The State of Dyslexia in New Jersey - Decoding...
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Decoding Dyslexia–NJ and Rider University present The State of Dyslexia in New Jersey Thursday, March 10, 2016 Rider University Bart Luedeke Center Auditorium
Transcript of The State of Dyslexia in New Jersey - Decoding...
Decoding Dyslexia–NJ and
Rider University present
The State of Dyslexia in New Jersey
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Rider University Bart Luedeke Center Auditorium
WELCOME! … to Decoding Dyslexia-NJ & Rider University School of Education’s presentation on
The State of Dyslexia in New Jersey
Tonight, we hope you will take away new knowledge about our NJ
dyslexia-related laws and how they are being implemented in our public schools throughout the state. While we have only scratched the surface of change for our dyslexic children and we still have much more work to do, there are positive signs and examples of these laws starting to work. It has been two and three years since the laws passed, but technically, we are only half-way through our second year since the laws went into effect. Growing pains were to be expected, but we have found hope in some NJ school districts where they are starting to put new procedures, programs, training and personnel into place. The atmosphere for dyslexia awareness has started to change in our state
and we are asking you to feel that vibe, help us run with it and bring those changes to your community and schools. During tonight’s presentation and panel discussion, you will hear examples where things are going in the right direction and you will have opportunities to ask questions which will hopefully inspire you to consider ways you can make changes in your local area. In this virtual program booklet, you will find it to be very accessible with lots of contacts and resource information which are only a click away. So sit back, relax and open your mind as renowned dyslexia expert, Dr. Gordon Sherman, enlightens and educates you about brain diversity. Then join Decoding Dyslexia-NJ on a journey through our dyslexia law history and implementation here in NJ and on the national stage. A stimulating discussion with a panel of experts and parents will immediately follow. Please enjoy your evening! Follow the links below to learn more information about the NJ laws:
Mandatory Professional Development on Dyslexia for Public School Teachers: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/PL13/105_.PDF IDA Definition of Dyslexia into the State Education Code: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/PL13/131_.PDF Early Dyslexia Screening: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/PL13/210_.PDF
Program Agenda
Welcome: Decoding Dyslexia–NJ and Rider University
Keynote Speaker: Gordon F. Sherman, PhD.
Welcome to the Future: Where Diverse Brains Thrive Dyslexia is not a product of a dysfunctional brain, but an example of learning diversity that can excel in the real world outside of school. Unfortunately, a dysfunctional education system often awaits those who learn differently. My goal in this talk is to describe the value of cerebrodiversity (our species’ collective neural heterogeneity), of which dyslexia is a byproduct, and to challenge conventional assumptions about socially and culturally defined disabilities. I seek to encourage those who struggle with dyslexia, provide a context for understanding dyslexia’s enigmas, and to explore solutions for success. Technology also will be a focus of this presentation.
New Jersey Updates on Implementation
PowerPoint Presentation – Decoding Dyslexia – NJ and Peggy McDonald, Acting Chief Learning Supports and Specialized Services Officer,
NJ Department of Education
Guest Speakers
Panel Discussion
Diane Casale-Giannola, EdD - Professor, School of Education, Rider University Nancy Hammill, MS Ed - Professional Development & Outreach Coordinator at the Cooper
Learning Center
Karen Leddy - Parent Alison Pankowski, M.Ed - Special Education Professional, Reading Interventionalist
Dee Rosenberg, M.A., LDT/C - Director of Education at Newgrange School, Laurel School
of Princeton and Robinowitz Education Center in Princeton
Question and Answer Session
2.5 New Jersey Continuing Education Units will be available at the end of the event to New Jersey teachers for their professional development. If interested, please visit the registration table when the event has ended.
Decoding Dyslexia NJ would like to extend a special thank you to South Brunswick School District and Haworth Public School District for participating this evening and sharing with us the progress you are making within your schools.
