DECODING DYSLEXIA – NJ

Educational Reform for Dyslexia in NJ Schools

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.

Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

This definition was adopted by the IDA Board of Directors on Nov 12, 2002 and is included in Chapter 14 of Title 6A of the New Jersey Administrative Code.

Click to learn more about the Early Warning Signs of Dyslexia.

Brain imaging research has revealed anatomical and functional differences in typically developing readers and in children and adults with dyslexia.


Image from the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity (www.dyslexia.yale.edu)

Click to learn more about Dyslexia and the Brain.

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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

3 days ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
It's not just her reading program that's bad..."But she came to prominence as an expert on writing, and her influence there has been even greater—and at least as harmful." ... See MoreSee Less

Problems With Lucy Calkins’ Curriculum Go Beyond Reading—To Writing

nataliewexler.substack.com

Her influential approach vastly underestimates how difficult writing is for most students.
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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

1 week ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
Seidenberg: "In defense of their approach, F&P (like Lucy Calkins) cite the example of a child who reads the word HORSE as PONY. For F&P such errors are a natural occurrence. I view the error quite differently: it indicates an astonishing instructional flaw, failing to teach the child basic facts about print. A child who is attending to the printed word and has learned that the spelling of a word represents its sound would know that the word cannot be PONY. The best “cue” to a word is the word itself. That is the great thing about alphabetic writing: the spelling of a word tells you what the word is." ... See MoreSee Less

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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

2 weeks ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
Why do districts buy into an ideological program that makes learning to read more difficult? 🤔 Dr. Mark Seidenberg notes F&P doesn’t adequately address foundational skills -- rather "coping with the struggles that follow." "There is greater emphasis on teaching children how to cope with their lack of basic skills than on teaching those skills in the first place." "Thus: Fountas and Pinnell’s approach to reading creates learning difficulties for which their curriculum then offers solutions. The rationale for the approach collapses if children are given sufficient opportunities to gain basic skills." ... See MoreSee Less

Clarity about Fountas and Pinnell

seidenbergreading.net

Fountas and Pinnell have written a series of blog posts defending their popular curriculum, which is being criticized as based on discredited ideas about how children learn to read. (See Emily Hanf...
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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

2 weeks ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
They are not learning, they are not moving forward and they are NOT focused on children. The only "focus" is peddling their discredited dogma for $$$$. Thanks APM Reports. Heinemann said: "Many of us are parents, and some of us have been educators ourselves. A focus on children and on a child-centered approach to education is what moves us forward. We are committed to remaining in a learning stance.” ... See MoreSee Less

Influential authors Fountas and Pinnell stand behind disproven reading theory

www.apmreports.org

The education professors double down on a flawed approach that encourages pictures and context to read words. Heinemann — their publisher — faces harsh criticism.
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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

2 weeks ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
When will districts pay attention? A nice roundup by Natalie Wexler for Forbes on the problems with the methods and materials used by Calkins and others for teaching phonics and other foundational reading skills. In recent weeks, EdReports.org gave both The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Units of Study and Fountas & Pinnell Literacy curriculum its lowest ratings. Student Achievement Partners (SAP) issued a report finding that Calkins’ approach to phonics was “in direct opposition to an enormous body of settled research” in Jan. 2020. ... See MoreSee Less

Never Heard Of Lucy Calkins? Here’s Why You Should Have

www.forbes.com

If you’re not a reading teacher, you may not know who Lucy Calkins is, and the controversy over her curriculum may seem like inside baseball. But understanding it is crucial to improving reading out...
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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

3 weeks ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
Ask your BOE if a program that "does not meet expectations" in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 is producing proficient readers with solid foundational skills. Is this really the best use of your taxe$? Poor Fountas & Pinnell Literacy, no wonder their heads were exploding (see post below) over our kids who are so inconvenient, and explains their ridiculous "Just to Clarify" Q&A series (where they tell you how they teach guessing!) -- they knew this was coming. Read the report here www.edreports.org/reports/overview/fountas-pinnell-classroom-2020?utm_medium=email&utm_source=par... ... See MoreSee Less

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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

3 weeks ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
Some reading guru pages get touchy when people call them on their methods and the science they reject. Dyslexia parents -- do you feel like "the entire education system has been turned upside down" for your kids? Why does this reading program leave so many kids without a reading disability behind? Does your BOE know? The "goals of this page" are all about the love of your tax dollar$. ... See MoreSee Less

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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ is at Ocean County Library.

4 weeks ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
Did you miss our recent “How to talk about YOUR Dyslexia” workshop? It’s now available on the Ocean County Library YouTube channel.Big thanks to our panel and the Toms River Library Branch for hosting us!www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ac_mN1JOuI #saydyslexia #dyslexia ... See MoreSee Less

How Do You Talk About Your Dyslexia - Teen Program

www.youtube.com

Join Decoding Dyslexia-NJ as they host a panel conversation including teens and tweens, a parent and educator as they reflect on their personal experiences o...

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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

4 weeks ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
If your student, especially one with a reading and/or language disability, is being taught to read [guess] with MSV (aka 3-cueing) strategies, like "look at the picture," you should know these methods are based on a completely debunked and discredited theory of reading. This is what protecting market $hare (with your tax dollar$) looks like, at the expense of children and low reading proficiency rates. Just to clarify 😉 ... See MoreSee Less

Just To Clarify FAQ Blog Series Q2: Can you clarify what MSV analysis is and why you believe it is important?

fpblog.fountasandpinnell.com

In support of teachers, school leaders and children, blog #2 in a 10-post blog series to offer clarity around the design of Fountas & Pinnell literacy instruction.
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Decoding Dyslexia - NJ

1 month ago

Decoding Dyslexia - NJ
Experiences of students with various disabilities are highlighted. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this,” she said. “Every college has students with disabilities. We all need to think about how to support our students with invisible and visible disabilities.” ... See MoreSee Less

In return to campuses, students with disabilities fear they’re being ‘left behind’

wapo.st

Colleges' accommodations have been uneven, leading some students to drop classes entirely.
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A grassroots community of parents and educators driven to raise dyslexia awareness, empower families and advocate for change in the NJ public schools.

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