From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Throughout the United States, co-teaching has silently become a major model for delivering instruction to special-education students in general education classes. The model pairs a general education teacher with a special education teacher.
Although co-teaching has great promise for helping special-education students, it also has many pitfalls. And the research examining its ability to improve students’ academics is in its infancy; in other words, we have little proof that it dramatically improves academics. Read more...
co-teach-co-teaching, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, IEP, inclusion, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, Special Education, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Sometimes, we need a vacation. We need relief from painful stressors. We need a breather. To recuperate our energy and optimism, we need to change locations, activities, and mindsets.
If your child struggles with reading, should you and his school give him a vacation from reading? The answer is found in answers to questions like those below.
The Questions Read more...
- Does reading usually frustrate your child?
- Does reading emotionally drain or anger him?
- Is his distaste for reading and school surging?
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading problem, reading problems, Reading vacation, resilience, Resiliency, self-efficacy, self-esteem, strengthening resiliency, stress of reading struggles, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
In our book, Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds, we emphasize the importance of getting the proper evaluations and maximizing their effectiveness by requesting specific information. Below is an example of a request for a neuropsychological evaluation. The basic concepts can be adapted to virtually any educational evaluation. For reading evaluations, chapters 4 and 5 of Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds provide dozens of requests in the form of critical questions.
The Letter Read more...
critical questions, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, evaluation, Learning Disabilities, learning disabilities evaluation, learning disability, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Teachers at the Opportunity Charter School in New York City voted to unionize. Yes—that dirty, but often misunderstood word, unionize. The quotes below explain why they voted to unionize and explain why parents need to critically evaluate all schools and programs, including charter schools and suspect university programs for poor readers, like the Rutgers University Summer Reading Program. Read more...
Charter school, charter schools, charters, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
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. Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, listening vocabulary, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, reading vocabulary, remedial reading, remediation, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, vocabulary
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Monday’s Radio Show: Using Social-Emotional Learning to Maximize Your Child’s Potential
Learn More
To learn more about how parents can help their children with reading disabilities, read a profile of Dr. Gary G. Brannigan, co-author of Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds, on pages 6 and 7 of the SUNY Plattsburgh magazine. Here’s the link: http://www.plattsburgh.edu/files/282/files/plattsburgh-magazine-spring-2011.pdf
Motivation Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, early intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Motivation, motivation principles, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, reading progress, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
Charter Schools: A Satire on 7-Steps to Wealth
I. M. Greedy
I know there are some good charter schools run by honest do-gooders who help kids. Just look at the KIPP schools and the Harlem Children’s Zone. Good for them. Hooray. Whoopee. But they don’t want what we want: money, money, and lots more money. So, if you want wealth, if you want lots of free taxpayer money, join me. Read more...
Charter school, charter schools, charters, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Last week I visited a great school for children with reading disabilities: the Benchmark School in Media Pennsylvania. Benchmark’s founder, Dr. Irene Gaskins, and the Head of School, Dr. Robb Gaskins, asked me a question that I’ve been asked by dozens of parents of children with reading disabilities, one that I’ve given much thought to, especially in these stressful economic times when school budgets and family incomes are under continual attack. The question is simple, but the answer not: Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, tutor, tutoring
How Writing Instruction Can Help Children Achieve Their Potential
As many parents, teachers, and children know, learning to write is hard work, work that’s easier said than done. But it can also be fun, liberating, and enormously satisfying. It can unlock potential. This past Monday, a motivating writing teacher, Jaclyn Pryzbylkowski (Voorhees NJ Middle School), discussed How Writing Instruction Can Help Children Achieve Their Potential.
Download from: http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential
As one listener said, “I heard the show, that teacher should be teaching the special ed class for God’s sake; she was a joy to hear.”
************************************************************************************************************************************** Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, Writing, writing instruction
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Perhaps my last post was wrong. Perhaps I should trust charter schools. Perhaps they do perform miracles. Clearly, charters run by one of the nation’s largest charter companies performed miracles in St Louis, MO. Here are descriptions of their miracles from the October 30th St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more...
- “When students first entered Imagine Academy [charter school] … four years ago, their school was already entangled in a complex series of real estate deals — ones that would divert dollars from their education.”
Charter, Charter school, charter school scandal, charter schools, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
