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Northern Ohio BranchFormerly The Orton Dyslexia Society

Summer 2011

NEWSLETTER

WilmaJean Lang:Teacher Extraordinaire

By Sr. Marcia Kiser, M.Ed., NOBIDA Advisory Council Member

Northern Ohio Branch of the International Dyslexia Association has lost an extraordinary member and friend. Wilma Jean (Bush) Lang of Norwalk, a devoted teacher of 35 years, passed away Saturday, May 14, 2011 at her residence.

As a Norwalk City Schools teacher, Wilma Jean took action to find ways to assist students who made limited progress in reading. Being a part of the International Dyslexia Association kept her connected to the most up-to-date information available, which enabled the reading scores of her students to significantly improve.

The Norwalk community has lost a truly dedicated

and committed educator. “Even though she retired last year, her presence and influence was and is felt in our schools today,” Norwalk City Schools Superintendent Dennis Doughty said. “Her story was inspirational because she was always ‘student focused.’ Truly, she never met a student whom she didn’t like or whom she didn’t try to help. She was that kind of teacher and that kind of person.”

She was a board member of the International Dyslexia Association for 10 years. Her past awards and recognitions include a WCPZ Terrific Teacher Award, the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year Award, and the Martha Holden Jennings Scholar Award. Throughout the illness that claimed her life, Wilma Jean worked in her humble, quiet way, teaching and encouraging students, all the while

continuing to be a positive example for others. She recently retired from Norwalk City Schools in May 2010.

During the two days that Wilma Jean was honored at Evans Funeral Home, her young students of last year wanted to

hug and kiss their “sleeping” teacher. Her principal from Maplehurst School emotionally expressed her admiration and gratitude to Wilma Jean, stating that Wilma never complained in all the years she knew her. Her humor was well known to all. She always called her principal “Boss-lady” and would have a humorous, encouraging word to offer in tense moments, whether that be to the professionals or to the students who were sometimes teased because

She offered

faith and hope to

all her students.

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Wilma Jean Lang

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Wilma Jean Lang: Teacher ExtraordinaireLetter from the PresidentHouse Bill 96 to Provide Early Screenings for ChildrenDyslexia Legislation Update“Writing Matters” Workshop by William Van CleaveCatching Children Before They FallSummer 2011 Workshop ScheduleJourney Into DyslexiaUm... Uh... Can we help Process your Thoughs?Symposium 2011 Memories Save the Date: Symposium 2012NOBIDA Board of Directors/ContactFuture Events

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Dear NOBIDA Members and Friends,

I returned from the recent spring Branch Council President’s meeting with renewed enthusiasm for the mission and goals of IDA. Very importantly, I learned that IDA is back on a sound financial footing. After a few lean years due to declining membership and contributions, the national organization once again has a positive budget balance. Also, recent discussions about reforming the organization into a single unit, rather than the present structure with semi-autonomous branches, have been shelved for now. Instead, there is the possibility of a mixed or hybrid structure, with some of the smaller branches voluntarily merging with the national organization while larger and/or financially stable branches continue as separately chartered organizations. Our branch is among the top third in membership and is one of the more financially stable branches. While I was never quite certain what the change to a single national organization would have meant to our branch activities, I welcome the decision which will allow us to continue to locally decide what we believe is in the best interest of our constituency in Northern Ohio.

As IDA moves forward, the national organization’s Board has outlined focal areas that not only maintain the organization but position it to grow and be the recognized leader in the reading community. As you are probably aware, Dr. Louisa Moats recently chaired a committee that developed “Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading” (http://www.interdys.org/Standards.htm). Promoting these standards is now the prime objective of IDA. At the Branch Council meeting we were honored to have a presentation by Dr. Moats, which excited all branch presidents about the importance of bringing these standards to the education community. The second prime objective of IDA is advocating for legislation that protects the educational rights of children with

dyslexia. IDA is also moving to expand its membership base beyond what is largely an organization of and for professionals. Parents and other interested community members will be embraced as partners in membership, and IDA programs and services will be expanded for parents and students.

IDA’s goals align well with the efforts of NOBIDA during the past year. I am pleased to report that, due to the collaborative work of the three Ohio branches, legislation supporting children with dyslexia has been introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives. Thanks to the efforts of several of our members, along with Rep. Ted Celeste, HB 96 has moved through initial committee hearings. This bill advocates early screening and identification of dyslexia in children. The bill also allows dyslexia to be the reason for identifying children for special reading services in schools. Rep. Shuring has introduced legislation that would promote professional development for teachers so they will be better prepared to address the needs of children who have dyslexia and other struggles to read successfully. The bill defines the research-based reading practices advocated by the IDA Standards as the appropriate content for professional development. The bill also uses the IDA Standards to define the qualifications of those who deliver professional development.

