SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
10:15 – 11:00
1A Lori Coates: A Parent’s Guide to Special Education Assessment
The presentation will be a discussion of the 4 Pillars of Assessment as
outlined by Jerome Sattler in Assessment of Children. We will review the different
areas and look at the typical results of each assessment area.
2A Susan Miller: Teaching Your Child How to Think Optimistically
This is a condensed and easy to teach summary of Dr. Martin Seligman’s
“The Optimistic Child.” Optimism, as Dr. Seligman teaches it, has been shown to
prevent depression, anxiety, and oppositional behaviors. It improves persistence
and performance in every aspect of life.
3A Craig Boogaard: Assistive Technology Tools Promote Reading and Writing
Assistive Technology tools have tremendous potential to help individuals
with learning disabilities. The focus of this session will be demonstrating software
and hardware designed to improve reading and writing for individuals with learning
disabilities. Information on how free assistive technology services can be accessed
will also be provided.
4A J. Allen: Why Try? Building Hope in Exceptional Children
This workshop will emphasize a strength-based approach to helping youth
overcome their challenges by teaching social and emotional life skills using
“multiple intelligence” methods that address the youth’s learning styles.
Remediating social and emotional deficits is demonstrated to build hope and
success in exceptional children.
5A Janet Gibbs: Response to Intervention (RTI) 101
The session will cover the basic information for both parents and educators
in regards to Response to Intervention (RTI). It will provide parents questions they
may ask of the local school on RTI; critical components of RTI will be shared.
11:10-12:05
1B Lori Coates: A Parents Guide to Special Education Assessment
(Continued)
2B Steve Lewis: Receiving Services in Post-Secondary Education Settings
Parents and Students in K-12 need a great deal of training and education to navigate the ever changing waters that revolve around transitioning issue for students with disabilities in general but even more-so for students with Learning Disabilities and Cognitive issues. The differences between IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) which governs K-12 and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) which governs all other aspects of life including Post-Secondary Education will be discussed and Steven will offer ways to navigate thru these differing laws successfully. Each K-12 student should prepare for some type of Post-Secondary training to be successful in our ever changing societal job requirements be it College or other Post-Secondary training opportunities.
3B Jonathan Mooney: The Gift: LD/ADHD Reframed
Often students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit
hyperactive disorder (ADHD) struggle in traditional school settings. Yet emerging
brain research suggests that many students labeled LD/ADHD have gifts for
creative and visual thinking that go unrecognized in academic environments. As a
result, many bright and gifted labeled students spiral in a devastating pattern of
academic failure, learned helplessness, and low self-esteem.
In this presentation, Jonathan tackles this paradox head-on by outlining
research that validates LD/ADHD as a set of cognitive gifts. He speaks honestly
about the systemic and cultural barriers to normalizing these unique learning
styles. Most importantly, Jonathan empowers parents with applicable strategies to
build a positive self-understanding in their labeled student.
4B Dr.: A Rational Approach to Medications
This is a lecture designed for the non-medical person regarding psychotropic medication and their use in children and adolescents.
This lecture will not focus so much on specifics about the different medications but rather the rationale behind why and when these different medications are used.
5B Valynne Maetani-Nagamatsu: Camp Consonant
Camp Consonant, developed by Waterford Research Institute is a unique and effective program in the area of intervention software because it uses multi-sensory curriculum to provide children who need to overcome reading problems with the consistent, intense, structured study they need.
12:05-1:00 Lunch Included
1L Lunch Discussion Groups
2L Voc. Rehab
3L David Peterson: Irlen Vision Therapy
1:00 – 1:45
1C Deborah Young: Tools and Strategies That Build Literacy Skills in
Children
There are many research-based strategies and tools that can build literacy
skills in students of all ages, whether used by teachers or parents. Hear what
works and explore ways to adapt these ideas to your situation.
2C Ed Green: Helping Struggling Readers at Home with Web-based Instruction
Lexia Reading students learn skills in sequence, logically building an
understanding of basic reading skills. The computer constantly assesses what the
student needs next and offers repetition until the skill is mastered before going on.
A computer placement screen puts the students in the correct place in the programs.
3C Jennifer Izatt: Easy Classroom Management Strategies
This session will cover topics of classroom management that are frequently
forgotten but make a huge difference in the success of our students and us as
teachers. Participants will be able to take information home today from this
session and apply it tomorrow in their classrooms.
4C Leah Lobato: Essential Skills for Finding, Getting, and Keeping a Job
In the 21st Century what skills are necessary for success in the workplace?
