Welcome

The International Dyslexia Association Georgia Branch is here to serve the needs of families, educators, and professionals concerned with struggling readers. IDA Georgia is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals living with dyslexia, a learning difference that affects up to 20% of the U.S. population, as well as their families and the communities that support them. Our goal is to provide essential research-based information about assessment, diagnosis, resources, and appropriate educational intervention. To increase public awareness and remediation of dyslexia, we offer an information and referral hotline, a branch website, monthly e-news updates, free community outreach events, the Dyslexia Dash 5K, professional education conferences and webinars, and information about teacher training workshops and courses.

Whether you are an individual with dyslexia, a parent, a professional, or someone who is interested in learning more and being a part of the growing demand for change, we hope you will find inspiration and guidance here. We welcome you to contact us for additional information – until everyone can read!

Stacey Levy
President
International Dyslexia Association Georgia

IDA-GA/TRL-GA Spotlight on Structured Literacy Webinar Series

The webinar series will focus on Structured Literacy to encompass both the content and principles of instruction supported by research on the teaching of reading. Structured literacy (SL) teaching is the most effective approach for students who experience unusual difficulty learning to read and spell printed words.

IDA-GA and TRL-GA are bringing this series to you at no cost. You may submit speaker questions when you register for each event. Verified attendees will be invited to fill out a questionnaire and request a certificate of attendance. Each event will be recorded. More information here.

January 19 – Recording Now Available

February 9 – Recording and Slides Now Available

March 2 – Recording and Slides Now Available

April 27 – Recording and Slides Now Available

Thank you to our 2022 Spotlight on Structured Literacy Sponsors!

It is with the continued support of our sponsors that we are able to offer not only scholarship and grant opportunities but also events like this that are free and open to all those interested in learning more about dyslexia and effective interventions.

Updates and Next Steps – GaDOE State Dyslexia Committee Meeting

On Thursday, November 18, the GaDOE Dyslexia Team provided updates and next steps surrounding the Committee’s work. More information, including the link to the recording, can be found here.

Spread the Words, Spread the Love

What facts or words of encouragement can you provide to promote dyslexia awareness? Post YOUR thoughts on your social media page and use #wordsfordyslexia. Let’s see how many positive thoughts we can capture with #wordsfordyslexia to raise some spirits as we raise awareness throughout the year.

Also, check out how Lekkco is helping raise awareness and dollars for IDA and the IDA Branches. Each purchase of Lekkco’s delicious, healthy Belgium dark chocolate spread means a donation to IDA! For more information, go to www.lekkco4charity.com/IDA

Use code READ-GA when you check out. Thank you!

#WordsforDyslexia #UntilEveryoneCanRead #IDAChocolate4Charity #dyslexia #Spreadthelove #spreadthewords #Lekkco #dyslexiaawareness

The Dyslexia Dash raises funds for IDA-GA Grants and Scholarships

“…even the most competent teacher cannot be successful in teaching reading, especially to children who are at risk or struggling with literacy, if provided with inadequate instructional contexts or inappropriate instructional materials and approaches…”

CLICK HERE to read IDA’s 2019 Educator Training Initiative Brief Structured Literacy: An Introductory Guide.

The goal of the IDA-GA Scholarship Program is to offer scholarships for individuals taking courses in structured literacy professional education methodologies that provide an understanding of evidence-based best practices for educating students with dyslexia.

We at IDA-GA appreciate the commitment to learning about the science of reading and how to implement the components of Structured Literacy in the classroom. The next deadline for scholarship applications is January 1, 2022.

2022 Outreach

IDA-GA will not be hosting in-person outreach meetings over the next few months. However, we are working on other free outreach initiatives. Please click on the events listed on our calendar for more information. We hope to keep you informed of the many resources available from IDA and other trusted sources. IDA has compiled the Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities Resource Guide For Families and Teachers Affected by COVID-19. Learn more and download the guide for FREE at bit.ly/IDAGuide

Georgia State University – Investigating How the Brain Works When We Read

GSU Seeking Volunteers for Reading Research

Dyslexia Dash 2021 – October 16, 2021 – A Big Success

The 2021 Dyslexia Dash is in the books.

This was the first time the Dyslexia Dash was both an in-person run and a virtual race.

We had a record number of participants at 2,409.

1,718 in-person runners signed up to run at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta.

691 runners ran virtually in 27 States.

We had a record number of sponsors this year at 37 – Thank You!!

We had a record number of donations at $20,700 with donations coming from all over the USA and Canada.

Thank you to all the participants, donors, sponsors, and volunteers who made the 2021 Dyslexia Dash a success. We look forward to seeing you in October 2022.

Assistance for Georgia Families and Schools 2020-2021

As a part of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funding allocated to Georgia through the CARES Act and in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the GA SOLVE Program was established. The purpose of SOLVE is to provide scholarships for families with students enrolled in a Georgia public school, state charter commission school, or locally approved charter school that offers primarily virtual learning.

GA SOLVE offers scholarships to support working families with children and young adults ages 5-12 (kindergarten through grade 7), or up to age 22 for students with qualifying disabilities, by paying for care, supervision, and support during the school day while students are engaged in virtual learning.

Find out more: https://www.decal.ga.gov/CAPS/Solve.aspx

The video recordings for the 2021 IDA-GA Dyslexia Knowledge Series are now available! Click HERE.

February 23 was Dyslexia Day 2021

Visit the Decoding Dyslexia GA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/decodingdyslexiaga/ to learn about the day’s events.

Check out these videos created for Dyslexia Day 2021:

Dyslexia Is My Superpower, a poem written for Dyslexia Day 2021, is performed by students from across the state of Georgia: https://fb.watch/3QYPQZUqLH/

In the short video below, students and teachers from the Howard School answer the question, “Why is Early Identification and Intervention critical for Dyslexic students?”

GA DOE’s Dyslexia Informational Handbook

Gov. Kemp Signed Dyslexia Bill SB48 into Law on May 2, 2019. Watch this historic moment. CLICK HERE for more information. The Georgia Department of Education released the Dyslexia Informational Handbook: Guidance for Local School Systems on November 22, 2019.

How IDA-GA Invests Your Membership and Donation Dollars

The following are ways that IDA-GA invests back into the community membership fees, donations, and funds raised via events such as Dyslexia Dash:

Provide free Educational Outreach Meetings for both teachers and parents
Provide Scholarships and Grants to expand capabilities for structured literacy training
Provide Resources, Information, and Support to parents and teachers

New 2022 Baseball Hats for Sale! Until Everyone Can Read!

Wear your support! “Until Everyone Can Read” on front of cap, IDA logo on left side. $24.95 including shipping.

To order, CLICK HERE.

Raising Awareness of Dyslexia

IDA-GA joined forces with Atlanta Parents magazine to raise awareness about Dyslexia. The Article gives information to parents to help detect Dyslexia in their child and steps to be taken to become a successful advocate for your Dyslexic child.

Read the full article that appeared in the October issue of Atlanta Parents magazine by clicking here.