This past school year Rebecca Tolson, CALT and NOBIDA Treasurer, offered a five-day reading workshop that provides a model of professional development we believe should be offered to teachers across Ohio. Over one hundred and fifty teachers studied effective, research-based reading intervention practices during the four programs she delivered in the Cleveland and Canton areas. She also offered an initial workshop for school administrators to complement the program for teachers. This summer she will again offer her program along with a wide variety of other workshops to advance the teaching of reading and writing in Northern Ohio. The summer brochure describing these programs is available on the NOBIDA webpage and in this newsletter.

While we have always offered programs and services for parents, I see this as an area ripe with opportunity for new initiatives by NOBIDA. I welcome any suggestions you may have for expanding our mission to parents and the community. As we move forward we can also use your help with legislation. Contact your state representatives and advocate for their support for the legislation that has been introduced. Do the same with your state senator. Contact your congressional representatives (house.state.oh.us/) and senators (ohiosenate.gov/contacting-your-senator.html) to advocate for their support for legislation recently introduced in the state house that recognizes the need for dyslexia diagnosis and treatment and professional development. Advocate for the continued mandates of No Child Left Behind that schools must close the achievement gap between special and general education students. While “Race to the Top” is a laudable goal, it cannot be attained with large numbers of children reading at substandard levels. Lastly, spread the word about NOBIDA and IDA with neighbors and friends, especially those who have children with dyslexia or may have dyslexia themselves. If your child has dyslexia, tell his or her teachers and administrators that we are available to help them implement effective reading practices that will benefit your child.

I believe we are on the cusp of exciting opportunities for NOBIDA. I look forward to working with you to advance the opportunities available to our members and, more importantly, to improve the educational opportunities for all children in Northern Ohio. Please refer often to our redesigned web page at nobida.org to keep abreast of our branch activities.

Sincerely,

Lawrence Orrach, M.Ed.

President NOBIDA

From The President

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of needing extra help. Some students just did not seem to learn; Wilma helped them and they succeeded. She offered faith and hope to all her students. The principal said that though Wilma thought of her as “boss,” she thought of herself as one of Wilma’s students who learned much from Wilma. One of many students present said that she would never have been accepted into college had it not been for Mrs. Lang teaching her using the Wilson Reading System. A mother spoke to all present of the constant kindness Mrs. Lang had for her daughter who struggled. Her use of the Wilson program helped her daughter succeed. If that did not work on occasion, Wilma figured out another way, and it always worked.

A business friend who made stuffed animals told how Wilma insisted that her friend create a bear that could give a hug.

Her students needed a hug when they struggled. It did not seem possible, but Wilma was so insistent that the woman kept trying. Finally, there was a bear that could, indeed, give a ‘Mrs. Lang hug.’ Another friend told of the generosity of both Mr. and Mrs. Lang when her own mother was dying in Toledo.

The Pastor had much to say about Wilma’s peace and the Scripture she had previously chosen to be read at the time of her passing. Wilma knew her Scripture and knew her God. Her entire face would smile whenever the word “children” was mentioned.

She taught at Townsend School, Maplehurst Elementary, Pleasant Elementary, League Street School, Norwalk Middle School, Norwalk High School, and Sandusky Mills School. She was a member of St. Matthews Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) in Vermilion. Previously she was the Senior Choir Director, Youth Choir and

Continued from page 1Wilma Jean Lang... Orchestra Director, Vacation Bible School

and Sunday school teacher, member of the Daughters of Faith Bible Study and member of the Christ Care small group at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Norwalk.

She was a 1953 graduate of Norwalk High School, a graduate of Bowling Green State University, and in 1993 received her Masters of Education Degree from Ashland University. She was a certified Wilson teacher.

She was the beloved wife of 48 years to Ted J. Lang, of Norwalk; devoted mother of Janet (Henry) Bloodsaw and J. Paul (Sara) Lang of Bay Village; grandmother of Ella and Alex Lang; dearest sister of Mary Ann Brennan of Norwalk; aunt of Terri and Michael; great-aunt of several great-nieces; and a well-loved cousin of Marie Perrotte of Jamaica and Alice Wrobleski of Sandusky, along with a multitude of cousins. n

HB 96 was passed by a 93 to 1 vote in the Ohio House of Representatives on May 25!

COLUMBUS - The Ohio House of Representatives approved legislation sponsored by State Rep. Ted Celeste (D-Grandview Heights) and Rep. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) to clarify the definition of learning disabilities in the Ohio Revised Code to specifically include dyslexia.

“Many times the proper diagnosis of dyslexia is what holds students back from receiving the kind of educational instruction most appropriate for their individual situations. Often times a student may fall through the cracks in which he or she is not ‘behind far enough’ to qualify for special educational services,” said Rep. Celeste

in a speech to House members during today’s session. “House Bill 96 directly addresses that issue by allowing for easier research-based intervention. We should never sit by as we watch our children struggle to read and write.”

