Academic Remediation

What I Do

Many families with elementary school children face daily homework battles -- which both parents and children dread.

A little-known cause of these battles is that many children struggle with handwriting -- their written work embarrasses them, handwriting is physically difficult for them, or producing handwritten work takes up so much mental effort that they aren't really showing what they know.

I can help.

I am trained in Handwriting Without Tears (HWT), and use the teaching principles from HWT and my own background in teaching various sports to help children whose schools use other handwriting systems (Zanner-Blosser, D'Nealian, and others) to develop fast and accurate handwriting.

If the child does not make significant progress in accuracy and speed after 15 hours of tutoring, the child's issues may be beyond my scope.  I have a referral list of local Occupational Therapists (OTs) who may be of further assistance.

Some children struggle with reading.

I can help.

Depending upon the child's needs, I use The Barton Method of Reading and Spelling, Funnix, and several fluency programs to help children achieve grade-level or above reading speeds and comprehension.

Some children struggle with math.

Some  of those children who struggle with math or arithmetic in the early grades have underlying handwriting issues.  Others need more practice with physical representations of math ("manipulatives") before moving on to abstract math problems (11+19=?).  I have the skills and tools to help such children.

Some children with attentional issues need more structured practice

Attentional issues are the core problem in ADHD and are also present in some people with autism.  Handwriting issues are also common in ADHD and autism.   Structured, direct practice can improve these students' handwriting. 

If you are interested in getting your child help, you can contact me directly via email: [email protected] , through the tutor-matching service WyzAnt or through Thumbtack,  http://www.thumbtack.com/Handwriting,Reading, and Math Help for Grades K-5

“We’ve Tried Positive Reinforcement…It Doesn’t Work” | Behavior Base

The story has a happy ending.  After speaking to the learner (yes, teachers, this is often the best way to identify potential reinforcers!) we determined that this guy really enjoyed helping to tidy the room up at the end of the day; remember, we all Value different things.  We set up a token economy wherein the learner received tokens for completing class-work assignments and homework.  Tokens were given Immediately after turning in class-work or homework and were exchanged at the end of the day with a “menu” of different possible chores (e.g., two tokens=taking out the trash, four tokens=sweeping the floor).  The result?  Classwork and homework started pouring in.  In the end, positive reinforcement “worked.”

via zachikkanda.com

If you believe "positive reinforcement doesn't work", it is likely you are doing it wrong.

Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) Myths & Facts

From the always-reliable National Center for Learning Disabilities

FAPE is the acronym for a Free and Appropriate Public Education. It is one of the most misunderstood concepts of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). And it often causes the greatest conflict between parents and schools. A required component of IDEA, FAPE mandates that school districts provide access to general education and specialized educational services. It also requires that children with disabilities receive support free of charge as is provided to non-disabled students. It also provides access to general education services for children with disabilities by encouraging that support and related services be provided to children in their general education settings as much as possible.

Over the years, the courts have helped define what FAPE is and is not. In short, it is vital for parents to understand that IDEA is not an entitlement program that provides disabled children with a better education than is provided to non-disabled students. Use the chart below to help you learn what FAPE can mean to you and your child, and to dispel the many myths about FAPE.

A Successful Politician -- Remediated but Still Dyslexic

Via Susan Barton

Ask Gov. Peter Shumlin for a preview of this week’s inaugural address and he’ll reveal one surprising fact: He won’t spell out a thing.

It’s not because he’s dodging. It’s because he’s dyslexic.

To understand this “word,” your brain must register “wah-ur-dah” * and recognize the result as a building block of language.

As a child, Shumlin saw the individual letters. But like an estimated 15 percent of Americans — including fellow Gov. Dannel Malloy of Connecticut — he couldn’t sound out something as simple as “cat” or “dog.”

“I had a very hard time learning how to read,” Shumlin recalls, “but once they figured out how to teach me, I eventually could put a sentence together just as quickly as anybody else.”

That said, the 56-year-old’s dyslexia still affects him in and out of the office.

Take the speech he’ll present Thursday to start his second term.“I still can’t spell,” he says. “I stayed away from computers for years because I knew if I typed on one and someone saw, they would think they were dealing with someone who’s not ready for prime time.” 

How One Mom Taught Her Son to Read

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/learning-with-dyslexia-doesn-t-come-easy/article_d52d460f-632f-55a1-87fe-4082952c832b.html

So Meehan-Rasby decided to find help for her son outside the district. 

Introduced to a teaching program known as the Spalding method, Meehan-Rasby hired tutors who worked individually with her son. He also spent four to six weeks each summer in Omaha, Neb., attending a Spalding school. 

Meehan-Rasby said assessments showed her son had a high IQ at the same time he had low test scores. And he worked hard at it, she said. "I didn't think it was ever going to happen," she said. "Somehow, this kid has learned to read."

Both Rasby and his mother feel strongly that the right intervention done early is a critical piece of the puzzle to help children with dyslexia.

"I just think that you need to recognize a child's individual problem and the severity of that problem and figure out a solution around it," Rasby said. "You almost have to go outside the system, which is sad to say."

