<p>The Southern Utah Reading Summit is a comprehensive educational professional development conference focusing on best practices for reading instruction in Utah Schools. Educators will learn the latest research and methods for helping struggling readers succeed in school from leading national reading instruction researchers and experts. This conference will also cover the impact that dyslexia has in our schools and what can be done to help students with dyslexia find success.</p><p>The 2020 Southern Utah Reading Summit will occur on Friday, April 16, and Saturday, April 17, 2020, at Desert Hills High School in St. George, Utah. Doors open for registration at 3:00 pm Friday and 8:00 am Saturday. Friday’s opening conference keynote address begins at 3:30 pm and will conclude at 6:30 pm. Saturday’s opening keynote address will start at 8:30 am and end at 12:30 pm. The price includes snacks and refreshments on Friday, and a small breakfast, snacks, and refreshments on Saturday provided to each attendee at the conference.​​</p><p>The conference schedule, session descriptions, &amp; speaker bios will be posted on this site as conference details are determined. So check back regularly for updated conference details.</p>

The Southern Utah Reading Summit is a comprehensive educational professional development conference that focuses on the best practices for reading instruction in Utah Schools.

SURS - Day 1

The Southern Utah Reading Summit is a comprehensive educational professional development conference that focuses on the best practices for reading instruction in Utah Schools. 

SURS - Day 2

<p>Your donation helps fund one-on-one tutoring and other support for dyslexic children and their families. These services are tailored to each child's unique needs and challenges and are designed to help them succeed in school and reach their full potential.</p>

Tutoring and One-on-One Support

<p>This portion of your donation funds workshops and other resources that provide a supportive and collaborative environment for dyslexic children. These may include study groups, peer support, and other resources that help children with dyslexia learn and grow.</p>

Workshops and Group Resources

<p>Your donation helps us provide dyslexic children with the materials and tools they need to succeed in school. This may include books, software, and assistive technology that help children with dyslexia overcome the challenges of their learning disability.</p>

Educational Materials and Tools

<p>This portion of your donation helps fund outreach and community events that raise awareness about dyslexia and provide resources and support to families and children in the community. These may include information sessions, resource fairs, and other events.</p>

Outreach and Community Events

RFL Utah

<p>Our mission is to provide support and resources to children with dyslexia in southern Utah, empowering them to reach their full potential and succeed in school. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn and grow, regardless of their learning challenges.</p><p>Therefore, through individualized tutoring, group resources, educational materials, and community events, we strive to break down barriers and provide the support and help dyslexic children need to succeed. In addition, we are committed to raising awareness about dyslexia and advocating equal educational opportunities for all children in southern Utah.</p>

Our mission is to raise awareness for Dyslexia in Southern Utah.

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<p>We are families and professionals in Washington County who have children with Dyslexia and have been frustrated with the lack of awareness and resources in our community. However, during the past couple of years, we have been able to help our children and see them make substantial progress once taught to read and spell with an evidence-based approach that works for children with Dyslexia.</p><p>We want to share what we have learned, provide specialized and affordable tutors in Washington County, raise awareness, and advocate for these bright and talented children who need to know to read differently. Reading is for life and gives life, so let’s make a difference!</p>

We are families and professionals in Washington County who have children with Dyslexia and have been frustrated with the lack of awareness and resources in our community. However, during the past couple of years, we have been able to help our children and see them make substantial progress once taught to read and spell with an evidence-based approach that works for children with Dyslexia.