Do students with learning disabilities (LD) entering the workforce, graduates of
high school, two-year, and four-year colleges have those skills and
characteristics? This workshop will go over basic work skills and characteristics
that are important to employers and that youth with hidden disabilities need to
acquire in order to be successful on the job. Adults, parents, educators, and other
service providers will learn about state agency services and employment skills that
can be taught to prepare youth and adults with disabilities to succeed.
5C Karen Nickl: Accommodating the NLD/Asperger Learner
Parents and educators will learn practical interventions to propel the
NLD/Asperger child to success.
1:55- 2:40
1D Christine Timothy and Vali Kremer: When You Wish Upon An AIM Star!
(Accessible Instructional Materials)
You will learn about the National Instructional Materials Accessibility
Standard (NIMAS), the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) and
become familiar with the Utah State Instructional Materials Access Center
(USIMAC) and how to use this great resource for your students with print
disabilities. There will demonstrations of programs available, and you will learn
how to navigate the need for accessible instructional materials for print disabled
students who need alternate formats in order to access the general curriculum.
You will receive information about FREE materials and websites to aid you in your
efforts to provide alternative formats. When you wish upon an AIM star, your
dreams come true!
2D Deborah Young: Reading Tools and Strategies for Adults
There are many research-based strategies and tools that can build literacy
skills in students of all ages, whether used by teachers or parents. Hear what
works and explore ways to adapt these ideas to your situation.
3D Jonathan Mooney: Concrete Strategies for Teaching and Parenting
Outside the Lines
4D Megan Suzanne Brown: Bullying: What Parents and Educators Need to Know
Children often struggle understanding how to handle bullies when they call
them names, threaten them, or physically hurt them. This session will help parents
and educators identify types of bullying, understand why bullies bully, and provide
attendees with tools for helping children who are bullied.
5D Wendy Carver: Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment
This session will provide information on accommodations that are available
for instruction and assessment in Utah’s schools. How to select appropriate
accommodations and how to evaluate them for effectiveness will be discussed. An
overview of Utah’s assessments will also be provided.
2:50- 3:35
1E Dave Campbell: The Art of Verbal De-Escalation
The Art of Verbal De-Escalation will cover topics on awareness in a crisis,
stages of crisis management, communication in a crisis, avoiding power struggles,
active listening and steps to limit setting.
2E Melina Alexander: Motivational Math Strategies: Elementary
This interactive presentation will provide strategies and interventions aimed
at increasing math competencies in elementary students. Interventions focusing
on NCTM standards and focal points will be discussed. A variety of activities that
increase student motivation will be demonstrated.
3E Shelly Hatch, Dyslexia Center of Utah: Put Yourself in the Shoes of a
Person with Dyslexia
This is a hands-on experience that evolved in the early 1980's as a project of
the California State Department of Education Special Education Resource Network.
In 2005, the Northern California Branch of The International Dyslexia Association
made further revisions and updates. This simulation is designed to increase
awareness of the difficulties and frustrations that people with dyslexia (specific
language learning disability) encounter daily. We hope this experience will lead to
greater empathy and understanding and provide insight into working more
effectively with these individuals.
4E Susan Loving: Disability Disclosure: How? When? Why?
Disclosure of disability is, by law, an individual decision. Youth frequently
need assistance with learning about the consequences of disclosing or not
disclosing their disability. Session participants will become aware of advantages
and disadvantages of disability disclosure and learn strategies that may help youth
make their own decisions about disclosure.
5E Linda Smith: Parents as Partners in the IEP Process
Do you have questions about your child’s IEP? Do you need more
information on services available and laws that affect your child’s education? This
session will focus on how children are identified, the components of an IEP, who
should be in attendance, and dispute resolution. This session will help parents
become informed, effective parents, and active participants in their child’s IEP
process.
3:45-4:30
1F Dave Campbell: The Art of Verbal De-Escalation
(continued)
2F Melina Alexander: Motivational Math Strategies: Secondary
This interactive presentation will provide strategies and interventions aimed
at increasing math competencies in secondary students. Interventions focusing on
NCTM standards and focal points will be discussed. A variety of activities that
increase student motivation will be demonstrated.
3F Shelley Hatch:
(continued)
4F Anya Beccara: English Language Learners and Special Education
5F Dr. Robin Price: The Vision and Learning Connection
The purpose of this session is to provide a better understanding of the
connection between vision and learning. Experts estimate that 80% of what we
learn is mediated through the visual system. Research shows that 60% of
students identified as “problem learners” have undetected vision problems. This
number increases with children diagnosed with Developmental Delays, Dyslexia,
and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Seminar attendees will: understand how visual
input and processing skills affect academic achievements in reading, writing,
spelling, mathematics, and classroom performance; discover how to recognize
undiagnosed vision deficiencies that can save years of struggling; and gain several
techniques for the classroom to help students develop good visual skills.