Learn More About Dyslexia and New State Law at Symposium

Dyslexia is a neurobiological condition that about 5 percent to 7 percent of people struggle with, yet it remains under-diagnosed and under-treated.

The UC Merced Alliance for Child and Family Health and Development and the grassroots organization Decoding Dyslexia of California are sponsoring a symposium on dyslexia and new state law, AB 1369, which is designed to help schools identify students with dyslexia sooner and enable implementation of interventions.

The event will feature a student speaker from UC Davis who has struggled all his life with dyslexia, and presentations by UC Merced Professor Jeffrey Gilger and CSU East Bay Professor Kathy Futterman, both experts in dyslexia.

The conference will focus on three areas:

• Educating people about the causes, expression, definition and life course of dyslexia, with a special emphasis on early signs and risks;
• Providing information on the new legislation, which will determine how schools and clinics can identify the condition; parent/student rights; and ramifications for treatment or IEP plans; and
• Outlining the preferred identification tools, treatment methods and resources available in the community.

The symposium runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, in COB2, room 110. Everyone is welcome to attend, and people can earn continuing education units and certificates of completion for attending. The cost is $25 and includes lunch. For more information and to register in advance, see the alliance’s website.