Dyslexia Symposium - School of Education - Virginia Commonwealth University

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Ruth Harris Professorship
Dyslexia Symposium

2026 Dyslexia Symposium | Saturday, October 24, 2026

Join us for a day of in-person learning, networking, and four hours of professional development.

Event Highlights:

Keynote address, breakout sessions, and vendor tables
Lunch and networking opportunities
Free video recordings of select presentations post-event

This annual symposium, hosted by the VCU School of Education and the T/TAC, is funded by the Ruth Harris Professorship. The event is open to students, educators, advocates, and the general public and provides insights, research, and resources to support students with dyslexia.

Questions? Contact ruthharris@vcu.edu or request to join our event email list.

Event Registration Fees

VCU students may attend at | no charge
Students from another college or university who register with their college/university email address | $20
Community members, parents, teachers, other professionals, etc. | $40

Attendee Benefits

Enjoy our keynote speaker, peruse vendor tables and select from a choice of breakout sessions, see below
FREE raffle ticket
FREE PARKING to the first 100 guests who arrive
A boxed lunch
Four (4) professional development hours
A post-event survey and a link to video recordings of select sessions (there is no live, virtual option this year)

Agenda at a Glance

9:00 am- 9:30 a.m. | Registration, Coffee, Vendors

9:30 am-10:30 a.m. | Welcome; Keynote address

10:45 am-11:45 a.m. | Session 1

11:50 am-12:30 p.m. | Lunch and Vendors

12:45 pm-1:45 p.m. | Session 2

2:00 pm-3:00 p.m. | Session 3

3:00 pm-3:15 p.m. | Door prizes, Wrap-up

Keynote Speaker, Breakout Sessions and Presenters

Keynote Speaker

Structured Multiliteracy: The Bridge to Equity

Elsa Hagan

Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D., CCC/SLP, CDT, CALT, QI

Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan is the President of the Valley Speech Language and Learning Center in Brownsville, Texas, and a Research Associate at the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics at the University of Houston.

For more than 25 years, Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan has contributed to national research projects sponsored by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the Office of Special Education Programs for the United States Department of Education. Her research focuses on the development of language and literacy skills among Spanish- and English-speaking students. She has collaborated with research teams to design assessments and interventions tailored to this linguistically diverse population.

Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan currently serves as Chairperson of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities and is a member of the Professional Advisory Board for the Learning Disabilities Association of America. She is also a former Vice-Chairperson of the International Dyslexia Association.

Her contributions to the field have been recognized with several honors, including the Margaret Byrd Rawson Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Dyslexia Association, the Luke Waites Award of Service from the Academic Language Therapy Association, and the Learning Disabilities Award from the Learning Disabilities Association of America. Additionally, she is a recipient of the Bronze Telly Award for Education.

She is the author of Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instructionand Esperanza a Spanish language intervention program.

Breakout Session Titles and Descriptions

Session 1

Morphology Routines for Struggling Middle School Readers

Presenter: Margaret Stout

Understanding how and when to implement morphology for middle school students reading below grade level can be challenging. While syllabication is typically the focus for struggling readers who have mastered letter/sound correspondence, implementing three evidence-based morphology routines that are supported with syllabication has not only increased student engagement in learning how to read but has helped struggling middle school students read across the content areas. This workshop will focus on those three routines and discuss how syllabication supports those routines.

Teaching for Transfer: Helping Strategies Stick

Presenter: Jennifer Askue-Collins

Students with dyslexia may learn a strategy in one lesson but not automatically apply it in another setting. This session focuses on teaching for transfer: helping students recognize when, why, and how to use strategies across reading, writing, and content-area tasks. Participants will explore how consistent language, modeling, practice opportunities, and reflection can help strategies become part of students’ independent learning routines. Attendees will leave with a simple planning tool for making strategy instruction more intentional and transferable.

