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PBIDA Fall Virtual Conference

October 3, 2020 @ 8:00 am - 3:30 pm

 

 

Literacy Across the Lifespan

Pennsylvania Branch of the International Dyslexia Association
42nd Annual Fall Conference on Reading, Literacy and Learning

Virtual Conference

October 3, 2020 (Live virtual)
October 5-31, 2020 (Recorded)

•  •  •  

Our 42nd annual fall conference highlights literacy topics that impact individuals with dyslexia and other learning differences across the lifespan.  Our Keynote Speaker, Margie Gillis, Ed.D., kicks off the conference by underscoring how partnerships of stakeholders can change policies and practice and help to transform how reading instruction is taught and at the preservice level and how reading is taught in the classroom.

Conference topics are designed to engage a variety of attendees including educators, related school personnel, higher education faculty, parents, students, and adults with dyslexia. Sessions focus on the latest research, expertise, and insights from internationally, nationally and regionally known speakers. Session topics cover the latest in language and literacy instruction and intervention research across the life span, self-advocacy and social justice, discussion about parent and school collaboration, and issues related to living with dyslexia as an adult. In an effort to promote systemic change, faculty from Pennsylvania institutions of higher education (IHE) will discuss timely national and state policy issues affecting the development of effective teachers for tomorrow. 

Thank you to PBIDA’s Sponsors!
> Meet our Sponsors Here <

Viewing the Conference:

The virtual conference will allow for both a synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) attendance option. The live virtual conference will be on October 3, 2020 and will offer question and answer opportunities to participants.  Virtual exhibits, poster sessions, and live discussion panels give this virtual conference a unique experience for the attendee.

From October 5th  through October 31st, the recorded conference (all sessions and virtual exhibits) will then be open to any pre-registered attendee. This platform will allow registered attendees the option to view sessions missed during the live virtual conference on October 3 and/or re-watch any favorite sessions previously viewed.

Note: Speech and Language Pathologist continuing education credits are only offered for October 3, 2020 live virtual conference.

 

> Conference Schedule <
> Speaker Bios <
> Continuing Education Credits <
> Prices <
> Scholarships <
> Exhibit Hall <
> Handouts <
> Sponsors <

 

 

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Welcome: Christine Seppi, PBIDA President

 

Keynote Speaker: Margie Gillis, Ed.D., CALT

Title: Transforming How Reading Is Taught: Partnerships to Change Policies and Practice

Description: Why hasn’t the Science of Reading been embraced?  Dr. Gillis will describe the multifaceted nature of the educational system as the context for transforming reading instruction. Educators, state departments, policymakers, professors, philanthropists, and parents must work together to ensure that all children learn to read.

1.5 Hours Continuing Education Credits Available:
Act 48, ASHA-Speech and Language, NASP, ALTA, CERI, IMSLEC, Social Work 

For ASHA credit, this session must be attended during the live broadcast on October 3.

 

Instructional Level: Intermediate

> >For Learning Outcomes, click HERE< <

 

 

AM Concurrent Sessions

 Session AM-1

Speaker: Jan Wasowicz, Ph.D. CCC/SLP             

Title: Reading, Writing, and Spelling – It’s about Oral Language and Building the Brain for Literacy: Early Years

Note: This session is in two parts: AM-1 on Early Years and PM-1 on Later Years.  Participants can attend either or both sessions.  For ASHA credit, these sessions must be attended during the live broadcast on October 3.

Description: Success in reading, writing, and spelling requires a systematic way of learning, practicing, and applying knowledge about sounds, letters, and meanings of spoken and written words.  In the early years (pre-K through 2nd grade), oral language, vocabulary, phonological awareness, and phonics skills play a large role in reading, spelling, and writing development, yet other types of language knowledge, such as emerging mental orthographic representations for sight (automatic) word recognition and basic morphological knowledge are also contributing factors.