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<h2>What is Dyslexia?</h2><p>Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that affects 1 in 5 individuals. It is a general term that describes the difficulty with learning to read, interpreting letters or sounds, and accurate or fluent word recognition. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language. Decoding words are incredibly challenging for those with dyslexia because their brains process language differently.</p><p>Dyslexia is prevalent worldwide and more common than ADHD/ADD. It affects 20% of the population, and there is not one ethnic or socioeconomic background that can escape this statistic. Dyslexia affects every class equally.</p><h2>Signs of Dyslexia</h2><p>The International Dyslexia Association’s research indicates several early signs of dyslexia. It is essential to point out a common myth that dyslexia is not reading words backward.</p><ul><li>Learning to speak</li><li>Learning letters and their sounds</li><li>Organizing written and spoken language</li><li>Difficulty rhyming words</li><li>Memorizing number facts</li><li>Reading quickly enough to comprehend</li><li>Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments</li><li>Spelling</li><li>Learning a foreign language</li><li>Correctly doing math operations</li></ul><h2>How is Dyslexia Diagnosed?</h2><p>A licensed educational psychologist diagnoses dyslexia. They gather information from parents or guardians, classroom teacher(s), speech or language pathologists, and academic assessments. The extensive evaluation consists of the following</p><h3>Evaluation Elements:</h3><ul><li>Background information</li><li>Intelligence</li><li>Oral language</li><li>Word recognition</li><li>Decoding</li><li>Spelling</li><li>Phonological processes</li><li>Fluency skills</li><li>Reading comprehension</li><li>Vocabulary knowledge</li></ul><p>An evaluation should result in a written report. This report should include information related to the family literacy history, any significant medical issues the child may have, prenatal and birth conditions, preschool development, and language learning. In addition, the education history should include school attendance, tests administered, and test scores. These scores should be stated as standard scores. Standard scores compare the learner to others of the same age or grade. This material should provide the framework for the detailed evaluation of relative strengths and weaknesses across the assessed skill areas.</p><h2>How is Dyslexia Treated?</h2><p>Treating dyslexia includes using specific educational approaches and techniques. For example, several reading programs, such as Wilson Reading Systems and Orton-Gillingham, are explicitly designed for people with dyslexia. The programs use a multi-sensory approach and techniques involving hearing, vision, and touch to improve reading skills. In addition, helping a child use several senses to learn — for example, listening to a taped lesson and tracing with a finger the shape of the letters used and the words spoken — can help in processing the information.</p><h3>Treatment includes:</h3><ul><li>Decoding the smallest sounds that makeup words (phonemes)</li><li>Blending letters to represent sounds and words (phonics)</li><li>Comprehend what they are reading</li><li>Read aloud to build reading accuracy, speed, and expression (fluency)</li><li>Build a vocabulary of recognized and understood words</li></ul><p>Tutoring sessions with a reading specialist can be helpful for many children with dyslexia. However, if your child has a severe reading disability, tutoring may need to occur more frequently, and progress may be slower.&nbsp;<a href="/find-a-tutor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Find a tutor</a>&nbsp;in your area today.</p>

Understand what dyslexia is, identify signs, and find out how it is diagnosed and treated

Dyslexia 101

Events

<p>Tutors in our network have a strong background in literacy programs with evidence-based curricula developed specifically for people with dyslexia to improve their reading ability. The tutors listed below are certified in one or more reading programs, such as Wilson Reading System, Orton-Gillingham Program, or Barton System. However, the tutors listed below do not submit their certification to Reading for Life Utah. As a result, parents or guardians must use caution and be selective when interviewing potential tutors.</p><p>The list of reading specialists continues to grow; please check back frequently. If you are a tutor and wish to be included on our list, please <a href="/contact-us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">get in touch with us</a>.</p><p><br></p>