The Intersection of Dyslexia, Classroom Cognitive Load, and Student Emotional Well-Being

Presenters: Karen Ingalls & Mary Dail

This educator and parent duo will explore the emotional impact dyslexia can have on students while connecting personal experiences to the science of teaching, classroom cognitive load, and the demands placed on struggling readers. Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience, the presenters will examine the differing perspectives of screening and diagnosis, including potential emotional implications of identification and the importance of viewing student needs through an instructional lens. The session will also highlight structured literacy in practice, demonstrating how explicit, systematic, and evidence-based instruction can reduce barriers to learning and create classroom environments where all students feel empowered to thrive.

What to Do When They're Not Getting It: Intensifying Foundational Reading Instruction

Presenter: Erin Beard

When classroom instruction is not leading to mastery, what comes next? This session is designed for teachers and parents who work with students who need more than classroom instruction to build foundational reading skills. Attendees will explore practical, research-informed strategies for intensifying instruction in foundational reading skills such as letter-sound correspondences, phonemic awareness, and phonics. Whether you are an interventionist looking to close the gap or a parent wanting to better support your child at home, you will leave with practical strategies you can apply to support striving readers.

From Data to Decisions: Using VALLSS to Drive Reading Support in K-2

Presenters: Laurie Gingrich & Tiffany Sneed

This session will help participants deepen their understanding of the Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System (VALLSS) and its role in identifying students at risk for reading difficulties. Participants will examine key assessment components, analyze student data, and explore how screening results can inform instructional decisions. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing student strengths and needs, selecting appropriate supports, and using data to drive targeted instruction and early intervention to improve literacy outcomes for all learners.

Session 2

How to Talk So Schools Will Listen and Listen So Schools Will Talk

Presenter: Amanda Raymond

This workshop focuses on practical communication skills that help families work more effectively with schools. Parents will learn how to share concerns clearly, manage emotions during difficult conversations, and listen in ways that build understanding and trust. Using real-life examples and simple strategies, families will leave feeling more confident speaking up, asking questions, and working collaboratively with their child’s IEP team.

Teaching Syntax with Intention: Practical Paths to Comprehension

Presenter: Diane Gillam

Syntax is the worker bee of text—without it, reading comprehension falls apart. Despite its importance, syntax is usually the missing link in structured literacy. Syntactic awareness naturally develops through sentence exposure and applies seamlessly to classroom content. In this session, participants will learn to intentionally design activities that help students unpack the meaning of words, phrases, and clauses. By parsing sentences, students will discover both the flexibility and the complexity of language.

Using Inclusive and Assistive Technology to Support Reading and Writing

Presenters: Amber Butler & Kayla Malaney

Participants will discover new ways to consider the needs of all students when selecting and using inclusive and assistive technology to support reading and writing for elementary-aged students with dyslexia. Participants will have the opportunity to create and take home some low-tech supports for use in their classrooms

Growing Readers Begins with Language: Rethinking Early Literacy

Presenter: Sandra Koch

Scarborough’s Reading Rope has long guided our understanding of skilled reading, but as research evolves, we are called to examine its foundation—language. Grounded in the work of Laura Stewart and the Reading is Language model by Margaret Snowling and Charles Hulme (2025), this session explores the pivotal role of oral language in early literacy development. Designed for early elementary educators, interventionists, and literacy leaders, participants will deepen their understanding of how language supports comprehension and phoneme awareness. Attendees will leave with a lesson plan grounded in explicit, systematic, and cumulative instruction that promotes student discourse, prioritizes conversation and read-alouds, connects knowledge with language, and affirms diverse language experiences.

The Characteristics of Dyslexia Among English Learners: Key Considerations for Screening and Instruction

Presenter: Elsa Cardenas-Hagan

There are more than 5 million English learners attending public schools in the United States. The majority of these students participate in English as a Second Language classrooms, while fewer receive instruction in their home language. Context matters and must be considered for screening, classroom instruction, identification, and treatment of dyslexia. Dyslexia is a reading disability that exists across languages. However, English learners are less likely to be identified with dyslexia. This session will describe the characteristics of dyslexia, the necessary components for universal screening, and the additional considerations necessary for accurate identification and evidence-based instruction

Session 3

Using Strategies and Routines to Support Literacy Development Across the Curriculum

Presenter: Mary Murray Stowe

This session examines how educators can strengthen literacy development across content areas through the intentional use of the strategies and routines that promote explicit, systematic, and scaffolded instruction that will lead to successful outcomes in comprehension of text.

