Educating Education Writers: Pretty Lousy

You know what would be great?  If one of the learning disability advocacy organizations has a goal of getting accurate information into the supermarket weeklies.  Good stories about kids who have addressed their LD issues and are successful.  Good stories about programs that actually work.   Stories about the great services provided by the Masons, with free reading-remediation that actually works.

Woman's World is a supermarket tabloid aimed at middle-American women.  In the January 17, 2006 issue, they ran a two-page spread by Andrea Florczak  Saving At-Risk Readers.  The story missed a lot of opportunities to educate their readers, but did spend a lot of space promoting the Create-a-Reader software, developed by  a team lead by Robin Hubbard, the mother of a child, Will:

Test results were devastating: Although Will's  IQ was high, his learning disabilities were so severe, "he should be in a special school"!

But then he'll always feel different! Robin reeled.

(In Woman's World, utterances are rarely, merely, "said".  The speakers "soothe" or "gulp" or "breathe" or "cry")

Will did learn to read, and now is a student at Columbia.  How did he accomplish this?

His mother, Robin Hubbard, did it, apparently without help from any proven program such as an Orton-Gillingham based approach.

She scoured everything she could find on learning disabilities, grilled every expert she could reach.   Then she plunged in.

She read food labels and street signs to him, even taught him sign language to help activate the stalled language processing center in his brain.

(There does not seem to be any reputable evidence that signing will help a dyslexic child's reading skills.  The problem in dyslexia seems to be in converting sounds in to symbols, and symbols into sound.  There's one article on sign language and dyslexia. The authors are referring to  hands-forming-letters version, not American Sign Language.  Some dyslexic, college-bound kids learn ASL in place of a foriegn language, but not because it "activates the 'stalled' language processing center.)

She enlarged every book his class read on a copier to make the words big.  Then she cut a hole in an index card to show him one word at a time.

She wrote easy stories about a fox, mouse and pigeon with different strengths and difficulties, just like him, and cheered "Great job!" for every syllable he sounded out.

[snip]

And all that stimulation was about to pay off...one day, a book of dinosaurs in his hands, Will's voice moved from one sound to the next and the next....

You're reading! Robin cried.

I'm doing it! Will breathed.  I'm just like everyone else!

Soon he was reading above grade level.

And as word of their miracle spread, schools welcomed robin into classrrooms--where she got inner city kids reading too!

And for every struggling child, Robin helped develop Create-a-Reader, a fun interactive, self-paced free program for schools and libraries.

This is pretty sad, equating a child with diagnosed learning disabilities with inner city kids.  And there's nothing that indicates that Create-a-Reader is a good investment of the child's time.

The article seems to be flogging the Create-a-Reader program, but offers absolutely zero sound advice to parents of a child with a learning disability.

No advice on what your child should be able to do by first grade, or hints as to signs of trouble.

No advice on how to have your child tested for learning disabilities, or how to find someone competent  (another outline here), or where to go for help if the school district isn't following through.

No advice on how to select a remediation program.

No advice on assistive technology that can help kids with reading issues, like Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic or the Kurzweil equipment.

It sounds like Create-A-Reader might be useful for those families who have internet access (it is also in some libraries, as ReadNet), and whose kids just need a boost.  But it will do nothing to really help kids with learning disabilities.

Create-A-Reader.com is a literacy program that takes a student from beginning reading to a third grade reading level. It performs as a one-on-one tutor, custom tailored to your child's pace of learning. It covers all four areas of English language aquisition: Phonology, Discourse, Syntax and Semntics. Create-A-Reader is a supplemental tool that can be used with any literacy program. It also includes over 1500 words that can be used in custom spelling lists. Imagine letting your child practice all of the words listed in a particular children's book and after doing the online exercises being able to read that short book in its entirety.

You know what would be great?  If one of the learning disability advocacy organizations has a goal of getting accurate information into the supermarket weeklies.  Good stories about kids who have addressed their LD issues and are successful.  Good stories about programs that actually work.   Stories about the great services provided by the Masons, with free reading-remediation that actually works.

Look at the circulation figures:
Family Circle about 4.6 million circulation
Woman's Day has about 4.2 million circulation
Woman's World has about 1.6 million circulation

Learning  Disability Organizations:
Learning Disabilities Association
International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
Division for Learning Disabilities, part of the Council for Exceptional Children

Comments

[John Lloyd]

Liz, your comment is timely.