In this session, Dr. Wasowicz will  focus on evidence-based, multi-linguistic activities that simultaneously engage and functionally integrate a student’s oral and written language systems with a focus on developmental progression in teaching phonological awareness skills, leveraging the biological system of oral language through phoneme-to-grapheme mapping to more effectively teach phonics skills, and methods of instruction to use – and not to use – to develop sight word automaticity for reading and writing fluency.

1.5 Hours Continuing Education Credits Available:
Act 48, ASHA-Speech and Language, NASP, ALTA, CERI, IMSLEC, Social Work 

For ASHA credit, this session must be attended during the live broadcast on October 3.

Instructional Level: Intermediate
> >For Learning Outcomes, click HERE< <

 

Session AM-2

Speaker: LeDerick Horne

Title: Supports for Success: Seven Evidence-Based Tips for Families

Description: Mr. Horne’s presentation will provide participants with seven essential, evidence-based tips to help families support children as they develop skills in self-advocacy, self-determination, and disability disclosure.  Participants will leave with a better understanding of what is needed to help children successfully transition to life in the adult world with a focus on education, employment, independent living, and maintaining healthy relationships. Drawing from his book, Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success, author, poet, and disability rights advocate, LeDerick Horne, will leave the audience informed, empowered, and inspired to support children in school and beyond.

1.5 Hours Continuing Education Credits Available:
Act 48, ALTA, CERI, IMSLEC, Social Work

Instructional Level: General
> >For Learning Outcomes, click HERE< <

 

 

Session AM-3

Panel: Teaching the Science of Reading in Higher Education

Description: This panel will address a timely and important national conversation about teaching the science of reading to teacher candidates  in higher education.  Comprising faculty that represent six colleges in Pennsylvania, the panel will share how they teach the science of reading, including the nature of reading disabilities, to undergraduate and graduate students.  The discussion will include curricular development and clinical experiences that build teacher candidates’ competency as skilled teachers of reading and language arts.  Research on pre-service teacher knowledge of language and perceptions of dyslexia will be presented.  Time will be allotted for a question and answer session.

Moderator: Kathleen R. Biddle, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Education and Director of Rural Outreach & Reading Program, Juniata College

Panelists: 

Margie Gillis, Ed.D., CALT, Keynote Speaker, Executive Board of the Academic Language Therapy Association, and Research Affiliate at Haskins Laboratories and at Fairfield University.
Carianne Bernadowski, Ph.D., University Professor of Education Coordinator of Reading Specialist Program and Bob and Joan Pierce Center for Structured Reading Teacher Training,  Coordinator of Secondary English Program, Robert Morris University.
Jaclyn Galbally, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Special Education, St. Joseph’s University.
Peggy Hickman, Ph.D.,  Associate Professor of Education, Arcadia University.
Richard Sabousky, Ph.D., Former Chair, Department of Special Education & Disability Studies, Clarion University.
Lori Severino, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Special Education, Drexel University.

1.5 Hours Continuing Education Credits Available:
Act 48, ALTA, CERI, IMSLEC, Social Work

 

Instructional level: Intermediate
> >For Learning Outcomes, click HERE< <

 

 

Lunch – Visit the Virtual Exhibit Hall and Poster Sessions

 

 

PM Concurrent Sessions

Session PM-1

Speaker: Jan Wasowicz, Ph.D. CCC/SLP      

Title: Reading, Writing, and Spelling – It’s about oral language and building the brain for literacy: Later Years

Description: As students move into the late elementary/middle school years and beyond, a deeper understanding and increased use of morphological and semantic knowledge play a significant role in reading, writing, and spelling development. Students develop and rely upon a larger number of mental orthographic representations in long-term memory to support reading fluency, reading comprehension and expressive writing skills. In this session, Dr. Wasowicz will focus on evidence-based, multi-linguistic activities that simultaneously engage and functionally integrate a student’s oral and written language systems with an emphasis on developing breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge and sentence writing skills through development of morphological knowledge and syntax skills. Strategies for continued development and use of mental orthographic representations in long-term memory for accuracy and fluency of reading and writing will be presented.