Participants will explore how instructional routines and strategic supports can help students access complex text, organize information, develop academic vocabulary (Harris & Deshler, 2008; Reading Universe, n.d.), deepen comprehension, and communicate understanding through discussion and writing (Vaughn et al., 2022). Particular attention will be given to support educators in intentionally segmenting instructional targets into simpler tasks, model strategic thinking, provide guided blocked or interleaved practice (Peavler, 2026), and gradually release responsibility to students in ways that increase both access and independence (Archer & Hughes, 2011; Vaughn & Fletcher, 2021).

Helping Struggling Readers Take Flight: A Collaborative Approach to Literacy Equity

Presenters: Jeanine Cyrwus & Elizabeth Gehler

This presentation examines the impact of Take Flight, a pilot summer reading program designed to expand equitable access to evidence-based intervention for struggling readers. Discover how partnerships among local universities, nonprofit organizations, and the Reed Charitable Foundation shaped the program’s development. Explore why a two-pronged approach to the literacy crisis is essential: providing IDA-accredited Structured Literacy training to university teacher candidates while delivering explicit, Orton-Gillingham based literacy instruction to at-risk students. The session highlights key challenges, successes, and student outcomes, offering practical insights for implementing effective, equity-driven literacy initiatives.

The Dyslexia Neighborhood: Schools, Families, and the Spaces In Between

Presenter: Robin Norris

Dyslexia is often discussed as a school-based reading challenge, but its impact extends far beyond the classroom. This session explores how dyslexia can appear differently across educational, family, community, and real-world settings, influencing how it is recognized, understood, and supported. Through storytelling, reflection, and practical examples, participants will examine how context shapes perception and why important pieces of the dyslexia experience are often overlooked. Attendees will leave with a broader framework for understanding dyslexia and actionable strategies for recognizing patterns across settings to better support learners and families.

Beyond Decoding: Fluency and Comprehension

Presenter: Rebecca Hodell

In this session attendees will learn why it is important to continue beyond the typical phonics scope and sequence to ensure students achieve fluency and comprehension. Instructional strategies will be shared that will allow practitioners to provide students with the skills in multi-syllable word reading, high frequency word recognition, spelling, and time in text that lead to fluent reading and increased comprehension. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in games that can be used to provide engaging practice for students and that parents can play at home to reinforce the learning that leads to fluency.

Presenters

Jennifer Askue-Collins

Jennifer Askue-Collins is a Program Specialist at the Training and Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. She supports educators and instructional leaders in strengthening inclusive practices, explicit instruction, executive functioning supports, and strategy-based instruction for students with disabilities. Her work focuses on helping schools build learner-owned strategy toolkits, improve Tier 1 instruction, and connect evidence-based practices to practical classroom routines. Jennifer is also a doctoral student whose research interests include learning transfer, generalization, writing interventions, and instructional design in inclusive settings.

Erin Beard

Erin Beard, Ed.D., is a UFLI Implementation Specialist at the University of Florida. Her work focuses on helping teachers provide evidence-based literacy instruction to improve students’ reading achievement. She also instructs teachers in the reading education program at the University of Virginia. Before receiving her doctorate from the University of Virginia, Beard worked as a classroom teacher, a literacy coach, and a reading consultant.