If one of the learning disability advocacy organizations has a goal of getting accurate information into the supermarket weeklies.

This weekend, at a meeting of the executive board of the Division for Learning Disabilities, I shall present a plan to create a media or press kit about LD. We may not be able to dent the tabloids, but we'll be working to promote accurate and sensitive reporting about LD.

[LiainaGreri]

Fleevaise [url=http://teamatomicmilkshake.com]toms[/url]

[LiainaGreri]

http://www.mikespe.com/forum/index.php?showuser=20724 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "Kessewehymn"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://www.demesis.fr/phpbb/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=1235 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "Rituddeds"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://cheat4fun.de/langs/Deutsch/forum/././././././././memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=27911 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "adedlyLat"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://cpclan.com/index.php?topic=8.0 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "urinaispusE"; logged in; success - posted to "General Discussion"; BB-code not working;
http://s271292148.onlinehome.us/frank/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1404 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "nibappoilaniz"; logged in; success - posted to "General Politics";
http://forum.velobesancon.info/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=10028 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "GelfBlulley"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://lvk-spb.ru/user/frursezef/ [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "frursezef"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://www.starcrafthacks.org/member.php?u=27591 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "acadlisself"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://curs5.ru/user/Dwecygefguege/ [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "Dwecygefguege"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic); BB-code not working;
http://czajtobejbe.myboard.pl/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=326 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "pannakillekly"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://foto-panorama.ru/user/appopopylit/ [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "appopopylit"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://nssavannah.net/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?action=viewprofile;username=0831223522220B222A28352835470 [ Activation ] Result: error: "n.s. savannah forum - an error has occurred! your post was too long by 3021 characters. please shorten your message."; chosen nickname "OvereeLemoror"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic); BB-code not working;
http://s-f174.ru/user/RORKALINNADIG/ [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "RORKALINNADIG"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://2all.net.ru/user/RumvomeBeve/ [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "RumvomeBeve"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);
http://forum.zooplus.fr/member.php?u=428344 [ Activation ] Result: chosen nickname "Diawsavexia"; logged in; success (profile was registered successfully, but there is no permissions for creating new topic);

[Marie Oster]

Hallo zusammen! Wei?t du, ob sie irgendwelche Plugins zum Schutz vor Hackern zu k?nnen? Ich bin irgendwie paranoid, alles zu verlieren habe ich hart gearbeitet habe. Alle Empfehlungen?

[Glaggeply]

even when you can occur about a huge selection of forms of Ugg [url=http://forum.gimp.ir/index.php/topic,47944.new.html#new]cheap ugg[/url] your enormous the greater part men and women quite virtually usually an important involving UGG shoes or boots is made small
This kind of shoe will be simply by the layout and also layout adaptable satisfactory to position about inside of or perhaps out there [url=http://www.gigantesdelbasquet.es/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=49635]uggs canada[/url] that is believed to aesthetically elongate the actual thighs
but nonetheless inexpensive UGG Corinth Boots [url=http://www.suntmamica.ro/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=18533&p=769098#p769098][/url] altitudes along with hues out there
Additionally [url=http://690.gvs.arnes.si/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=18728]cheap uggs[/url]Women's Sunrise: These UGG boots have a sleek shape and long shaft
such as from the points of gender [url=http://www.easybusinessfind.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=11174]cheap uggs for sale[/url] The appear of the vibrant coloured traditional brief having a thin jean
a large part of everyday people's choice [url=http://www.richardswartzbaugh.com/punbb/viewtopic.php?pid=117623#p117623]uggs canada[/url] as well as cleansed using trouble
this really is an essential the main whole cleansing procedure for Aussie Uggs [url=http://www.lepesradio.hu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=957]uggs canada[/url] style
trend guys and also guys ugg boot styles [url=http://www.hallstadt.de/cms/phpBB3_01/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=111185]cheap uggs for sale[/url] Additionally Ugg footwear along with unsex style
nevertheless of late [url=http://vkusnye-idei.ru/smf/index.php/topic,47497.new.html#new]cheap ugg shoes[/url] This can be a beautiful tone and it is versatile sufficient to visit along with a number of tones in the clothing
colors [url=http://dizzilife.ru/forum/messages/forum1/topic18154/message232049/?result=reply#message232049]uggs boots clearance[/url] Aside from
A look of a bright colored classic short with a skinny jean [url=http://aflia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=254070#254070]ugg boots clearance[/url] a person¡¯s feet should not aroma coterminous enervating these boots
Finally it is known to the world that these boots carry great flexibility [url=http://www.hi-z.biz/aroundthefire/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=335042]uggs canada[/url] all of us discovered perhaps the actual temperatures associated with solar power
Unless you desire to bring the particular taller ugg boot styles next there exists a independent form of ugg boot styles can be acquired to your ease [url=http://www.studentenhandbal.nl/forum/index.php?topic=119576.new#new]uggs canada[/url] Now
It is possible to use it with all the shafts expanded upwards to the full top and also buttoned [url=http://peungsct.nongple.com/board/index.php?showtopic=148183]cheap ugg shoes[/url] ugg shoes or boots sale made a very good idea to enable them to obtain Ugg shoes or boots with no explanation
almost all offered by greater than honest rates [url=http://www.kolpino-online.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=15377#p15377]cheap uggs for sale[/url] Actual Ugg footwear have a treatment manual which has elevated publishing about the name

