InSights

Nebraska Dyslexia Association

P.O. Box 6302, Lincoln NE 68506 402.434.6434 www.ne-da.org

Ideas & Solutions from the Nebraska Dyslexia Association

October, 2015

Events Calendar

October: Dyslexia Awareness Month Oct. 22 “When Your Child Struggles with

Reading, Writing and Spelling? Omaha

Oct. 22-23 NE Lutheran Educators’

Conference, Concordia School, Omaha

Oct. 28-31 IDA Conference, Dallas, TX

Oct. 31 NDA Fall Celebration

Nov. 5 “If Your Child Struggles With Reading

Writing and Spelling” workshop, Omaha

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Omaha Area Opportunities

Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015

St. Andrew’s Methodist Church

15050 W. Maple Rd., Omaha, NE

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Q & A Panel to follow movie

The movie will touch hearts, invoke questions, and

clear up misunderstandings about dyslexia and

related reading, spelling and writing difficulties.

The film not only clears up the misconceptions about

this language-based disability, but also paints a

picture of hope for all who struggle with it.

There is NO charge for the movie showing.

When Your Child Struggles with Reading, Writing and Spelling

Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015

St. Andrew’s Methodist Church

15050 W. Maple Rd., Omaha, NE

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Parents and educators will appreciate learning key

multisensory learning strategies in helping

individuals who have dyslexia.

There is NO charge for the workshop.

For more information, contact the

Nebraska Dyslexia Association

www.ne-da.org or 402.434.6434

St. Mark’s Methodist Church

Upper Fellowship Hall

8550 Pioneers Blvd., Lincoln, NE

“Brain Processing and Preschool

Behaviors: Early Literacy Practices

That Make a Difference” Dr. Victoria Molfese, Chancellor Professor in the

Dept. of Child, Youth and Family Studies, UNL

Journeys with Dyslexia

Bill Black

Alex Filing, age 12

Recognition of Achievement

Dr.Linda Douglas (posthumously)

Dr. Victoria Molfese

Dr. Dennis Molfese

2015 – Year in Review

“Insights” to the future

All are welcome!

Fall Celebration

Saturday, Oct.31, 2015

9-11:00 a.m.

Kymberli Blomenberg is currently a lead teacher/interventionist at a private intervention school, Phoenix Academy. She has been in the educational field for the last 13 years. Kym has had a range of experiences in grades pre-k through high school in various school settings such as private, therapeutic, and public school settings. Kym earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech Language Pathology in 1999, Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 2003 and a Masters of Science in Special Education in 2013. It is her passion to be an educator that changes lives and provides the most impactful educational experiences for all student whom she encounters. When Kym is not devoting her time to her profession she enjoys spending time with her 13 year old son, Alexander and her husband Nathan.

Karlene Tyler currently lives in Omaha, NE. She is married to Patrick Tyler and together they have 3 children: Danielle 16, Aislyn 14, and Kian 11. She works part-time at St. Patrick's Catholic School in Elkhorn, NE as a Team Teacher in the Resource Department. Karlene is also pursuing a Master's Degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in Clinical Mental Health & School Counseling. In addition Karlene is a Graduate Assistant at UNO in the College of Education. She loves working with kids and helping them strive to a high level of emotional, social and academic success in school. In her free time she loves to curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book, exercise or watch a good movie. Karlene also loves spending time with friends and family.

Meet the newly appointed NDA Board Members

Nebraska District Educators’ Conference

October 22-23, 2015

Concordia Jr. – Sr. High, Omaha

Shelli Cook and Eileen Vautravers will present: “Warning Signs of Reading Struggles and Intervention Techniques” on Thursday. NDA will provide an information booth both days of the conference.

Morning snacks and finger foods are needed for the

Fall Celebration. All members attending,

Please help!

