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Dyslexia Conference at Mississippi College Convenes February 5


Jan Hankins, director of the Mississippi College dyslexia center.

About 100 parents and educators are expected to learn about the latest research on dyslexia at a Mississippi College conference on February 5.

Visitors coming to the Clinton campus will hear from national experts as well as leaders with the Mississippi Department of Education and area schools. The regional dyslexia conference is dubbed “On the Road to Success.”

The program runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Anderson Hall in the B.C. Rogers Student Center.

Among the keynote speakers is a cognitive psychologist, Dr. Timothy N. Odegard, director of research and evaluation at Wilson Language Training. He brings expertise in dyslexia, learning, and memory. Odegard also serves as a professor at the University of Texas at Dallas Center for Brain Health.

Robin Lemonis, office director for literacy, dyslexia and early childhood at the Mississippi Department of Education, will discuss literacy in the Magnolia State.

Other conference presenters include: Rob Ward, a Mississippi College psychology professor and associate director of Student Counseling Services. Other speakers are: Rachel Smith, a dyslexia therapist for the Illuminations Center for Dyslexia in Meridian and Christy Shaw, a graduate student in dyslexia therapy at Mississippi College. Shaw is the dyslexia therapist for Lauderdale County schools.

Conference topics will touch on the social and emotional aspects of dyslexia from the point of view of parents.

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition along with poor spelling. About 15 to 20 percent of the USA population experiences some symptoms of dyslexia, including slow or inaccurate reading, poor writing skills and mixing up similar words.

The Academic Language Therapy Association of Dallas, Texas is handling online conference registration at www.altaread.org. On-site registration will cost $70 for ALTA members and $80 for non-members.

Jan Hankins, director of MC’s Dyslexia Education and Evaluation Center, says she expects visitors from across Mississippi and bordering states, will learn a great deal from the strong lineup of speakers.

For more information, contact Shirley Tipton of the MC School of Education at 601.925.3250 or Hankins at 601.925.7766.