About

Biographical information

  • 6 years experience Title 1 teaching/librarian experience at Brown County Community Unit School District #1, Mt. Sterling, Illinois
  • 32 years as reading specialist at Washington Community High School, Washington, Illinois
  • 7 years Dyslexia Testing Specialist through University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
  • Certified Dyslexia Tutor
  • 6 years in private practice
  • Lindamood-Bell LiPS Training 2009
  • Attended Illinois Branch of International Dyslexia Association Conferences since 1980
  • Attended 4 day International Dyslexia Association Conference November 2011

Qualifications

Joanna Roper is a licensed 6-12 grader level teacher from Western Illinois University, with additional coursework from Illinois State University and Bradley University.  She has completed a 48-hour graduate level course titled Diagnosing Dyslexia where she was trained to accurately test children and adults for dyslexia.  The course was conducted by Susan Barton of Bright Solutions for Dyslexia in San Jose, California.  She is one of the leading authorities on dyslexia and ADD in the country.  For more information about Susan Barton, please go to www.BrightSolutions.US.

Joanna's training qualifies her as an expert in diagnosing dyslexia.*Experts can offer their opinion based upon personal observations and/or testing of the child, as well as opinions they may have based solely upon their review of the child's records.  Joanna Roper will objectively offer opinions in the form of a written report bout the testing session, the results of the tests, her review of the child's school work, family history of learning disabilities, the child's educational history, and medical history.
 
The goal of the diagnostic report by a dyslexia testing specialist is to obtain for the child in question, "The appropriate interventions that are designed to bring the child as close as possible to the development and skills the child would have if not disabled (Bollero, Esq., 2002)."

*An expert is legally defined as any person who..."by knowledge, skill, experience, training or education possesses scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge that will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue..." Fed.R.Evid. 702.

References:

Bollero, Jennifer. Esq. "Using an Expert as an Effective Resource."  Retrieved winter 2002 at www.harborhouselaw.com/articles/bollero.expert.htm