IDA Upper Midwest Branch's 48th Annual Conference

Literacy for All

Welcome to our 48th annual ONLINE conference. This conference is for teachers, tutors, parents and advocates of dyslexic students. Everyone is welcome! We have an amazing schedule of speakers ready for you starting Friday, April 22, 2022 until midnight on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. 

The conference this year will be entirely online. All presentations are included.

CEU contact hours certificates will be issued.** See note at the upper left of this screen for more information. 

Keynote: "Changes to Literacy Instruction: Expeditions Aren't Expedient"

Victoria Weinberg, PhD Minnesota Department of Education, and Wendy Stuttgen, Ed.S., NCSP, Associate Director of Literacy Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement  University of Minnesota

Efforts to install and sustain changes to literacy instruction is an expedition to summit the fourteen tallest peaks. We are making progress in our journey, changes from the classroom to the capital are happening and we must not sacrifice results for expediency. This presentation will celebrate not just the magnitude of change but the key features that are needed to sustain change for future generations of students.

Explicit Instruction

“Three Big Ideas of Spelling (and a Big Implication),” Sue Scibetta Hegland

“Developing Foundational Language Comprehension Skills: An Integrated Approach,” Nicole Kingsland, MS, AIM Institute

“Improving Reading Comprehension Through Improving Executive Function,” Dee Rosenberg, M.A., LDT-C, Wilson Language

“Dyslexia: The Need for Evidence Based Literacy Instruction and Intervention,” Nora Wersich Schlesinger Ph.D., Wilson Language

“Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices,” Joan Sedita, M. Ed., Keys to Literacy

“Creating Stronger Readers with Syllable Instruction,” Barbara Zelinske, Fellow/OGA, CDT/IDA, The Reading Center

Assistive Technology

“SuperCharge the Writing Process for All Learners: Tools for Learning,” Melissa Piette, MSEd and Laura Morris, MSEd, Wausau (WI) School District

“Learning Loss: Technology for Accelerating Growth in Reading and Writing,” Nanci King Shepardson M.S.Ed., Ed. S., W.D.P., Wilson Language

Advocacy

“Stealth Dyslexia: When Dyslexia is Hidden By or Hides Intellectual Giftedness,” Liz Adams, PhD, LP, ABPP, Minnesota Neuropsychology

“Organizing your IEP/504 Binder for Effective Advocacy,” Kimberly Carlsen and Rachel Berger, Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota

“The Adult Side of Dyslexia,” Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D., Dyslexia Training Institute

**NEW** “Demystifying Teacher Certification,” Janet Thibeau, Chair, IDA National Branch Council

Research & Policy

"Moving to Structured Literacy in Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs," Abbey Payeur, EdD, Bethel University

“Dyslexia Policy at the MN Legislature; What you need to know and how you can help,” Rachel Berger and Rachel Depa, Decoding Dyslexia, Minnesota

“Implementation Science What Leaders Should Know,” Cynthia Hadicke, Ed.D., AIM Institute

“Teaching All Children to Read - the Science of Reading in the Classroom,” Katherine Campbell, MS, Groves Learning Organization

"Highlights of the North Dakota Dyslexia Pilot Project," Brenda Ehrmantraut, M.Ed. and Lea Kugel, M.Ed., North Dakota Department of Public Instruction