1. Medford Township Schools Dyslexia Training
Presented by Gale Ferraro, Ed.D.
with thanks to A. Giannetti, Pemberton

2. This training will focus on:
An overview of the adopted regulations
A definition of reading disabilities, specifically highlighting dyslexia
Description of the causes and facts of reading difficulties
An overview of research and data on reading disabilities, with focus on dyslexia
The signs/symptoms and common characteristics of dyslexia
A review of how reading disabilities are diagnosed
A description of assessments and screenings utilized to diagnose reading disorders
Specific strategies, interventions, and treatments on dealing with reading difficulties
Types of modifications and accommodations that a teacher can utilize to support students with reading disabilities

3. The Regulations
On August 9, 2013, Governor Chris Christie signed into law Bill A This bill directs the State Board of Education to create regulations that incorporate the International Dyslexia Association’s (IDA) definition of dyslexia into Chapter 14 of Title 6A of the N.J.A.C., which outlines the requirements for the provisions of special education programs and services.
Currently, state regulations list dyslexia as one of the specific learning disabilities that impair a person’s ability to understand or use language; however, the regulations do not specifically define dyslexia.

4. Under the law, the State Board of Education will incorporate the IDA’s definition.
“Dyslexia” means a specific learning disability that is neurobiological 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.

5. Governor Christie also signed into law A3606/3607 which requires the Department of Education to provide professional development opportunities related to reading disabilities. It also mandates a 2 hour training be conducted annually for certain school district personnel.
K-3 General Education Teachers
Special Education Teachers
Basic Skills/Academic Mastery Teachers
English as a Second Language Teachers
Reading Specialists
Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultants
Speech Language Specialists
Additional staff have been included
All staff will have this training available to them

6. On January 21, 2014, Governor Christie signed into law S-2442, which requires school districts to screen children for dyslexia and other reading disabilities beginning with the school year.
Specifically, school districts will screen children who have exhibited a potential indication of dyslexia, or other reading disabilities, by the completion of the 1st semester of 2nd grade.

7. In addition, State Resolution 91, urges the State Board of Education to develop an endorsement to the instructional certificate for teachers of students with dyslexia so that specific training requirements are met and eligibility standards are established.

8. DEFINING DYSLEXIA
The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as:
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.

9. The World Foundation of Neurology defines dyslexia as:
A disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and socio-cultural opportunity.
Dr. Sheldon Horowitz from the National Center for Learning
Disabilities defines the characteristics of dyslexia found in the
URL link below:

10. In summary, dyslexia is one of several distinct learning disabilities
In summary, dyslexia is one of several distinct learning disabilities. It is a specific language based disorder of constitutional origin characterized by difficulties in single word decoding, usually reflecting insufficient phonological processing abilities. These difficulties in single word decoding are often unexpected in relation to age and other cognitive and academic abilities, they are not the result of generalized developmental disability or sensory impairment. Dyslexia is manifested by variable difficulty with different forms of language, including problems reading, conspicuous problems acquiring proficiency in writing and spelling, and fluency.

11. How widespread is dyslexia?
Dyslexia occurs among people of all economic and ethnic backgrounds. It affects boys and girls equally.
Often, more than one member of a family has dyslexia. In addition, dyslexia runs in families; parents with dyslexia are very likely to have children with dyslexia. For some people, their dyslexia is identified early in their lives, but for others, their dyslexia goes unidentified until they get older.
People who are very bright can be dyslexic. They are often gifted in areas that do not require strong language skills, such as art, computer science, drama, math, mechanics, music, sales, and sports.
As many as 15–20% (1 out of 5) of the US population have some of the symptoms of dyslexia, including slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, or mixing up similar words. Not all will qualify for special education, but they are likely to struggle with many aspects of academic learning and are likely to benefit from systematic, explicit, instruction in reading, writing, and language.