The legislation also creates a pilot project at the Ohio Department of Education including one urban, one suburban, and one rural school district to forge a partnership with the local library system to provide early screening and intervention services for children. Existing funds within the Ohio Department of Education will be used to pay for these screenings, and the inclusion of libraries will help ease the financial burden on school districts.

The goal of the pilot project is to demonstrate and evaluate the

House Bill 96 to Provide Early Dyslexia Screenings for Children

Representative Ted Celeste

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effectiveness of early reading assistance programs for children with dyslexia and to evaluate whether those programs can reduce future special education costs. After three school years, a report will be submitted to the General Assembly with the results of the project and legislative recommendations as whether to continue, expand, or make changes to the project.

“By identifying dyslexia early on in the course of learning to read, we will prevent children from falling significantly behind in decoding, reading fluency, spelling, and writing, let alone avoiding the heartache, self-esteem damage, and expense to the family and schools involved,” said Rep. Celeste.

HB 96 now goes to the Ohio Senate for consideration. Contact your state senators at:

http://www.ohiosenate.gov/contacting-your-senator.html

(The above article was abridged from: http://www.progressohio.org/blog/2011/05/ohio-house-approves-rep-celestes-dyslexia-bill.html.)

NOBIDA sends an enormous thank you to Representatives Celeste and

Brenner and to Representative Gerald Stebelton, Chair of the Education Committee. Our gratitude to Chancellor Jim Petro and Rep. Tom Letson who presented personal testimonies in favor of the passage of HB 96 before the Education Committee. We extend our appreciation to everyone who worked so tirelessly to support dyslexia legislation in Ohio, especially the Legislative Committee, composed of members from Northern Ohio, Central Ohio, and Ohio Valley branches of IDA.

Follow the link to a video of Reps. Celeste and Brenner explaining the importance of HB 96: http://www.ohiochannel.org/MediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=131130&startTime=1299 n

By Rebecca Tolson, M.Ed., CALT, NOBIDA Board Treasurer

On April 13, Representatives Kirk-Schuring (R-Canton) and Tom Letson (D-Warren) introduced House Bill 157 to the House Education Committee. The bill defines dyslexia and provides criteria for teacher licensure as a dyslexia specialist. If enacted into law, the bill would state guidelines for teacher training in identification, remediation, and intervention for students with dyslexia. HB 157 would give Educational

Service Centers the permissive authority to enter into a contract with a dyslexia specialist and encourage collaboration among school districts to provide professional development training in the area of dyslexia. When HB 157 was introduced to the Education Committee, Representative Tom Letson (D-District 64) shared testimony of his personal struggles with dyslexia and Representative Kirk Schuring (R-District 51) provided dyslexia research from the National Institute of Health. The first proponent hearing for HB 157 is

Dyslexia Legislation Update: Ohio House Considering Dyslexia Definition, Specialist Licensure

scheduled for June 1, 2011. Even after June 1, the battle will not be over. It will take time for this legislation to be passed and implemented. Please contact your representatives to express your support for HB 157 via house.state.oh.us/. Continue to contact your representatives and encourage their support. n

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Workshop review by Tammy Alexander, M.A. NOBIDA Board Member

William Van Cleave will be presenting two workshops this summer through NOBIDA. One of them, “Writing Matters,” he presented last summer. This is a review of that session.

At his “Writing Matters” workshop, Van Cleave packed in an enormous amount of information, starting with an explanation of the multiple skills needed to write proficiently, then proceeding with how to teach idea generation, grammar (including a scope and sequence), writing sentences, paragraphs and 5-paragraph essays (including a brilliant way to teach writing an introductory paragraph using concentric circles). He also talked about how to expand sentences and paragraphs and different purposes for writing, such as persuasion and narrative. He ended with editing and how to handle student errors. A plethora of corresponding games and activities were shown throughout.

The following are a few of the workshop’s nuggets. However, there were so many, that these were just the tip of the iceberg.

In order to write proficiently, one is required to combine many cognitive processing tasks simultaneously. In order to do this cognitive “multi-tasking” successfully, the tasks that require lower-level cognitive processing, such as letter formation and spelling, must be done without conscious thought. In that way, most of one’s mental energy can then be expended on areas that require higher-level cognitive functioning, such

as generating content ideas, sentence structure and paragraph structure. Thus, it follows that if a student is struggling with such tasks as handwriting and spelling, there will be little processing memory left for higher-cognitive processing tasks, and consequently, the whole writing exercise falls apart.