Meehan-Rasby also believes the school system should do more. "They made a lot of accommodations in that elementary school for my kid, but I was just amazed I had to do that (bring in a private tutor). It's like taking your own medicine to the hospital."

Dyslexia: Early Intervention Pilot Progam in Ohio

The article is a little light on details, such as what screening tools are used, but it is a start.

http://www.athensohiotoday.com/news/trimble-local-schools-take-part-in-statewide-dyslexia-pilot-project/article_9e7e0022-d8bb-55ba-80e3-e29340afe958.html#.UNsC0F2ah5Y.twitter 

While those results are positive, Nolan stressed those students aren’t done with their intensive intervention.

“For the children who need intensive intervention, it’s not like you can just work with them one week and then they don’t need this anymore,” Nolan said. “It needs to be consistent. Once you withdraw intervention, it’s easy for those kids to flatline again. We have to make sure that we provide the intensity and the duration necessary for them to really get those concepts into long-term memory.”

 

RtI and Identifying Disabilities: You Have Options

From the National Center for Learning Disabilities, always reliable: http://www.ncld.org/parents-child-disabilities/ld-testing/strategies-addressing-identification-issues?utm_source=LDOnLine.org&utm_medium=Twitter

If the school informs you that they are using Response to Intervention (RTI), you should go ahead and request an evaluation in writing as soon as you think your child may have a disability. Making this request is critical because your written consent puts a 60-day timeframe on both the completion of the RTI process and the evaluation. The process of determining whether your child has a disability such as a learning disability and needs special education cannot go on indefinitely. If your request for an evaluation is denied because your child’s school says they do not “suspect” a disability or because they are using RTI, you have the right to file either a due process complaint or a state complaint, discussed later.

What the gifted education field needs to learn about learning disabilities

The author makes some very good points http://mosaicofminds.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-gifted-education-field-needs-to.html

Another misconception is that when the same behavior occurs in gifted people and people with disabilities, it must occur for different reasons.  These writers seem to understand the reasons for gifted children's problem behavior rather well, but many researchers and most people with the disability in question would dispute their characterization of disabled people's reasoning.

First person dyslexia success story at the New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/30/jobs/the-visual-workplace-and-how-to-build-it.html?_r=2&

I WAS born in 1956. I should have been reading in grade school, but I’m dyslexic — I have trouble reading, writing and spelling — and few people knew much about the condition in those days. My mother realized that something was wrong, but she didn’t know what. She advocated for me at school and told my teachers not to give up on me. I attended five grammar schools because my mother was constantly looking for something to help me. It was a lonely childhood, and I hate to think how I might have ended up if she hadn’t been so supportive.

Four myths about self-advocacy in the university setting

From the always-useful LDOnline, Self-advocacy for college students.  The article particularly

Given that self-advocacy is essential for prospective college students with learning disabilities to be successful, this article will present four myths about what self-advocacy is for these students as well as responses to these myths. They were chosen because of their prevalence among students with learning disabilities and their parents. Further, these myths often have had a decisively negative effect on these students' ability to meet needs critical to their success in a college setting. The responses presented address these myths and highlight some best practices for self-advocacy. 

False myth  #1. It's better to avoid the label "learning disability" because such labels are ultimately damaging to the student's self-esteem.

False myth #2. Now that there are programs or students with learning disabilities at many postsecondary settings, their existence guarantees that students' essential needs will be met.

False myth #3. Obtaining the highest grades possible is the major yardstick of effective self-advocacy. Better grades lead to increased options upon leaving a postsecondary setting.

False myth #4. When students encounter a very difficult academic situation, it's best to let their parents take over.

The Reading Brain New Evidence of Neurological Differences in Dyslexia

Science 24 February 2012: 
Vol. 335 no. 6071 p. 893 
DOI: 10.1126/science.335.6071.893-a

• EDITORS' CHOICE

NEUROSCIENCE

The Reading Brain

1. Pamela J. Hines

Developmental dyslexia, which manifests as difficulty with reading, can have long-lasting and detrimental effects on a child's experience with education, with echoes that persist long into adulthood. Raschle et al. have leveraged the indications of familial risk for dyslexia to distinguish differences in brain structure present before reading from those that arise after the battle with reading difficulties is well engaged. The authors studied a total of 36 5-year-old children, all pre-literate, characterized by whether or not their family had a history of dyslexia. Even at these pre-reading ages, functional brain imaging revealed an aberrant signal similar to that found in older children with a confirmed diagnosis of dyslexia. Development of the brain network supporting phonological processing appeared to be delayed. On the other hand, the two groups of children showed no difference in other networks that are hyperactivated when persons with dyslexia are reading. Those networks may instead represent compensation brought into play in the struggle to defeat reading difficulties.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 109, 2156 (2012).

DSM 5 Approved, dyslexia out: What the experts thought

I'm waiting for official confirmation.  In the mean time, this report:

J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2012 May;53(5):593-607. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02495.x. Epub 2011 Dec 5.

Annual research review: the nature and classification of reading disorders--a commentary on proposals for DSM-5.

Snowling MJ, Hulme C.