Biography: Keynote Speaker
Gordon F. Sherman, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of The Laurel School of Princeton, The Newgrange School in Hamilton, New Jersey and, the Ann Robinowitz Education Center in Princeton, New Jersey. Before joining Newgrange, he was the Director of the Dyslexia Research Laboratory at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a faculty member in Neurology (Neuroscience) at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Sherman received his doctorate in developmental psychobiology from the University of Connecticut. He is a former President and current board member of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and a recipient of two of its most prestigious honors, the Samuel T. Orton Award and the Norman Geschwind Memorial Lecture Award. Dr. Sherman
was inducted into IDA's Sylvia O. Richardson Hall of Honor, in 2009.
In 2010, Dr. Sherman was appointed to the New Jersey Governor's Reading Disabilities Task Force. Dr. Sherman speaks nationally and internationally to parents, teachers, and scientists about cerebrodiversity, learning differences, brain development and the future.
Biographies Panelists
Diane Casale-Giannola, EdD, Dr. Diane Casale-Giannola is a professor at Rider University. Her research and publications support inclusion with an emphasis on dyslexia, global education and teacher preparation. She works with schools and districts supporting professional development in many areas including inclusive practice from Pre-K to secondary schools. She has worked with many districts with the implementation of the state's dyslexia legislation. Contact: [email protected]
Nancy Hammill, MS Ed, is a learning therapist, professional development and outreach coordinator at the Cooper Learning Center, is the 2016 Sam Kirk Educator of the Year by the Learning Disabilities Association of America. Hammill has 20 years of experience in the field of education helping students of all ages overcome learning challenges. Through the Cooper Learning Center, she works with public and private schools to improve the academic outcomes of students through teacher in-service training and mentoring, as well as chairs the Facet of Dyslexia Conference. Nancy currently serves on the board of the International Dyslexia Association of New Jersey. Contact: [email protected]
Biographies Panelists (con’t)
Karen Leddy, received a BA from New York University and a JD from Fordham University School of Law. She served on the Haworth Public School Board of Education and is a Trustee on the Board of The Community School, a private K-12 school in Teaneck, NJ for bright children with learning and attention disabilities. In 2014 Karen served as the Parent Member of the Haworth Public School Dyslexia Committee and in 2015 was a founding member of the Haworth Education Parent Advisory Committee ("HEPAC"). HEPAC is a support group for all parents, recognizing that many students have learning differences, whether they receive special education services or not. HEPACs website, hawortheducation.com, was created by Karen as an informational resource for parents about learning and attention issues which impact 1 in 5 children. Karen focuses her efforts on raising awareness about dyslexia as a common learning difference; a learning disability often coupled with gifted intellectual and creative abilities, calling schools to bridge the gap between general, special and gifted education. Karen lives in Haworth NJ with her husband and 3 children. Contact: [email protected]
Alison Pankowski, MEd, completed her undergraduate work in Deaf Education and Elementary Education at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. She received her Master in Education degree in Special Education from Rutgers University in New Jersey. Mrs. Pankowski completed her post-graduate work at The College of New Jersey to obtain her Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDTC) certificate. She has worked in the special education field since 1995 in New Jersey public schools. During that time she has held a variety of positions including in-class support co-teacher, resource center instructor, self-contained teacher and LDTC. Mrs. Pankowski currently trains teachers in her district in the Wilson Reading System and she is a board member of the New Jersey branch of the International Dyslexia Association. Contact: [email protected]
Dee Rosenberg, M.A., LDT/C, has been the Director of Education at the Newgrange School, the Laurel School of Princeton and the Robinowitz Education Center in Princeton. Dee has a Master’s Degree in Learning Disabilities from Montclair University and is a certified Disabilities Learning Teacher Consultant (LDT/C). She has had over twenty years of classroom experience at the elementary and high school levels, as a regular and special education teacher and as an educational diagnostician. She is a certified teacher trainer of The Wilson Language Program, Developing Metacognitive Skills, and Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS). Dee has consulted with many school districts, and she has trained teachers nationally and internationally, about dyslexia, programs for improving literacy, and other issues related to special education. Dee is a past President of the New Jersey Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. Dee is currently working with the New Jersey Board of Education to create a Dyslexia Handbook for the state.
