Decoding Dyslexia Maryland

Fearless Conversations on Literacy and Equity in the 21st Century: Closing the Opportunity Gap

1/15/2021

On Friday, January 8, The University of Maryland held its first Fearless Conversation on Literacy & Equity in the 21st Century.

Excerpted from UMD's website:

Literacy is the most basic, fundamental skill that has profound impact for future success including: academic achievement, economic freedom, and career and income prospects. Yet many children struggle to achieve proficiency in reading in Maryland and across the country. When the 2019 NAEP reading scores are broken out by race, the picture is grim, only 22% of Black and Hispanic students scored at or above proficient in reading and 78% scored at a basic or below basic level.

The College of Education at the University of Maryland, in conjunction with the School of Public Policy and the Language & Literacy Research Center; the Maryland State Department of Education; and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) of Maryland, are holding a one-day Literacy and Equity in the 21st Century Summit to examine “the literacy gap”.

The goals of the Summit are twofold:

To build awareness, engagement, and commitment throughout the state of Maryland on implementing scientifically-supported literacy instruction that is equitable for all children and
To provide an architecture for statewide solutions to implement approaches to achieving equity through literacy for all.

Stay tuned for the outcomes report from the Summit which will include next steps. If you would like to participate or learn more, please contact djbolger@umd.edu.

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Register Today for the Special Education & School Closures Webinar with Special Education Attorney Nicole Joseph

4/3/2020

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Literacy for All: Equitable Practices for Reading & Dyslexia Conference, Feb. 20

1/26/2020

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media alert

conference handouts

The Literacy for All Conference content is provided by the National Center on Improving Literacy (NCIL), Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and St. Mary's County Public Schools.

LIVE-STREAMING: The opening remarks by Decoding Dyslexia MD at 8:30am and the Keynote, delivered by NCIL’s Sarah Sayko, at 9:00AM, were live-streamed by WETA/Reading Rockets on DDMD’s and is available on the link posted above.

SESSION RECORDINGS: will be available in the next few weeks and are made possible by NCIL and WETA/Reading Rockets.

Session Information

CONTENT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT PERSONNEL

The break out sessions begin at 10;30 and focus on evidence aligned best practices to support students who are at risk for reading difficulties and dyslexia using a prevention framework of strong screening and science aligned core reading instruction along with evidence based supplemental and intensive interventions. NCIL will provide 2 sessions on screening for reading difficulties and 2 sessions on reading instruction and interventions -- sessions will be held separately for school district personnel in Room 431. The screening for reading and dyslexia presentation will include a presentation by Dr. Kelli Cummings, Assistant Professor, University of MD College Park, Scott Szczerbiak, Director of Special Education & Cortney Dvorak, Supervisor of Instruction in Reading, St. Mary’s County Public Schools -- NCIL and SMCPS are partnering on a program to implement screening in St. Mary's County for PK-2. Please join them to learn more about this effort.

CONFERENCE CONTENT (Keynote & Legislative Update, Livestream)

9:00-10:15, KEYNOTE. Join us for the Keynote session to hear from Deputy Director of NCIL, Sarah Sayko about the important of reading screening and how core instruction and supplemental reading interventions can support and respond to screening data. Put these ideas to work in your classroom!

9:30 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Delegate Luedtke will join us and provide an overview of the Blueprint for Maryland legislation (Kirwan) and provide details on the Reading and Dyslexia Handbook bills, HB 718 and SB 575.

SCREENING & RESPONSE TO SCREENING. Parents and dyslexia practitioners will learn about best practices for reading screening, core instruction and interventions for dyslexia from NCIL experts. Please join us and find out how screening should look in the classroom and how to interpret the screening data to support your student.

PARENT AND SCHOOL RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. Sarah Sayko will describe partnerships that create positive student outcomes. Please join us to learn more about how to approach your school and the questions to ask and the answers that can be provided to help your student learn to read.

CUPCAKES, COFFEE & CONVERSATION. Delegates and Senators are invited to rooms 170 and 180 for the annual Dyslexia Advocacy Day open house. Please invite your legislator to attend even if you've planned to meet with them in their offices. It's always nice to mingle over cake and coffee!

COMMUNITY PARTNER OPEN HOUSE. Organizations that support students with dyslexia and reading difficulties will be available during the day to chat about their services and materials to support families. Please stop by their tables and learn all about it!

For more information, scroll down for downloadable bios, bill language, session descriptions, the registration link and the program schedule. We hope to see you there!