How is that information useful to a teacher? It is important to be aware of the specific skill being taught to the struggling student and to isolate it from competing tasks. For example, if the focus of the lesson is on generating sentences with a student who struggles with cursive writing, then make the necessary accommodations, such as scribing for the student or allowing oral responses, so that the student is able to

focus on the sole task of formulating the words for a sentence. Similarly, if the focus is on teaching cursive writing to a struggling student, then do not ask the student to generate sentences in addition to writing in cursive. Instead, provide sentences and assign only the task of copying those sentences in cursive.

As much as Van Cleave is a grammarian at heart, he is very practical when it comes to the teaching of it. For him, teaching grammar is primarily the means to the end of having a student become a better writer. This is not

achieved through teaching nouns by underlining nouns in sentences. Rather, he advocates explaining a grammatical point briefly and then having students generate numerous examples of it (e.g., “write a prepositional phrase,” “write a complex sentence”). When teaching a grammatical point, a teacher should give a simple definition (using regular words, such as, “describe” instead of “modify”), give examples, elicit examples from students and evaluate the responses immediately. Then the teacher should request another example and evaluate it immediately, and so on. Thus, these lessons are very interactive. In a class setting, Van Cleave recommends asking every single student in the classroom for an example. By doing so, the teacher can then better gauge how much each student comprehends, while at the same time reinforce the concept by having students listen to their peers and actively evaluate peers’ examples.

Van Cleave demonstrated how mistakes should be handled by a teacher in a classroom. If a student gives the wrong answer orally, then the teacher should write that answer on the board, say that it will be discussed later, and then move on with other examples. That way, the error is “off the student” and the discussion becomes about the example. It also makes it seem as though this student’s answer is the one important enough to discuss. When discussing the error, Van Cleave advocates the Orton-Gillingham questioning strategy of “eliciting” or pulling responses from students through good questioning.

Van Cleave recommended spending a lot of time teaching students how to write good sentences because when students have difficulty writing essays, very often the writing breaks down at the sentence level. Only after students understand how to write a sentence, can they string together sentences to write paragraphs and essays.

Although Van Cleave is a fan of peer interactive writing, he is not a big fan of peer editing. Students who are highly skilled tend to over edit, and students who are weak have difficulty finding any

“Writing Matters” Workshop by William Van Cleave

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William Van Cleave

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4.

5. 2.

The ability to

write is vital to

our students’

success in school.

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errors. In addition, if a teacher carefully corrects all of the error in a student’s paper, the student does not learn much. Instead of correcting a paper, Van Cleave advises telling the student how many errors are in the piece of writing and asking the student to find the errors. He also might specify the types of errors. For example, “You have three errors: one spelling error and two punctuation errors. Can you find them?” In addition, he has each of his students use a post-it note with 2 or 3 specific types of errors that they should focus on in editing, such as capitalization and end punctuation. Then the student edits for those specific types of errors and gets marked down only for those items. Once the students have the specific type of error mastered, that item gets crossed off their post-it note and they set a new goal. This activity is

empowering and builds self-esteem. It also works in a classroom because it is differentiated to fit each student’s needs.

Van Cleave demonstrated a myriad of fun activities, such as “sorting,” and games to play with students. These games and activities are ideal to use in classrooms or in private tutoring because they reinforce writing and specific grammatical concepts, but do not take too long to play. Some of these games Van Cleave created himself. (Much to his own students’ delight, he actually used their names in the games!) These games will be sold at the dyslexia symposium. They can also be purchased on-line at www.VCEdConsulting.com.

The ability to write is vital to our students’ success in school. Because

this skill is such a multidimensional task, the teaching of it can seem overwhelming, especially when teaching the student with dyslexia who needs instruction delivered using a multisensory, structured and sequential teaching methodology. What makes Van Cleave stand out is that he presents a framework for teaching writing by isolating each of the skills needed and providing a practical scope and sequence for them, all the while keeping the student with dyslexia in mind. Van Cleave has published a number of educational books, activities and games. He is currently working on a manuscript about how to teach writing. No doubt Van Cleave will become a name more frequently heard in the field of dyslexia. n

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Catching Children Before They Fail

NOBIDA Summer 2011 Professional Development Program:

Presented in conjunction with:n Bay Village City Schools

n Lawrence School

n Notre Dame College

n Cuyahoga County Educational Service Center

n Cleveland Museum of Art

To view full course descriptions and to register for all programs go to www.bayvillageschools.com.

• Click on For Staff, Select Staff Development; On the event scheduler page choose Public Events, Click on the program date to complete registration information.

Contact Laura Whiteman at 216-556-0883, nobidainfo@gmail.com or Larry Orrach at 440-454-2628,

larry.orrach@bayschoolsohio.org, or visit www.bayvillageschools.com or www.nobida.org for info.

• Graduate Credit from Ashland University unless otherwise noted. Two day programs earn 1 hour of graduate credit. One day programs can be combined to earn graduate credits. Cost per credit hour is $175.00 in addition to registration fees. Registration for graduate credit is completed during the workshops.

