July 19, 2023, Tupelo (MS) Daily Journal: Regional Rehab to host new dyslexia summit Thursday https://www.djournal.com/news/local/regional-rehab-to-host-new-dyslexia-summit-thursday/article_fe699eb4-2016-11ee-8437-3f12ea47b4d0.html
The Regional Rehabilitation Center will host a free informational event this week to teach attendees about the challenges associated with dyslexia.
On July 20, the Regional Rehabilitation Center will hold their inaugural Dyslexia Summit, a free event for parents and educators meant to inform them about everything surrounding dyslexia in children.
The event will run from 8 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m. in the Cadence Bank Conference Center, with a brief breakfast and lunch provided. There will be speakers from the Tupelo School District, Mississippi Department of Education, as well as dyslexia experts.
Although it is completely free to the public, educators will be able to purchase continuing education credits (CEUs) for $15….
“It is an event, really, to educate families, or anybody, who just wants to learn more about dyslexia, and get some tools to help not only in their families, but at the schools or wherever they work,” Parman said.
According to Parman, the summit was born out of an increasing need for dyslexia information throughout the community, despite the center’s ever-growing dyslexia department.
“(The dyslexia department) has grown in the past five years from two to nine individuals,” Parman said. “But still, even though we were able to do that, our waiting list was over a year long.”
It saddened Parman and other members of the center that so many people needed help that they could not provide….
Information and resources are hugely important for both educators and parents of children struggling with dyslexia.
“I think it’s just so important for (parents and educators) to know what (dyslexia) is because, for the child, for the person with dyslexia, it can really take a toll on their self-esteem,” Kendall Walker, a dyslexia educator with the center, said.
Laurie Alford, another dyslexia educator and former first grade teacher, emphasized that it is especially important for educators to be aware of how to teach those with reading difficulties.
“Chances are, 1 out of every 5 children in a classroom are going to have reading problems,” Alford said. “Really, some of the strategies that we do are just good strategies for everybody.”…
Within the past year, the center has partnered with several school districts — including Union County, New Albany, and Itawamba County — to place dyslexia therapists in schools.
“We plan on continuing with our therapists being in those school districts this year, and we’re also looking at other school districts,” Parman said.
The summit is open to all who are interested, and Parman stated they will be accepting registration until the moment the event starts.
Comments