a sequence of directions Trouble with word problems in math

School-Age children may demonstrate

trouble with:

Teenagers and adults may demonstratetrouble with:

Reading at the expected level Understanding non-literal language, such

as idioms, jokes, or proverbs Reading aloud Organizing and managing time Trouble summarizing a story Learning a foreign language Memorizing

Remember, dyslexia occurs on a continuum. Some students may have a very mild case of dyslexia and may have found compensation strategies all on their own.

Recall 20% of the population may be affected by dyslexia.

In a class of 20 that is 4 students!

Sound familiar?

Strategies and interventions

What do we do?

The clock is ticking

Developmental window for reading instruction is closed by the

end of 3rd grade

Remediation techniquesCan we do this?

How can we address this in our classrooms?Research-based reading programs such as Orton-Gillingham Project Read Wilson (Fundations)

Have been proven to be successful in remediating learning delays.

Remediation

Highlighters Copying on different colored paper Post-it notes Buddy systems

Partner reading, study buddies Word bank Word walls Posters/bulletin boards Color overlays/masking Reading windows or straight edges

Low-tech interventions and accommodations

Consider alternatives to the way you present information..

High tech (Smartboard) Low tech (Visual/auditory aids)

And how you assess learning ? Formal verses informal Do you consider all learning styles?

Alternate Considerations

Remember Gardner’s multiple intelligences?

www.dyslexia.yale.edu http://www.ldanj.org/ http://readingandwritingproject.org/ www.ncld.org www.dyslexickids.net www.learningtherapist.com www.ldamerica.org www.readingresource.net www.ldonline.org

Resources for Teachers

www.newsela.com Online non-fiction news articles written at a variety of levels

www.learningally.org offers over 90,000 digital books, textbooks. Formerly RFB&D

www.readingatoz.com (fee) associated free app is called raz-kids.

Resources to use with students

www.decodingdyslexianj.com

Decoding dyslexia video

http://www.njlda.org/

Resources for Parents

Shop the Google play store or Apple store for products from:

Learning Ally (formerly Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic)

Assistiveware (representing new products for AAC)

Apps

Dragon Dictation: Speech-to-text for a variety of mobile applications (think: messaging, emailing, blog writing)

ModMath: Designed for individuals with dyslexia and dysgraphia for whom the mechanics of writing math problems causes a barrier. ModMath takes care of the construction of, for example, the long division problem. After that, solving that problem is up to you.

VoiceDream: Text-to-speech to aid in reading. This app also allows for screen, font and text size customization and highlighting. It has a built-in dictionary and works with text from lots of sources (PDF, ebooks, email).

Notability: Takes “handwritten” notes on documents to allow for adding sketches to PDF or graphics or editing student work (!!). Notability also has an audio recording feature for auditory learners, photo capability and it coordinates with sharing platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox. 

StoryVisualizer: Creates storybooks for students using their words and images. From Lego Education.

UsTyme: Allows two people to remotely read a story together by coupling FaceTime-like software with reading.

DyslexiaQuest: A series of games designed to “assess working memory, phonological awareness, processing speed, visual memory, auditory memory and sequencing skills.” Gamers are encouraged to keep practicing to master skills.

Read2Go (iOS) or Go Read (Android): Makes books accessible to people with print disabilities.

Co:Writer: Word prediction software aids writing in real-time or later when editing. Text-to-speech feature reads letters, words, sentences, and documents. Produced by Don Johnston. Opt for the SOLO Suite and get Co:Writer; Read:Outloud; Write:Outloud and Draft:Builder.

….and some more

http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/apps-students-ld-dysgraphia-writing-difficulties

http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/apps-students-ld-dyslexia-reading-difficulties

Check out ncld.org for a complete listing of APPS for use with students

Despite Dyslexia: a review of famous people that have

dyslexia

Overcoming

Contact Information

sparigi@gmrsd.com

kberger@gmrsd.com

cweinschenk@gmrsd.com