WORKSHOP REGISTRATION

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Summer 2011 Workshop ScheduleCOURSE INSTRUCTORS DATE/TIME LOCATION REGISTRATION

Improving Reading and Spelling through Phonological Awareness Training

Understanding Dysgraphia: Identifying and Teaching Struggling Writers

Dyslexia: What is it? Impact and Intervention

Remediation and Intervention Strategies for Dyslexia – Administrator Workshop

Orton Gillingham - Remedial Reading Instruction: Content and Delivery

Implementation and In School Practice of Orton-Gillingham Approach

Childhood Attention, Learning, and Processing Disorders: Explained!

Executive Functioning: What Is It, Why Is It Important, and How Can I Help?

Trish Harpring, M.Ed., M.A., Laurel School, NOBIDA Board Member

Rebecca Tolson, M.Ed., Certified Academic Language Therapist, NOBIDA Board Treasurer

Carol Perry, Director – Masonic Learning Center, NOBIDA Board Member; Norma Martin, Instructor Masonic Learning Center, NOBIDA Member

Rebecca Tolson, M.Ed., Certified Academic Language Therapist, NOBIDA Board Treasurer

Carol Perry: Director – Masonic Learning Center, NOBIDA Board Member; Norma Martin, Instructor, Masonic Learning Center, NOBIDA Member

Carol Perry: Director – Masonic Learning Center, NOBIDA Board Member; Norma Martin, Instructor, Masonic Learning Center, NOBIDA Member

Dr. Cheryl Chase Carmichael, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Cheryl Chase Carmichael, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

June 29, 30 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

August 1, 2 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

August 1, 2 8:30 am to 4:00 pm

August 3, 4 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

August 3, 4 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

October 1, 2011 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 pmJanuary 7, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 pmApril 7, 2012 9:009:00 a.m. - 12:00 pm

August 8, 9 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

August 15, 16 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Bay Middle School Continental breakfast and lunch provided.

Westlake Holiday InnContinental breakfast and lunch provided.

Westlake Holiday InnContinental breakfast and lunch provided.

Westlake Holiday InnContinental breakfast and lunch provided.

Westlake Holiday InnContinental breakfast and lunch provided.

Westlake Holiday InnContinental breakfast and lunch provided.

Westlake Holiday InnContinental breakfast and lunch provided.

Westlake Holiday InnContinental breakfast and lunch provided.

IDA Member $160Non-member $175Registration deadline June 22.

IDA Member $185Non-member $200Registration deadline July 25.

IDA Member $185Non-member $200Registration deadline June 25.

IDA Member $185Non-member $200Registration deadline July 27.

IDA Member $185Non-member $200Registration deadline June 27.

IDA Member $285Non-member $300Registration deadline August 4.

IDA Member $185Non-member $200Registration deadline August 1.

IDA Member $185Non-member $200Registration deadline August 8.

Full course descriptions and to registration available at www.bayvillageschools.com.

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Film Review by Karen Dakin, M.Ed., IDA Board Member, Reprinted from the IDA “eXaminer” by permission of the author (interdys.org/JourneyIntoDyslexia.htm)

Journey into Dyslexia is a well done film about what dyslexia is and the horrendous toll dyslexia can take on an individual’s ability to be successful in the school setting. The film is primarily a series of interviews, including an author, researchers in the field of dyslexia, a high school teacher, college professors, successful adults with dyslexia, and students across grade levels, including a college student. It presents accurate information about dyslexia, defining it as neurobiological in origin, as appearing in all cultures and languages, and as representative of one in ten people in America.

The film opens with Jonathan Mooney, author of Learning Outside the Lines, who claims he did not overcome dyslexia; he overcame “dysteachia.” He said he was told every day that he was, “stupid, crazy and lazy.” He feels that traditional schools do a great deal of damage by not understanding and

meeting the needs of students who think “outside the lines.” He also emphasizes that the real tragedy is that many of these students are not stupid; they are the opposite of stupid. “They are the next generation of artists, innovators, or creative thinkers.”

Featured researchers include names familiar to the IDA audience. IDA’s President, Dr. Guinevere Eden, Director of the Center for the Study of Learning, shows brain images from her office at Georgetown Medical Center. Dr. Maryanne Wolf, Director of the Center for Reading and Language Research at Tufts University, explains her view of dyslexia from the perspective of a neuroscientist.

In addition, Dr. William Keeney, English Department Chair, a teacher at Delaware Valley Friends School, Paoli, Pennsylvania, a school for students with learning differences, explains to his high school students what dyslexia is. He claims that many people do not have an accurate understanding of dyslexia, including his students. He tells them that because their brains process reading inefficiently, they are working five times harder than other students, so it is not surprising that they might get exhausted when reading. He emphasizes that dyslexia has to do with reading, writing and spelling, not thinking.

