Pittsburg State University is hosting the Missouri-Kansas branch of the International Dyslexia Association Conference on September 26 to 27th.
The two-day event will bring together educators, families, school leaders, and nationally recognized experts to explore the latest research, strategies, and advocacy efforts in structured literacy and dyslexia awareness.
The Bicknell Center for Performing Arts will host the conference.
This year's conference will feature two presenters. The first one is Pitt State's David Hurford with the Center for Research, Evaluation and Awareness of Dyslexia. He's a nationally recognized expert in the science of reading and will present "What Is the Science of Reading and Why Is It Important to You?"
The second is Tim Odegard, professor at Middle Tennessee State University, and one of the leading experts on literacy. He’ll deliver the keynote "Literacy Struggles and Mental Health."
The theme of the conference is Literacy, Equity and Advocacy for Dyslexia. The primary goal is to support communities with the knowledge, tools and partnerships needed to help every learner.
PSU's Director of Evaluation, Alex Fender, says there's misinformation circulating about the learning disability.
"This myth around intelligence, that there needs to be a discrepancy between reading and intelligence to identify dyslexia, and the reality is that that's not true either," said Fender.
The Learning Disabilities Association of America (IDA) says one in five school children nationally has a learning disability like dyslexia.
Jane Hayes, Vice President of the IDA-KSMO, says dyslexia is genetic.
"If it is dyslexia, then we also know that we probably have a brother, a sister, an aunt and uncle, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, somebody else in that child's history. May or may not have been diagnosed with dyslexia," says Hayes.
Both Hayes and the President of IDA-KSMO, Emily Henley, are teachers. Henley first got involved with the organization because of a requirement as a teacher to join a professional organization.
"Helping parents out and collaborating with like-minded people has been so inspirational," said Henley.
Henley said the organization has helped her advocate for best practices for teaching reading.
"Science does show there is a right and wrong way to teach reading, and so just helping move the community along has been a huge piece for me because I can see the holes and I feel like now that the expertise is there," said Henley.
The conference is open to the public, and organizers encourage attendance by educators, administrators, parents, students, and advocacy groups.
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