THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls partnered with the Louisiana Board of Regents to offer a Dyslexia Symposium on April 19 at the Claiborne Conference Center in Baton Rouge. Jason Talbot, Nicholls director and coordinator of assessments and research for the Dyslexia Center, along with Kayla Reggio, director of Dyslexia Resource Center and academic consultant of Louisiana Key Academy, presented information about developing a course on dyslexia due to the recent legislation mandating all teacher preparation programs include such a course.
Dr. Scot Rademaker, dean of the Nicholls College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, coordinated with Dr. Susannah Craig, Louisiana Board of Regents deputy commissioner for strategic planning and student success, in order to facilitate the planning for the symposium. In attendance were representatives from every institution of higher education in the University of Louisiana System.
“The Dyslexia Symposium provides a significant opportunity for universities across Louisiana to collaborate in meeting the needs of children with dyslexia. By training teacher candidates to identify reading problems early and use evidence-based instructional practices, substantial gains can be made towards effectively educating dyslexic students,” said Jason Talbot. “With appropriate support, individuals with learning differences are capable of performing at a high academic level, including in college and achieving professional success.”
The successful event put Nicholls one step closer to the implementation of a dyslexia course in the fall of 2024, in which every student graduating from a teacher education program will be required to take. This will benefit future teachers in terms of their knowledge about and ability to recognize dyslexia in their students. Two more meetings will be held, one in the fall and spring of 2024, which will involve the practical application of what is being learned along with some site visits to schools for students with dyslexia.
The Nicholls Dyslexia Center’s mission is to transform the lives of individuals with dyslexia through the provision of support services to college students, educational evaluations to the public and training opportunities for teachers and parents. Students in all majors are provided support services. To learn more, visit https://www.nicholls.edu/education/support-programs/dyslexia/.