Source

Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK. [email protected]

Abstract

This article reviews our understanding of reading disorders in children and relates it to current proposals for their classification in DSM-5. There are two different, commonly occurring, forms of reading disorder in children which arise from different underlying language difficulties. Dyslexia (as defined in DSM-5), or decoding difficulty, refers to children who have difficulty in mastering the relationships between the spelling patterns of words and their pronunciations. These children typically read aloud inaccurately and slowly, and experience additional problems with spelling. Dyslexia appears to arise principally from a weakness in phonological (speech sound) skills, and there is good evidence that it can be ameliorated by systematic phonic teaching combined with phonological awareness training. The other major form of reading difficulty is reading comprehension impairment. These children read aloud accurately and fluently, but have difficulty understanding what they have read. Reading comprehension impairment appears to arise from weaknesses in a range of oral language skills including poor vocabulary knowledge, weak grammatical skills and difficulties in oral language comprehension. We suggest that the omission of reading comprehension impairment from DSM-5 is a serious one that should be remedied. Both dyslexia and reading comprehension impairment are dimensional in nature, and show strong continuities with other disorders of language. We argue that recognizing the continuities between reading and languagedisorders has important implications for assessment and treatment, and we note that the high rates of comorbidity between readingdisorders and other seemingly disparate disorders (including ADHD and motor disorders) raises important challenges for understanding these disorders.

 

10 Helpful Dyscalculia Resources

This page from the National Center for Learning Disabilities lists some parent-friendly, accurate sites and books about dyscalculia and how it can be remediated.

 

10 Helpful Dyscalculia Resources

Attention Deficit | Myths & Misconceptions

Public perceptions of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) are replete with myths, misconceptions, and misinformation about the nature, course, and treatment of the disorder.

While barriers to treatment have been reduced in recent years, there is a climate of blame, shame, embarrassment, and stigma that discourages some from seeking help for debilitating mental health disorders, including AD/HD. There is compelling evidence that a large number of youths with a variety of mental disorders, including AD/HD, are not being served, are inadequately served, or are inappropriately served. Misinformation often demonizes those in need of treatment for AD/HD, and may discourage individuals from seeking appropriate care. Parents may avoid professional help because they are often accused of seeking to medicate overly playful, non-compliant, or mildly disruptive children. More likely, parents are struggling to help their children cope with a serious constellation of problems and are seeking help because previous attempts to reduce the impact of AD/HD have failed.

via www.ncld.org

It's time to end the myths about ADHD

The problem with RTI

Direct link is

http://susanbartondyslexiastories.com/2012/11/30/the-problem-with-rti/

Learning Disabilities: What They Are, and What They Are Not - NCLD

Even though some three million school-age children are classified as having specific learning disabilities (LD), this category of special need is often widely misunderstood. Surveys of both parents and educators confirm that many people mistakenly link LD with mental retardation and disorders of mental health and believe that, left alone, children are likely to outgrow LD over time.

Let's set the record straight

• The term specific learning disability refers to one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, and affects a person's ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.
• LD does not include problems primarily due to visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, although students with such diagnoses can also have learning disabilities.
• LD does not include problems that result primarily from mental retardation or emotional disturbance, although, again, children who experience such difficulties can also have learning disabilities.
• LD does not include problems that result primarily from cultural, environmental, or economic disadvantage.
• Learning disabilities are real! Although they often aren't observed until a child is doing school-related tasks, a proven biological basis for LD exists, including emerging data that document genetic links for LD within families.
• LD is common, affecting an estimated 4%-6% of the public school population. And if you include individuals who, for a number of reasons, struggle with reading, the numbers are considerably higher.

Learning disabilities are lifelong. That said, individuals with LD can learn to compensate for areas of weakness and, with early, effective support, can be highly successful and productive members of society.

via www.ncld.org

Developing Fluent Readers | Reading Topics A-Z | Reading Rockets

What should fluency instruction look like? And, what can teachers do to help students whose fluency is far behind their peers'? This article should help practitioners use of fluency-based assessments and select instructional practices.

via www.readingrockets.org

Virtual manipulatives for math

This post was created by my e-friend Kate Ahern.  She wrote it for her students who are disabled, but it has a lot of useful and interesting apps for iDevices. Many are low-cost or free, and would be an addition to a device to while away the time, for example when waiting for a sibling to finish an activity.

Virtual Manipulatives for Math

PS: I suggest checking out the rest of her site, as she has many useful posts.

 

US Math Achievement: How Bad Is It?

Children from the United States do not score well on international math tests. The gap grows as students get older, suggesting that our educational system is the problem. But how little math do US students know? A fascinating recent article (Richland, Stigler, & Holyoak, 2012) paints a sobering picture. It may also suggest an avenue for improvement.

via www.psychologytoday.com

Student Calculator Use in Math Classes: What Does the Research Say?

In this 2007 review article, the Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd) discusses 

Research has much to tell us about using calculators for instruction. In a review of studies that examined the use of calculators in K-12 classrooms, Ellington (2003) found that calculator use was associated with better operational and problem-solving skills. In addition, students who had access to calculators had better attitudes toward math. But when exactly should calculators be used and for what purpose? This Info Brief summarizes Thompson and Sproule's (2000) "Calculator Decision-Making Flow Chart" and uses the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to clarify how calculator usage helps students with learning disabilities understand math concepts.

