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Dyslexia: Fact, Fiction, & What Really Works

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Keynote: Dyslexia Policy Overview with Mary Stowe
(9:15-9:45 AM)

Materials:
Handout

Concurrent Session I 
(10:00-11:15 AM)

Dyslexia: A Parent Perspective

Julie Agnew, Parent, Professor of Finance & Economics, William & Mary
Caroline Keys, Parent, former Life/Health Insurance underwriter
Sandy Shaffar, Parent, Nutrition Manager, New Kent County Schools
Debra Mitchell, Associate Head of School at Riverside School

Join our panel of parents as they present their stories about raising children with dyslexia. While each story is unique, there are common themes in each that teachers and administrators will find helpful in their work including early ‘red flags’ to watch for, the necessity of early intervention and strategies that work. We will conclude with a talk about the interventions they received (or are receiving) at a special school for dyslexics. Specific details about the Orton-Gillingham approach will be provided.

Materials:

Tackling Dyslexia Through Teamwork

Virginia L. McLaughlin, Chancellor Professor, William & Mary School of Education 

This session will emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary and coherent approaches to Dyslexia actively involving parents, educators, and other professionals in identification, program planning, and service delivery.  

Materials:
Powerpoint Presentation

Multisensory Reading Instruction K-5

Christine Peterson, Training & Technical Assistance Center, T/TAC, William & Mary School of Education

Young student learners present both opportunities and challenges to the primary and elementary teacher. In this session we will explore multisensory instruction, its components, and what it looks like within a thirty- to forty-minute reading block. We will engage in hands-on activities that will enable us to experience what it is like to have a reading disability and dysgraphia.

Materials:
Lesson Plan Template
Bachelor's Daugter Simulation Activity
Dysgraphia Trace Activity

K-5 Multisensory Instructional Support Materials:
Alphabet with Keywords & Pictures
Closed Syllable Skills & Concepts
Spelling Rule for c, k, and ck
Bonus Letter Spelling Rule
Student Notebook: Common 2 & 3 Letter Blends
Rule of 5

Additional Materials:
Progression Chart of Reading Skills
Lesson Plan Components
Rules of Syllable Division

Concurrent Session II
(12:15-1:30 PM)

Dyslexia: A Parent Perspective

Julie Agnew, Parent, Professor of Finance & Economics, William & Mary
Caroline Keys, Parent, former Life/Health Insurance underwriter
Sandy Shaffar, Parent, Nutrition Manager, New Kent County Schools
Debra Mitchell, Associate Head of School at Riverside School

Join our panel of parents as they present their stories about raising children with dyslexia. While each story is unique, there are common themes in each that teachers and administrators will find helpful in their work including early ‘red flags’ to watch for, the necessity of early intervention and strategies that work. We will conclude with a talk about the interventions they received (or are receiving) at a special school for dyslexics. Specific details about the Orton-Gillingham approach will be provided.

Materials: 

Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment

Debbie Ramer, Faculty, William & Mary School of Education

In this session, we will review the policies and procedures for identifying a student with dyslexia for special education services in Virginia. In addition, we will review the components of a comprehensive evaluation for dyslexia and the hallmark "indicators" of dyslexia on assessments.

Materials: 
Powerpoint (pdf)

Tech Tools for Dyslexia and Struggling Readers
Amanda Morris, Instructional Technology Resource Teacher,
Williamsburg James City County

This session will highlight the top tech tools currently available to students, parents, and schools.  During the session, we will explore a few of the apps in detail and get to see the process of setting up an account, its main features, and the student's view.  Participants will walk away with a list of new tools to begin using immediately at home with their children or in the schools with their students.

Materials:
Handout

Concurrent Session III
(1:45-3:00 PM)

Motivation and Dyslexia

Kristin Conradi Smith, Faculty, William & Mary School of Education

When a student encounters struggles with reading, their motivation often suffers. In this presentation, we’ll address various aspects of motivation and how we can help improve readers’ self-concepts, their interest in reading, their attitude towards reading, and more.  We’ll focus specifically on the language we use with readers and we’ll walk away with new resources and strategies. 

Materials:
Article: Matching Interventions to Reading Needs: A Case for Differentiation
Online Resources Document

Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment
Debbie Ramer, Faculty, William & Mary School of Education

In this session, we will review the policies and procedures for identifying a student with dyslexia for special education services in Virginia. In addition, we will review the components of a comprehensive evaluation for dyslexia and the hallmark "indicators" of dyslexia on assessments.

Materials:

Dyslexia Forward:  Why Now and Where Are We Going?
Mary Stowe, Faculty, William & Mary School of Education
Kristin Kane, Family Resource Coordinator, Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)

Information around dyslexia has become more prevalent and available within recent years.  Why has this happened and where will the awareness movement lead? We will explore the history and more recent trends around research, education, and legislation in Virginia, throughout the U.S., and at the federal level.

Materials:
Dyslexia and the Brain
Frequently Asked Questions Guide
Research Timeline