Our 2020 Keynote Speakers have offered to present at our 2021 Conference:

Dyslexia: What Is It and What Kind of Instruction Will Help?
Dyslexia is a serious reading disorder affecting 5 to 10% of individuals in the United States. However, its causes and the best treatments for it are not well-understood. Dr. Kearns will begin with an explanation of the skills students require for reading success and then address the nature of dyslexia and how it causes reading problems. Finally, Dr. Kearns will provide guidance about the elements of instruction that are essential for the success of students with dyslexia. The goal of the presentation is for attendees to leave with a strong understanding of the types of problems involved in dyslexia and knowledge about the critical elements of instruction.

Devin Kearns, Ph.D. is an associate professor of Special Education in the Department of Educational Psychology in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut (UConn).  He is a research scientist for the Center for Behavioral Education & Research (CBER) and Haskins Laboratories. Dr. Kearns researches reading disability—including dyslexia—in elementary- and middle school-age children.  Several of his current projects focus on linking educational practice to cognitive science and neuroscience.

In Search of Air: Growing up Dyslexic

Lida Winfield is an innovative and accomplished dancer, choreographer, spoken word artist and educator. She creates original work merging storytelling, dance and visual art. Her artistic practice is inextricably linked to her role as an educator. Lida is dedicated to using the performing arts to move herself and others forward intellectually, developmentally, socially and spiritually. Lida has taught and performed nationally and internationally, including at Roger Williams University, Habla: The Center for Language and Culture in Mexico, National Dance Association Conference, Skidmore College and the Bates Dance Festival. Lida studied at The School for New Dance Development in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College, Vermont, with a focus on the transformative power of the expressive arts. In 2016, she was honored with the Rebecca Blunk Fund Award through the New England Foundation for the Arts, and in 2017, with commissioning partners The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Middlebury Performing Arts Series, The Yard, and Jacob’s Pillow, Lida received a National Performance Network Creation grant for her new work IMAGINARY.  As a performer and teaching artist, Lida travels the country as a Keynote Presenter/Performer addressing issues of education, disability, access, cognitive diversity, and the power of the arts. Lida is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Dance Program at Middlebury College. www.lidawinfield.com