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.

Aug
4
Fri
Orton‐Gillingham Approach: A Teacher/Tutor/Parent Workshop for Dyslexia and Literacy Instruction
Aug 4 – Aug 5 all-day

Event: 15‐hour Workshop on the Orton‐Gillingham Approach

Instructor: Nancy Redding, M.Ed., FIT/AOGPE, CDT/IDA Location: 365 1st St., Los Altos, CA, 94022

Dates and Times: August 4 and 5, 2017; 8:30am to 5:00pm daily Registration Deadline: July 20, 2017

Cost and Registration Info: $285 per person, payable to Meyers Learning Center, P.O. Box 428, Redwood Estates, CA 95044

What’s Included: Materials, professional/engaging instruction, Certificate of Completion from Orton‐Gillingham Academy (“Subscriber” level), coffee/tea, refreshments

This introductory course will familiarize participants with the signs and symptoms of dyslexia, as well as the tenets of the Orton‐Gillingham approach to literacy instruction. It meets the requirements of the Subscriber Course of the Academy. Topics will include:

  • Neurological basis of dyslexia and reading disorders
  • Efficacy of structured, sequential, multisensory literacy instruction The foundations and history of the Orton‐Gillingham Approach
  • Phonological and phonemic awareness
  • Stages of Reading and Spelling Development
  • The design and rational of the OG lesson plan
  • Case studies and sample lessons
  • History and Structure of English Language

About Meyers Learning Center:

Meyers Learning Center offers private tutoring to a diverse student population, from elementary to adult‐age students. Our experienced, reliable, and caring educators individualize their teaching to each student’s needs. Tutoring occurs at our downtown Los Altos learning center, in students’ homes, at another convenient location (e.g., school or library), or online. In addition, we provide workshops, school programs, and presentations to community audiences.

Nancy Redding, M.Ed., is a Fellow‐in‐Training with AOGPE. She has 40 years of experience with OG, both in tutoring students of all ages, and in conducting teacher training. She has worked as a learning specialist at the elementary, high school, and college levels. Nancy is the co‐author along with Marcia Henry, of Patterns for Success, an OG based reading and spelling program designed as a supplement to OG instruction. She has presented at many workshops and conference and has been active in International Dyslexia Association, both on the local and national levels.

*This special workshop is open to the community!

Download flyer HERE

Sep
29
Fri
Dyslexia & AB 1369 @ UC Merced
Sep 29 @ 8:30 am – 3:00 pm

Learn about:

  • Dyslexia
  • New Laws & Guidelines
  • Assessments & Intervention

Presenters:

  • Jeff Gilger, Ph.D., UC Merced
  • Kathy Futterman, Ed.D., CSU East Bay

Registration includes lunch.

For more information, click HERE for the flyer.

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”.

Oct
21
Sat
Using the CTOPP-2 to Assess Phonological Processing for Reading Disability/Dyslexia Evaluations @ Chan Family Health Science Learning Center, PHS 110-111
Oct 21 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Speech-Language Pathology Continuing Education Course: Using the CTOPP-2 to Assess Phonological Processing for Reading Disability/Dyslexia Evaluations

Speech-Language Pathology alumni and friends are invited to this special Homecoming weekend continuing education program. During this three-hour program, speaker Richard “Rick” K. Wagner, PhD, a professor of psychology at Florida State University, will dispel old myths and present new truths about dyslexia, followed by a brief review of the just-released California dyslexia guidelines. Then, use of the CTOPP-2 for assessing phonological processing in the context of reading disability/dyslexia evaluations will be covered.

All participants will receive a certificate of attendance and a continental breakfast.
RSVP by October 18

Please feel free to share this invitation with your colleagues.

Participants are invited to stay on campus and attend other Homecoming activities. For a complete listing of events visit: pacific.edu/homecoming

 

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. 