Amber Butler

Dr. Amber M. Butler serves as a Literacy Coach with Richmond Public Schools, where she supports teachers through classroom coaching, professional learning communities, data analysis, modeling evidence-based literacy practices, and the implementation of structured literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading. She collaborates with educators to strengthen Tier 1 instruction, intervention planning, and equitable learning opportunities for diverse learners. Dr. Butler previously served as a Program Specialist with Virginia Commonwealth University’s Training and Technical Assistance Center, where she provided statewide professional development, coaching, and consultation in the areas of dyslexia, specially designed instruction, inclusive practices, and evidence-based literacy instruction. She earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University and holds licenses in Educational Leadership, Reading Specialist, and Exceptional Education.

Jeanine Cyrwus

Jeanine Cyrwus has more than 20 years of experience in special education, with a focus on dyslexia. As Director of Outreach and Literacy, she partners with families and schools to support students with language-based learning differences through advocacy and professional development. As Director of Summer Programs, she has developed and led academic initiatives focused on evidence-based reading and writing instruction. Most recently, she launched a collaborative summer program with universities and nonprofit organizations to expand equitable access to early reading intervention. Jeanine is certified in Structured Literacy through the International Dyslexia Association and holds advanced degrees in Special Education, Dyslexia Advocacy, and Educational Leadership.

Mary Dail

Mary Dail began indirectly advocating for dyslexic students in the public school system over ten years ago when her oldest son was identified as having a Specific Learning Disability. The eventual clinical dyslexia diagnoses of both of her sons inspired a deep dive into learning about dyslexia. She has a Natural Resources background including a Master's degree from VCU. She assists with the Decoding Dyslexia New River Valley Chapter and uses the platform to connect families with dyslexia resources related to navigating public school systems. She brings an important insight into the connection between dyslexia and mental health, shaped by her family's personal experiences.

Elizabeth Gehler

Elizabeth Bailey Gehler is a special education professional with extensive clinical and instructional experience across school settings. She is currently completing her Master's degree in Special Education while serving as a full-time student teacher within Fairfax County Public Schools, as well as in the Take Flight Summer Reading Intervention Program. Her work emphasizes evidence-based practices, data-driven instruction, and meaningful inclusion for learners with diverse needs. Bailey also serves as the EdD Program Administrative Assistant at Marymount University. This dual role strengthens her ability to bridge educational research, higher education administration, and classroom practice.

Diane Gillam

Diane C. Gillam, MEd, is a national Strategic Instruction Model professional development leader with the University of Kansas and a consultant in adolescent literacy and language. She has led national literacy initiatives and has been recognized for her leadership by both the University of Kansas and the Virginia Department of Education. In April 2026, the Virginia Department of Education appointed her to the Virginia Literacy Act Workgroup to help strengthen VLA implementation. Ms. Gillam is dedicated to improving literacy outcomes for students with disabilities and bridging the gap between research and practice.

Laurie Gingrich

Laurie Gingrich is the Manager of K–5 Literacy and Dyslexia Advisor for Richmond Public Schools, where she drives districtwide literacy initiatives and empowers educators through evidence-based professional learning. A veteran educator with over 20 years of experience in elementary education, Laurie is an Orton-Gillingham certified teacher and has also co-facilitated LETRS training. She recdently helped spearhead the districtwide implementation of UFLI Foundations. She is fiercely committed to ensuring equitable access to high-quality reading instruction so that every student can succeed.

Rebecca Hodell

Rebecca Hodell, Dyslexia Specialist in Henrico County since 2018, works collaboratively with special education and general education teams to ensure all students achieve. She was an English teacher for 19 years before becoming a reading specialist who focuses on dyslexia and learning disabilities. As an educator and a parent, she understands the impact dyslexia can have on children and adults. Rebecca is passionate about high quality instruction and the right to read.

Karen Ingalls

Dr. Karen Ingalls works for the Colorado Department of Education. She previously served as an elementary classroom teacher, literacy specialist, and instructional coach. Although she earned a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a literacy emphasis, she realized she still lacked the tools to fully support struggling readers. This inspired her work supporting in-service teachers in the science of reading and evidence-based literacy practices. She later completed her doctoral studies in Reading Science at Mount St. Joseph University. Her passion for literacy support is also shaped by personal experiences with family members who have dyslexia.