The film also shows Kildonan School in Amenia, New York, another independent school for students with dyslexia or language learning differences. Tutors are filmed working with students using the Orton-Gillingham approach, a multisensory, structured language approach created

to meet the needs of students with dyslexia. The narrator says that there are many of these specialized schools throughout the country; even so, these schools only serve 1 percent of the population with dyslexia or other language learning difficulties or disabilities.

A number of successful adults with dyslexia are interviewed in the film. One person well known to the IDA community is Ben Foss, the inventor of the Intel reader and Director of Access Technology for Intel. He says to be careful not to use language such as “struggled with, afflicted by, and suffered from,” when describing students with dyslexia. Ben is a strong advocate for providing technology that can become a “ramp into a book,” and is committed to making this technology accessible to more and more people. Erin Brockovitch, renowned advocate, spoke candidly about how she developed strong memory skills to compensate for her dyslexia. She views her dyslexia as a gift that forced her to develop creative strategies and to think outside of the box. Steve Walker, CEO of New England

HBO Premiers

Journey into Dyslexia, A documentary by Oscar®-winning filmmakers Susan and Alan Raymond

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Wood Pellet, LLC, spoke passionately about how dyslexia had caused him such distress as a young person, but he also now views dyslexia as a gift and one he would never choose to give up. He talks with affection about his high school shop teacher who recognized his immense gifts in shop and encouraged him as an adult when purchasing and starting his own shop.

The most poignant interviews were those of children and adolescents with dyslexia. One student mentioned having suicidal thoughts as a fifth grader and needing to be hospitalized for several weeks. Another spoke with sadness about not having anyone to sit with in the cafeteria. Another mentioned he actually cried because it hurt when he wanted so much to read a book that he was unable to read. One child mentioned a teacher who told him to stop pretending he had a learning disability. These personal

accounts are very sad and repeatedly reveal the emotional toll dyslexia can take on the student with dyslexia who does not receive proper teaching, appropriate accommodations, and emotional understanding and support.

There is a great deal that makes this a compelling film; however, it really should be Part I of a two part series. Part II should focus on teacher education, including the International Dyslexia Association’s Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading which will be a guide for endorsing teacher education programs that prepare teachers well to work with students who have reading difficulties or disabilities. Journey into Dyslexia states that specialized schools currently serve only 1 percent of students who need this specialized teaching. The International Dyslexia Association through its journals, annual conference and newsletter

informs interested people about successful public school and independent school programs that include excellent, effective early intervention programs. The key to overcoming dyslexia is not just to know what it is and the pain it can cause, but how to successfully deal with dyslexia where the majority of learners must deal with it, and that is in the public domain where there are now many success stories. Unfortunately, Journey into Dyslexia does not provide hope for the overwhelming majority of individuals with dyslexia who need proper instruction, as well as for educators and parents who want and need direction now.

Visit HBO and watch the movie trailer at www.hbo.com/documentaries/journey-into-dyslexia/index.html#. This film can be seen on HBO On Demand. n

Um... Uh... Can we Help You Process Your Thoughts?

Keynote Speaker Charles Haynes

By Moira Erwine, NOBIDA Board Member

Dr. Charles Haynes presented the symposium keynote address, two breakout sessions, and the fundraising dinner speech at the NOBIDA 2011 symposium. During one of the breakout sessions, Haynes outlined his approach to teaching children with language processing problems. Based on his 2002 Visualizing and Verbalizing study, Haynes suggests using picture stimuli that are engaging and meaningful -- this could be a painting, or better yet, an action photograph. Adults may need to guide children’s visual analysis of the picture. Students may focus on less relevant details.

Haynes recommends using a diamond shape analysis to help students focus on a picture. Teach the child how to read the picture by scanning the top, left, middle, and right, and moving to the bottom of the picture in a diamond-shaped pattern. The student can come up with nouns and key verbs to describe the picture. Educators then use the scaffold technique to help children use more precise words.

When students use um, uh, and pause, it is an indication that the student is processing. Thinking takes time, and teachers

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need to know when to step in and help children process what they see and verbalize their thoughts. Haynes recommends using the following strategies to help children verbalize: gestural cues, pictorial cues, semantic cues (giving a function or purpose of a word), phonemic cues (providing an initial sound or first syllable), and graphemic cues (saying and showing a letter or two that starts the target word).

Use the “Easy 4 -- color, size, shape, number” to promote precise vocabulary development. Regarding color, use strategies such as asking for gemstone references (garnet, onyx) or vegetable references (eggplant, zucchini). Using a continuum to identify how small or how big an object is will allow for a discussion about vocabulary that best identifies the size of the object. Using shapes in the world that look like an object builds connections and more specific language. Regarding a picture of a bird, Hayes asked, “Is the beak really rectangular or is there a better shape word to describe it?”

