Dyslexia

Learning Ally's Ninth Spotlight on Dyslexia Virtual Conference PRINCETON, N.J., March 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Learning Ally, a national nonprofit working with U.S. K12 schools to strengthen reading outcomes, has announced the dates of its ninth Spotlight on Dyslexia virtual conference as June 5th and 6th, 2024. Spotlight on Dyslexia has become one of the most significant professional learning events in the field of education. The conference features many world-class experts in the fields of literacy, dyslexia, and neuroscience, and is designed for school leaders and educators to learn about the latest research findings, tools, and methods to significantly enhance student reading performance in their districts, schools, and classrooms. "By the fourth grade, an estimated 65% of children read below proficiency, and one in five faces a learning difference like dyslexia," said Dr. Terrie Noland, Learning Ally's VP of Educator Initiatives. "Administrators and educators who participate in this conference and engage in ongoing professional learning programs will acquire the essential knowledge they need to become literacy leaders. Armed with instructional expertise and new skills, these educators will champion effective reading instruction and lead the charge to bridge the achievement gap and create equitable learning opportunities for all students." Attendees will learn from over 50 literacy experts in dozens of sessions that include short EdTalks, full conference sessions, and extended Administrator Roundtables. Sessions will cover basics like the meaning, definition, and signs of dyslexia for the General Educator track, to the finer points of structured literacy and the science of reading, morphology, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia for Specialists, plus policy, assessment, and screening topics for Administrators. This year's keynote speakers are: Jason Yeatman, Professor and Director of Brain Development and Education Lab at Stanford University will explore the intricacies of how the human brain learns to read. Pamela Snow, Professor of Cognitive Psychology in the School of Education at La Trobe University writes a popular blog for teachers, parents, and clinicians, The Snow Report, and is a founding Associate Editor of The Reading League Journal. Her keynote is titled Disarming Dyslexia: The Role of Strong Tier 1 Reading Instruction for All. Conference highlights: An insightful session where participants engage in a dyslexia simulation, gaining a firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by struggling readers. Customized tracks catering to Administrators, General Educators, and Specialists, featuring enlightening Roundtable Administrator sessions. Networking opportunities with fellow educators in an innovative virtual environment where we celebrate schools and districts making strides in literacy instruction. Educators can earn up to 35 Continuing Education (CE) certificates that may be used as CE for ALTA (up to 5 CE) and renewal of Wilson Language Training WDT and WPD credentials. On-demand access through December 31, 2024. Registration is now open with group discounts available. Call 800-221-4792. About Learning Ally Learning Ally is a leading education nonprofit dedicated to empowering educators with proven solutions that help new and struggling learners reach their potential. Our range of literacy-focused offerings for students in Pre-K to 12th grade and catalog of professional learning allows us to support more than 2.5 million students and 615,000 educators across the United States. Media Contact: Valerie Chernek 410-960-4060 [email protected] SOURCE Learning Ally

Study sheds light on a medical accessibility issue, the need for alternative or modified concussion assessment norms and the need for baseline testing PHILADELPHIA, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Schools and colleges across the country rely on Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) evaluations to assess and manage student-athlete concussions on the sidelines. However, this FDA-cleared tool is not recommended for student-athletes with neurodevelopmental disorders, who often score significantly lower than neurotypical individuals. New research published Feb. 13 in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology demonstrates the need for alternative or modified concussion assessment norms and the need for baseline testing for autistic athletes. "Given the findings of the current study and other recent studies, there is a clear need for ImPACT normative reference data specifically for student-athletes with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)," says Philip Schatz, PhD, principal investigator and professor of psychology at Saint Joseph's University. "The [neuropsychology] field needs to expand assessment and interpretation practices and procedures for people with ASD and related developmental conditions." Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disorder (LD) and ASD are not included in normative reference data. This means when autistic athletes are assessed for a concussion, their data is compared to age- and gender-similar neurotypical individuals. Therefore, the utility and accuracy of widely used test measures like the ImPACT test decreases. Within the United States, the prevalence of ASD has increased over the past 20 years, from 1-in-150 children in 2000 to 1-in-36 children in 2020. Nearly 91% of adolescents with ASD reported liking sports and exercise, meaning the potential for concussive injuries in this population is high. Furthermore, previous research at Saint Joseph's University has shown that exercise can be helpful in treatment for ASD. "This is a medical accessibility issue," says Joseph McCleery, PhD, assistant professor of psychology and executive director of academic programs in the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support and co-author on the study. "We need to make medicine more neurodivergence friendly. Research like this is an important first step toward fixing the problem." The research team points to the study as a critical first step in creating normative reference values for young athletes with ASD, and looks forward to continuing their research as part of a larger conversation of neuroinclusive care. "Athletes' developmental diagnosis was self-reported in this study," says Schatz. "Moving forward, we will need a more objective way of measuring this factor. We also will need to evaluate the utility of various concussion assessment measures. I look forward to the future, as it is important everyone receives effective concussion management, including people who are on the autism spectrum." SOURCE Saint Joseph's University

A rigorous analysis of numerous studies concludes that a part of the brain traditionally associated with movement is abnormal in children with developmental language impairments. The discovery has the potential to improve both the diagnosis and treatment of the language difficulties. A rigorous analysis of numerous studies concludes that a part of the brain traditionally associated with movement is abnormal in children with developmental language impairments, according to Georgetown University Medical Center neuroscientists. The discovery has the potential to improve both the diagnosis and treatment of the language difficulties. The researchers investigated brain abnormalities in developmental language disorder. This condition, which impacts the development of various aspects of language, is about as common as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, and more prevalent than autism. The scientists found that abnormalities occurred specifically in the anterior neostriatum within the basal ganglia, a structure found deep in the brain. They describe their findings in Nature Human Behaviour on March 15. To better understand why the language impairments occur, the researchers analyzed the results of 22 articles examining brain structures in people with the disorder, and then employed a new computational method to identify common patterns of abnormalities across the studies. They determined that the anterior neostriatum was abnormal in 100% of the studies that examined the structure, with fewer abnormalities in all other parts of the brain. "We hope that by identifying the neural bases of developmental language difficulties we may help increase awareness of a major, but also rather unrecognized, disorder," says the study's lead author Michael T. Ullman, PhD, professor of neuroscience and director of the Brain and Language Laboratory at Georgetown University Medical Center. "We caution, however, that further research is necessary to understand exactly how the anterior neostriatum might lead to the language difficulties." Ullman says the findings underscore the potential utility of drugs that are known to improve movement impairments due to basal ganglia dysfunction, such as those that act on dopamine receptors. Interventions that encourage compensation by intact brain structures may also be useful. Additionally, basal ganglia abnormalities could potentially serve as early biomarkers of an increased likelihood of developmental language problems. Such early warning signs could trigger further diagnostic procedures, potentially leading to early therapy. "Continuing research efforts to further understand the neurobiology of developmental language disorder, especially the role of the basal ganglia, could help the many children who are affected by these problems," concludes Ullman. In addition to Ullman, other authors at Georgetown include Mariel Pullman, Jarrett Lovelett, Xiong Jiang, and Peter Turkeltaub. Gillian Clark was at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. Elizabeth Pierpont is at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis. This work was supported by NIH grants R01 HD049347 and R21 HD 087088; NSF grants BCS 1439290 and BCS 1940980; and funding from the Mabel H. Flory Trust. The authors declare no personal financial interests related to the study.