Learn Your Special Education Laws, Special Education Rights, and Share IEP Goal Ideas

If struggling readers do not have strong knowledge of the vocabulary they hear in class and see when reading, they cannot become good readers. Below are three easy principles for helping struggling readers develop strong listening and reading vocabularies. Of course, you need to adapt these principles to the developmental level of your child or student. One more “of course”: Make the activities fun and interesting.

Ask Struggling Readers to Go Beyond Dictionary Definitions of Words: If the word’s important, help your child or student discuss its meaning, its parts (e.g., prefix), and its use. If possible, use lots of pictures, diagrams, and skits. If the word is grimace, start grimacing; ask your child or student to start. Read the rest of this entry →

The Orton-Gillingham approach is a unique language training system that was designed by Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham.  Dr. Orton, a neuropsychiatrist and pathologist, was a pioneer in focusing attention on reading failure and related language processing difficulties.  He revolutionized modern thought concerning learning disabilities, determining that language-based disorders were biological and not environmental in origin.  He brought together neuroscientific information and principles of remediation, having extensively studied children with the kind of language processing difficulties now commonly associated with dyslexia and formulating a set of teaching principles and practices for such children.  He strongly believed that such disorders would respond to specific training if properly diagnosed and if the proper training methods to meet the needs of each particular case were instituted. Read the rest of this entry →

Being in a small class, with a quality teacher, positively and profoundly effects children:

Most of the research done in the last 30 years [shows] … that small classes, especially in the primary grades, boost student achievement and that the benefits last through later grades when students are in ordinary size classrooms…. If we really want all the excellent teachers policymakers, politicians, and pundits are calling for, we have to be willing to provide the school supports that are necessary. One of those supports is reasonable class sizes that allow teachers to do their job to the best of their ability (Joanne Yatvin, past president of the National Council of Teachers of English). Read the rest of this entry →

Helping your child to study effectively for tests is vitally important in the elementary years. When the groundwork for good habits is set early on, students are more likely to experience success and increased motivation. You can make a difference in your child’s academic performance now and in the future by trying some of the following tips.

Studying for Math

1.  Use a dry erase board

To practice for an upcoming test, write a few math problems on a small dry erase board. Kids love using dry erase boards and many prefer them over traditional pencil and paper. Try out different color markers, too. Color increases attention, so don’t be afraid of using bold hues. Read the rest of this entry →

Ever wonder why your child behaves “that way?” Wonder why he dawdles, why he won’t read, why he fights with David and Brian? We can’t tell you about his genes, his DNA, the chemicals in his body, each of his neurons, or David and Brian. We don’t know all the causes of troubling behaviors, especially for individual children. But we can tell you about PEAT. Using PEAT might help you learn what’s currently causing his troubling behavior, an important step in figuring out a solution.

PEAT

PEAT stands for Physiology, Experience, Action, and Thought. First we’ll define the words and ask some questions that help explain them. Then we’ll show you how you might use PEAT to help your mythical 10-year old son, Charlie.

Physiology refers to your child’s physical needs. Does he get enough sleep? Does he have a nutritious diet? Is he having an allergic reaction? Do his ears and throat hurt? Is he forced to sit in class far more than his body can tolerate? Read the rest of this entry →

Many middle school and high school students with reading disabilities have difficulty understanding their textbooks and succeeding on assignments. Reasons for their difficulties include:

• Their inability to understand the demands of the task
• Instruction devoted solely to the mastery of subject materials, such as a social studies chapter. Read the rest of this entry →

I had an opportunity to work with Tessa this afternoon. Earlier in the day, she brought a book to me that she hoped I’d share with the class. I said I would, but upon flipping through it, I thought better of it, and decided it’d be more meaningful if she read it instead. Read the rest of this entry →

To develop IEP goals (and, in some states and situations, objectives) that are meaningful, measurable, and manageable, requires a  preliminary step that too many IEP Teams rush though: Writing a quality Present Levels section (“present levels of academic achievement and functional performance”) of the IEP. This section forms the basis and justification for all goals and objectives. In turn, the goals and objectives form the basis for all services and placements.

Because goals and objectives are so critical to obtaining the services your child needs, and to monitoring his progress, it’s critical to understand the flaws that characterize so many goals and objectives. Below are some of my comments, slightly edited, from two brief evaluations I did of a third grader’s IEP. The name is fictionalized and I have the parent’s permission to use the materials. Read the rest of this entry →

A mnemonic, (pronounced ni-mon’-ik) is a device used as a memory aid.

The F.A.C.T. mnemonic helps students organize and remember important comprehension strategies. The letters inF.A.C.T. stand for effective, research supported strategies that support comprehension:  Focus, Ask questions, Connect, and Turn on the visuals. Read the rest of this entry →

Once a child is able to decode and recognize words in print, it is crucial that they also gain an ability to read smoothly and at an efficient pace.  Stumbling and hesitating over words undermines reading comprehension given that by the time the child gets to the end of a sentence he or she will have completely forgotten what was at the beginning of the sentence!  Read the rest of this entry →