1.5 Hours Continuing Education Credits Available:
Act 48, ASHA-Speech and Language, NASP, ALTA, CERI, IMSLEC, Social Work

For ASHA credit, this session must be attended during the live broadcast on October 3.

 

Instructional Level: Intermediate
> >For Learning Outcomes, click HERE< <

 

Session PM-2

Panel: I Am All Grown Up, What’s Next

Description: Anyone who is dyslexic knows that it is not an easy journey.  Research has shown that men and women with dyslexia have succeeded by sheer grit, hard work, and unrelenting persistence. In addition, empathy is also viewed by many adults as central to their core self-concept. This session will identify and compare different skill sets and experiences that have served those with dyslexia to reach successful career outcomes.

 

Moderator: Dr. Tracy Johnson, Founder, President, and CEO of Vessels of Hope; Adjunct Professor, Harcum College; Enrollment Counselor, Eastern University.

Panelists:

Jeff Adams, Senior Vice President, Bank of America
Jared S. Blank,  Author, Runner and Dyslexia and K-12 Education Advocate
Olivia Farrell, Office Administrator, PBIDA
Natasha Rennie, Event Manager, The International Dyslexia Association
Paul Shump, Consultant, Blogger
Jim VanOstenbridge, Senior Solution Architect, Esri 

1.5 Hours Continuing Education Credits Available:
ALTA, CERI, IMSLEC, Social Work

 

Instructional level: General
> >For Learning Outcomes, click HERE< <

 

Session PM-3

Panel: Building Resiliency and Bridges for Children with Disabilities

Description: This panel will include parents of children with disabilities, education professionals and adults with dyslexia. They will all draw on their firsthand experiences to provide meaningful insights and strategies for supporting children growing up with disabilities. From a strength-based perspective, the panel will focus on building resiliency and self-advocacy skills, as well as communicating effectively with teachers and administrators to facilitate positive and productive home-school relationships. 

 

Moderator: Maria Toglia, M.S.-PA Certified School Psychologist; Doctoral Candidate at Drexel University, parent of a young adult with dyslexia, PBIDA board member, Read by 4th Teacher Preparation and Support Committee Co-chair. 

Panelists:

Lisa Goldstein, MD, Board-Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, past PBIDA president and the parent of a young adult with dyslexia.
Georgette Helbling, M.A., M.S, Academic Language Practitioner using the Orton Gillingham approach,  adult with dyslexia and the parent of two children with dyslexia, founder of the Ferocious Readers Center for Dyslexia & Struggling Readers, and a founding member of Decoding Dyslexia, Pennsylvania.
LeDerick Horne, B.A., Author, poet, national speaker and disability rights advocate.
Penny Moldofsky, M.S., Pennsylvania Level II Reading Specialist, Wilson Reading System® Level II Certified Teacher and Teacher Trainer, Director of the Literacy Institute at the Woodlynde School.
Hollie Woodard, M.A., High school English teacher and technology coach, Action Coordinator and Legislative Chair at Decoding Dyslexia, Advocacy Chair for the Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communications and Technology, member of the Pennsylvania Teachers Advisory Committee, parent of a son with multiple disabilities, including dyslexia. 

1.5 Hours Continuing Education Credits Available:
Act 48, ALTA, CERI, IMSLEC, Social Work

 

Instructional Level: General
> >For Learning Outcomes, click HERE< <

> Sponsors <
> Conference Schedule <
> Speaker Bios <
> Continuing Education Credits <
> Price <
> Scholarships <
> Exhibit Hall <
> Handouts <

 

Questions? Email dyslexia@pbida.org

Details

Date:
October 3, 2020
Time:
8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Website:
https://pa.dyslexiaida.org/events/fall2020conference/