 

Read the whole article at http://www.ldonline.org/article/Beyond_%22Getting_the_Answer%22:_Calculators_Help_Learning_Disabled_Students_Get_the_Concepts

Neuroscientific interventions for dyslexia: red flags

This is from Dorothy Bishop, a highly respected dyslexia researcher from the UK.

BishopBlog: Neuroscientific interventions for dyslexia: red flags.

I’m often asked for my views about interventions for dyslexia and related disorders. In recent years there has been a proliferation of interventions offered on the web, many of which claim to treat the brain basis of dyslexia. In theory, this seems a great idea; rather than slogging away at teaching children to read, fix the underlying brain problem. If your child is struggling at school, it can be very tempting to try something that claims to re-organise or stimulate the brain. The problem, though, is sorting the wheat from the chaff. There's no regulation of educational interventions and it can be hard for parents to judge whether it is worth investing time and money in a new approach. My aim here is to provide some objective criteria that can be used.

I highly recommend that you read the whole post, and print out the post to use as a checklist.

Grammar Girl : Writing for Dyslexic Readers :: Quick and Dirty Tips ™

Grammar Girl : Writing for Dyslexic Readers :: Quick and Dirty Tips ™.

Have you ever tried to read something in a foreign language? Maybe some words looked familiar, but it was hard to determine what the sentence meant. Maybe the structure didn’t seem to follow the rules you’re used to. Now, imagine having the same problems reading your native language. Today, we’re going to talk about how to write for a special group of readers: people with dyslexia.

Apps for Dyslexia

From the very useful and authoritative  UMichigan DyslexiaHelp site

Applications for technologies like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad have expanded options for individuals with dyslexia and learning disabilities. These tools can help with:

• reading
• spelling
• writing
• organizational/study skills
• increasing self-confidence in the classroom and workplace

 

Shaming Slow Readers: A Horror Story

In Declo, Idaho, shaming slow readers is acceptable to at least one fourth-grade teacher, Summer Larsen, at the Declo Elementary School.

Fourth-graders who failed to achieve reading goals had their faces scribbled on with permanent marker by other students last week at Declo Elementary School — under the supervision of their teacher....

When Cindy Hurst’s 10-year-old son arrived home from school Nov. 5, his entire face, hairline to chin, was scribbled on in red marker — including his eyelids. He also had green, red and purple scribble marks over the red, and his face was scratched by a marker that had a rough edge.

“He was humiliated, he hung his head and wanted to go wash his face,” said Hurst. “He knows he’s a slow reader. Now he thinks he should be punished for it.”

It gets worse. The face-scribbling took place in the morning, and the marks couldn't be washed off.  Some of the graffiti'd students -- nine and ten years old -- had to ride home on the bus with middle school and high school students, who humiliated them further.

Ms. Larson evidently has twenty-one students in her class. Of those, nine students failed to reach an Accelerated Reader (AR) points goal (more on AR later). The "failures" were given the choice of staying "inside at recess until the goal was met, or have their faces written on by their classmates who met their goals."   

What was Ms. Larson thinking, to allow some of her students to humiliate and shame others in the class?  These are nine and ten year olds! The Magic Valley Times News reported that some of the students have "learning problems" -- of unspecified type.  Are some of the nine children with identified disabilities that interfere with reading speed?  

I want you to pay attention: almost half of Ms. Larson's class did not meet Accelerated Reader goals.   Surely that is a commentary on Ms. Larson's teaching skills and classroom management, rather than the students' failure.

More on Accelerated Reader from SEDL

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a computer-based assessment system of student comprehension of some 25,000 books ranging in reading levels from grades one to twelve.

First, the AR computer assessment system (called STAR) determines a student's level of reading comprehension, yielding a norm-referenced score. Reliability and validity data for STAR are not provided. The student is placed in a "zone of proximal development" (ZPD) that represents the predicted upper and lower ends of independent reading level. Unlike the Vygotskian term ZPD, AR does not support readers in the construction of meaning.

 Students then self-select from books that have been coded by readability level. Readability is calculated through traditional formulas that count words and syllables. Once students have completed reading a book they take a 10-20-item literal-level comprehension test. The management system provides the percentage scores to students, as well as to teachers and librarians, who may then advise students on further choices for reading. 

 Students are rewarded for reading and performing well on tests by gaining points (determined by the readability level and length of a book). Students gaining many points may be rewarded with prizes. 

 

A teacher who allows her students to shame and embarrass each other is not behaving professionally. I wonder what help (if any) the slow readers in the class are getting. (cross-posted at I Speak of Dreams)

About Dyscalculia

Dr. Anna J. Wilson is a researcher whose speciality is dyscalculia and mathematical cognition. She has been a Lecturer at the College of Education, University of Canterbury, New Zealand, since 2009, where she also teaches educational psychology and neuroscience.

Dr. Wilson developed the website, About Dyscalculia , to bring the insights and tools from research to benefit teachers, parents, and students. 

