"Dyslexia" Term Encouraged by Department of Education

Although known among  select educators, the terms "dyslexia, dysgraphia and discalculia" are not often found on Individual Education Plans or used in meetings with parents or among teachers. For some, it is a lack of  understanding as to what dyslexia is and how it differs from a "learning disability." For others, the issue is a lack of the specific language in laws such as the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA). However, the Department of Education has issued a letter to all teachers allowing the use of these terms when referring students with these learning differences and on the Individual Education Plan (IEP). In effect they are encouraging the use of the terms dyslexia when it reflects and accurate diagnosis.

The following is the actual letter (which you can click on to enlarge)

Dyslexic Days Makes Headway

The second annual Dyslexic Days took place in Ulster County at the Clintondale Christian  Church on June 25^th of this year. This special event is a day designed around hope and the spirit of success. Dyslexic Days offers the opportunity for anyone and everyone to honor being dyslexic and celebrate the positives and the spirit of giving.  The following  is a brief statement about their values: "We believe that dyslexic students and their parents can confidently face common challenges and achieve greater success when the home and academic environment are geared toward dyslexics to honor and celebrate the unique learning style of dyslexics." Some of the key points for the day were:

Joining together in respect and engagement

Caring enough to share and celebrate your school stories of success

Cultivating  your creativity, discovering your abilities and finding your voice  

 

The event was coordinated by Evelyn and Matthew Whitebay along with Helen Strong. Matthew, Evelyn's son, is interned with Providence Productions and Dyslexic Days Young Film Makers Project. Ms. Whitebay has worked tirelessly in presenting the needs of the dyslexic population to parents, county officials and more recently to legislators , assemblymen, senators, congressmen and  aides in Albany and Washington D.C.. She is employed by the Highland Central School District for over sixteen years and has created a successful program for dyslexic students utilizing the multi-sensory curriculum of the Orton- Gillingham Approach and structured literacy. 

The attendees included parents, children, educators and other notable participants.  Among them were Barbara Vivolo, co-founding member of Decoding Dyslexia New York, Herbert Litts III, Ulster County Legislator and Lana Fishbein, Trainee at The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators, along with Barbara Jacobini, from the Plattekill Library and The Dyslexia Library Initiative. This year, the Dyslexic Days event partnered with Decoding Dyslexia New York and other  individuals interested in helping dyslexics. The first speaker, Barbara Vivolo focused on the importance of having vision and a destination for both dyslexics and those championing their cause. Some of her key talking points were as follows:

It is hard to see yourself in the future if you don't believe in yourself today.

If you do not acknowledge and honor your abilities and successes today, it is hard to believe in your education and success in the future.

It is difficult to believe in your education and success in the future, if you don't believe in your accomplishments and abilities today. 

She posed a question to dyslexics and parents, “What is happening to you now and what is your destination?” Without a destination in mind, a ship is easily blown off course.

Capitalizing on this theme, Ms. Whitebay explained that “ One day the wind blew Legislator Herb Litts  to my driveway while he was running for office." She seized the opportunity to tell him all about what was happening in the world of dyslexics in Ulster County and the need for county support. Having had a daughter that had some learning differences, as well as himself, Evelyn  found a supportive ear. It was through this relationship that Ms. Whitebay  was invited to speak at the Ulster County Health and Social Services  Committee and then to the Ulster County Legislature. At that time, they unanimously passed a memorializing resolution to designate the month of October 2015 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month. 

Herb Litts, who sponsored the resolution on a county level, then read the proclamation and his intention to also include October 2016 for Dyslexia Awareness. He spoke briefly about his daughter and the need to educate students who learn differently from the mainstream. He himself was a visual learner who excelled in math, and graduated with an engineering degree, though he had problems with reading. He called for the importance of awareness about dyslexia and the need to help erase the stigma associated with it. He also promoted the idea of prescreening for kindergartens and alternative methods of teaching instead of “forcing round pegs into square holes.”  He believes the whole nation loses when you don’t teach children correctly. For the future, he plans on attending more sub- committee meetings to present information about their progress in the county regarding this issue. As the lead engineer for the building of the new Tappan Zee Bridge he views himself as one who is building bridges between the county and the state in regards to dyslexia.

The last formal speaker, Lana Fisbein, is a math tutor who was born in Russia, but did not let a language barrier put a stop to her teaching. She utilizes math manipulates and principals of visual learning from the Orton Gillingham Approach. She sees a connection between math and dyslexics as a field where they can excel because of what is available for them in order to decode math language. She believes in helping children find what they are good at, or in other words “their gifting.” Using Einstein as an example, she explained that until he went to the Sidwell School (that taught to his strength and learning style), he was considered woefully below average. He did not learn to read until he was nine, but he helped his father with the plans to build a house. Considered one of the brilliant scientists of the twentieth century, his genius was not found in decoding words, but in the manipulation of images and the visual decoding of mathematics.  “The beauty of the Orton Gillingham Approach,” stated Ms. Fishbein “is the bright visuals in which students can play with and then transition into learning.” Her vision is for specialized manipulatives such as the math cubes to be utilized with dyslexic students in high school and college mathematics.

 The day continued with interviews of parents which were videotaped and recorded for potential us in the  documentary, "The Divided States of Dyslexia."  Some of the interviewee's were the following: Kate Collins Dutchess County Community College Academic Services, parents of dyslexics Christie and Demetrius Katsaitis  and Jennifer Lynch and family.

Questions were tailored to the individuals, parents, students and teachers. Here is a sampling:  

Parents:

1. What about dyslexia should every parent know?

2. What did it mean to you as a parent when you learned your child was

diagnosed?

3. Did you have to advocate for your child to the school or did the school

already have programs/tutors in place for dyslexics?

4. What strategy or piece of advice do you wish you knew when you first

learned your child needed help?

5. Is there any sport, art or other passion your child has that has helped your

child develop confidence?

In addition, materials, such as the base ten cubes, were available to be used by children and adults alike. Fliers, brochures and pictures celebrating the Ulster County Proclamation and other dyslexia related events were displayed, such as Capitol Hill Day by Decoding Dyslexia and the Dyslexia caucus to name a few. Last year's notable attendee, Steven Polk, director of  Providence Production  films, was unable to attend the 2nd Annual Dyslexic Days Celebration  as he was pulled away to make preparations for Dyslexia Hill Day Events 2016 at the Capitol Complex in Washington, DC. My next article will summarize the exciting news of the progress made for dyslexics there.

So what's happening with you in the world of dyslexia? Do you have something to share about this? If so, please leave a comment about it or about the article. If you would like to receive a notice when the next article is published, please consider following this blog.