Re: School and upcoming Dr. Reid Lyon event!

[Guest guest]

Hi Dawn, and everyone!

Hope everyone had a great Holiday -and if your kids are off from

school like mine hope you enjoy this week! But also speaking of

school and learning issues like you guys brought up, here is

something else that may be of interest.

http://www.edc.org/collaborative/members/ If you caught the PBS and

Oprah show on learning disabilities and language you may have more of

an idea of what this is about -but either way -it's something that

couldn't hurt to know about and learn from that can help us advocate

in the schools for our children with some very credible information

from the renowned Reid Lyon PhD (I have his bio below if you don't

know who he is). In addition -here is a possible chance for us as a

group to maybe jump in as a voice to include more (some) of the topic

of " speech " with the topic of language in an upcoming presentation by

Dr. Lyon

Maybe if it was pointed out more by respected officials such as Dr.

Lyon that early speech problems can be a sign of later learning

disabilities -than more parents (and pediatricians) would take late

talkers seriously and spot the possible early warning signs -after

all -if we are talking early intervention -at what age are parents

really concerned with their child's inability to read?

About Reid Lyon

Dr. Lyon is a research psychologist and the Chief of the Child

Development and Behavior Branch within the National Institute of

Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at the NIH. He is

responsible for the direction, development and management of research

programs in developmental psychology, cognitive neuroscience,

behavioral pediatrics, reading, and human learning and learning

disorders. Before joining the NIH on a full-time basis in l991, Dr.

Lyon served on the faculties of Northwestern University

(Communication Science and Disorders/Neuroscience-1980-1983) and the

University of Vermont Neurology-1983-1991). He was a member of the

Maternal and Child Health Scientific Peer Review Group at NICHD/NIH

from 1987 to 1991. Dr. Lyon's research program was supported, in

part, by grants from the NIH and the Department of Education.

Dr. Lyon received his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico (1978)

with a dual concentration in psychology and developmental

disabilities. He completed a Fellowship in developmental neuroscience

at the University of New Mexico Medical Center. He has taught

children with learning disabilities, served as a third grade

classroom teacher, and served as a school psychologist for 12 years

in the public schools.

Dr. Lyon has authored, co-authored and edited over 100 journal

articles, books, and book chapters addressing learning differences

and disabilities in children. He is currently responsible for

translating NIH scientific discoveries relevant to the health and

education of children to the White House, the United States Congress,

and other governmental agencies. He also currently serves as an

advisor to President W. Bush on child development and

education research and policies.

About this (online) seminar posted at

http://www.edc.org/collaborative/members/ :

In " Rethinking Learning Disabilities " , a paper written for the

Fordham Foundation publication Rethinking Special Education for a New

Century, Reid Lyon and his co-authors take a provocative look at the

traditional methodologies for assessment, identification and

instruction of students with learning disabilities all within the

context of the upcoming reauthorization of IDEA. During this seminar,

participants will have the opportunity to discuss with Dr. Lyon his

thinking about the relationship between reading disabilities and

learning disabilities, the role both special education and general

education play in the prevention and remediation of reading

disabilities, and the importance of early intervention.

Who should attend?

Parent leaders, Policy makers, Representatives of State Education

Agencies, Central office and building level leadership, Classroom and

special education teachers, School based leadership teams

Again for more info please see

http://www.edc.org/collaborative/members/

=====