STUDENT SESSION. Bring your students for a down to earth session on cultivating advocacy skills and growing their personal dyslexia stories and testimonials. Each student will create a special earth-focused project for their legislators! PDF Flyer

About NCIL

NCIL is a partnership among literacy experts, researchers, and technical assistance providers at the University of Oregon, Florida State University, and RMC Research Corporation. Authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act and funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the goal of NCIL is to improve access to and use of evidence-based approaches to screen, identify, and treat students with literacy-related disabilities, including dyslexia. NCIL and St. Mary's County Public Schools have a Beacon Site Screening Program and details on on the NCIL website.

linked_agenda_literacy_for_all.pdf
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presenter_bios_literacy_for_all.pdf
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session_descriptions.pdf
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legislator_invite_advocacy.pdf
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hb0718f.pdf
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student_flyer_2020.pdf
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Shareable Images

Guide to Your Day in Annapolis

CLICK for the Advocacy Toolkit on the Maryland Reading & Dyslexia Handbook Legislation

Advocacy Day: Brought to You in Part By our Community Partners

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Dyslexia Advocacy Day in Annapolis: Feb. 20, 2019

11/18/2019

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Decoding Dyslexia Maryland Celebrates Dyslexia Awareness Month!

9/30/2019

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For many in the DDMD community, every day is dyslexia awareness day. But the month of October -- WOWZA!

Whether you change your profile picture or attend a dyslexia simulation, your involvement in furthering the understanding of dyslexia is welcomed and appreciated. Below are just a few examples of Dyslexia Awareness opportunities. Follow DDMD on Facebook and Twitter for updates and additional information throughout October.

DDMD Frederick County will host a Dyslexia Awareness and Simulation Night on October 17, 2019. Seats are limited and a RSVP is required. Please come early in the evening to participate in the resource fair at 6:00 p.m. The Simulation begins at 6:45 p.m.

The International Dyslexia Association's October calendar includes many ideas for virtual and community based programs. The IDA is also providing weekly themes and Facebook Awareness Month frames. Click on these links to access #StepUpforDyslexia and #DyslexiaAroundtheWorl d.
On October 9, 2019 The Summit School is hosting a Community Talk: Dyslexia Myths and Truths. Click here for more information.
The Dyslexic Advantage provides suggestions on ways to promote positive dyslexia awareness this month. Ideas include having conversations with peers and sharing resources.
All month long, the National Center on Improving Literacy will promote dyslexia awareness by offering parents, teachers, and policymakers resources that will help them understand and address dyslexia. NCIL will be releasing new dyslexia resources and using the hashtag #DyslexiaAwareness. The website includes the PDF document, Dyslexia Screening Guide.

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The Difference Between Balanced Literacy & Explicit, Systematic Reading Instruction; Friday workshop to be live-streamed!

5/17/2019

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Friday and Saturday Conference Information

Workshop Content

Both the Friday and Saturday workshops are full. The presenters have agreed to allow livestreaming of the presentation on Friday. Please join us on the Decoding Dyslexia Maryland Facebook page for the event beginning at 9:30 today, Friday, May 17.

The Difference Between Balanced Literacy & Explicit, Systematic Reading Instruction: Why it Matters.
Please join reading experts Linda Farrell and Michael Hunter with Readsters for the first of three workshops on reading instruction for young children. If you are a parent or educator and your child or students are learning to read, this workshop is for you. Please register ASAP for one of the three available workshops!

The workshops will include:

Reading simulations to help you understand how it feels to be a struggling reader;
A deep dive into the differences between Balanced Literacy & Systematic, Explicit Reading Instruction, including the research supporting each of the methods for teaching reading;
An overview of research-based scopes and sequences for effective decoding instruction; and
The difference between Decodable Readers and Leveled Readers, and appropriate uses for both.

Additional Information

There will be ample time for questions and answers; workshops include handouts;
Refreshments: Will be limited to coffee and water;
Lunch: Please bring snacks and lunch or be prepared to find lunch nearby.
Arrival Time Friday & Parking: On Friday, May 17, school will be in session. Please arrive NO EARLIER than 9:00 am. If you arrive before 9am, you will interrupt the carpool drop off process and parking will not be available. Please arrive promptly at 9:00 am!
Arrival Time, Saturday: The workshop will begin at 8:30 am for registration and the program will start at 8:45am.

Thank You to Our Community Partners!

Thank you to our Community Partners who made these workshops possible: Linda Farrell and Michael Hunter with Readsters for donating their time to help educate the community about reading instruction that produces successful readers! The Chelsea School and The Summit Schools for donating their locations and for their gracious hosting of Decoding Dyslexia Maryland events and the Learning Disabilities Association of Maryland for co-sponsoring this event and sharing it with their members across the state.

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The Difference Between Balanced Literacy & Systematic, Explicit Reading Instruction

3/23/2019

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Three workshops, 3 dates: all you ever wanted to know about reading instruction what it is, what it is not, and why it matters.

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Dyslexia Advocacy Day 2019: Weather Advisory

1/28/2019

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Facebook page

Dyslexia Advocacy Day will be held regardless of the weather. For attendees who may be delayed, please take your time and drive safely. If too many people are delayed, we will push back the program start time to allow extended travel time. If schools are delayed or canceled, siblings are welcomed! We should have plenty of food and cupcakes for all!

