Events

Events sponsored by Decoding Dyslexia CA (DDCA) are indicated on the events calendar.  Local events held by other organizations may also be listed that may be of interest to our members. DDCA does not endorse any specific program or company.

Jul
10
Mon
Dyslexia and Phonological Processing FREE 1 hour Webinar @ Online Event
Jul 10 @ 8:00 am – Jul 16 @ 11:00 pm

Dyslexia and Phonological Processing 1 hour Webinar

Join us for a FREE one-hour technical webinar on Dyslexia and Phonological Processing with emphasis on the use of the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP-2).  Under new California Education Law, phonological processing is specifically listed as an area that should be assessed in determining Special Education eligibility.  


 This pre-recorded webinar will be presented by Dr. Richard Wagner, Ph.D., Principal Investigator of NICHD Florida Learning Disabilities Research Center, Associate Director, Florida Center for Reading Research and Co-Author of the CTOPP-2.  Dr. Wagner is also a member of the CA Department of Education Dyslexia Work Group that is producing dyslexia guidelines to be released in August 2017.  The CTOPP-2 is one of the most widely used and popular assessments for reading-related phonological processing skills.

 

This webinar is appropriate for psychologists, speech-language pathologists, special education teachers, resource specialists and other professionals.

Participants must pre-register for this free 1 hour webinar.

Webinar will only be available for viewing during the following specified times:

July 10th at 8:00 a.m. (PDT) through July 16th at 11:00p.m. (PDT)

On July 9th, you will receive an email with the link and a password to access the webinar.

 

Click HERE to download the flyer.

Sponsored By:

Decoding Dyslexia CA is a grassroots movement driven by California families, educators and professionals concerned with the limited access to educational interventions for dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities within our public schools.  We aim to raise dyslexia awareness, empower families to support their children, and inform policymakers on best practices to identify, remediate, and support students with dyslexia in CA public schools.

CARS+ is the only organization whose sole purpose is to represent the unique needs of resource specialists and other special education teachers. The California Association of Resource Specialists was founded in 1981 as a non-profit association dedicated to the support of resource specialists. In February of 1996, the organization voted to expand its active membership to include all special education teachers.

 

CASP’s mission is to provide high quality educational and leadership programs, that maintain high standards of practice for school psychologists through legislative advocacy, professional development, communications, publications, ethics guidelines, and direct services to members, to enable the growth and development of the profession, and to ensure safe, healthy, and successful outcomes for the children, schools and communities we serve.

Oct
9
Mon
Dyslexia & Phonological Processing 101 @ Online Event
Oct 9 @ 12:00 am – Oct 15 @ 11:45 pm


Parents, Advocates and Teachers – join us for a FREE one-hour introductory webinar on Dyslexia and Phonological Processing with an emphasis on one of the most widely used and popular assessments for reading-related phonological processing skills –
the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP-2).


This pre-recorded webinar will be presented by international dyslexia expert Dr. Richard Wagner, Ph.D., Principal Investigator of NICHD Florida Learning Disabilities Research Center, Associate Director, Florida Center for Reading Research and Co-Author of the CTOPP-2.  Dr. Wagner is also a member of the CA Department of Education’s Dyslexia Work Group that are producing statewide dyslexia guidelines to be released in August.

This webinar is intended for parents, guardians, teachers and advocates.

Participants must pre-register for this free 1 hour webinar.

Webinar will only be available for viewing during the following specified times:

October 9th at 8:00 a.m. (PDT) through October 15th at 11:00p.m. (PDT)

On October 8th, you will receive an email with the link and a password to access the webinar.

Click HERE to download the flyer.

Sponsored By:

Decoding Dyslexia CA is a grassroots movement driven by California families, educators and professionals concerned with the limited access to educational interventions for dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities within our public schools.  We aim to raise dyslexia awareness, empower families to support their children, and inform policymakers on best practices to identify, remediate, and support students with dyslexia in CA public schools.

 

Susan Barton is the founder of Bright Solutions for Dyslexia and is recognized internationally as an expert in dyslexia.  She is in the Hall of Honor at the headquarters of the Internaitonal Dyslexia Association.  Her goal is to help parents, teachers, and others understand dyslexia so they can provide the appropriate help for dyslexics.  

 

 

 

Oct
16
Mon
Supporting Students with Dyslexia AB1369 Dyslexia Guidelines Overview @ Junction School - Elementary Campus Theater
Oct 16 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

California Department of Education’s Dyslexia Guidelines were released August 2017 per AB1369

Supporting Students with Dyslexia a Dyslexia Guidelines Overview

Date: Monday, October 16, 2017

Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Location: Junction School – Elementary Campus Theater 9087 Deschutes Road, Palo Cedro, CA

Presenters:

Theresa Costa Johansen – Policy & Program Services Unit Administrator, CDE

Richard Gifford – Ed. Programs Consultant, CDE

Audience: Site and district administrators, school psychologists, speech and language pathologist, district curriculum and reading specialists, teachers, others service providers, parents and community members.

