One in five children struggles with reading. Have you ever imagined what school is like for these children?  Dyslexia, which often runs in families, is a lifelong neurological condition that affects how the brain receives, processes and responds to language. Individuals with dyslexia have trouble reading accurately and fluently. Reading comprehension, spelling and writing are also often problems.

Persons that do not have dyslexia often have misconceptions about why it is difficult for the dyslexic child to learn how to read like his peers.   October is National Dyslexia Month and has been proclaimed Dyslexia Awareness Month by Mayor Jeff Cline and the Hickory City Council.

The Patrick Beaver Learning Resource Center, as part of its Parents as Voices in Education series, wants to help the community understand what many experts call the invisible problem of dyslexia.

Families, educators, and interested individuals will benefit from attending a program titled “Experiencing Dyslexia,” Sunday, October 8, beginning at 2 pm in room 159 of the Rhyne Building at Lenoir-Rhyne University.  Through hands-on activities, participants will gain a better understanding of the challenges dyslexic children experience each time they face a printed page.

Presenters for the program are experienced teachers and committed professionals. Brian Smith, is currently the Alexander County teacher of the year. He is also a Top Teacher Blogger for Scholastic magazine, an adjunct professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University and on the board of NC International Dyslexia Association (NCIDA). Alice Rullman, retired from Catawba County Schools as a Literacy Specialist and Instructional Coach, is a Fellow of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators and a Certified Dyslexia Therapist. Reba Walden, an educator for more than 38 years from Caldwell County has served on the board of NCIDA. She is a Fellow-in-Training with the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. Dr. Monica Campbell is co-chair of the school of education and associate professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University.   Each of the presenters has spoken at national conferences on dyslexia and reading.

There is no charge for this presentation.  For more information, call 828-624-2012, email at info@patrirckbeaverlrc.org or visit us on Facebook or www.patrickbeaverlrc.org.