Decoding Dyslexia - NY

Advocate. Educate. Legislate.

Legislation and awareness

A universal definition and understanding of Dyslexia in the New York State Education Code Teacher training on Dyslexia, its warning signs and appropriate intervention strategies based on evidence, science and practicum Early screening tests for Dyslexia Evidence-based Dyslexia remediation programs implemented with fidelity, which can be accessed by both general and special education populations Access to appropriate assistive technologies in the public school setting for students with Dyslexia.

D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

New York State Pending Legislation for Dyslexia

A2775-2013 (Assembly) Requires the certification or training of teachers, administrators and instructors in the area of Dyslexia and related disorders Law Section: Education Law / Amd SS3004 & 4402

Sponsor: Brennan Multi-sponsors/Co-sponsors: Clark, Cusick, Hooper, McDonald, McDonough, Paulin, Scarbourough, Weprin, Millman, Abinanti, Markey, Miller, Titone, Tedisco, Fahy

S2496-2013 (Senate) Requires the certification or training of teachers, administrators and instructors in the area of Dyslexia and related disorders (same as A2775) Law Section: Education Law / Amd SS3004 & 4402 Sponsor: Addabbo

D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

What is Dyslexia and why should we care?

The Beginning of Wisdom is calling things by their Right Name. Ancient Chinese Proverb

Dyslexia is difficulty with language. It is neurological in nature.

People with Dyslexia often have average (or potentially above average) intelligence yet typically read at levels significantly lower than expected.[1] [2] Dyslexia is not just a reading problem and varies among each person. The differences are personal; the diagnosis is clinical; the treatment is educational; and the understanding is scientific (The Many
Faces of Dyslexia by Margaret Rawson). [1]

An unexpected gap may exists between their potential for learning and their school achievement. Dyslexia is often referred to as a hidden disability. [6] Although there are laws that presumably protect the educational rights of our children with dyslexia, they are broad-based and many times not successful in assisting the vast number of children in closing the educational gap with their peers. Dyslexia is estimated to affect 5% to 17% of the population. The cost of NOT providing meaningful help is too great. [3] [4] [5]

D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

Timing is of an Essence.
Kindergarten thru third grade is a critical period of a childs life. Multiple studies have shown that early reading difficulties without appropriate remediation will have adverse affects leading to high school drop-out, behavioral issues and socio-economic impact. (Juel 1988, Lloyd 1978 and more). If a child leaves 3rd grade not reading at grade level, that child has a 1 out of 7 chance of ever reading at grade level (International Dyslexia Association NY branch). The impact and results of selecting a wrong reading program are profound. [7]
[8]

Educational Treatment shows Scientific Results

Research shows that children identified before second grade can learn to read well with a bonafide scientifically based reading program taught by a qualified teacher. [7] [8] If children are caught later, the odds of bringing them to an acceptable level fall sharply. (Research Moats). [7] [8]
Research involved children with severe dyslexia participating in an intense phonologically-based intervention and showed significant improvement.
D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013

Dyslexia and the Impact on Society

Low literacy is strongly related to crime. 70% of prisoners fall into the lowest two levels of reading proficiency (National Institute for Literacy, 1998).

Welfare recipients ages 17-21 read, on average, at the sixth grade level. When single parents drop out of school, they are likely to drop in to the welfare system(National Institute for Literacy, 1998).

Among adults with low literacy skills, 43 percent live in poverty and 17 percent receive food stamps. In contrast, among adults with strong literacy skills, fewer than five percent live in poverty and fewer than one percent receive food stamps (National Institute for Literacy, 1998).
NYS has one of the highest per student expenditures, yet according to NYSED in 2012, 44.9% (3rd-8th grade) did NOT meet English Language Arts proficiency standards and 84.5% of students with a disability did NOT meet proficiency standards. Despite time, money and resource expenditures, NYS is flailing to improve literacy levels to a respectable level in the public school setting.
D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

Children learn to read at school so they may then read to learn.

Did you know there are decades of research on Dyslexia? and what works?

D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

Have Dyslexia

There is an UPSIDE to Dyslexia

Did you Know?