Participants will: Explore the AB1369 CDE Dyslexia Guidelines with state level experts and have the opportunity to ask questions about the guidelines.

Meets LCAP Priority #2 and #7

Resources available at http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/ac/dyslexia.asp

The California Dyslexia Guidelines (PDF; 2MB; New 14-Aug-2017) AB 1369, Statutes of 2015, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop program guidelines for dyslexia.The guidelines will be used to assist regular education teachers, special education teachers, and parents to identify and assess pupils with dyslexia, and to plan, provide, evaluate, and improve educational services to pupils with dyslexia.

Federal Guidance

Dear Colleague: Dyslexia Guidance letter (PDF) dated October 23, 2015, from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services on the unique educational needs of children with dyslexia and other conditions identified as specific learning disabilities.

Senate Resolution 275 is a resolution calling on Congress, schools, and state and local educational agencies to recognize the significant educational implications of dyslexia that must be addressed and designating October 2015 as “National Dyslexia Awareness Month”.

Senate Resolution 576 is a resolution calling on Congress, schools, and state and local educational agencies to recognize the significant educational implications of dyslexia that must be addressed and designating October 2016 as “National Dyslexia Awareness Month”.

Dec
4
Mon
Discovering the Sense in English Spelling: The Foundation of Literacy for Every Student @ Online Webinar
Dec 4 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

CEU’s available for $10.00

Presented by:  Timothy T. Houge, Ph.D. and Sue Hegland

If you care about literacy, you must have asked yourself this question at times: is it possible to structure literacy instruction to excite, challenge and empower all students, from the dyslexic reader who is struggling to the strong reader who is flying? It is actually possible to do this, and it’s also possible to make sure that each and every student becomes fully literate. But to make these things happen, we must rethink some misunderstandings about the structure and purpose of written English. This presentation will include an overview of the some of the foundational patterns in our completely coherent English writing system, along with examples from dyslexic and non-dyslexic student work. Join us for an introduction to the difference this can make for students at every level.

This talk was previously presented as the keynote at the Oct 4 “Literacy for All: Understanding Language, Learning and Dyslexia” conference in Sioux Falls, SD.

About the Speakers:  

 Timothy T. Houge, Ph.D. is an associate professor of elementary and secondary reading at Northern State University and the director of a campus one-to-one literacy-tutoring clinic. He has published multiple journal articles and presented his work at national, state, and local conferences. A long-standing advocate for effective reading and spelling education for all children, he has actively promoted the use of research to inform instruction. He has been a classroom teacher and a pull-out reading specialist, removing students from mainstream classrooms for a portion of the day to provide intense specialized reading instruction.

Sue Hegland is trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach and has extensively studied real spelling and Structured Word Inquiry. She is the author of the website LearningAboutSpelling.com.  Sue’s mission is sharing information about the coherence and structure of the English language and the fact that spelling always makes sense.  She serves on the Board of Directors for the International Dyslexia Association, Upper Midwest Branch, and spent six years on the Board of Education for the Brandon Valley School District. She has served on a dyslexia workgroup for the state of South Dakota, has presented at Special Education and dyslexia conferences, and provides tutoring and training for teachers, private tutors, parents and students. Sue began learning about dyslexia in 2003, as the parent of a dyslexic child.

 

This webinar will be recorded and available to view on IDA-UMB’s website after the event. If you register, you will be notified when the recording is available. 

Feb
8
Thu
Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Conference @ Oakland Scottish Rite Center
Feb 8 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

A one day, hands-on, special education workshop designed to meet the needs of parents and professionals serving children and teens with disabilities. Perfect for educators, healthcare providers, advocates and attorneys. This program is not disability or state specific.

For more information (parking, accommodations etc): http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/18.02.ca.htm

Each ticket includes:

  • Wrightslaw book set ($63 value) – Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition, Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition and Wrightslaw: All About IEPs
  • Sandwich lunches and all-day tea/coffee bar

Early Bird Discounts until January 7, 2018*

*Early Bird registrants will also receive emailed pdf copies of Wrightslaw Special Education Law, 2nd Ed. and Wrightslaw: Special Education Legal Developments and Cases 2016 which retail for $29.95.

Sep
22
Sat
IEP Clinic – Help with Your Child’s IEP @ California State University, East Bay Concord Campus
Sep 22 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

The Northern California/ East Bay LDA affiliate is excited to work with our sponsors, California State University East Bay Department of Educational Psychology and Decoding Dyslexia CA, for our fourth IEP Clinic! This will be our second clinic held at the Concord campus of CSUEB.

Join Michael Rosenberg, M.A., and our entire Northern California/East Bay Learning Disabilities Association (NCEB LDA) team for a FREE IEP clinic. There will be an overview on IEPs and help for your child’s IEP.