Sandra Koch

Sandra Koch is a teacher first and foremost, and it is an honor to support classroom teachers and interventionists in their daily work with students. She served as a reading specialist and coach in Chesterfield County for over 13 years and currently works with 95 Percent Group as a literacy consultant and coach, while also serving as an adjunct professor at VCU. She believes literacy is an equity issue — when students can read, they gain access to opportunity. Through knowledge building, coaching, leadership, and collaboration, literacy can become the foundation for success in the 21st century.

Kayla Malaney

Kayla Malaney serves Virginia Commonwealth University's Training and Technical Assistance Center as a Program Specialist for Assistive Technology and Intellectual Disabilities. In this role, she provides coaching, consultation, and professional support to special education professionals in the areas of assistive technology, adapted curriculum, and evidence-based instructional practices. Prior to joining VCU T/TAC, Kayla taught in elementary and secondary program classrooms serving students with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities. She earned her B.S. in Special Education from Miami University, along with a certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders, and later received her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University.

Robin Norris

Dr. Robin R. Norris is a mom, psychotherapist, professor, and advocate known for bringing heart, humor, and real-life perspective to conversations about dyslexia and mental health. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, teaches counseling courses at The College of William & Mary, and maintains Windward Optimal Health. As a clinician, an individual with dyslexia, and a parent of children with dyslexia, Dr. Norris actively engages schools, families, and community organizations to build awareness and support systems. She is recognized for translating complex research into relatable, strengths-based stories that inspire collaboration and meaningful change among educators, families, and professionals.

Amanda Raymond

Amanda graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine and served as a U.S. Navy Public Affairs Officer for 5 years. She separated from active duty to support her family when her own children were diagnosed with Autism. In the years that followed, she educated herself about autism, special education regulations, inclusive education, and effective collaboration with IEP teams, eventually considering herself an effective parent advocate for the last 20 years. She attended the Institute of Special Education Law & Advocacy at the College of William & Mary in 2016 and 2017, which steered her towards professional advocacy. She has served on her division’s SEAC and presented at state and national conferences like the Arc of Virginia and TASH. She understands the challenges that families face and hopes her perspective can help others in their own journey. She currently serves families as an IEP Family Support Specialist at PEATC to educate and empower families to make informed decisions about their children’s education and futures.

Tiffany Sneed

With over 15 years of experience, Instructional Specialist Tiffany Sneed is dedicated to coaching and empowering teachers and students. She has an extensive background in literacy, serving as a classroom teacher, Reading Interventionist, and Literacy Coach for grades Pre-K through third. Reflecting her commitment to educational growth, Tiffany holds master's degrees in Curriculum and Instruction, TESOL, and as a Reading Specialist.

Margaret Stout

Dr. Margaret Stout is a national board certified teacher with over 20 years as an educator, 15 of those as a special education teacher. She believes reading is a human right and is passionate about helping students learn to read, especially students with disabilities. Margaret has been an Orton Gillingham classroom educator at the middle school level for four years. Her primary focus is the transition of syllabication to morphology at the middle school level.

Mary Murray Stowe

Dr. Mary Murray Stowe works with teachers, administrators, instructional coaches, directors and coordinators of special education through the Training and Technical Assistance Center at William & Mary and the Virginia Department of Education as an educational specialist. Mary is certified as a SIM™ Certified Learning Strategy Professional Developer in Learning Strategies and Content Enhancement Routines, Certified Local LETRS Classic Trainer, and LETRS Third Edition Facilitator. Currently, Mary also serves as a consultant for the National Center for Improving Literacy and President of the Virginia Branch of the International Dyslexia Association.

Stay informed!

Check back here or check the VCU School of Education's social media accounts where we will continue to post details regarding this year's symposium and other events. To receive email updates about the symposium and all of our professional development events, join our mailing list by contacting us at ruthharris@vcu.edu.