1. Dyslexia Parent Meeting
Fall 2013
Elolf Elementary
Ms. Bailey M.Ed, CALT
Ms. Arnold M.Ed, CALT
The Power of Dyslexia about Famous Dyslexics

2. What is Dyslexia?
“Dyslexia is a learning disability that primarily affects one’s ability to learn to read and develop a strong understanding of language”
Brain process information differently
Meaning your child thinks, learns, communicates and solves problems differently
The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children with Dyslexia

3. What is Dyslexia? Dyslexia may impact a child’s
Ability to remember or follow directions
Time management skills
Organizational skills
Oral communication

4. Strengths and Weaknesses
Creative thinkers or “think outside of the box
Artistically talented
Intuitive thought process
Often students will know the answer but have a difficult time explaining how they arrived at that answer.
Phonemic Awareness
Word retrieval or rapid automatic naming
Poor digit span
Difficulties with sequencing
Visual perception confusions
Phonemic Awareness-ability to break dwon and manipulate the small units of sound in words…/c/ /a/ /t/ is cat
Word retrieval or rapid automatic naming – quickly saying the names of letters printed on a chart…could also be objects when shown a picture
Poor digit span – ability to store a short sequence of letters or numbers in short term memory
Sequencing
Visual Perception confusion – b d confusions

5. Multisensory Learning
Auditory Learning Style
Learn best by listening
Visual Learning Style
Learns best by seeing pictures, graphs etc…
Kinesthetic Learning Style
Learns best by using hands or active participation

6. Dyslexia Definition
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.”

7. Characteristics of Dyslexia
Reading/Spelling characteristics
Difficulty reading real words in isolation
Difficulty accurately decoding nonsense words
Slow, inaccurate, or labored oral reading (lack of fluency)
Difficulty with learning to spell
Difficulty reading sight words in isolation and context, sometimes omit these words

8. Characteristics of Dyslexia
Difficulty with the following
Development of phonological awareness (segmenting, blending and manipulating sounds in words)
Learning letter names and sounds
Phonological memory (holding information about sounds and words in memory)
Rapid naming of familiar objects, colors or letters

9. Characteristics of Dyslexia
Secondary consequences
Possible difficulty with aspects of reading comprehension
Possible difficulty with aspects of written composition
Limited amount of time spent in reading activities

10. Dyslexia Services at Elolf
Two Certified Academic Language Therapists
Certified teachers with Masters Degrees
Completed 2 year internship/training through the Scottish Rite program
Combined more that 2000 hours of dyslexia therapy
Take Flight
2 year program
Research based (Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas)
Phonics based program
Alphabet skills, decoding, fluency, phonemic awareness, spelling and comprehension skills
Multisensory Learning
Systematic, Sequential and Cumulative

11. Alphabet Instruction Recognition Sequencing Alphabetizing practice
Accent

12. Decoding Instruction
Decoding is looking at letters and translating them into speech sounds. Links all the letters and sounds in the English language.
26 letters, 44 sounds, 98 letters and letter clusters
Single syllable and multisyllable words
Coding marks
Breve ă
Macron ā

13. Fluency Instruction
Fluency is reading accurately at a smooth and even pace.
Repeated Accurate Practice (RAP)
Instant Words
Timed reading for rate
Repeated readings for smoothness

14. Phonemic Awareness Instruction
Increases sensitivity to how we make the sounds
What happens with our tongue, teeth, lips, air, voice and how does it feel?
Increases appreciation that sounds make syllables, that make words, that form sentences
Develops ability to separate, blend and manipulate sounds in words

15. Spelling Instruction
Links the 44 sounds in English with the letter or letters that represent those sounds
Direct Instruction
Spelling generalizations
Spelling rules

16. Comprehension Instruction
Comprehension is getting meaning from what is read
Direct Instruction
Preview
Predict
Identify important information
Develop self-correcting strategies

17. Why Cursive Handwriting
Begins at a consistent starting point for each letter
Reduces reversals of letters
Provides unique letter shapes

18. Parent Support Role Complete homework assignments together Handwriting
RAP
Instant Words
Rate

19. Resources
The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children with Dyslexia by: Abigail Marshall
Overcoming Dyslexia by: Sally Shaywitz
Dyslexia Handbook
Scottish Rite Parent Information Seminar