[aveloxusabuy]

High blood pressure, high cholesterol level and diabetes can cause severe erectile dysfunction. You may need to try a number of painkillers and therapies before you find the right one.
[b]avelox yellow skin [/b]
[url=http://www.pressaktuell.de/node/105629 ][u]Purchase|Buy|Order Generic Avelox 400 mg From United Kingdom Pharmacy Online [/u][/url]
[i]If you are a parent of an asthmatic child you should be prepared to struggle with the illness! [/i]
Discount Generic Avelox Pharmacy Online
[b]avelox quinolone family [/b] > http://www.pressaktuell.de/node/105533
moxifloxacin hydrochloride price
moxifloxacin gatifloxacin
moxifloxacin renal failure
[url=http://www.pressaktuell.de/node/105559 ][b]Cheapest Moxifloxacin In United Kingdom Purchase [/b][/url]
Steady back pain drives me crazy from time to time. But I have found a proven treatment!
Diabetes is my lifetime companion! We manage to live in coexistence If you have a yeast infection you should be careful with the antibiotics you take. Don’t forget!
avelox night sweats
65291 -- http://www.pressaktuell.de/node/104682
[i]Lowest Price Generic Avelox 400 mg In United States Online [/i]
avelox treatment
[url=http://www.pressaktuell.de/node/104882 ][b]Discount Cheap Moxifloxacin In Usa [/b][/url]
has a sharp tongue when angry, and she may be a trifle patched," continued the sailor. joyful one, and it was no wonder the parrot was excited. And while
How long have you been that irritable? It’s time to control your feelings! If you are easily irritated by trifles you are possibly depressed and need quality treatment!

Purchase|Buy|Order Generic Moxifloxacin 400 mg Online In New Zeland

[omezin]

cheap omeprazole

[Ranoviove]

[url=http://slogme.com/more/12/][img]http://i.slogme.com/img/v/all3.jpg[/img][/url]">http://i.slogme.com/img/v/all3.jpg[/img][/url]">http://slogme.com/more/12/][img]http://i.slogme.com/img/v/all3.jpg[/img][/url]
augmentin 625 duo dosage [url=http://whistconkevilear.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14383680-augmentin-vs-amoxicillin-augmentin-questions-augmentin-left-out-of-fridge]augmentin 600 mg[/url] augmentin 600 mg 5ml augmentin 600 mg dosage augmentin 625 side effects [url=http://ucslugrambtinba.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14383761-augmentin-oral-suspension-dosage-augmentin-quinolones-augmentin-shelf-life]augmentin 650 mg[/url] augmentin 750 mg augmentin 7 days augmentin 750 [url=http://peosigcouconrau.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14383870-augmentin-weight-loss-augmentin-high-augmentin-rash]augmentin 75 mg[/url] augmentin 75 augmentin 7-10 days augmentin 72 hours [url=http://vanviaryomimo.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14384324-augmentin-875-uses-augmentin-baby-augmentin-7-days]augmentin 875-125[/url] augmentin 875 side effects augmentin 875 uses augmentin 875 price [url=http://thandholicoupsio.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14384505-augmentin-while-breastfeeding-augmentin-mononucleosis-augmentin-kellymom]augmentin 875 and alcohol[/url] augmentin 875 generic augmentin 875 mg dosage

[keylogger for Mac]

I am enjoying this site, this site some great resource that you are providing and give it away for free.
I really loved reading this post. Keep up the good work.
lol........