Michael Rosenberg will address what an IEP entails and how to interpret the information. Furthermore, Rosenberg will address specific questions related to your child’s IEP and address concerns. Some of the areas that will be covered by Rosenberg are the following:

  • Timelines & Assessments
  • Assessment Plans
  • Classroom Accommodations/Modifications
  • IEP Agenda
  • IEP Goals
  • Collaboration
  • LRE
  • Related Services

A CD will be provided with information related to Parents Rights under IDEA and Assessmento to Transportation.

We hope you will join our IEP clinic to better assist your child’s IEP and to grasp a better understanding of your child’s IEP.

***Reminder: Admission is FREE

We strongly suggest you RSVP to this event by September 7th in order to help us prepare. Registrations are on a first come first served basis. Spaces may fill quickly.

Download and print the flyer.

Speaker Bio:

Michael Rosenberg, M.A. —

Training and Advocacy Chair, NCEB LDA

As former Executive Director of Area Board 3 on Developmental Disabilities, Michael provided advocacy services for more than 1.6 million people, training opportunities to the community, and represented parents who have children in special education as well as families and adults’ service by the regional center system. He has helped countless numbers of families achieve success by being an advocate and negotiator, as well as lecturing in the areas of education, community, family support and legislation. Michael has spent more than two decades assisting families.
Michael Rosengerg

Oct
11
Thu
Wrightslaw Special Education & Advocacy Training @ WestGate
Oct 11 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Pete Wright photo

Save The Date!

Wrightslaw Special Education & Advocacy Training

Comes to San Jose on

October 11, 2018  9 am – 4:30 pm

Register at: https://php.networkforgood.com/

Don’t miss this one-day, hands-on, special education workshop with Pete Wright, designed to meet the needs of parents and professionals serving children and teen with disabilities.

Perfect for parents, educators, healthcare providers, advocates, and attorneys.  This program is not disability or state specific.

For more information on Pete Wright at http://wrightslaw.com

http://bit.ly/PHP_Wrightslaw

Nov
8
Thu
DYSLEXIA – UNDERSTANDING LEGAL ISSUES and TOOLS FOR SUCCESS @ Prentice School
Nov 8 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

SPEAKER:  Michael E. Jewell, an Orange County attorney who practices educational law

Mr. Jewell will discuss special education law, learning disabilities, dyslexia and AB 1369 and how these impact students and schools.

This is a free event, but we would appreciate it you would please register in advance.

Downloadable Flyer

Mar
21
Thu
Learning While Black in SFUSD @ African American Art and Culture Complex
Mar 21 @ 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Learning While Black in SFUSD – On March 21st, 5:30 – 8pm join the community in an educational panel round-table discussion and resource fair featuring Darryl Lester, the main plaintiff in the landmark special education case, Larry P. vs. California.

Mr. Lester was never taught how to read and was labeled “educable mentally retarded” in the 1970’s.  KALW, a local public radio station, produced a recent story of interest addressing a legacy of mistreatment of San Francisco’s black special education students.  The reporter stated the following about Mr. Lester, “it turns out, he did have a learning difficulty, a really specific one. He struggled with reading. He never got the help he needed.”

DDCA is concerned that SFUSD’s recent dyslexia pilot and implementation does not meet California dyslexia guidelines best practices.  Join us in discussing how SFUSD is meeting the needs of its current African American students with reading disabilities.

Downloadable Flyer

Sep
14
Sat
Students with Dyslexia: Essentials of Assessment @ California State University, East Bay - Valley Business and Technology Center - 124
Sep 14 @ 8:00 am – 12:30 pm

This half-day workshop will focus on the assessment of dyslexia. Dr. Mather will address the definition of dyslexia; the importance of assessing cognitive and linguistic processes, including phonological awareness, orthographic coding, processing speed, and rapid automatized naming. In addition, she will discuss several challenges inherent in the assessment of dyslexia, including: early identification, twice exceptional students, and co-occurring disorders, such as ADHD and language impairment.

This event is intended for school psychologists, speech and language professionals, resource specialists, special education and general education teachers, school administrators, educational therapists, and all credentialing candidates in these fields as well as professional advocates. This event is open to the general public, however, it should be noted that it will be somewhat technical in nature.

California State University East Bay and Decoding Dyslexia CA support best practices with respect to dyslexia as outlined by the California Dyslexia Guidelines. Net proceeds from this event will be used to host future CSUEB events to increase dyslexia awareness.

Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. Workshop is 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Dr. Mather’s Bio:

Nancy Mather is a Professor Emerita at the University of Arizona in the Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies. She is a coauthor of the WJ IV and has coauthored two books on the interpretation and application of the WJ IV: Essentials of WJ IV Tests of Achievement and Woodcock-Johnson IV: Reports, Recommendations, and Strategies. She has published numerous articles, conducts workshops on assessment and instruction both nationally and internationally, and has coauthored several books linking assessment and intervention, including Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviors (3rd ed.), Essentials of Assessment Report Writing (2nd. ed.), and Essentials of Dyslexia: Assessment and Intervention.