12. As shown in the figure, scientific evidence now provides empirical support for the unexpected nature of dyslexia. The left panel shows the relationship between IQ and reading in typical readers. Here, IQ and reading both track together; they are dynamically linked.
In contrast, the right panel shows the relationship between IQ and reading in dyslexic children. Here, IQ and reading dissociate; IQ and reading are uncoupled. IQ and reading go their own separate ways. In practical terms, these data provide strong evidence that in dyslexia, a person can have a very high IQ and yet read at a much lower level.
E. Ferrer, B.A. Shaywitz, J.M. Holahan, K. Marchione, and S.E. Shaywitz
Psychological Science 2010

13. The Research
Although a number of dyslexia theories have been proposed, a strong consensus now supports the phonological theory, which recognizes that speech is natural, while reading is acquired and must be taught.
In order to read, a child must acquire the "alphabetic principle"—the insight that spoken words can be pulled apart into the elemental particles of speech and that the letters in a written word represent these sounds.
Results from large and well-studied populations confirm that a deficit in phonology represents the most robust and specific correlate of dyslexia and form the basis for the most successful and evidence-based interventions designed to improve reading [summarized in (S Shaywitz, 2003)].

14. Now researchers not only know that dyslexia is born of biology, but they also are getting closer to confirming the key brain areas that are affected. New insights will help pinpoint therapies and improve treatment.

15. The exact causes of dyslexia are still not completely clear; but anatomical and brain imaging studies show differences in the way the brain of a dyslexic person develops and functions.

16. Common Characteristics of DYSLEXIA
Most students with dyslexia will exhibit about 10 of the traits and behaviors described in the following slides. These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to-minute. The
most consistent thing
about students with
dyslexia is their
inconsistency.

17. General Characteristics
Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level.
Labeled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, “not trying hard enough,” or “behavior problem.”
High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.
Difficulty sustaining attention; seems
‘hyper’ or ‘daydreamer.’
Isn’t “behind enough” or ‘low enough’
to qualify for services

18. Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.
Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering.
Seems to ‘Zone Out’ or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.
Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.

19. VISION, READING, AND WRITING
Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.
Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.
Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.
Complains of feeling or seeing
non-existent movement while
reading, writing, or copying.
Spells phonetically and inconsistently.
Reads and rereads with little
comprehension.
Children and adults with dyslexia can become avid and enthusiastic readers when given learning tools that fit their
creative
learning
style.

20. Hearing and Speech
Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.
Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress;
mispronounces long
words, or transposes
phrases, words, and
syllables when speaking.
FACT
Delayed speech does not always indicate a learning problem. Research has shown that many highly intelligent children do not start talking until age three or four. Many of these children's parents are musicians or mathematicians; these children usually grow up to have similar aptitudes.

21. Writing and Motor Skills
Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.
Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and /or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.
Can be ambidextrous, and often
confuses left/right, over/under

22. Math and Time Management
Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.
Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can’t do it on paper.
Can count, but has difficulty
counting objects and dealing
with money.
Can do arithmetic, but fails word
problems; difficulty grasping algebra
or higher math.

23. Memory and Cognition
Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations and
faces.
Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced.
Thinks primarily with images
and feeling, not sounds or
words (little internal dialogue).

24. Behavior, Health, Development, and Personality
Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.
Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.
Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes).
Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.
Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.
Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.
Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.
Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress, or poor health.

25. Phoneme translation key:
Phonemes are the building blocks of language. Represented by letters of the alphabet, they are the component sounds of spoken words. Most people automatically hear, for example, that the word "goat" is made up of three sounds: "guh," "oh," and "tuh."  Reading requires the ability to map the phonemes we hear to letters on a page, and vice versa. But what happens when this basic skill, called decoding, doesn't come automatically? Imagine struggling to sound out every word because you can't distinguish among phonemes.  Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with this phoneme translation key. Then use it to read the passage on the next page. When you're ready, click the link below. 
Phoneme translation key:
When you see
Pronounce as
q z p b ys a, as in bat e, as in pet
d or t m b p er e, as in pet a, as in bat

26. Read the passage aloud with a peer
When you see
Pronounce as
q z p b ys a, as in bat e, as in pet
d or t m b p er e, as in pet a, as in bat
Passage: We pegin our qrib eq a faziliar blace, a poqy like yours enq zine. Iq conqains a hunqraq qrillion calls qheq work qogaqhys py qasign. Enq wiqhin each one of qhese zany calls, each one qheq hes QNA, Qhe QNA coqe is axecqly qhe saze, a zess-broquceq rasuze. So qhe coqe in each call is iqanqical, a razarkaple puq veliq claiz. Qhis zeans qheq qhe calls are nearly alike, puq noq axecqly qhe saze. Qake, for insqence, qhe calls of qhe inqasqines; qheq qhey're viqal is cysqainly blain. Now qhink apouq qhe way you woulq qhink if qhose calls wyse qhe calls in your prain.

