The Dyslexia Den
Dyslexia Information for Celina ISD Students and Parents
February 2022
Happy 2022! If you are new here, welcome! The purpose of this newsletter is to provide students, parents, and families relevant information and resources related to dyslexia. This newsletter is published two times per year...once in October and once in February. Past publications are linked on the Celina ISD website under District, Departments, and Dyslexia if you are interested.
Let's talk about the power and the weight of words. I recently attended a training where the speaker referenced the novel Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens as she was talking about words. She shared a quote from the novel that says, "I wasn't aware that words could hold so much. I didn't know a sentence could be so full." Think about these words: "I love you." "Will you marry me?" "We'd like to offer you the job." "It's a girl!" "It's a boy!" "Her prognosis does not look favorable." "I am sorry to tell you this, but she is no longer with us." These are some weighty and powerful experiences with words that have drastically impacted my life. The speaker went on to say that the "connection of humanity is rolled up in words," and I would have to agree!
Dyslexia is a language-based, neurobiological condition that can negatively impact a person's relationship with words...specifically reading and manipulating sounds at the word level. The good news is that brain pathways can be retrained with multisensory instruction and ultimately, a relationship with words and reading can be restored!
One of the resources that we have available to students in Celina ISD is Learning Ally. Learning Ally is an audiobook solution that provides a way to give students...WORDS! Keep reading below for additional information about Learning Ally.
Please make yourself familiar with the resources in this newsletter to support you and your child(ren).
Happy Reading,
Lei Ann Stovall
Coordinator of Dyslexia and Literacy
Did you know that your child has this resource available? Click the "Have You Heard of Learning Ally?" title above to visit their website. Please contact me or your child's literacy teacher with any questions you may have.
DYSLEXIA LIBRARY
* Reviews included in this newsletter are paraphrased from Amazon.com and the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," said the Sloth
I Got a D in Salami (Book #2 in the Hank Zipzer series)
Inspired by the true life experiences of Henry Winkler, whose undiagnosed dyslexia made him a classic childhood underachiever, the Hank Zipzer series is about the high-spirited and funny adventures of a boy with learning differences.
It's science project time in Ms. Adolf's class. This is good news and bad news for Hank-he loves science, but he hates the report part. So Hank turns to TV to take his mind off things. But when the program directory scrolls by too quickly for Hank to know what's on, he decides to take apart the cable box to try to slow down the crawl. Great! Now Hank has found the perfect science project!
Dyslexia Handbook: 2021 Update
NEW!! On September 3rd, 2021 the State Board of Education (SBOE) gave final approval for updates to the Dyslexia Handbook. The updated Dyslexia Handbook goes into effect on February 10, 2022.
The handbook contains guidelines for school districts to follow as they identify and provide services for students with dyslexia. In addition, information regarding the state's dyslexia statutes and their relation to various federal laws is included.
The new Dyslexia Handbook will also be linked on the Celina ISD webpage.
Important Change to the 2021 Dyslexia Handbook
One key revision to the 2021 Dyslexia Handbook is the single pathway evaluation under Special Education. If a parent requests an evaluation or the school suspects that a student may have dyslexia or a related disorder, they must seek parental consent for a Full Individual Intitial Evaluation (FIIE) under the IDEA.
This change will allow for a comprehensive and thorough evaluation. Although the evaluation will be completed under Special Education, the ARD committee will determine the student's placement should the evaluation reveal a need for services.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding the single pathway approach for a dyslexia evaluation.
SPEDTex
SPOTLIGHT on Famous People with Dyslexia
Henry Winkler has enjoyed a successful acting career, but did you know he is also an accomplished author? Winkler has authored two childrens' books series (Hank Zipzer & Here's Hank) featuring the smart and funny main character, Hank Zipzer, who also happens to have dyslexia. Winkler is a big advocate for people with dyslexia and his goal is to encourage all children to read.
Celina Independent School District
Lei Ann Stovall
Coordinator of Dyslexia and Literacy
Email: leiannstovall@celinaisd.com
Website: celinaisd.com
Location: 205 South Colorado Street, Celina, TX, USA
Phone: 469.742.9100