Dyscalculia, or mathematical learning disabilities, is a specific learning disability which affects around 6% of the population. Individuals with dyscalculia are not unintelligent, but struggle to learn mathematics, despite having an adequate learning environment at home and at school. Dyscalculia is assumed to be due to a difference in brain function.

So take a look around to see what the site has to offer: About Dyscalculia

Tips and tricks for math and math homework

Regina Richards's teaching story at LDOnline illustrates how some of our children need different ways of teaching, and alternate ways of recalling facts and procedures.

The post includes an illustrated explaination of "finger multiplication"

Strategies to Facilitate Math Concepts and Homework

Word Works, Peter Bowers, and Real Spelling

Kelli wrote

I learned a truly revolutionary way to teach spelling at IDA this week in Baltimore. I highly encourage everyone to investigate the work by Peter Bowers. His book is Teaching How the Written Word Works. I'm am not easily swayed but this makes so much sense I want to scream it from the rooftops. Looking forward to teaching my students to spell ...and think about words.

So the websites are:

http://www.wordworkskingston.com/WordWorks/Home.html

http://www.realspelling.fr/Welcome_to_Real_Spelling/Choose-New.html

Daniel Willingham on Developmentally Appropriate Practice and Piaget

Unfortunately, Piaget’s theory is not right. He is credited with brilliant insights and many of his observations hold true—for example, kindergartners do have some egocentrism and 9-year-olds do have some trouble with highly abstract concepts. Nonetheless, recent research indicates that development does not proceed in stages after all.

As I said at the outset, teachers generally think of developmentally appropriate practice as instruction that is sensitive to a child’s stage of development, which is assumed to affect his or her thought processes quite broadly. But this characterization of development—discrete stages with pervasive effects—has been carefully tested in the context of Piaget’s theory and has been found not to be true. The problem is not simply that Piaget didn’t get it quite right. The problem is that cognitive development does not seem amenable to a simple descriptive set of principles that teachers can use to guide their instruction. Far from proceeding in discrete stages with pervasive effects, cognitive development appears to be quite variable— depending on the child, the task, even the day (since children may solve a problem correctly one day and incorrectly the next).

Writing Accurate Goals for an IEP for Dyslexia

Dyslexia and Goals, Goals, Goals: This is a great article at the Special Education Advisor by Kelli Sandman-Hurley PhD of the Dyslexia Training Institute

I am noticing a disturbing trend when I read IEPs and I have had some nonsensical conversations about reading with IEP teams lately as well. This trend and these conversations center around the goals section of the IEP. What this has revealed to me is what I have suspected all along – there is a lack of expertise and understanding of not only dyslexia, but the progression of teaching reading and the components of the reading process. To correct this trend I offer the following examples to illustrate some fallacies about reading as well as how to fix goals.

 

Confused about 504 plans? Here's an intro

The National Center for Learning Disabilities is a wonderful resource.  I suggest that you sign up for their newsletter here.

In this video, 

Laura Kaloi, Public Policy Director at the National Center for Learning Disabilities, explains what a 504 Plan is and how to become eligible for one. She also provides tips on how to develop your child's 504 Plan.

 

ADHD Goes to School

Mark Bertin, M.D.: ADHD Goes to School.

Executive Function and Educational Policy 

Many educational choices today put children with ADHD at a further disadvantage. From classroom design to curriculum, schools place huge demands on executive function. These skewed expectations often start in kindergarten, with academic tasks assigned far beyond the development level of an average 5-year-old. Fourth grade classrooms frequently require what used to be a sixth grade level of self-regulation and planning. For a child with ADHD, already years behind peers in this area of development, the gap grows between what is expected and their actual skills. 

Children with ADHD benefit from smaller, well-structured classrooms. Classes over the last generation have grown larger, with twenty-five or more students and one adult. Layout is often in desk clusters, with children sitting in a circle. And yet, it is intuitive that it is easier to attend when directly facing the teacher, without your best friend at your elbow and another across the way. Desk clusters lead to distractibility and off-task behaviors. Smaller classrooms that minimize distraction go a long way to helping children with ADHD, as well as all students. 

ADHD related deficits directly impair learning, separate from classroom focus or misbehavior. Children fall behind in reading as it requires attention to details, working memory to keep track of information, efficient processing of information and countless other aspects of executive function. One study suggested half of kids with ADHD have writing disabilities; the capacity to organize information and get it onto the page relies heavily on executive functioning. Math is the same, with careless mistakes rampant and multiple executive-function driven steps inherent to solving any problem.

Four Things Teachers Need to Know about Dyslexics

Dyslexics Struggle with Automated Processes

To cope with the multitudinous series of thoughts and actions that the brain coordinates every day, humans complete simple tasks on a subconscious, automatic level. For example, a non-dyslexic may pick up a sock and know instantly that it should be put in the sock drawer, or drive to work without thinking about how to turn the steering wheel. For dyslexics, however, these automatic processes can be more difficult due to poor memory recall. This may explain why dyslexics' bedrooms are often particularly messy!