PLUM CREEK FESTIVAL

Literacy Festival on October 3 in Seward, NE. The festival was well-attended by many educators and featured 10 authors. Kathy and Kym connected with more than 30 individuals, many of whom were either related to or teachers of learning disabled students. They will be contacting those who signed in, to share the mission and purpose of NDA, to inquire how NDA can assist them, and to request their support for our organization.

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Kathy Anthes and Kym Blomenburg, NDA Board members, manned the NDA booth at the 20th annual Plum Creek Children’s

Plan to join us for the annual

NDA Fall Celebration on Oct. 31st. Two lucky individuals will receive

a free membership for 2016!

Dyslexia resolution passes by unanimous vote October 12, 2015 By Mikulski Communications

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) today announced that the U.S. Senate has passed their bipartisan resolution by unanimous consent designating October 2015 as “National Dyslexia Awareness Month,” recognizing that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed. The resolution is supported by all 50 states of Decoding Dyslexia, Dyslexic Advantage, International Dyslexia Association, Learning Ally, Louisiana Key Academy, National Center for Learning Disabilities, The Odyssey School in Stevenson, Maryland, and the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. “Dyslexia is a learning disability that cuts across class, race, age and zip code. Kids with dyslexia need attention from caring, highly-skilled teachers and special services that are essential to setting them on the path for a lifetime of self-sufficiency,” Senator Mikulski said. “With early diagnosis and identification, targeted instruction and adjustments, students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities will have the tools and resources necessary to be successful. That’s why I’m fighting to shine a spotlight on this very important issue affecting families across Maryland and America.” The Resolution, S. Res. 275, can be read HERE and below: 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”. Whereas dyslexia is— (1) defined as an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader; and (2) due to a difficulty in getting to the individual sounds of spoken language, which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, spell, and often, learn a language; Whereas dyslexia is the most common learning disability and affects 80 percent to 90 percent of all individuals with a learning disability; Whereas an individual with dyslexia may have weakness in decoding or reading fluency and strength in higher level cognitive functions, such as reasoning, critical thinking, concept formation, or problem solving; Whereas great progress has been made in understanding dyslexia on a scientific level, including the epidemiology and cognitive and neurobiological bases of dyslexia; and Whereas early diagnosis of dyslexia is critical for ensuring that individuals with dyslexia receive focused, evidence-based intervention that leads to the promotion of self-awareness and self-empowerment and the provision of necessary accommodations so as to ensure school and life success: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) calls on Congress, schools, and State and local educational agencies to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed; and (2) designates October 2015 as “National Dyslexia Awareness Month”.

NDA Board of Directors Happenings

NDA membership has topped 100! We’re MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

NDA and FONDA are working on strategic planning for forthcoming events/projects.

NDA now has a 32-inch Flat Screen TV monitor for use at our information booths—

thanks to Dr. Larry and Peg Fletcher. We appreciate you!

Governor Pete Ricketts declared October as “Dyslexia Awareness Month”.

October events include an information booth at the Plum Creek Festival, Presentation

and booth at the Lutheran Educators’ Conference, showing of “The Big Picture:

Rethinking Dyslexia” in Omaha and the annual Fall Celebration of which we are

expecting over 100 attendance. NDA will provide a presentation on Nov. 5th in

Omaha.

The “Members Only” meeting with Drs. Dennis and Victoria Molfese was well attended

and appreciated. More “Members Only” events are being planned for 2016.

NDA is participating in “Prosper Lincoln” planning.

A Community Engagement Plan will be initiated in early 2016.

NDA has sent in presentation proposals for the 2016 NE State Reading Association

conference.

The NE Christian Home Educators Association has requested screenings for reading

difficulties and presentations for their April, 2016 conference.

The NDA Orton-Gillingham trained tutor list growing . Updating is needed.

Facebook and Twitter continue to be VERY active. Check them out.

See you at the FALL CELEBRATION!

