WIFFT 2025

WIFFT 2025

● Register for one or more sessions by visiting our EventBrite page.

○ Please note that if you intend to apply for reimbursement from your district or pay by check, you must still register online and select Pay by Invoice for purchase orders or Pay by Check for check payments in order to hold your place for each session.

● All sessions are $30 each

● Registrants will receive a Zoom Link for all sessions paid for to attend in real time AND a recording of the On-Demand session for all sessions paid for.

○ Links for live sessions will be emailed to you two days before the event.

○ Links to On-Demand Videos will be sent the week of February 3rd.

● In order to receive credit, you must watch the video recording and fill out a survey by March 6th.

● All WIFFT proceeds go to the Lois Rothschild Scholarship Fund to provide scholarships to students with dyslexia who are pursuing college or vocational training post high school graduation.

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS:

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Sessions

Session #1:

Q & A with Wilson Reading Trainers!

Donna Micklewright, Senior Dyslexia Specialist at Wilson Language; Susan E. Miller LDT-C, Dyslexia Therapist (WDT), Wilson Reading System Trainer, NJIDA board member, Director - Robinowitz Education Center

It’s not easy to attend the annual Wilson Reading Conference to deepen your Wilson Reading System knowledge. This working session will provide important updates related to WRS that you may have missed, a lesson planning, pacing, and assessment refresh, and end with a demo lesson with a vocabulary and comprehension focus for our students that have word level and language-based weaknesses.

Session #2:

The Role of Syntax for Reading Comprehension

(Christine Delmas, Owner, Literacy Consulting Services, LLP, CERI Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist, OG-TT, M.A. Ed)

Reading Comprehension is a complex, multi-layered process whereby individuals derive meaning from text. Many factors affect comprehension, and when comprehension breaks down, it often occurs at the sentence level. The role of syntax in helping readers’ extract meaning from text is critical, and often overlooked. Syntax includes a set of principles that dictate the function of words in sentence order to convey meaning, and students need explicit instruction to gain syntactic awareness as readers. This workshop will provide participants with instructional strategies to implement in their classroom that will create students who are aware of how words work together to gain understanding at the sentence level, and thus, improve their overall comprehension

Session #3:

Multilingual Learners and Reading: When to Be Concerned

( Kelly Yang, ESL Teacher, M.Ed. ESL Education, OG Teacher, Michelle Wind, Dyslexia Specialist, CERI Certified Structured Literacy Interventionist, OG-TT, M.A.Ed )

Educators often struggle to properly identify multilingual learners (MLs) who have difficulties with reading. This session will examine some common myths about ML readers and identify when to become concerned with their rate of progress. Participants will leave with evidence-based strategies to support students who are struggling with reading.

10:15 AM - 11:45 AM Sessions

Session #4:

What Every Educator Should Know

(Dr. Danielle M. Frith, Ph.D., LDT-C, NCED, Specialist Professor of Special Education, Consultant, Wilson Level I Certified Instructor)

According to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), 15–20% of people have dyslexia. Given the prevalence of dyslexia, it is imperative that every educator understands what dyslexia is and how it can impact students in school. This presentation will dispel myths and provide an overview of the indicators of dyslexia. We will discuss what structured literacy is and is not. Educators will better understand the potential social and emotional implications of dyslexia and will leave with valuable resources that every educator should know about. Through this presentation, educators will feel more informed and empowered to support students with dyslexia.

Session #5:

Embedding Explicit Reading Comprehension Strategies into Daily Practice

(Amy Garner, M.A. Ed, OG-TT, Special Education Reading Coach and Teacher, Branchburg Township Schools, Co-Director of the Scotch Plains Center, Adjunct FDU)

What are some explicit, direct multisensory reading strategies to help build students reading comprehension in fiction text? Hands-on strategies for comprehension and vocabulary will be taught to enhance students' comprehension.

Session #6:

Effective Fluency Practices

(Patricia Barden, OG-TT, Dyslexia Specialist, Special Education Teacher; Michelle Wind, Dyslexia Specialist, CERI Certified Structured Literacy Interventionist, OG-TT, M.A.Ed

This workshop will explore evidenced based strategies that can be utilized to support fluency at the word, sentence, and passage level of reading. Participants will leave this workshop with a thorough understanding of the components of fluency and the integral part it plays in the reading process. At this session, participants will also explore the new, updated fluency protocol that FDU has added to the OG Lesson Plan.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Sessions

Session #7:

Using Early Literacy Data to Make Instructional Decisions and Intervention Planning

(Alison Pankowski, M.Ed. LDT-C, Credentialed Wilson Trainer, SL-DS, Deborah Lynam , M.A., OG-T)

Grounded in their work on state grants involving MTSS and implementation science focused on evidence-based core reading instruction, the presenters will share information about how theoretical models of reading development like the Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer 1986) and the Cognitive Foundations Framework (Hoover & Tunmer 2019) can help educators understand the value of student assessment data and ultimately offer a frame for the interpretation of assessment results. They will discuss various assessments to identify student performance gaps or disparities and trends and howthat information informs appropriate instruction and/or intervention. This session will offer educational professionals a systematic understanding of how to interpret assessment data to drive student-learning outcomes and write SMART intervention goals. Tools will be shared such as a Diagnostic Results for Grouping Worksheet and Student Intervention Planning and Progress Monitoring Worksheet that can be utilized for tier 2 and tier 3 instruction.

Session #8:

Exploring Morphology: Unleashing the Power of Words

(Dawn J Dennis, Campus Director of the Fairleigh Dickinson University Regional Center, Metropolitan Campus, M.Ed., MA, OG-TT, S-LDS)

This workshop is designed for educators who are eager to deepen their understanding of morphology and its role in boosting middle school literacy. This session will explore advanced strategies for teaching word structure, including roots, prefixes, and suffixes, to help students decode complex vocabulary and enhance reading comprehension. Participants will leave with practical tools, research-backed methods, and creative activities to integrate morphology into their daily instruction, empowering students to become confident, independent readers and writers.

Ideal for seasoned professionals, this workshop builds on foundational knowledge and focuses on middle schoolers' unique developmental and linguistic needs.

Session #9:

Using AI to Support Struggling Readers

Corin, OG -T, Reading Specialist, Teacher of Computer Science, Web Design and Robotics in Glen Ridge High School in Glen Ridge, NJ.

AI is everywhere today, revolutionizing education. Discover the transformative power of AI in supporting struggling readers through this professional development session. This comprehensive workshop bridges artificial intelligence with structured literacy and Orton-Gillingham approaches, equipping educators with innovative assessment tools, personalized learning strategies, and technology-enhanced intervention techniques. Designed for teachers, reading specialists, and educational professionals, this presentation offers practical insights into leveraging AI to diagnose reading challenges, create adaptive learning experiences, and support students. Learn how to integrate intelligent technologies while maintaining the critical human touch in literacy education, and unlock new possibilities for supporting struggling readers.

Event Venue

Online