Oct
20
Sat
Dyslexia Symposium @ Empire College
Oct 20 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Please join co-founders Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurley and Tracy Block-Zaretsky of Dyslexia Training Institute and Decoding Dyslexia CA for a one day Dyslexia Symposium.  Kelli and Tracy are the developers of the “Dyslexia for a Day” simulation kit.  Attendees will participate in a simulation followed by a discussion on AB 1369 and the new California Dyslexia Guidelines.  Kelli and Tracy will be discussing what dyslexia is, its neurobiological origin, structured literacy and appropriate accommodations for students with dyslexia.  Kelli was the key dyslexia expert  that testified in support of AB 1369.  In a powerful TEDEd video Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurley urges us to think again about dyslexic brain function and to celebrate the neurodiversity of the human brain.

About our speakers:

Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D. is an author, TEDEd presenter and co-founder of the Dyslexia Training Institute. She received her doctorate in literacy with a specialization in reading and dyslexia from San Diego State University and the University of San Diego. She is also completing her TESOL certification. Dr. Kelli is a certified special education advocate assisting parents and children through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 Plan process. She has training in mediation and also serves as an expert witness in the area of dyslexia. Dr. Kelli is trained in Structured Word Inquiry, the Orton-Gillingham approach, Lindamood-Bell, RAVE-O and Read Naturally. Dr. Kelli is a Past-President of the San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. She is a dyslexia consultant working with schools to improve services offered to students with dyslexia and training teachers. She co-created and produced “Dyslexia for a Day: A Simulation of Dyslexia,” and she is a frequent speaker at conferences. She is the author of the well-received book, Dyslexia Advocate! How to Advocate for a Child with Dyslexia within the Public Education System.

 

Tracy Block-Zaretsky is the co-founder of the Dyslexia Training Institute. She has provided remediation for children and adults with dyslexia for the past 20 years and has developed and taught workplace and family literacy program. She is a certified Special Education advocate assisting parents and children through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504Plan process. She is a past President of the San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association.Tracy has training in Structured Word Inquiry, the Orton-Gillingham approach, Lindamood-Bell programs, Read Naturally and a variety of reading and writing assessments. She co-created and produced, “Dyslexia for a Day: A Simulation of Dyslexia,” and has provided professional development for educators and training for parents at numerous conferences, private on-site trainings and online courses and webinars. Tracy is also a parent of a child with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADD and Executive Function Disorder.

 

Downloadable Flyer

Jan
31
Thu
The Neuropsychology of Reading Disorders: An Introduction to the FAR (Webinar)
Jan 31 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Interested in learning more about dyslexia and the Feifer Assessment of Reading (FAR)?

Learn how to differentiate “dyslexia” from other reading disorders as well as to classify developmental reading disorders into four distinct subtypes.  There will also be a discussion matching each subtype with evidence-based interventions.

This webinar is hosted by the Association of Educational Therapists (AET) and presented by Dr. Stephen G. Feifer.  $10 for AET members / $35 for non-members.  Register here:  https://www.aetonline.org/index.php/events/webinars

 

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

Oct
19
Sat
IDA NorCal Event: The Lost Art of Teaching Spelling – A One-day Workshop @ Seven Hills Conference Center San Francisco State University
Oct 19 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

The Workshop:
Who knew there were spelling rules? Our students are given worksheets and lists of words, but no explicit instruction. This interactive, multisensory seminar will guide teachers through the normal spelling development, the importance of phonological awareness, the alphabetic principles, and the rules that govern how we can confidently spell 85% of English words. Teachers will leave with materials to guide their instruction and strategies to improve the spelling skills of their students.

Speaker: Nancy M. Coffman, MS, CALT, QI, Director, Shelton Academic Reading Approach (SARA), Shelton School.

A nationally known speaker in the field of multisensory structured language education, Nancy Coffman currently directs SARA, a comprehensive IMSLEC- and IDA- accredited training program in Structured Literacy. She began teaching children with dyslexia and related disorders in 1991 and training teachers in 1998.

Who Should Attend:

General education teachers: This seminar will raise your knowledge base in the areas of multisensory instruction in spelling to better serve all students.

Dyslexia practitioners, therapists and CALTs: This seminar will enhance your practice with current research and multifaceted practice activities and materials.