27. Here’s the translation…
We begin our trip at a familiar place, a body like yours and mine. It contains a hundred trillion cells that work together by design. And within each one of these many cells, each one that has DNA, The DNA code is exactly the same, a mass-produced resume. So the code in each cell is identical, a remarkable but valid claim. This means that the cells are nearly alike, but not exactly the same. Take, for instance, the cells of the intestines; that they're vital is certainly plain. Now think about the way you would think if those cells were the cells in your brain.
How’d you do?
Assuming you found the exercise difficult (that was our intention), consider that we disguised only eight of the forty-four known phonemes in the English language. And imagine if this weren't a game.

28. How is dyslexia diagnosed?
Before referring a student for a comprehensive evaluation, a school or district will track a student's progress with a brief screening test and identify whether the student is progressing at a "benchmark" level that predicts success in reading.
If a student is below that benchmark , school may immediately deliver intensive and individualized supplemental reading instruction before determining whether the student needs a comprehensive evaluation that would lead to a designation of special education eligibility.
Some students simply need more structured and systematic instruction to get back on track; they do not have learning disabilities. For those students putting the emphasis on preventive or early intervention makes sense.
These practices of teaching first, and then determining who needs diagnostic testing based on response to instruction, are encouraged by federal policies known as Response to Intervention (RTI).

29. If the student continues to struggle…
Only after all strategies and services in general education are exhausted, and ongoing data has been collected, if the individual continues to struggle, the student may need specialized education.
A Child Study Team comprehensive evaluation is recommended.
The purpose is to:
identify the cause of the problem
document the disability
develop a focused remedial program beginning at the student’s current level of reading development
A Child Study Team evaluation is the process of gathering information to identify the factors contributing to a student’s difficulty with learning to read and spell.
Information is gathered from parents and teachers to understand development and the educational opportunities that have been provided.
Tests are given to identify strengths and weaknesses that lead to a diagnosis and a tentative road map for intervention.
Conclusions and recommendations are developed and reported.
Evaluation Report

30. A comprehensive evaluation typically includes intellectual and academic achievement testing, as well as an assessment of the critical underlying language skills that are closely linked to dyslexia.
These include receptive (listening) and expressive (spoken) language skills, phonological skills including phonemic awareness, and also a student’s ability to rapidly name letters and names.
A student’s ability to read lists of words in isolation, as well as words in context, should also be assessed.
The testing can be conducted by trained school or outside specialists.

31. Dyslexia Screening
The Dyslexia screening test is very generalized in the questions it asks. Being screened to take the comprehensive test does not necessarily mean a person has dyslexia. A number of other conditions could exist that would prevent someone from passing through the screening process.
The questions on any dyslexia screening test are so generalized that a person who takes is could have ADHD, delayed learning, and even autism.
The important thing is that there has been an indication made that something is wrong and some additional testing should be done.
A dyslexia screening is not the same thing as a comprehensive test. Comprehensive tests are used to determine what type of dyslexia a person might have and at what severity.
It is important for teachers to collect data on observations of warning signs of reading difficulties

32. Common Warning Signs of Dyslexia-PreK to 2nd grade Signs evident for 6 mo. or more
Language:
Learning the alphabet, numbers, and days of the week
Naming people and objects
Speaking precisely and using a varied, age-appropriate vocabulary
Staying on topic
Getting or staying interested in stories and books
Learning to speak (delayed compared to his peers)
Understanding the relationship between speaker and listener
Pronouncing words correctly (Example: says “mazagine” instead of “magazine”)
Learning and correctly using new vocabulary words
Distinguishing words from other words that sound similar
Rhyming words
Understanding instructions/directions
Repeating what has just been said

33. Reading: Naming letters
Recognizing letters, matching letters to sounds, and blending sounds when speaking
Learning to read as expected for his/her age
Associating letters with sounds, understanding the difference between sounds in words
Accurately blending letter sounds within words
Recognizing and remembering sight words
Remembering printed words
Distinguishing between letters and words that look similar
Learning and remembering new vocabulary words
Keeping one’s place – and not skipping over words – while reading
Showing confidence and interest in reading

34. Writing:
Learning to copy and write at an age-appropriate level
Writing letters, numbers, and symbols in the correct order
Spelling words correctly and consistently most of the time
Proofreading and correcting written work
Social-Emotional:
Making and keeping friends
Interpreting people's non-verbal cues, “body language,” and tone of voice
Being motivated and self-confident about learning
Other:
Sense of direction/spatial concepts (such as left and right)
Performing consistently on tasks from day to day

35. Interventions and Strategies
Early intervention is essential. Of children who display reading problems in first grade, 74% will be struggling readers in ninth grade and into adulthood unless they receive informed and explicit instruction in phonemic awareness.
While there is no cure for dyslexia, there is a range of interventions that can help students with dyslexia with reading and writing.
The amount and type of intervention necessary will depend on the severity of dyslexia.
A combination of instructional methods designed to meet individual needs is the most effective way to treat students with dyslexia.