A good way to help dyslexics improve their ability to complete simple processes more quickly is to encourage them to create models, such as "SLUR" (Socks Left-Drawer Underwear Right-Drawer) and "I before E except after C." Models can be created for anything from writing a paragraph (AXE: Argument, Explain, Evaluate) to remembering to pack essentials into an overnight bag (DTGMAP: Deodorant, Toothpaste, Glasses, Makeup and Pajamas).

Suspect Dyslexia? Here are some tips to prove it. | Special Education & IEP Advisor

Suspect Dyslexia? Here are some tips to prove it. | Special Education & IEP Advisor.

You’ve suspected it since your child was three. You were quite sure of it when your child was five and now your child is in school and you are convinced and unwavering about it. The school is not quite as convinced and they are slow to react to your suspicions. Be prepared; the road to the diagnosis may not be easy or cheap, but in the long run it will be worth it. The steps to diagnosis below make the assumption that you have done your research about dyslexia and you understand the symptoms. If you are still at that stage, you can visit www.interdys.org for more information.

Top 10 Items that Should Be Listed in an IEP | Special Education & IEP Advisor

Top 10 Items that Should Be Listed in an IEP | Special Education & IEP Advisor.

We all know how important it is to have an IEP that addresses our child’s Academic, Developmental and Functional needs; to ensure they are appropriately prepared for an independent future.  Therefore, as parents, we have to make sure our child’s IEP includes the necessary information to prepare them for life after high school.  The results of your child’s most recent assessments, report cards, state tests, school personnel and parent input will assist the team in developing an appropriate IEP.

School Based Evaluations: Some Things Parents Need to Know, Part 1

This is from the psychologist Dr. Korner.

Do you have a student whose functional performance at school differs significantly from the results obtained from school based evaluations? If so, was your student denied eligibility for services under either 504 or IDEA?

Child Study Team (CST) evaluations customarily involve an intellectual measure used to gauge students’ abilities, and an educational instrument meant to capture students’ achievement.

When interpreting the results of a CST evaluation, it is important to keep several principles about testing in mind.

• First, comprehensive psycho-educational and neuropsychological evaluations are the most ideal because they do not rely on one particular instrument to assess one specific skill, and, instead, provide data from multiple sources.
• Second, no one instrument can assess a particular domain of functioning completely.

After reading Dr. Korner's essay, the next step is to go to Wrightslaw and read some of these:

• Assessments, Evaluations, and Tests
• My child is being evaluated.  Which tests should I request?
• How can I get the school to provide and appropriate program?

October: LD Awareness Month Dysgraphia (Writing Disability) Warning Signs in Young Children

Dysgraphia (Writing Disability)Warning Signs in Young Children by NCLD.

Writing is a developmental process (meaning that the ability to write doesn’t happen all at once) so a person with dysgraphia may display different challenges at different ages. Dysgraphia generally emerges when children are first introduced to writing, and it may or many not occur with other types of LD. Keep in mind that most children will struggle with learning at times and that learning disabilities such as dysgraphia,do not go away over time. Dysgraphia is most often formally identified in s>hool-age children, but signs of the disorder can often be seen in preschoolers.

Early Identification of Struggling Children

Dr. Korner is a psychologist working with children. He has this to say about struggling children.

Sadly, some teachers are not trained in identifying differing learning styles and disabilities and assume that children who are not performing are unmotivated or just not very smart. Parents who depend on teachers to make judgments about their child’s academic strengths and weaknesses may either receive inaccurate information about their child or none at all.

In this context, I want to offer some hallmarks of learning style differences. Children are often better at learning information via auditory or visual channels.

• Auditory learners may do well when information is presented in the form of lectures 
• Visual learners do best when information is presented visually. 

While teachers use both kinds of presentations in the course of their teaching, education becomes more and more a verbal and auditory medium as children progress through school.

Thus, children whose verbal /language and auditory processing skills are less mature than their visual/nonverbal skills may be at a distinct disadvantage in “getting” much of what teachers present. They may not intake directions well or even understand them.

Similarly, children whose visual and visual organizational skills are less mature may have difficulty with information presented visually or data that needs to be manipulated visually. A good example of this is math computation where operations that require correct lining up of columns of numbers may prove to be challenging.

Remembering material that is presented verbally or visually may also be affected by processing difficulties. Memory for specific words or names may be a challenge for some learners. These children may be unable to recall specific names or words but can explain concepts in other terms if given the chance.

Children who have difficulty staying on-task, being organized and planful, activating themselves to work, or completing tasks in a timely manner may be experiencing executive functioning problems.

I am not a huge fan of "learning styles" because the theory has been thoroughly debunked. So what is the take-away? There are two. One, teachers really aren't prepared to be closely analytical about a child's progress (or lack thereof). Two, parents and teachers together need to be mindful of the need for different presentation and expression methods to ensure that the student is mastering the material. In this context, Universal Design for Learning needs to be in every teacher's toolbox.

Learning Disabilities Awareness Month: Emotional Impact

Another great site is the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD).  They are starting off the month with a campaign:

Are you or someone you know affected by learning disabilities (LD)? Our animation underlines the everyday struggles of students with LD and the power of kind words when it comes to overcoming obstacles. 