Are you willing to share your story? The Friends of Nebraska Dyslexia Association

(FONDA) plans to prepare a powerpoint presentation of pictures or video clips of

individuals with dyslexia who are willing to share their story. All ages are included. If you

are interested, please contact Marilyn Hoskins (marilyn.m.hoskins@gmail.com). This is

exciting! More information at the Fall Celebration. Photo shoots available immediately

following the Fall Celebration if you’re interested.

My name is ____________,

And I have dyslexia!

“There are many kinds of success in life worth having.” Theodore Roosevelt, 26

th President of the United States

Why Bother with Cursive?

In the first place, cursive is undeniably much faster. “Kate Gladstone, a handwriting specialist

based in Albany, estimates that while a student needs to jot down 100 legible words a minute to

follow a typical lecture, someone using print can manage only 30” (Freedman, 2005).

When writing cursive, the word becomes a unit, rather than a series of separate strokes, and correct

spelling is more likely to be retained.

All lower case cursive letters can begin on the line, so fewer of them are likely to be reversed.

Most critically, handwriting engages more cognitive resources than keyboarding does (Berninger,

2012).

Other benefits from teaching cursive include the ability to read cursive. The Declaration of

Independence and many other important archival documents are written in cursive. A cursive

signature is more difficult to forge than a printed one.

Anna Gillingham advocated teaching cursive from the beginning, and many schools designed for

students with dyslexia do the same (e.g., The Kildonan School, Camperdown Academy, and

Sandhills School). In France, and in many other European countries, cursive is taught from the

beginning.

It has been argued (by some who should know better) that learning to write using cursive makes it

more difficult for beginning readers. This is simply not the case. Reading and writing, although

both tasks involve written language processes, engage different circuits within the brain. First

graders can easily master formation of lower-case cursive letters by Christmas. When working with

older students from fourth or fifth grade on up, I have never needed to spend more than two weeks

establishing formation of these letters. Upper case letters take longer, but students can certainly

continue to print upper case letters in the meantime.

Before the student begins to write on paper, all cursive formations should be practiced with the

student standing up and working on a whiteboard or chalkboard. The four-step multisensory

procedure known as “Trace, Copy, Cover, Closed” is vital (March 2015 IDA Examiner). Be sure

that each letter begins on the line and ends with a “smile” that is the beginning of the connecting

stroke to the following letter.

Use of “Simultaneous Oral Spelling” (i.e., SOS) is important. As students form each letter when

writing a word, they say the letter name (not the sound) out loud. Say to the student, “Always tell

your hand what to do.” This procedure, known as Simultaneous Oral Spelling, or SOS, reinforces

letter formation.

From the beginning, it is essential to establish correct posture, paper position, and pencil grip:

Posture

The student sits with back straight or tilted slightly forward and feet firmly on the floor. The

desktop should be no more than two inches above the elbow when the arm is hanging down

by the student’s side. If the desk cannot be adjusted, use a pillow and a box or stool so that

the feet are not left to dangle. Both elbows should be on the table—we call this the “listening

and learning position.”

Paper Position

The paper must be slanted at a forty-five degree angle that is parallel to the writing arm.

Thus the arm can pivot freely from the elbow as the writing moves across the page. The non-

writing hand is kept at the top of the page to anchor the paper and to move it up—like the

roller in a typewriter. Correct positioning is especially important to avoid the left-handed

hook. Anna Gillingham said that people who use this hooked position are “a monument to

the ignorance or laziness of that child’s teacher.” Taping or painting a “V” at the bottom of

the desk can serve as a reminder. Another method is to have parallel lines slanted according

to the child’s handedness as a guide.

Pencil Grip

The pencil is gripped between the thumb and index finger, with the middle finger forming a

shelf underneath. The end of the pencil should point toward the shoulder. All fingers are

slightly bent. This is known as the “tripod grip” and is the most efficient.