36. What Are the Key Instructional Requirements?
Research validated instruction that is:
Direct and Explicit – Each skill, rule of language, and strategy for reading and spelling words must be taught clearly and directly.
Systematic and Structured – Instruction follows a systematic scope and sequence of skills, starting at a beginning level to ensure mastery of foundational skills and filling in gaps in a student’s repertoire of skills.
Multisensory – Uses techniques that incorporate a combination of auditory, visual, and tactile-kinesthetic input.
Cumulative – Skill instruction and small amounts of new information must be taught in steps with constant review and practice.

37. Provide greater intensity of instruction
Increased frequency and duration of instruction
Research-based instruction in the five components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension), as well as writing, and spelling
Have patience, yet high expectations
Break work into smaller chunks
Focus child on your lips when pronouncing words or listening for sounds
Give more time and patience to finishing work
Give additional testing time
Collect on-going assessment (informal and formal) data and careful monitoring of progress.
Provide a quiet work area

38. Effective Reading Instruction for Students with Reading Difficulties
Direct instruction must be provided in the following areas at the appropriate level of difficulty and with substantial amounts of practice,
so students can experience frequent success.
1. Phonemic Awareness
2. Alphabet Knowledge
3. Concepts of Print
4. Oral Language Development
5. Sight Word Vocabulary
6. Phonics and Decoding Skills
7. Letter Formation and Spelling
8. Fluency
9. Vocabulary Knowledge
10. Comprehension

39. Common Accommodations for Students with Dyslexia
READING
Provide access to audio books
Provide access to text-to-speech software
Provide a set of textbooks for home use
Only ask the student to read aloud if he/she volunteers
Provide extra time for reading assignments
Provide a quiet environment for reading
Allow student to preview reading materials

40. Spelling Reduce spelling lists
Design spelling tests with a common phonetic skills
Do not take off points for spelling errors on written work
Allow access to a spellcheck
Provide access to word prediction software

41. Writing Provide a scribe Provide access to speech-to-text software
Offer alternative projects instead of written reports
Provide written copies of notes
Minimize the amount of copying from the board
Allow student to use a keyboard to take notes
Allow student to take record lectures
Reduce written work
Provide a letter formation strip
Provide graphic organizers
Grade assignments on content rather than form

42. Math Allow use of calculator Allow use of math tables
Allow use of manipulatives
Allow finger counting or sub-vocalizing
Provide graph paper
Provide scrap paper
Provide frequent checks for accuracy
Highlight the operation to be performed

43. Homework Reduce homework Allow student to dictate answers
Allow computer keyboarded homework
Limit time spent on homework
list of assignments to student/parent/Post on website
Provide a written list of assignments

44. Testing Allow student to take tests orally Provide for extra time
Read directions aloud
Read test questions aloud
Provide alternatives to testing (oral projects or videos, etc.)
Provide a quiet testing area with minimal distractions
Grade in collaboration with special educator
Clarify or simplify written directions

45. 10 things every child with Dyslexia want you to know…
I am not stupid or lazy. I need time to get things done.
I may be dislexic, but I can still shine in lots of ways.
It might take me a long time to “get it”, but when I “get it”, it sticks!
When you break things down into smaller steps I find it really, really helpful.
Sometimes I just need to work in a different way than the others in class to get the job done.
I try my best but do get frustrated. I need you to be patient with me.
My dyslexia does not only affect my literacy skills.
I find visual reminders helpful as I sometimes find remembering everything a bit tricky.
I often like to work in a quiet room as I can find noises distracting
My dyslexia is just one part of my character. It does not define who I am or want to be.

46. Questions?????? Contact Gale Ferraro, gferraro@medford.k12.nj.us
This presentation can be viewed at:
District Share Drive (X) – Pupil Personnel Services – Dyslexia Training