SAISD 504/Dyslexia Newsletter

Thank you to all our 504 coordinators for your important role in setting up annual 504 meetings and ensuring that our students receive the correct classroom and testing accommodations. You are truly appreciated by the 504/Dyslexia Department.

Please join us in recognizing these outstanding coordinators below who do an exemplary job handling this important task!

Frank Serafini and Cyndi Giorgis contend that reading aloud is important for older readers and they have the research to prove it. Serafini and Giorgis state there are 13 Good (Scientifically Based) Reasons to Read Aloud with Older Readers, here are just some of the reasons:

• increases test scores

• introduces readers to new titles, authors, illustrators, genres, and text structures

• builds a sense of community
• provides opportunities for extended discussions

If you are a SAISD employee and would like to know more, complete the following Google form for a chance to win a copy of Reading Aloud and Beyond, Fostering the Intellectual Life with Older Readers.

Watch this powerful video of Jessica Collins, a 17 year old with dyslexia, as she dispels some myths surrounding dyslexia and shares some of her experiences.

Danny Boome is a professional chef, a host, and guest chef on numerous television programs focusing on food and cooking, and is the founder of The Better Fed Project, a nonprofit organization that promotes healthy eating and fitness for adults and children. He also teaches classes in New York City for experienced cooks as well as novices and plans to open permanent cooking schools in New York, Montreal, and Switzerland.

To read more about this successful dyslexic, please click the following link: https://dyslexia.yale.edu/story/danny-boome/

International Dyslexia Association has created a handbook that is intended to support all teachers in their passion to help every child reach his or her fullest potential. Use it to raise awareness, share best practices, and be a resource to your school’s administration and staff.

Inside you’ll learn about topics such as:

• Signs and symptoms of dyslexia
• Social and Emotional Connection
  
• Classroom strategies, tips, and tools
• Multisensory Structured Language Teaching

IDA encourages everyone to share this handbook with as many people as possible. The more educators we can inform, the more children we can help!

https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-in-the-classroom/

Graphic organizers are very effective for all students especially those with dyslexia. From comprehending concepts to motivating the students, there are various ways in which graphic organizers are beneficial for students. These visual aids help them organize information, keeps students engaged, and enhances their thinking process. Dyslexic students often get frustrated with reading and writing because traditional note-taking and textbook reading can be difficult, so incorporating graphic organizers into the curriculum/instruction will give them more confidence, strengthen these processes, and make learning fun!

Click on the following link for free downloadable graphic organizers, courtesy of HMH: https://www.hmhco.com/blog/free-graphic-organizer-templates

Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education.

To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to:

(1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or

(2) have a record of such an impairment; or

(3) be regarded as having such an impairment.

Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Email: csosa2@saisd.net
Website: https://www.saisd.net/page/dyslexia-home
Location: 514 West Quincy Street, San Antonio, TX, USA
Phone: 210-554-2570