Pennsylvania Branch Of The International Dyslexia Assoc

THE PENNSYLVANIA BRANCH OF THE INTERNATIONAL DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION (PBIDA) IS ONE OF 46 BRANCHES OF THE INTERNATIONAL DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION (IDA), THE NATIONAL PARENT ORGANIZATION. WE ARE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING HELP AND SERVICES TO FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA AND THE COUNTRY ABOUT DYSLEXIA AND OTHER LANGUAGE-BASED DISABILITIES. WE GATHER A COLLECTION OF RESEARCH-BASED EDUCATIONAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO HELP EDUCATORS AND PARENTS NAVIGATE AND DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF DYSLEXIA, AND OTHER LANGUAGE AND LITERACY CHALLENGES. FOR OVER 39 YEARS WE HAVE HOSTED THE PREMIER DYSLEXIA AND LITERACY CONFERENCES IN OUR STATE. WE HOLD OUR CONFERENCES IN BOTH EASTERN AND WESTERN PA. EDUCATORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, PEDIATRICIANS, PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS COME FROM ACROSS PA AND SURROUNDING STATES TO LEARN FROM TOP EXPERTS ON THE NEWEST RESEARCH AND INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE TEACHING FOR STUDENTS WITH LANGUAGE AND RELATED DISABILITIES. OUR CONFERENCES REACH OVER 1,000 ATTENDEES A YEAR AND WE PROVIDE ABOUT 20% OF THE EDUCATION STUDENTS WHO ATTEND WITH FULL OR PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS. WE HAVE BEEN OFFERING OUR SIMULATION, EXPERIENCE DYSLEXIA * A SIMULATION FOR OVER 20 YEARS. WE PROVIDE THE PROGRAM TO SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AS AN IN-SERVICE FOR EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS. WE ALSO PROVIDE IT TO PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM. THE SIMULATION BEGINS WITH A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF DYSLEXIA, INCLUDING ITS NEUROLOGICAL BASIS, THE DEMOGRAPHICS, AND THE WARNING SIGNS. WE ALSO DISCUSS THE INTERVENTIONS, PROVEN THROUGH SOLID RESEARCH, TO HAVE THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT. PARTICIPANTS TAKE PART IN SIX SIMULATIONS WHICH MIMIC THE EXPERIENCES AND PROCESSES BOTH EDUCATIONALLY AND EMOTIONALLY OF THOSE WITH DYSLEXIA. AS AN IN-SERVICE PROGRAM, WE REACH APPROXIMATELY 2,000 EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS A YEAR. AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM, WE REACH APPROXIMATELY 1,000 PARENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND GROUPS A YEAR. OUR HELP DESK TAKES CALLS FROM PARENTS, EDUCATORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, PEDIATRICIANS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS ASKING FOR HELP UNDERSTANDING DYSLEXIA AND OTHER RELATED DISABILITIES. OUR VOLUNTEERS OFFER ADVICE ON HOW TO NAVIGATE AND UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES AROUND NEUROLOGICALLY BASED PROCESSING PROBLEMS. CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DYSLEXIA FACE, NOT ONLY THE CHALLENGE OF LEARNING HOW TO READ, BUT MANY ALSO HAVE DIFFICULTIES WITH WRITING, AND/OR MATH, SPELLING AND ORGANIZING THEIR THOUGHTS AND THEIR TIME. WE TAKE APPROXIMATELY 100 HELP DESK REQUESTS A MONTH. WE PROVIDE LINKS TO ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTICLES, AND FACT SHEETS THAT CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM OUR WEBSITE AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON TUTORS AND TESTING SPECIALISTS. WE ALSO PROVIDE WORKSHOPS AND A SPEAKER SERIES FOR EDUCATORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND FAMILIES. THIS IS PART OF OUR ONGOING WORK TO KEEP TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL AS PARENTS WELL INFORMED WITH UP TO DATE RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY RANGE FROM A ONE DAY TO ONE-WEEK TRAINING WORKSHOPS, TO A HALF OR FULL DAY SPEAKER PRESENTATION. WE BRING IN EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO SHARE THEIR NEWLY RELEASED SCREENERS, BOOKS, AND/OR UP TO DATE RESEARCH FINDINGS. WE ALSO USE OUR OWN EXPERT BOARD MEMBERS, AND VOLUNTEERS TO SPEAK AT SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS ABOUT DYSLEXIA AND RELATED DISABILITIES AND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. WE REACH ABOUT 150 OR MORE EDUCATORS AND FAMILY MEMBERS A YEAR THROUGH THESE WORKSHOPS.