Several other strategies were shared. By adding ‘y’ to a flavor word we get ‘pumpkiny.” A temperature continuum helps students to realize where ‘lukewarm’ would be gauged between cold and hot. Playing music at high and low volume helps students to understand the continuum of soft to loud. Google the phrase “inner feelings” for an extravaganza of pictures to use to help students develop synonyms for degrees of fear, sadness, and happiness. Age descriptors help students to develop synonyms using a continuum from young to old. A more precise word for ‘old’ could be ‘ancient.” Providing students with fabric swatches allows the development of adjectives for textures that promote a more precise vocabulary. Ultimately these strategies help students create adjective groups which will then become intrinsic word knowledge. n

Raffle Table at Symposium 2011: Andrea

Vicchio, Gretchen Walsh &

Jennifer LaHaieNOBIDA Vice-President Vicki Krnac and SMU Professor & Symposium Presenter Jo Ann Handy

Symposium 2011Memories

Um... Uh... Continued from page 9

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Book Table at Symposium 2011: Rebecca Tolson, Diane McFiggin, Heidi Peters, Marcia Anselmo & Tammy Alexander

Symposium Presenter Cheryl Chase-Carmichael & board member Becky Malinas

Gretchen Walsh (Notre Dame), Stephanie

Gordon & Pam Kanfer (legislation committee)

President of NOBIDA Larry Orrach &

Board member Anne Pyros

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SAVE THE DATE

SCHEDULE PREVIEW

PROMOTIONS:Register before Friday, February 10, 2012, and get $20.00 off your ticket.

Code: EARLYBIRD

Come to the NOBIDA Annual Dinner on March 8! Educational administrators who attend the dinner receive one free ticket to the symposium.

Code: ADMIN2012

For every 8 teachers your school sends to the Symposium, receive one free ticket.

Code: 8FREE

Breakouts include:

• Learning Ally (formerly Reading for the Blind and Dyslexia)

• Spotlighting a District: Rocky River

• Parent Advocacy

• Law and Legislation

• Spelling

• Vocabulary

• Basics of OG

• Multisensory Games

• Evaluating for Dyslexia

• Math

Gordon F. Sherman, Ph.D., is Executive Director of The Newgrange School and Education Center in Princeton, N.J. Before joining Newgrange, he was Director of the Dyslexia Research Laboratory at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a faculty member in neurology (neuroscience) at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Sherman received his doctorate in developmental psychobiology from the University of Connecticut. He is a former president of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and a recipient of two of its most prestigious honors, the Samuel T. Orton Award and the Norman Geschwind Memorial Lecture Award. He also was inducted into IDA’s Sylvia O. Richardson Hall of Honor. Dr. Sherman speaks nationally and internationally to parents, teachers, and scientists about cerebrodiversity, learning differences, brain development, and the future.

Dee Rosenberg has been the Director of Education at the Newgrange School and Educational Center for the past ten years. She has a Masters in Learning Disabilities from Montclair University and is a certified Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant. Dee has had over twenty years of classroom experience at both elementary and high school levels, as a regular and special education teacher, and as an educational diagnostician. She is a certified teacher trainer of Wilson Language Program, Developing Metacognitive Skills, and LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling). Dee has consulted with many school districts, and she has trained teachers locally and nationally, to improve student achievement through the use of good assessment and research-based literacy programs. She has lectured nationally and internationally about improving literacy and other issues related to special education. Dee is currently the President of the New Jersey Branch of the International Dyslexia Association.

WHAT:

WHEN:

WHERE:

SPEAKERS:

ANNUAL DYSLEXIA DINNERThursday, March 8, 20126 pm Cocktails, 6:45 pm DinnerBertram Inn and Conference Center

SYMPOSIUM 2012: Dyslexia, Diversity, and the FutureFriday, March 9, 20127:45 am - 4:15 pmThe Bertram Inn and Conference Center600 North Aurora RoadAurora, Ohio 44202Gordon Sherman & Dee Rosenberg

Gordon Sherman

Dee Rosenberg

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Lawrence Orrach, M. Ed., PresidentVicki Krnac, M Ed., C.A.L.T., Vice PresidentMary Jo O’Neill M. Ed., Vice PresidentJennifer LaHaie, SecretaryRebecca Tolson, M Ed., C.A.L.T., TreasurerLaura Whiteman, CISA, Executive DirectorDonna L. Levine, M.A.Rosean ‘SchmidtGretchen Walsh, M.S., Ed.Signe Wrolstad Forbes, M.Ed.Becky MalinasKim Lawrence, J.D.Beverly HohmanElizabeth AndersonSamantha CrowleyMary Conway SullivanHeidi Peters, M.Ed.Patricia Harpring, M.Ed., M.A.Tammy Alexander M.A.Doug HamiltonMary Heather Munger, M.S.Ed.Courtney BakerMoira Erwine, M.A. Ed Kate ZannoniGeorgann RichardsonAnne PyrosCarol PerryJudith Saltzman J.D.

