Breakout Sessions

What is a "decodable text"? Why are they used? When are they appropriate for students? What are other types of text used for in schools? These questions and more will be answered as we discuss the history of controlled passages and decodable readers, their instructional purposes, and the end goal for students in literacy. The Simple View of Reading will be referenced. The intended audience for this session is early elementary teachers and instructional coaches, as well as parents and tutors.   Presented by Courtney Bentley.

In this session, attendees will learn the basic process for diagnosing dyslexia including assessment tools, providers who can diagnose, differentiating dyslexia from other conditions, as well as implications and possible importance of a diagnosis. Obstacles to obtaining a diagnosis will also be discussed. Depending on audience interest, a substantial portion of this presentation could be question and answer about diagnosing dyslexia.  Presented by Tammy Wilgenbusch.

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability. Life is moving at a breakneck pace, and teachers have more responsibilities than ever before. Learning the basics of dyslexia can change the trajectory for struggling readers. Together we will discover signs and symptoms of dyslexia, identify facts about dyslexia, and debunk common lingering myths. We will visit the Iowa Department of Education's dyslexia website and build our confidence in saying the word "dyslexia." Presented by Mindy VanZuiden.

This session will focus on the implementation of evidence-based intervention strategies for students with dyslexia. The presenter will address the development of basic reading and spelling skills and provide examples of several interventions that are aligned with a student's developmental levels in phonological awareness, decoding, reading fluency, and spelling. In addition, the presenter will discuss the importance of enhancing teacher knowledge of scientifically based reading instruction. Presented by Nancy Mather.

Do your students struggle with planning, note-taking, organization, working memory, and time management? Executive dysfunction can hinder academic success, but this interactive session provides innovative strategies to unlock your student's potential. Gain a deep understanding of executive function through hands-on activities and discussions. Learn practical techniques to foster self-regulation, goal-setting, and time-management skills tailored to different learning styles. Engage in reflective exercises, collaborate with peers, and develop personalized action plans to implement these strategies effectively in your classroom. Leave with a toolbox of research-backed approaches to create an inclusive, supportive learning environment for students with executive dysfunction. Challenge your thinking and acquire tools to make a lasting impact on student achievement. Presented by Jessica Kite.

Get inside what it feels like to have dyslexia, the most common learning disability. Participants will experience a series of hands-on simulation activities designed to increase their understanding of and empathy for students with dyslexia.  Presented by Nina Lorimor-Easley or Mindy VanZuiden.

Join us in our lively session to introduce the Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading (KPS). We will demonstrate how the KPS aligns with the Iowa Common Core Standards. Participants will come away with an understanding of the extremely valuable information the KPS has to offer.  Presented by Rebecca Bruno and Chrys Hulton.

This area of instruction is one that has seen many updates and changes based on research in the past 10 years. This breakout session will help you familiarize yourself with all aspects of phonological awareness, discuss the time and intensity needed for instruction, grade-level norms and expectations, and demonstrate teacher-friendly, high-efficacy phonological awareness routines for whole class and for intervention. Presented by Nina Lorimor-Easley.

Has the educational landscape across Iowa changed regarding the partnerships between schools and families? This session will discuss the complexities of our parent/teacher relationships and communications in addition to the importance of both distinct roles in supporting our struggling students. What narrative about parents are teachers being told? What narrative about teachers are parents hearing? What does the research reveal about the importance of the parent/teacher partnership? Presented by Renee Saarloos.

This session will discuss the legislative process in Iowa and provide practical advice on how to advocate for the educational issues that matter most to you. Decoding Dyslexia Iowa's Executive Director will discuss the organization's legislative agenda and achievements, and their lobbyist will share tips and knowledge based on her 25 years of experience at the Iowa State Capitol.  Presented by Katie Greving and Threase Harms.

How can we engage secondary students (grades 5+) in reading and comprehending complex text? With close reading and annotation strategies, students can extract meaning through multiple readings of the same text and "marking it up" for deeper discussion. Participants will learn this process through a simulation of reading a highly engaging text, engaging in a close reading, and annotating text written at the secondary level. Suggestions for increasing access through the use of technology will be briefly covered. A direct connection to Scarborough's Rope will be referenced. The intended audience for this session is secondary teachers and instructional coaches and parents and tutors of secondary students.  Presented by Courtney Bentley.

The ability to understand at the sentence level is the foundation for being able to comprehend text and to become a proficient writer. This practical session will focus on developmentally appropriate instructional strategies which may be easily used across grade levels and content areas to develop sentence sense in the elementary grades. Presented by Jen Leffers.

Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) includes inquiry-based instructional routines that are used to introduce words and reinforce word knowledge. Teachers and students will learn to harness the power of words by deepening their understanding of the English language and how words are spelled. The English language is complex, but is actually a highly organized system. Presented by Kara Veach.

The purpose of this session is to discuss how difficulties mastering English orthography impact both reading and spelling development. The presenter will: (a) clarify terminology related to orthography, (b) review the characteristics of poor orthographic processing, (c) review past and current ways to assess orthography, and (d) discuss appropriate accommodations and interventions for students who have this difficulty. Participants will understand how orthographic knowledge is related to dyslexia and why it is so difficult for some children to learn how to read and spell. Student writing samples will be used to illustrate problems in the mastery of orthography. Difficulty developing reading and spelling skills involves more than just phonological awareness! Presented by Nancy Mather.

In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the power of artificial intelligence (AI) is undeniable, revolutionizing how we approach learning and teaching. This session will share the possibilities AI offers to empower students with learning differences.  Drawing from case studies and research, we will explore the impact of current AI-driven tools on the learning experience and explore what improvements and advancements may mean for the future. We will learn how AI-powered adaptive platforms can personalize curricula, enabling students to grasp concepts at their own pace and partner with teachers to further personalize instruction while also saving prep time.  Presented by Josh Clark.

This session will look at differentiating Tier 1 instruction and grouping students to maximize student achievement and teacher time. This session is for classroom teachers, coaches and those wanting to explore options for greater outcomes within Tier 1. Teachers will see how one district’s teachers are working smarter not harder. Presented by the Ottumwa Schools Team - Bambi Boggs, Melanie Dalbey, Mindy Kirkpatrick and Ramona Parrish.

There are many writing programs that help students advance their writing skills, increase comprehension, write in specific genres, etc. These are all very valuable skills, but what about the kids that if left with a blank page, will still have a blank page at the end of class? Writing is hard. This session will show how to explicitly walk struggling students through getting a paragraph onto a page, and help them build confidence doing so. You will walk away with a routine and tools to help even your most reluctant writers. Presented by Nina Lorimor-Easley.