Dee is responsible for ensuring the instructional quality and effectiveness at both of our schools and the Education Center. She supervises the teaching staff and all related activities, regarding curriculum development and assessment. Contact: [email protected]
Presenter’s Resources:
Ann Robinowitz Education Center - http://www.robinowitzcenter.org
Cooper Learning Center - http://www.cooperhealth.org/departments-
programs/cooper-learning-center
Decoding Dyslexia-NJ resource page - http://decodingdyslexianj.org/resources/
Haworth Public School District Jennifer Montesano, Superintendent, [email protected] Carrieann Malanga, Supervisor of Special Education, [email protected]
International Dyslexia Association-NJ Branch - http://www.njida.org
NJ Department of Education Website Dyslexia page -
www.state.nj.us/education/specialed/dyslexia/
NJ Department of Education Website Special Education page -
www.state.nj.us/education/specialed/
Rider University - http://www.rider.edu
South Brunswick Public School District Dyslexia Team Allison Dubois, Co-Chairman, [email protected] Jodi Mahoney, Co-Chairman, [email protected] Laurie Faigin, Co-Chairman, [email protected]
Other Resources:
Assistive Technology blog - http://bdmtech.blogspot.com
Assistive Techology Solutions - http://www.atdyslexia.com Bookshare - www.bookshare.org
Bright Solutions for Dyslexia - www.dys-add.com Children’s Dyslexia Centers, Inc - www.childrensdyslexiacenters.org
International Dyslexia Association - www.interdys.org
LD Online - www.ldonline.org Learning Ally (formerly RFB&D) - www.learningally.org
National Center for Learning Disabilities - www.ncld.org
U.S. Dept of Education Guidance Letter to Districts (download) - Education
Guidance on Dyslexia oct 23 2015
U.S. Law: “READ Act” H. R. 3033 (text of law) - http://bit.ly/1p6jTX3
(for press release: - http://1.usa.gov/1phfyAT Yale Center for Dyslexia & /creativity - www.dyslexia.yale.edu
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that is neurological in origin and characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor spelling and decoding abilities, resulting in core difficulties with reading, writing, and spelling, and sometimes spoken language. An estimated 15-20% of individuals have language-based learning difficulties, and an estimated 70-85% of students who are placed in special education for a learning disability have dyslexia, making it the most prevalent learning disability in children. Dyslexia affects boys and girls equally and occurs in individuals of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. All children need basic reading and writing skills to succeed throughout their lives, and children with dyslexia can learn successfully with appropriate teaching methods. Children with untreated dyslexia can suffer devastating personal consequences, as it can cause significant stress and poor self-image, discourage students from continuing in school, and lead to adults unable to achieve at their fullest potential. Early identification, support, and sustained targeted services for students with dyslexia are of the utmost importance to increase academic success and self-esteem. Informed and effective instruction by skilled teachers, especially in the early grades, can prevent or ameliorate the severity of dyslexia and related reading and language problems. Students with dyslexia require appropriate, evidence-based instruction taught with fidelity, and educational interventions for their specific disability. The interventions should include intense instruction on phonemic awareness, phonics and fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension and taught using multi-sensory structured language techniques.
Warning Signs of Dyslexia
If a child has 3 or more of the following warning signs, encourage that child’s parents and teachers to learn more about dyslexia.
In Preschool • delayed speech • mixing up the sounds and syllables in
long words • chronic ear infections • severe reactions to childhood illnesses • constant confusion of left versus right • late establishing a dominant hand • difficulty learning to tie shoes • trouble memorizing their address,
phone number, or the alphabet • can’t create words that rhyme • a close relative with dyslexia
In Elementary School • dysgraphia (slow, non-automatic hand-
writing that is difficult to read) • letter or number reversals continuing
past the end of first grade • extreme difficulty learning cursive • slow, choppy, inaccurate reading: -
guesses based on shape or context - skips or misreads prepositions (at, to, of) - ignores suffixes - can’t sound out unknown words
• terrible spelling • often can’t remember sight words
(they, were, does) or homonyms (their, they’re, and there)
• difficulty telling time with a clock with hands
• trouble with math - memorizing multiplication tables - memorizing a sequence of steps – directionality
• when speaking, difficulty finding the correct word - lots of “whatyamacallits”
and “thingies” - common sayings come out slightly twisted
• extremely messy bedroom, backpack, and desk
• dreads going to school - complains of stomach aches or headaches - may have nightmares about school
In High School All of the earlier symptoms plus: • limited vocabulary • extremely poor written expression -
large discrepancy between verbal skills and written compositions
• unable to master a foreign language • difficulty reading printed music • poor
grades in many classes • may drop out of high school In Adults Education history similar to above, plus:
• slow reader •may have to read a page 2 or 3 times
to understand it • terrible speller • difficulty putting thoughts onto paper -
dreads writing memos or letters • still has difficulty with right versus left • often gets lost, even in a familiar city • sometimes confuses b and d,
especially when tired or sick Copyright © 2002 by Susan Barton. All Rights Reserved
Rider University School of Education offers the following graduate programs that support children
with special needs and literacy...
Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certification
Master of Arts in Special Education
Reading Specialist Endorsement
School Psychology
For more information,
Contact Alison Wehringer or Jamie Mitchell
Office of Graduate Admissions
609-896-5036 or 800-257-9026
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are needed to see this picture.
As part of Cooper University Hospital’s Department of Pediatrics, the Cooper Learning Center, located at suburban offices in Voorhees and Moorestown, is distinguished as the region’s only
child-learning program affiliated with a university-level medical center. This distinction offers parents and children easy access to the most advanced, scientifically proven methods for accurately assessing and treating children’s learning difficulties, combined with expert clinical consultation for the possible physical or emotional causes of learning disabilities.
For more information, visit: http://www.cooperhealth.org/departments-programs/cooper-learning-center
Thank you Cooper Learning Center for providing 2.5 New Jersey Continuing Education Units to New Jersey teachers for their
professional development.
The Story of Decoding Dyslexia-NJ
Our beginnings ... In Oct. 2011, 8 parents went on a train to NYC to attend a National Center for Learning Disabilities luncheon. On that train ride, we shared our stories, our struggles and the challenges we faced trying to help our dyslexic children within our public schools. Our children all went to different schools, but we all had similar stories. We were virtually strangers to each other. By the end of the day, we acknowledged that we had been working alone for far too long, and that by joining together we could be one strong voice for change. Our group is made up of parents of children who are dyslexic. We are not experts, nor are we a business or educational organization. We can only offer other parents the benefit of our collective experiences. We encourage parents, who share our interests to join us, to meet with their local policy-makers to tell the story of their child, and ask for policies and/or legislation to identify and support dyslexic children in our public schools or contribute to the movement in any way they are able. Decoding Dyslexia-NJ understands the importance of collaborations between parents, teachers, administrators and policy makers are all in the best interest of our kids. Decoding Dyslexia-NJ’s mission is to empower parents with information, knowledge and resources, enabling them to meet the needs of their children with Dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities. To educate and inform the public about the struggles of Dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities and how early intervention, proper programs, assistive technology and the appropriate learning environment can make the difference in a child's ability to reach his or her full potential in school and in life. To make policy-makers aware of the vast number of children affected by Dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities and to persuade them to change our state educational system by identifying children early and providing appropriate, evidenced-based services for them in all of our public schools. Our Goals: • A universal definition and understanding of “dyslexia” in the state education code • Mandatory teacher training on dyslexia, its warning signs and appropriate intervention
strategies • Mandatory early screening tests for dyslexia • Mandatory evidence-based dyslexia remediation programs implemented with fidelity,
which can be accessed by both general and special education populations • Access to appropriate “assistive technologies” in the public school setting for students
with dyslexia
Since our inception, parents from all over the U.S. and Canada have joined the cause and created an amazing grassroots movement …
Thank you so much for coming!
We hope you found the evening informative and inspiring.
A big Thank You to our sponsors, keynote and panelists!
We couldn’t have done this without all of you!!
Contact us:
Website: www.DecodingDyslexiaNJ.org Visit our Resource page on our website for other valuable information
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: #DDNJ12 (or www.Twitter.com/DDNJ12 )
Facebook: search FB for “Decoding Dyslexia – NJ