Over 50% of NASA employees have Dyslexia. They are deliberately sought after due to their superb problem solving, 3D and spatial awareness.
Mary-Margaret Scholtens Director of the Alternative Programs)

D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

Decoding Dyslexia NY is a grassroots movement driven by New York families concerned with the limited access to educational interventions for Dyslexia within our public schools. We aim to Raise Dyslexia awareness Empower families to support their children Inform policy-makers on best practices to identify, instruct and support students with Dyslexia in New York state public schools.
Find us on Facebook Decoding Dyslexia NY

Check out our Website DecodingDyslexiaNY.org

Contact Us INFO@DecodingDyslexiaNY.org
D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

Dyslexia: The MOST Common Learning Disability

LEARNING DISABILITIES
Other 20%

Dyslexia 80%

References: 80% of all identified with a LD have Dyslexia. http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/108th/edr/idea031303/carnine.htm. 80% of all identified with a LD have Dyslexia http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/2/837.full.pdf According to the NIH, 80% of student with a specific learning disability actually have dyslexia. According to the International Dyslexia Association, as Dr. Petrosky notes, 15-20% of all people have a learning disability, and of these, 80% are dyslexic or have language-based disabilities. Approximately 80% of people with learning disabilities have dyslexia. The terms reading disability and dyslexia are often used interchangeably in the literature.8 Dyslexia is a primary reading disorder and results from a written word processing abnormality in the brain. (Shaywitz SE. Dyslexia. N Engl J Med.1998;338 (5):307 312 CrossRefMedlineWeb of Science and Lyon GR. Overview of reading and literacy initiatives: statement to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources; 1998) Dyslexia (or specific reading disability) is the most common and most carefully studied of the SpLD, affecting 80% of all those identified as learning-disabled(4). 4. Shaywitz SE. Dyslexia. N Engl J Med 1998; 338: 307-312.

D. Rafferty Rev 2.10.2014 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org)

Dyslexia in our Public Schools (NYSED)

~80% of NYS students with a Learning Disability have Dyslexia.

D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

55.3% in a Special Education do NOT graduate under current requirements.

95.1% of students with a learning disability are NOT calculated college and career ready.

Decoding Dyslexia USA

46 states & Growing

Never

underestimate the competence of dedicated, educated and passionate parents that are committed to creating positive change. Not for only TODAY but for TOMORROW.
D.Rafferty

And,
D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

NEVER, ever cause harm.

D.Rafferty

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. -Thomas A. Edison
Websites and additional Information: Decoding Dyslexia NY https://www.facebook.com/pages/Decoding-Dyslexia-NY/436855306391150 International Dyslexia Association www.interdys.org National Learning Disability Organization www.ncld.org Bright Solutions for Dyslexia www.dys-add.com Wishes for Literacy http://wishesofliteracy.webs.com/ A Different Way In Reading Center www.differentwayin.org Everyone Reading www.everyonereading.org Academy of Orton Gillingham http://www.ortonacademy.org Texas Education Agency The Dyslexia Handbook www.region10.org/Dyslexia/downloads/dyslexiahdbk.pdf Colorado Department of Education www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/download/pdf/FF-SLD.pdf Mississippi Department of Education www.mde.k12.ms.us/acad/id/curriculum/02.../dyslexiahandbook.PDF

D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.203 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org

References
[1] Ferrer E, Shaywitz BA, Holahan JM, Marchione K, Shaywitz SE (January 2010). "Uncoupling of reading and IQ over time: empirical evidence for a definition of dyslexia". Psychol Sci 21 (1): 93101. doi:10.1177/0956797609354084. PMID 20424029. [2] http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dyslexia/dyslexia.htm [3] McCandliss BD, Noble KG (2003). "The development of reading impairment: a cognitive neuroscience model". Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev 9 (3): 196204. doi:10.1002/mrdd.10080. PMID 12953299. [4] a b Czepita D, Lodygowska E (2006). "[Role of the organ of vision in the course of developmental dyslexia]" (in Polish). Klin Oczna 108 (13): 1103. PMID 16883955. [5] Birsh, Judith R. (2005). "Research and reading disability". In Judith R. Birsh. Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills. Baltimore, Maryland: Paul H. Brookes Publishing. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-55766-678-5. [6] W. Pringle Morgan (cited in Shaywitz, 1996), a doctor in Sussex, England, described the puzzling case of a boy in the British Medical Journal: "Percy aged 14 has always been a bright and intelligent boy, quick at games, and in no way inferior to others of his age. His great difficulty has been and is now his inability to read" (p. 98).

[7] Findings from Neural deficits in children with dyslexia ameliorated by behavioral remediation: Evidence from functional MRI published by the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition 2005
[8] Neural Response to Intervention, The pattern of brain activation can change in response to intervention - Brain surgery by instruction 8 children with severe dyslexia, 8 week intense phonologically-based Intervention - 2 hours a day = up to 80 hours of instruction; Ages 7- 17 years old (significant improvement in reading skills) [9] Birsh, J. R. (Ed.). (2005). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Carreker, S., & Birsh, J. R. (2005). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills: Activity book. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
D. Rafferty Rev 3.21.2013 (debra@decodingdyslexiany.org