Hayden Angay, one of our instructors, has opened Dyslexia Success, an affiliate of The Test Experts. Please check out her website at www.dyslexiasuccess.com for more information about dyslexia and Orton Gillingham remediation.
Puttin’ on the Litz
Recently, The Test Experts supported the 2nd annual Gwinnett County Library Gala! Hosted by the Gwinnett County Public Library Foundation, the Gala raises funds for the library system and raises awareness about current activities and events. The 2019 Gala was hosted by Star 94’s Jenn Hobby and featured gourmet dining, live entertainment, and a silent bid auction. New York Times Bestselling author Diane Ackerman was the keynote speaker featuring her new work, The Zookeeper’s Wife. The Test Experts is a proud supporter of the Gwinnett County Library System!
The Dyslexia Dash was a hit!
Over the weekend, The Test Experts made its first appearance at the annual Dyslexia Dash hosted by the International Dyslexia Association of Georgia. A 5k that promotes awareness for dyslexia, The Dyslexia Dash boasted a record number of participants this year. I met so many wonderful people and look forward to this event next year. Be sure to join us in 2020 to run with Team Test Experts in the 5k!
Math Accommodations for Students with Dyslexia
Students with dyslexia not only struggle with Language Arts but also struggle with Math. Oftentimes, teachers assume that dyslexia will not affect students in the same manner in Math as in Language Arts. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Dyslexia affects reading, writing, math, and rapid word retrieval while speaking. Here is a great article that addresses specific Math accommodations for students with dyslexia. Click here to read the full article.
Dyslexia Dash
This year, the Dyslexia Dash is on October 19, 2019 at the Perimeter Mall. There will be a festival afterwards with tables of sponsors. The Test Experts is a sponsor this year. We will be available to discuss issues about dyslexia for students of all ages. We offer Orton-Gillingham lessons and ACT/SAT test prep for older students as well as advice for 504 accommodations that can apply to the ACT/SAT test. We also offer multi-sensory Orton-Gillingham based lessons for younger students that help with fluency and automaticity.
This race is a 5K that is a Peachtree qualifier. There is also a kid 1 mile walk/run. There will be a raffle, and t-shirts are available for purchase. This race is part of the International Dyslexia Association of Georgia. The IDA is a non-profit organization that helps students and families become more aware of the resources for dyslexics and provides information for different events. For more information about the Dyslexia Dash, click here. To learn about our Dyslexia Program, click here.
Say Dyslexia
Recently, I attended the State Senate committee meeting in Atlanta. Participants discussed dyslexia and the ways to implement laws effectively for this disability in Georgia. Many people spoke about their children, their students, and the lack of effective curriculum in the public school districts.
Unfortunately, teacher prep programs do not focus on dyslexia enough, and the price to effectively train teachers in intervention methods is expensive. Consequently, schools shy away from the term “dyslexia”.
Furthermore, sitting next to a school psychologist, I asked if the school district evaluates specifically for dyslexia. She replied “yes and no”. In addition, she said that the federal government prevented school districts from using this term, and that it is used only in the medical field, not in education.
Why would the federal government prevent school districts from using this term? Actually, they don’t. I found a letter from October 23, 2015, from the U.S. Department of Education clarifying the misconception. You can read it here.
We have a long way to go to help students with dyslexia. The least we can do for these children is acknowledge the word of the disability that they are experiencing. By doing this, we have the power to come together and implement the right solutions. Currently, there are only six states that do not have laws in place for dyslexic students. Georgia is making great strides to overcome this deficit, but as always, the process will take time to effectively serve dyslexics in the most effective way in the public school system.
Take a look at our program for dyslexia here.
GA State Legislature and Dyslexia
The Georgia State Legislature met Friday, August 17th, with a panel of experts on dyslexia. Members included a licensed psychologist who tests for dyslexia, a UGA professor who developed and runs a dyslexia certification program, and others in higher education. Several topics were presented regarding the need for a better understanding of dyslexia and an action plan for those students who are identified.
A main topic that prevailed was the need for universal screening of dyslexia for young children. The idea is to have screening similar to that of the vision and hearing tests of students beginning elementary school. There were many questions as to how to implement the test, who would conduct it, and how to implement intervention.
The panel further recommended the need for teacher training courses to include a minimum of one course in the decoding of words. This would comprise of syllabication, morphemes, phonics, sentence structure, and paragraph structure. Also, the panel recommended professional development to current K-12 teachers. The idea is to implement interventions to receive instruction by a Dyslexia Specialist in each school.
The panel will meet two more times to discuss further recommendations and options. This is a huge step for the state of Georgia to begin the discussion of the widespread impact that dyslexia has on students. If between 10%-20% of the population has a form of dyslexia, it makes sense to intervene and implement evidence-based practices to intervene. Although promising and a step in the right direction, this overhaul will take an enormous amount of effort and planning to see results. That said, this is definitely reason for those in the dyslexic community to celebrate.
Girls and STEM
The ongoing debate lately is how to get girls more interested in STEM subjects and careers. Unfortunately, a large percentage of girls do not believe that they are inherently good at math. Most of this perception starts at a young age where very few toys or media that are STEM centered are directed toward girls. There may be a subconscious belief system that results in this misguided marketing toward our children.
However, studies show that both girls and boys have an equal ability in math and science related subjects. Often, society unknowingly pushes boys toward math and science by comments such as “He is a boy and doesn’t like to read” or girls towards language arts with “Girls aren’t that good in math.”
If our society truly wants to expand and tap into the potential of the best candidate for STEM, we need to educate teachers and parents to have an unbiased dialogue with children and let their natural abilities play out. In this case, natural interest and practice really do make the difference, not gender.
Famous Dyslexic People
Did you know that 1 out of 5 people have some form of dyslexia? That is right! Roughly 20% of the population struggles with reading. Dyslexia is a brain difference that causes difficulties in decoding words and affects every aspect of a person’s life, including other subject areas. Since reading is the main form of teaching and learning, a student with dyslexia may fall behind. However, there are proven ways to help overcome this difference and even excel!
Check out our Reading/Dyslexia program here.
Check out a list of famous people with dyslexia here.
People with dyslexia have so much to offer the world, and we want to make sure that they reach their highest potential!
Suwanee, GA
best dyslexia tutor
New Reading/Dyslexia Program
The Test Experts offer a new Reading/Dyslexia program with Orton-Gillingham based lessons including syllabication, phonetics, morphemes, and essay writing. This program is geared toward students with dyslexia or any student struggling in Language Arts classes.
The Test Experts instructor Hayden Angay is completing her Graduate Certificate in Dyslexia from the University of Georgia which allows her to screen for dyslexia, to create individualized lessons for students, and to offer ongoing support throughout the student’s school career.
For more information about dyslexia, visit http://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia/
For more information about our program, visit https://thetestexperts.com/reading-program/
Suwanee, GA