The Big Picture. Rethinking Dyslexia. Cincinnati Screening

October Is DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH.  Please join Dyslexia Testing & Information Services, LLC, www.dtisinfo.com, as they host this FREE movie screening to raise awareness about dyslexia in the Greater Cincinnati area.

The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia provides personal and uplifting accounts of the dyslexic experience from children, experts and iconic leaders, such as Sir Richard Branson and financier Charles Schwab. Directed by James Redford, the film not only clears up the misconceptions about the condition, but also paints a picture of hope for all who struggle with it.

Shining a spotlight on the latest scientific and psychological research, the film also highlights the work of Drs. Sally and Bennett Shaywitz, co-founders and co-directors of the Yale Center of Dyslexia and Creativity to illuminate the hidden origins and implications of dyslexia. Proving that dyslexia is a neurological issue and not a character flaw, The Big Picture beautifully illustrates that while the condition is an obstacle, it also carries some unique advantages, and ultimately can be overcome.

When: Thursday October 24, 2013 6-8 p.m.
Where: Cincinnati Sports Club 3590 Red Bank Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45227

Space is limited for this event.  Please RSVP by 10/23/13 to sbd@dtisinfo.com.

OH Legislature Names October as "Dyslexia Awareness Month"

Dyslexia Bill Passes the Ohio House of Representatives (HB 97: Brenner, Letson)

Today, the Ohio House of Representatives, 130th General Assembly, voted on HB 97, a bill that State Rep. Andrew Brenner sponsored to make October "Dyslexia Awareness Month." This coincides with National Dyslexia Awareness Month. The bill passed 90-2.

This follows Rep. Brenner's carrying HB 96 (Brenner, Celeste) through the 129th General Assembly and to Gov. John Kasich's desk where Kasich signed it in to law. HB 96 created a pilot program for dyslexic students so that they be identified as dyslexic and learn to read in school.

"In Ohio, it is the state's Constitutional responsibility to provide education for all children in the state," Rep. Brenner said. "How can we properly educate a dyslexic child if we aren't even aware that he or she is dyslexic? By providing awareness of dyslexia and what it is, it will be easier to identify children with it and help them learn to read."

Why do we need to be aware of dyslexia?

In our schools today, students learn with what is called the "whole language" or "whole word" method, and most students are no longer taught phonics. If you are dyslexic and mix up letters as you read, you cannot learn to read in our schools. Dyslexic students need to be taught to learn to read with phonics, but usually they are not diagnosed until late elementary or middle school grades.

In addition, many in our prisons cannot read because they are dyslexic and were never diagnosed properly or helped. As we know, if someone cannot learn to read, they cannot survive in today's economy. If you view this simply from an economic perspective, it costs less for us to catch a dyslexic child early in life than to have him or her graduate from high school -- if that even happens -- and end up on the welfare roll, all because the person never learned to read.

Overall, 10-20% of the population is dyslexic. Among our students in Ohio, as many as 300,000 have dyslexia. These individuals need to be helped as children, and through creating awareness for teachers, aides, tutors, parents and family members, we can help to make sure that all of our state's children can learn to read. The earlier we diagnose the problem and help the child, the greater the chance of helping that child become a successful, productive adult who can contribute to our society in a positive way.

For more information or to schedule an interview with State Rep. Andrew Brenner, please email communications@brenner4ohio.com.

Right to Obtain an Independent Evaluation

Read here about the right to obtain an IEE, Independent Educational Evaluation for your child.

STUDENTS NEEDED- Reading Research/ADHD Study

Cincinnati Children's Hospital is seeking students age 8-12 who have trouble reading AND diagnosed ADHD.

What
This is a research study to compare the brain activity of children with reading difficulties to that of typical readers following reading training.

Who
Children 8 to 12 years old who
• Have been diagnosed with a reading disability
and
• Have no history of mental illness or head trauma 

Pay
Families may receive up to $100 for time and travel.

Details
For more information, contact Nicole Cicchino at nicole.cicchino@cchmc.org or 513-636-0160. 

Northern OH Dyslexia Presentation- FREE

FREE Dyslexia Presentation

Susan Barton, a leading expert in the field of dyslexia, will present a FREE 3 hour presentation in Cold Spring, KY.

First Baptist Church of Cold Spring
4410 Alexandria Pike Cold Spring, KY 41076

Friday, April 26, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (EDT)

To Register, click here.


You will learn:

1. Dyslexia's inheritance patterns and the genetic link
2. The symptoms of mild dyslexia in adults
3. The classic warning signs in children
4. Why most dyslexic children don't qualify for special ed
5. Research-based  "best practices"  to improve spelling, reading, and writing
6. Why tutoring alone is not enough  --  and much more!!!  

Who should attend?

Parents who are trying to determine if dyslexia is their child's issue, or who know it is and need to understand all the areas that it will impact, including math and memorization

Teachers who don't understand why children who can't master spelling and struggle with reading don't qualify for special education services

Reading Specialists who need to know how to informally identify which of their struggling readers may have dyslexia -- and what to do to help them

Principals who want to start early intervention programs to achieve the goal of No Child Left Behind -- that every student is reading at grade level by the end of third grade

Resource Specialists who need to know how to close the gap for students who have a learning disability

School Psychologists who want to learn to distinguish dyslexia from other learning disabilities

Speech Language Therapists who are often the first specialists to work with dyslexic children because of their difficulty articulating R's and L's, M's and N's, and S, SH and CH

Pediatricians who are often asked by parents to test their children for dyslexia

Counselors and Psychologists who often deal with the lifelong emotional damage that undetected dyslexia and academic failure causes

Susan Barton is trained in seven different Orton-Gillingham-based programs and teaches graduate-level courses on dyslexia through the University of San Diego.

Susan was recently inducted into the International Dyslexia Association’s Hall of Honor.

Click here  to learn more about Susan.

Join Learning Ally for a FREE webinar

Dyslexia: Diagnosis,
Planning and Support for Struggling Readers 

Join us for a free live webinar

March 12, 2013 at 1 p.m. EST

When students begin to experience challenges with reading and related learning issues, it can be difficult for parents to understand what specifically is happening and how to best support their children. 

In this free one-hour webinar sponsored by Learning Ally, Dr. Paul B. Yellin, Director of The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education will provide:

• A detailed explanation of what is meant when we talk about "dyslexia"

• An in-depth look at the many types of subtle learning variations that may be at play when a student is struggling with reading, spelling, or other challenges

• Insight into why understanding each learner's individual strengths as well asweaknesses should be an essential component of educational planning.

Dr. Yellin will help parents, teachers and practitioners understand how developing appropriate strategies and interventions can improve children's reading skills and boost self-esteem. When families are armed with a deeper understanding of the root causes of a student's reading symptoms, they can help to grow resilient, improved learners with a rekindled love of reading.

I cannot attend the webinar, but please notify me when a recorded version is available online.
I would like more information about Learning Ally. 

About Dr. Yellin: Paul B. Yellin, MD, FAAP, is Director of The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education, a New York City-based learning evaluation, support, and professional development organization which provides customized support for students and educators based on emerging knowledge in neuroscience. Dr. Yellin is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics.

About this webinar series: Learning Ally is proud to partner with leading experts in the learning disabilities and assistive technology fields. On a bimonthly basis, we sponsor free webinars for students, their parents and educators - providing a wealth of practical information on resources and accommodations for individuals who learn differently.