Connect with certified reading tutors in Washington County

Find A Tutor

<h2><br></h2><h2>Websites</h2><p><a href="https://dyslexia.yale.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity</a></p><p>The Yale Center for Dyslexia &amp; Creativity serves as a nexus for research on dyslexia. It is also a leading source of advocacy and information to better the lives of people with dyslexia.</p><p><a href="https://www.decodingdyslexiautah.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Decoding Dyslexia: Utah</a></p><p>Decoding Dyslexia Utah is a grassroots movement driven by Utah families concerned with the limited access to educational interventions for dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities within our public schools.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.uurc.utah.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">University of Utah Reading Clinic</a></p><p>The University of Utah Reading Clinic was created by the 1999 Utah Legislature to provide specific services to Utah educators and parents. The clinic offers assessments and interventions to struggling readers and provides professional development to educators.</p><p><a href="https://dyslexiaida.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">International Dyslexia Association</a></p><p>International Dyslexia Association’s mission is to create a future for all individuals who struggle with dyslexia and other related reading differences so that they may have more prosperous, more full lives and access to the tools and resources they need.</p><p><a href="https://www.dyslexiacenterofutah.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Dyslexia Center of Utah</a></p><p>Dyslexia Center of Utah is dedicated to meeting the educational needs of children diagnosed with a primary language processing disorder and supporting the constituencies that serve them.</p><p><a href="https://www.understood.org/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Understood</a></p><p>Understood’s goal is to help the millions of parents whose children, ages 3–20, struggle with learning and attention issues. We want to empower them to understand their children’s issues and relate to their experiences. With this knowledge, parents can make effective choices that propel their children from simply coping to truly thriving.</p><h2>Podcasts</h2><h4>Reading Horizons Podclassed Podcast</h4><p><a href="https://www.readinghorizons.com/podclassed?utm_term=podclassed&amp;utm_campaign=november18_newsletter&amp;utm_content=email&amp;utm_source=Act-On+Software&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;cm_mmc=Act-On%20Software-_-email-_-Highlights%20from%20Dyslexia%20Awareness%20Month-_-podclassed" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Episode Archives</a></p><h4>NPR Special Series –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/series/503544816/unlocking-dyslexia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);">Unlocking Dyslexia</a></h4><ul><li><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/12/10/502601738/unlocking-dyslexia-personal-stories-of-frustration-and-success" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Unlocking Dyslexia: Personal Stories Of Frustration — And Success</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;<em>Mayra Linares</em></li><li>Part 1 –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/11/28/502601662/millions-have-dyslexia-few-understand-it" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Millions Have Dyslexia, Few Understand It</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/people/470414236/gabrielle-emanuel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);"><em>Gabrielle Emanuel</em></a>&nbsp;</li><li>Part 2 –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/11/29/503693391/researchers-study-what-makes-dyslexic-brains-different" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">How Science Is Rewiring The Dyslexic Brain</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/people/470414236/gabrielle-emanuel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);"><em>Gabrielle Emanuel</em></a></li><li>Part 3 –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/11/29/503766818/raising-a-child-with-dyslexia-3-things-parents-can-do" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Raising A Child With Dyslexia: 3 Things Parents Can Do</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/people/470414236/gabrielle-emanuel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);"><em>Gabrielle Emanuel</em></a></li><li>Part 4 –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/12/03/502601741/dyslexia-the-learning-disability-that-must-not-be-named" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Dyslexia: The Learning Disability That Must Not Be Named</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/people/470414236/gabrielle-emanuel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);"><em>Gabrielle Emanuel</em></a>&nbsp;</li><li><br></li></ul><h4>The Dyslexia Quest Podcast –&nbsp;<em>Elisheva Schwartz</em></h4><p><a href="https://www.elishevaschwartz.com/series/episode-archieve/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Episode Archives</a></p><h2>Videos</h2><h4>The Big Picture – Trailer</h4><iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kEqZiOrNXi4?rel=0"></iframe><p><br></p><h4>James Redford Q&amp;A – The Children Literacy Charity</h4><iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sxWPM08EAPM?rel=0"></iframe><p><br></p><h4>Embracing Dyslexia</h4><iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cBIK0XVPbXo?rel=0"></iframe><p><br></p><h4>&nbsp;</h4><h4>Journey Into Dyslexia –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Into-Dyslexia-Susan-Raymond/dp/B00YG14MDA/ref=tmm_aiv_title_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Stream on Amazon Video</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Into-Dyslexia-Erin-Brockovich-Ellis/dp/B005GFO4JM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);">Buy the DVD</a>&nbsp;</h4><p>This video addresses misunderstandings of learning differences and demonstrates potential in dyslexic persons.</p><h2>Books</h2><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Dyslexia-Complete-Science-Based-Problems/dp/0679781595/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1507913505&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=overcoming+dyslexia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);"><img src="https://readingforlifeutah.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Overcoming-Dyslexia-Cover-204x300.jpg" alt="Overcoming Dyslexia Book Cover" height="300" width="204"></a></p><p><em>Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level</em></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dyslexia-Empowerment-Plan-Blueprint-Confidence/dp/0345541251/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1507913948&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=a+dyslexia+empowerment+plan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);"><img src="https://readingforlifeutah.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Dyslexia-Empowerment-Cover-195x300.jpg" alt="Dyslexia Empowerment Plan Cover" height="300" width="195"></a></p><p><em>The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan: A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child’s Confidence and Love of Learning</em></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mislabeled-Child-Understanding-Learning-Paperback/dp/B00LLO9ZIC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1507914375&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=the+mislabeled+child" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);"><img src="https://readingforlifeutah.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Mislabeled-Child-Cover-181x300.jpg" alt="Mislabeled Child Cover" height="300" width="181"></a></p><p><em>The Mislabeled Child: How Understanding Your Child’s Unique Learning Style Can Open the Door to Success by Eide, Brock, Eide, Fernette (2007)</em></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Differently-Inspiring-Children-Disabilities/dp/B00LMLSFJE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1507914625&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=thinking+differently" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(35, 177, 190);"><img src="https://readingforlifeutah.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Thinking-Differently-Cover.jpg" alt="Thinking Differently Cover" height="300" width="300"></a></p><p><em>Thinking Differently: An Inspiring Guide for Parents of Children with Learning Disabilities (Audiobook)</em></p>

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<h2>Your Support is Very Appreciated</h2><p>We have a small working Board of Directors that welcomes assistance with legwork – fundraising, phone calls, emails, etc. Please <a href="/contact-us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">get in touch with us</a>&nbsp;if you are interested in helping or have ideas to share.</p>

Your Support is Very Appreciated We have a small working Board of Directors that welcomes assistance with legwork – fundraising, phone calls, emails, etc. Please get in touch with us if you are interested in helping or have ideas to share.

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The University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) focuses on two main areas: teacher development and reader development. Our resources and programs are designed to help teachers or tutors become more confident.

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