Barbara Ekelman, Ph.D.Gerald Erenberg, M.D.Ann Foreman, M.Ed., M.A.Joyce Hedrick, M.Ed.Rebecca Richards, M.A.Karen St Amour, M.A.Barbara Marsh M. Ed.Eric WonderlyPam KanferKaren Dakin, M.Ed.Lori Josephson, M.A.H. Gerry Taylor, Ph.D., ABPP/CNSr. Marcia Kiser, M.Ed.Marcia G. Anselmo, M.Ed.Ellen Brick, M.A.Denise FalconStephanie Gordon, M.A.S.Gordon HomeSteven Wexberg, M.D.Monica Gordon Pershey, Ed.D., CCC-SLPDiane McFiggenCheryl PersayniAndrea Vicchio, M. Ed.Mary Sopko

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ADVISORY COUNCIL

HOW TO CONTACT NOBIDA

Laura Whiteman, CISA, Executive DirectorNorthern Ohio Branch of The International Dyslexia AssociationP.O. Box 43611Richmond Heights, Ohio- 44143Branch Voice Mail: 216-556-0883Email: nobidainfo@gmail.comwww.nobida.org

FUTURE BOARD MEETING DATES

September 22, 2011 at Lawrence SchoolNovember 17, 2011 at Notre Dame College of Ohio

Did You Know . . .?NOBIDA has a directory of service providers?If you need the services of a person or team to diagnose dyslexia, we can help.If you need the services of an educational therapist or tutor for a child or an adultwith dyslexia, we can help.If you want to be listed in the Directory of Providers for Educational Services, wecan help. If you have been trained to provide Orton-Gillingham based, multisensory instruction and want to be listed in the Directory, please call the NOB voice mail (216)556-0883 or email info@nobida.org or nobidainfo@gmail.com and request an application to be listed in the Directory. Allied service providers, such as speech-language pathologists, educational psychologists, and others are welcome

Did you know that you can help the cause of dyslexia by designating a yearly United Way donation to the NOB/IDA? Simply list the Northern Ohio Branch of the International Dyslexia on your pledge form. Join the effort to support education, teacher training, research, and services for individuals with dyslexia. Pledge today!

The International Dyslexia Association is an international organization that concerns itself with the complex issues of dyslexia. The IDA membership consists of a variety of professionals in partnership with dyslexics and their families. We believe all individuals have the right to achieve their potential, that individual learning abilities can be strengthened and that social, educational and cultural barriers to language acquisition and use must be removed. The IDA actively promotes effective teaching approaches and related clinical educational intervention strategies for dyslexics. We support and encourage interdisciplinary study and research. We facilitate the exploration of the causes and early identification of dyslexia and are committed to the responsible and wide dissemination of research based knowledge.

The Northern Ohio Branch Mission Statement

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NOBIDA and the Lawrence School are sponsoring the Dyslexia Dash, a 5k race and 1-mile Fun Walk. This family-friendly public awareness event will raise funds for NOBIDA and Lawrence School. 5k race awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers and the top three winners in nine age divisions. “Prediction run” awards and prizes will be given to 10 runners and to school teams who come closest to predicting their 5k finish times. The race will be run without benefit of watches, course timers, or mile markers! This puts all runners “in the shoes of a dyslexic,” because people with dyslexia may not be able to rely on the written language tools that other people take for granted.

Registration is from 7:30-8:30 a.m. The Fun Walk begins at 8:30 a.m.The 5k begins at 9 a.m.

Corporate and individual sponsorship opportunities are available at the cash and in-kind gift levels of $2,500, $1,000, $500, $250, and at the $150 cash level. For details on sponsorship opportunities, contact Courtney Baker at cbaker@lawrenceschool.org, 440-832-7829, or Mary Jo O’Neill at mjoneill5@yahoo.com, 216-570-4330.

Please send newsletter submissions to: t.alexander15@att.net. This newsletter is published semi-annually. However, this year, look for an extra Summer 2011 edition with more news and features!

Monica Gordon Pershey, Ed.D., CCC-SLPTammy Alexander, M.A.

Sr. Marcia Kiser, M.Ed.Mary Jo O’Neill, M.Ed.Mary Heather Munger, M.S.

NEWSLETTER EDITORS

NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE

SAVE THE DATEWHAT: Dyslexia Dash

WHEN: Sunday, October 23, 2011

WHERE: The Lawrence Upper School

Save the Date! 62nd Annual IDA ConferenceReading, Literacy & LearningNovember 9-12, 2011Hilton Chicago ~ Chicago, IL