If you have appointments that you will miss due to weather delays and you cannot reschedule or attend, please contact DecodingDyselxiaMD@gmail.com and we will find someone to attend your meetings. If you are delayed and can attend late, please reschedule your meetings or suggest that your legislator join you at the Legislative Meet and Greet "Cupcakes, Coffee and Conversation" from 1-4pm.

For up to the minute updates, please refer to the Decoding Dyslexia Maryland Facebook Page.

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Dyslexia Advocacy Day In Annapolis, 2019: Ready to Read!

12/17/2018

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All About the Ready to Read Act

Please see our Fact Sheets page to learn all about the Ready to Read Act!

Materials to Support Reading & Dyslexia Advocacy

Preparing to Advocate: Is a helpful guide help you set up your meetings. Includes a sample email, the daily schedule and tells you how to find your legislator.

Dyslexia Advocacy Day Guide. This is a printable that includes information about parking, registration, food, reminders on how to talk with your legislators, a program, downloadable images, Twitter # and a link to the Twitter guide and much more!

Honing Your Story. Are you fretting over your personal story? Don't worry, we have a handy guide to telling your story and it's all on one page! You can also view a parent and student story and to see what others are saying.

Program Details. Please join us for Advocacy Day! 3 break out session workshops are planned for attendees. The workshops rotate allowing you to get an extra dose of information on each topic. Each session is 20 minutes and is led by experienced DDMD parent advocates.

Unpacking the Ready to Read Act
How to Advocate Annapolis Style
Honing Your Story

Student Program: Facilitators will help students tell their story, discover their individual strengths through role-playing activities, and create a fun, make-and-take activity. Students will have an opportunity to talk through their own unique perspective with their peers, guided by our facilitators and learn how the Ready to Read Act impacts their own journey, past and present. Read all about it in the details.

Remember to invite your legislator and other policy friends to stop by for a Cupcake, Coffee & Conversation anytime between 1-4pm in room 180!

THANK YOU COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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Screening for Reading Difficulties & Dyslexia Symposium, 2018

11/24/2018

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The development of reading skills is one of the essential goals of early education, yet reading difficulties present potentially serious, often lifelong challenges for at-risk students, especially thos with dyslexia. The symposium, intended for parents, educators, administrators, clinicians, and legislators, brings together three internationally recognized experts.

Dr. Fumiko Hoeft and Dr. Nadine Gaab will share new research on the neurobiological markers for dyslexia and the optimal early screening and diagnostic protocols tha can help educators and parents identify children with dyslexia as soon as possible. Dr. Hoeft will also describe the role of resilience and compensation in mitigating the effects of dyslexia.

Sandra Dillon will address specific intervention methods that can dramatically improve outcomes for those with moderate to severe dyslexia.

LINKS:

DC IDA Capital Area Branch, Events
Registration
Sponsorship & Exhibitor Information
Kennedy Krieger Institute

DDMD Member Discount

Link to Screening Email

DDMD Member Discount: Join DDMD and you are eligibile for a discount. Members can register under the school personnel tab; at check in, let registration know you are a DDMD member.

Honoring Maryland's Own, Dr. Martha Bridge Denckla

Dr. Martha Denckla, Professor Emeritus and Research Scientist, Institute -- Director, Developmental Cognitive Neurology Clinic at Kennedy Krieger, will be honored during the Symposium for her groundbreaking contributions to the field of dyslexia research and diagnosis.

The symposium is a partnership between the Capital Area Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (DCIDA) and Decoding Dyslexia Maryland.

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<<Previous

Fearless Conversations on Literacy and Equity in the 21st Century: Closing the Opportunity Gap

Register Today for the Special Education & School Closures Webinar with Special Education Attorney Nicole Joseph

Literacy for All: Equitable Practices for Reading & Dyslexia Conference, Feb. 20

Session Information

CLICK for the Advocacy Toolkit on the Maryland Reading & Dyslexia Handbook Legislation

Advocacy Day: Brought to You in Part By our Community Partners

Dyslexia Advocacy Day in Annapolis: Feb. 20, 2019

Decoding Dyslexia Maryland Celebrates Dyslexia Awareness Month!

The Difference Between Balanced Literacy & Explicit, Systematic Reading Instruction; Friday workshop to be live-streamed!

Friday and Saturday Conference Information

Workshop Content

Thank You to Our Community Partners!

The Difference Between Balanced Literacy & Systematic, Explicit Reading Instruction

Dyslexia Advocacy Day 2019: Weather Advisory

Dyslexia Advocacy Day In Annapolis, 2019: Ready to Read!

THANK YOU COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Screening for Reading Difficulties & Dyslexia Symposium, 2018

The symposium is a partnership between the Capital Area Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (DCIDA) and Decoding Dyslexia Maryland.

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