There are various pencil grips and pencils on the market designed to help students hold their

pencils appropriately. Avoid cheap ballpoints that write only when the pencil is held vertical to the

paper. Sometimes gel pens or felt-tipped pens work best. Experiment to find what is most helpful to

the individual.

Students should learn to write cursive letters in an order based on ease of formation. The “finish-

later letters” (i.e., i, t, f, j – below in cursive) need special practice so that the student does not stop

in the middle of the word in order to add the dot or the cross. The most difficult to connect are the

“bridge letters” (i.e., b, v, w – below in cursive). Connecting these letters requires targeted practice.

Practicing a letter formation a few times is more effective than writing endless lines of a single

letter. Once the alphabet has been mastered, it should be practiced daily at the beginning of every

session. The twenty-six letters should be written in two lines, a to m and n to z.

Encourage students to work slowly and carefully at first. Eventually, they should be able to write

the lower-case alphabet in less than two minutes.

Upper-case cursive letters are more problematic. All lower-case cursive letters begin on the line. In

contrast, only four upper-case cursive letters begin on the line (i.e., I, J, G, and S – below in

cursive). For this reason, cursive capitals are best taught in groups according to beginning strokes.

Most cursive capital letters end on the line and join directly to the next letter, but six do not (i.e., D,

P, T, V, W, X – below in cursive).

The earlier cursive is mastered, the more likely it is to become established as a life-long habit. Never

forget: Writing exercises the brain, keyboarding the fingers.

REFERENCES

Berninger, V.W. (May-June 2012). Strengthening the Mind’s Eye: The Case for Continued Handwriting Instruction in

the 21st Century. Principal, 28-31.

Freedman, S. G. (January 19, 2005). Back to the Basics of a Legible Hand. On Education. The New York Times.

Klemm, W.R. (March 14, 2013). Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter. Psychology Today.

Mueller, P.A. & Oppenheimer, D.M. (2014). The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over

Laptop Note Taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159-1168.

Diana Hanbury King, Lit.hum.Dr.h.c., F/AOGPE, was the founder of Camp Dunnabeck in 1965 and co-founder of The

Kildonan School in 1969. She was a Founding Fellow of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and

Educators (AOGPE). Her vision created cutting edge education for students with dyslexia, and she developed a

program for training teachers at Kildonan that has become a model program. Dr. King has also published teaching

Used by Permission from the International Dyslexia Association

Nebraska Dyslexia Association Board

Carolyn Brandle, President Shelli Cook , Vice President

Peggy Stahr, Secretary Eileen Vautravers, Past President

Gwelda Carlson, Treasurer

Kathy Anthes Cheryl Reed Gina Fuelberth David Staenberg Marilyn Hoskins David Williams Clarice Jackson Kymberli Blomenberg Kathy Johnson Karlene Tyler Becky Kugler

Sharon O’Neal, ex-officio (FONDA)

Joan Stoner, ex-officio (NDA Advisory Council)

Nebraska Dyslexia Association Membership Form

Name_____________________________________________ Date_________________________

Home address__________________________ City________________ State____ Zip_________

Home phone ______________________________ Cell phone_____________________________

Email ____________________________________ Employer_____________________________

Check one or more:

____Parent ____Teacher ____Tutor/Therapist ____Administrator ____ Psychologist

____Speech-Language Pathologist ____Advocate ____Physician ____College Student

____Other __________________________________

Yearly membership dues $40.00 ……………………………… $ 40.00

Donation to NDA ……………………………………………… $ ________ I want to expand NDA’s mission across Nebraska with my contribution

Total $ .

Make checks payable to Nebraska Dyslexia Association. Send to NDA, P.O. Box 6302, Lincoln, NE

68506

The Nebraska Dyslexia Association is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

Join or renew your Nebraska Dyslexia Association membership TODAY!

ALL NDA dues go for programs and services within Nebraska. Support for parents

and educators available at 402.434.6434 or info@ne-da.org or www.ne-da.org.