ADA Landmark Case

Watch a short interview about a landmark case involving ADA and dyslexia.

Courtesy of National Center for Learning Disabilities

Dyslexia International- Free courses offered

Dyslexia International, a non-governmental organization in partnership UNESCO offers free, quality courses and resources that are selected and updated by practicing teachers and experts in literacy and reading difficulties. 
 Dyslexia International promotes free and fair education and equal opportunities for those who struggle with reading and writing by making teacher training the priority.

Over 700 million people have reading difficulties that put them at risk of life-long illiteracy and social exclusion.  This e-Campus offers the means to address this situation – to raise literacy levels and reduce marginalization. 

For more information about Dyslexia International and the courses they offer, visit their web site:www.dyslexia-international.org

FREE Dyslexia Presentation

FREE Dyslexia Presentation

Featuring Susan Barton, a leading dyslexia expert.

Monday, October 29, 2012
6:00-9:00 p.m.

Hillsboro Church of Christ
155 West Walnut St.
Hillsboro, OH 45133

Attendees must register at:
hillsboro.eventbrite.com

For more information, contact:
Jill Benkiel
937-393-1752
joy.polstra@eastclinton.org

Susan Barton founded Bright Solutions for Dyslexia in 1998, to educate parents and teachers on dyslexia and assist them with finding the appropriate resources and support.

Susan is trained in seven different Orton-Gillingham based programs and teaches graduate-level courses through the University of San Diego.  In 2009, Susan was inducted into the International Dyslexia Association's Hall of Honor for her work and dedication in the field of dyslexia.

Dyslexia Tool Kit

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities  has published a Dyslexia Tool Kit designed to inform educators and parents of the latest research-based information available about dyslexia.

Be sure to visit www.ncld.org to sign up to receive a FREE copy of the the Dyslexia Tool Kit.

OH School Districts Chosen for Dyslexia Pilot Project

Eight OH schools were recently chosen to participate in a pilot project beginning this fall that will evaluate the effectiveness of early screening(in kindergarten) and research-based reading intervention programs for children showing signs of dyslexia.

This pilot project was created through House Bill 96, enacted last December.

The districts selected to participate are:

CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Celina City in Mercer County
Cleveland Arts Social Science Academy in Cuyahoga County
Edison Local in Jefferson County
Indian Creek Local in Jefferson County
Medina City in Medina County
Shawnee Local in Allen County
Trimble Local in Athens County

For more information about this project, contact these local districts or the Ohio Department of Education Office of Exceptional Children

Getting Your Child Back Into The Learning Groove

From LD.org, National Center for Learning Disabilities, read practical tips and resources for getting your child back into the learning groove.

Dyslexia in the News

Follow this link,  http://www.local12.com/content/medical_edge/story/New-Trial-at-Cincinnati-Childrens-To-Treat/X9-DEpdSiUGczQos37aXKQ.cspx?rss=937

to see a news story about the reading research study underway at Cincinnati Children's Medical Center.

Dyslexia Brain Imaging Research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Yesterday, DTIS, LLC was invited to the Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium (PNRC) at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to learn about exciting new reading research happening in Cincinnati.

Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus, PhD. is conducting a brain imaging research project to understand the neural circuitry of the Error Detection Mechanism.  The EDM's activation has been found to increase with reading training and this increase was associated with improved reading accuracy and speed (fluency).

This is a study to establish the effect of a reading intervention program on reading and on brain
activation in children with and without reading difficulties. 

Some participants will receive a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan as part of
the research.

All participants will receive access to an internet based reading training program that can be accessed in the child's own home.  This reading training program lasts 4 weeks.

NEEDED: 
Children 8-12 years old with reading difficulties and children without reading difficulties, with no history of mental illness or head trauma may be eligible to participate.

Families will receive $40 per behavioral and imaging visit (2 visits overall) and $20 for the additional behavioral assessment for time and travel.

Contact Nicole Cicchino Nicole.Cicchino@cchmc.org, phone: 513-636-0160 or
Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus at Tzipi.Horowitz-Kraus@cchmc.org, phone: 513-803-5162

International Dyslexia Association Recognizes Nine Universities for Meeting Teacher Training Standards in Reading

International Dyslexia Association Recognizes Nine Universitiesfor Meeting Teacher Training Standards in Reading

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) announced that nine university programs in the U.S. have met the standards outlined in the IDA’s Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading.

Top of the list:

College of Mount Saint Joseph (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Reading Endorsement
Master of Arts in Reading Science

Click here to read the entire list.

Understanding High-Stakes Testing and Its Impact on LD Students

"High-stakes" testing is used to describe tests that have high stakes for individual students.

Students who do not pass these standardized tests may face serious consequences, such as being held back a grade level or not receiving a standard HS diploma.

Twenty-six states now either have or are preparing to implement high school exit exams.

To learn about how these tests can effect LD students, download and read this informative article from the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

Dyslexia Impacts Math

According to an article entitled, The Impact of Dyslexia on Math" by Rosalind W. Rothman, Ed.D., Director, Language and Learning Associates & Claire Lavin, Ph.D., Professor, College of New Rochelle, "The mastery of the symbolic language of mathematics involves many verbal cognitive processes that can be affected by dyslexia. Ignoring the impact of dyslexia on the mastery of mathematics can hamper a child’s progress in school and in life."

Children with dyslexia may need tutoring and accommodations in Math as well as Reading, Writing, and Spelling.

Recommended Programs for tutoring:

Times Tales- www.timestales.com

TouchMath- www.touchmath.com

Kahn Academy- www.khanacademy.org

Accommodations might include:

Use of a calculator and/or number line to work through multi-step problems

Use of a multiplication chart- google images multiplication charts

Sample problems available even during tests

Shortening the number of problems to complete

Extended time- especially on tests

Avoid timed math tests/ assignments

8.5 Million Dollar Grants Funds Dyslexia Research

A team of researchers at Florida State University was just awarded an 8.5 million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue genetic research into the causes of dyslexia.

The 5 year grant continues the funding for the Florida Center for Reading Research--the only learning disabilities research center in the southeast.

According to Richard Wagner, the principal investigator on the project and an Akron, OH native,

“It is really important to be able to identify children as early as possible and try to provide them with prevention programs that are designed to strengthen weak areas, so that when they do get to the point of learning to read, they will have a better outcome than they would otherwise.”

To read the entire article about the grant, click here.

3,415 Mile Bike Ride for Dyslexia

Tour For Dyslexia- Beginning May 13, 2012

To raise money for the Children's Dyslexia Center in State College, PA, Larry Emigh will ride his bicycle across the United States, from Los Angeles, CA to Boston, MA.

Raising funds to support the Center is important because it provides free tutoring to dyslexic children between 6 and 18 years of age.

To learn more about Larry's ride or to donate, click here.

Dyslexia Discussed on NPR Radio

Today, February 15, 2012, Diane Rehm, host of the Diane Rehm Show on NPR, discussed aspects of the dyslexic brain.

To listen to this informative discussion visit The Diane Rehm Show website. Search for the story entitled The Dyslexic Brain, and click on the "listen" button.

Improving Comprehension for Struggling Readers

A helpful article from www.ldonline.org:

"Reading comprehension is critical for school success, and students with LD often struggle to understand what they read. As parents and teachers, it's important to learn ways to help students read more successfully and with meaning."

Learn more here.

Dyslexia Movie At Sundance Film Festival

The D Word: Understanding Dyslexia

Directed by Jamie Redford (son of Robert Redford), with the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, this brand-new movie was just accepted into the Sundance Film Festival.

Hopefully, local movie theaters across the country will be showing it within a few months.