 Video: Down & Up: A Journey Through Dyslexia

 

The NCLD staff has created a series of e-cards based on the animation that you can send (free!) to a student or adult with learning disabilities. See the cards here.

You can follow NCLD on twitter at @LDorg, or Facebook or  Google+ 

How important is pencil grip?

Tanya, an occupational therapist (OT) at Therapy Fun Zone, is challenging the orthodoxy:

I see so many articles and statements about the dynamic tripod grasp being the one that should be used, and that you need to have a child learn to use that grip.

I think that’s rubbish.

Yes, the dynamic tripod is the most efficient, but many grasps can be just as efficient if they are the preferred grasp for that particular person.
Typical kids who use a pattern other than tripod are just as efficient in class as their peers who use a tripod.

Therapy Fun Zone published this handy chart of the different grips:

Personally I like to encourage the tripod if the child is having difficulty in forming letters or in writing quickly and legibly.  

October: Learning Disabilities Awareness Month

From LDOnline (a highly recommended site):

History and Future of LD Awareness Month

October was originally designated in the United States as LD Month in 1985 through a proclamation by President Ronald Reagan. Learning Disabilities Association of Canada has celebrated an LD Month since 1987 and provides a toolkit to help you celebrate. For many years, learning disabilities organizations in the United States used the month to inform the public about learning disabilities through events and proclamations.

Learning Disabilities Awareness Month is a time where people pay particular attention to children and adults with learning disabilities. During this month, LD OnLine asks each of you to teach one person something new about learning disabilities. 

I am using this month to spread awareness of the reality of LDs and that there are effective methods of remediation and accomodation.

How kids outsmart learning disabilities - The Globe and Mail

How kids outsmart learning disabilities - The Globe and Mail.

People with learning disabilities are more likely to thrive if they have ongoing support, Perry says. While early intervention is “absolutely necessary,” she says, “we need to take a lifespan view of learning disabilities.” Children who struggle with reading, writing and math may need intensive one-to-one teaching or support in small groups. But since they will spend most of their lives in the general population, they also need help in developing strategies to function in the mainstream, she says. 

Perry notes that researchers have identified six characteristics that distinguish people with learning disabilities who succeed from those who remain dependent throughout their lives. Many can be acquired in childhood, she adds. 

According to a 20-year study published in the journal Learning Disabilities Research and Practice in 2003, the six factors include the ability to anticipate difficulties and respond with positive action, and the skills to set realistic goals and reach them step by step. 

Successful individuals with learning disabilities not only refuse to give up but also know when to change gears when a strategy isn’t working.They find ways to cope with stress, such as planning ahead for tough situations, and eventually develop reciprocal relationships with family members and others who have offered support. Finally, they are able to see learning disabilities as just one aspect of themselves, researchers found.

Moving Smart: WHY HOPSCOTCH MATTERS

Moving Smart: WHY HOPSCOTCH MATTERS.

Hopscotch was one of my favorite games as a child and it still is today. 

In fact, Hopscotch proves one of my pet theories that (in most cases) what's fun for kids is good for kids.  

Here's my Child-At-Play/Play-At-Work analysis of this timeless, universal classic or 11 Great Reasons to Rush Out and Buy Some Chalk Today!

Nine Rules of Thumb for Parents Of Special Education Students

This essay by attorney Robert Crabtree is loaded with invaluable advice.

Because the stakes are so high, it is very difficult for parents of children with special educational needs to advocate calmly and objectively for the educational and related services their children need. Nevertheless, calmness, objectivity, and a third quality -- patience for the long haul -- are the parents' most important tools in a complex and often frustrating process. In the course of that process, here are a few rules of thumb I have found to be helpful to parents.

1. Build a reliable team around your child: Your team should consist of strong and credible experts who know your child! 
2. Learn the rules: Every state has its own rules and regulations, but all must comply with the federal standards. 
3. Don't over-rely on the rules: The art of negotiation. 
4. Prioritize your issues: Understanding the importance of your child's needs.
5. Share information: The pros and cons. 
6. Document your communication with your school system. 
7. Understand 'least restrictive environment' (LRE) 
8. Personality conflicts: How to keep from being distracted from the real issues. Consider how each step would look to an impartial decision-maker: 
9. Steering the straight and narrow path in the special education process.

Math LD: Identifying Basic Number Processing Difficulties - NCLD

Math LD: Identifying Basic Number Processing Difficulties - NCLD.

Many elementary and middle school students find math challenging, but an estimated 5 to 9% experience difficulties severe enough to be categorized as having a mathematical learning disability (MLD). An emerging consensus, at least among researchers, is that such students must exhibit comparatively poor performance on a standardized mathematics achievement test (at or below the 10th percentile) over at least a successive two-year period to be properly identified as having MLD (also known as dyscalculia). As a consequence, children who meet such criteria are typically not identified prior to first grade. And while research in this field is at least 10 years behind research on reading disabilities, progress is being made

It’s started! Not just school…

It’s started! Not just school….

