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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 6, 2006
Contact; Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7119
Golden Triangle Dyslexia Foundation to begin
offering services at Center for Creative Learning
COLUMBUS, Miss. – Parents of children with dyslexia will
soon have more resources available to them locally.
The Golden Triangle Dyslexia Foundation will begin offering
services similar to the Dyslexia Foundation of Memphis at
the Roger F. Wicker Center for Creative Learning located on
the campus of Mississippi University for Women. The first
session will be held Saturday, Feb. 11.
Dr. Suzanne Bean, Wicker Center director, said the Center
became involved with the program after Becky and Steve
Barlow, who have a son with dyslexia, approached her.
The Mississippi Dyslexia handbook describes dyslexia as a
language processing disorder that may be manifested by
difficulty processing expressive or receptive, oral or
written language despite adequate intelligence, educational,
exposure and cultural opportunity. Specific manifestations
may occur in one or more areas, including difficulty with
the alphabet, reading comprehension, writing and spelling.
“This is an area of interest of mine because my field of
study is special education. Since the Center’s mission is to
provide innovative programs and services to K-12 students,
parents and teachers and help form stronger connections
between schools and communities, this parent support group
and ultimately the dyslexia program are natural fits for our
mission.
“Becky asked if the initial interest group could meet at the
Center and they did. And we have arranged for the dyslexia
program to be held at the Center as well,” Bean said. “We
are excited about providing these services to the parents
and children of the Golden Triangle area. This program is
greatly needed.”
Help in this area is very limited according to Becky Barlow.
“Many people first approach their pediatrician or school
counselor with the question of where they can go for
testing. Testing sites are in Memphis or Jackson,” she said.
“Our son was tested at Magnolia Speech School in Jackson.”
Local services will be available each spring and fall
semester, and if there is enough interest a four-week summer
program would be added. The cost is $180 per child for 12
weeks.
Steve Barlow will serve as the supervisor for language and
Becky Barlow as supervisor for creative writing.
Becky Barlow said, “We have been trained by the Dyslexia
Foundation of Memphis and have worked with them for the last
year. Tutoring is by parents who have been trained by the
foundation.”
She added that their goal is to develop a program in
north-central Mississippi that is based on the Dyslexia
Foundation of Memphis “Saturday School” program and use the
established curriculum of language, auditory, creative
writing and math courses which the students will advance
through at their own pace.
“This program will allow students in this area to have
opportunities for comprehensive tutoring using a
time-tested, successful approach. It is expected that
individuals from a 60-mile radius will attend this program.”
For more information, contact Becky Barlow at (662)
245-5293, (662) 328-4868 or email sab12ra.msstate.edu. Dr.
Bean can be reached at the Center for Creative Learning at
(662) 241-6101.
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