GISD Dyslexia Informer

Welcome back to a brand new semester! Garland ISD has exciting things in happening this Spring. Our 6th Annual GISD Dyslexia Symposium will be on February 10th at Naaman Forest High School. Students in GISD have been taking their middle of the year MAP tests. In addition to MAP testing, the mClass screening for characteristics of dyslexia for all first grade students will take place before the end of January.

Discover the Magic

It is time for our 6th Annual GISD Dyslexia Symposium! Plan to join us February 10 at Naaman Forrest High School. This year we have designated speakers to meet all of our participant's needs. There will be two keynote speakers and breakout sessions for both parents and community members and also those who are professionals within the field of dyslexia.

There will also be an Art Exhibition with artwork created by students with dyslexia. It is a creative and inclusive way to celebrate those with different gifts, creativity and imagination!

GISD Art Exhibition (English)

GISD Art Exhibition (Spanish)

The Garland ISD Dyslexia Training Center has successfully fulfilled the IMSLEC criteria and is now an official IMSLEC accredited training center. The Garland ISD Dyslexia Training Center offers training at the Therapy and the Instructor of Therapy levels.

The International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) sets the high quality standards for Multisensory Structured Language Education. Their mission is to “accredit quality training courses for the professional preparation of multisensory structured language education specialists.” To learn more about IMSLEC, visit their website here.

The Garland ISD Dyslexia Training Center is currently offering two dyslexia therapy training pathways and is soon to be offering a third training pathway for bilingual dyslexia therapy.

According to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), the impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the effectiveness of instruction or remediation. The core difficulty is with word recognition and reading fluency, spelling, and writing. Some individuals with dyslexia manage to learn early reading and spelling tasks, especially with excellent instruction, but later experience their most debilitating problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays.

The effects of dyslexia reach well beyond the classroom.

Dyslexia can also affect a person’s self-image. Students with dyslexia often end up feeling “dumb” and less capable than they actually are. After experiencing a great deal of stress due to academic problems, a student may become discouraged about continuing in school.

Join us for a relaxed evening to talk about the impact that dyslexia can have on your child’s emotional well-being.

January 31, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Café, Conchas & Dyslexia (English)

Café, Conchas & Dyslexia (Spanish)

Dyslexia shouldn’t prevent anyone from setting life goals and becoming successful individuals. In preparation for the SUPER BOWL in a few weeks, take a look at what Tim Tebow says about having dyslexia…

Two-time NCAA National Champion and ESPN broadcaster Tim Tebow was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 7. Tebow’s father and brother also have dyslexia.

Tebow never viewed his learning difference as a handicap. “It [dyslexia] has to do with finding out how you learn," he said. In Tebow’s case, he made flashcards of football plays, as a way around struggling to try and read the whole playbook.

Tebow openly shared his dyslexia diagnosis with New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, who was diagnosed with the learning difference in adulthood.

“I don't think it makes me respect him more, because I respect Coach Ryan a lot," Tebow said in 2012. "What it does is just show that learning disabilities, especially dyslexia, have nothing to do with how smart or intelligent someone is. Because there are not many minds in the NFL that are as bright or as sharp or as flexible as coach Ryan's."

Learning difficulties do not define a child’s intelligence which is why it’s important to celebrate their efforts and reward success whenever possible-no matter how small! Tips for encouraging a growth mindset include:

· Never comparing children to others and instead, focusing on their individual progress

· Celebrating efforts and small successes regularly

· Providing constructive, but not overly critical, feedback to encourage growth

1/31/24...Cafe, Conchas, & Dyslexia

2/10/24...6th Annual Dyslexia Symposium

2/19/24...Student Holiday/Staff Development