Is your school district or the IEP team quoting policy or regulation that you’ve never heard of before or don’t understand? Here are a few of the many that pour in this time of year.

Go read the whole post, and remember:

Asking to see a written copy of the school rule or policy or the “law” is not just a good idea. It can be one of your best practices for problem-solving.

In addition to asking, put your request in writing – in a letter to the school. Politely request a copy the “policy.”

You’ve heard us say this before.  Unwritten school policy is no policy at all.

And remember. School “policy” does not trump the law.

Homework Help for Students with LD « Smart Kids With LD

Homework Help for Students with LD « Smart Kids With LD.

Children who struggle to keep up with the daily rigors of school often come home exhausted from the physical and cognitive energy it takes to complete their day. By the time homework rolls around they have few resources left to deal with it, leaving their parents to act as the educator, cheerleader, and therapist—whatever it takes to get the job done. 

There is no magic wand, and no single technique that works for all. But there are some strategies that if used consistently over time may help your child become more successful with homework.

1. Build Meta-cognitive skills
2. Focus on Executive Function Skills 
3. Use Task Analysis 
4. Use Timers 

The goal is to have your child tackle homework independently, efficiently, and with confidence. You may need to scaffold your homework support, offering more modeling and strategies early on, before your child’s confidence begins to increase. By slowly removing the supports and allowing him to practice the strategies on his own, you can help guide your child toward independence. 

Parent Advocacy: What You Should Do . . . and Not Do

Wrightslaw is a wonderful resource for anyone involved in special education.  At the start of the school year, there is a lot to do.

 

What Parents Should Do

1. Prepare for Meetings You should treat the IEP meeting as if it is the first step towards a due process hearing by preparing for the meeting and building a record. If you do this, you make it less likely that you will end up at a due process hearing. If you do end up at a hearing, you will be in a stronger position.

 

Recognizing and Understanding Dyslexia

Richard Selznick PhD is the Director of the Cooper Learning Center in New Jersey. He is also the author of “School Struggles,” to be published in July 2012, and “The Shut-Down Learner: Helping Your Academically Discouraged Child.”  In this essay, Dr. Selznick offers some pointers to parents whose children are struggling with ;earning to read.

Dyslexia is defined as a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding (phonics) abilities. These difficulties typically are the result of weaknesses that are seen in the phonological (sound) system of the language.

Take, for example, Sarah, an 8-year-old third-grader recently assessed at the Cooper Learning Center who was found to have dyslexia:

For Sarah, reading was a laborious chore, something that she avoided at all costs. Tensions were high each night around homework time. Our assessment of Sarah showed that she had great trouble with decoding (phonics) and that she frequently substituted words while she read (e.g., “pricopinny” for “porcupine”), which interrupted the flow of meaning in the text. The results of the testing and Sarah’s history suggested that she was dyslexic, yet there were no signs of reversals or upside down reading.

Helping Sarah’s parents understand that Sarah had a legitimate problem was essential. Like most families in these situations, Sarah’s parents needed to lighten up on the homework-time tension, yelling and pressure about reading. They needed to understand that Sarah’s difficulties were not the result of her not trying hard enough.

Please go to the original article for the rest of Dr.

Dyscalculia: a first-person account from an English student (Pt 2): Money

In this segment, the speaker talks about how her dyscalculia affects her relative to money, strategic thinking and social life.

 

 

Putting the D in to the IEP Part 2: Common Pitfalls if your Child has Dyslexia | Special Education & IEP Advisor

Putting the D in to the IEP Part 2: Common Pitfalls if your Child has Dyslexia | Special Education & IEP Advisor.

Pitfall: Ignoring that inner voice and early identification Almost every parent that walks into my office recounts when their child was about three or four years old and they were not interested in learning to read. They wanted to listen to stories and investigate the pictures, but learning the letters and the sounds was just not something they wanted to do. Most parents have an inner voice that will tell them something is amiss, but at this age it is so easy to listen to well-meaning friends and family members tell you it is normal and they will outgrow it, but that inner voice won’t go away. This might also bring up memories of the parent’s own struggle with reading and send up a red flag- don’t ignore it.

Ten Obscure or Overlooked aspects of IDEA | Special Education & IEP Advisor

Ten Obscure or Overlooked aspects of IDEA | Special Education & IEP Advisor.

Aug 23 Ten Obscure or Overlooked aspects of IDEA By Doug Goldberg

1.  Medical Services can be paid for by the School District if it is for diagnostic or evaluation purposes.  As defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Act: “Medical Services means services provided by a licensed physician to determine a child’s medically related disability that results in the child’s need for special education and related services.” 

2.  The Child find mandate requires all children with disabilities residing in the State, including children with disabilities who are homeless children or are wards of the State, and children with disabilities attending private schools, regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and related services, to be identified, located, and evaluated.  The child find mandate also includes children who are suspected of being a child with a disability and in need of special education, even though they are advancing from grade to grade.  

3.  The School District must take steps to provide children with an IEP an equal opportunity to participate in nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities.  This must be accomplished by providing the appropriate support in the form of supplementary aids and services which allows the child “to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum in accordance with subclause (I) and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities.”