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

• Does reading usually frustrate your child?
• Does reading emotionally drain or anger him?
• Is his distaste for reading and school surging?
• Is his reading progress minimal or plateauing? Is he regressing?
• Does he resist reading? Does he do whatever he can to escape it?
• Is he much happier on school vacations than on school days?

If he needs a vacation, the length and nature of the vacation is found in the particulars of your child’s reading program, his typical day at home and in school, and his personality and likes and dislikes.

Recommendations

Consider working with your child’s school to give him a two or three week vacation from more than incidental reading. Replace reading with lots of activities he’ll enjoy and want to discuss, like playing volleyball, singing in a choir, and visiting a wildlife refuge.

During his vacation, work with the school to analyze his reading program. Seek reasons for your answers to the “vacation” questions. Learn why he’s frustrated, or plateauing, or resistant to reading.  Are his reading materials too difficult, is he embarrassed by membership in “the low” reading group,” does he think that even titanic efforts will not reverse his “reading failure?”

Outcome

If the vacation is handled correctly—if it’s long enough to give him a breather, if it helps him enjoy himself—he might return to reading more refreshed, more energetic, more optimistic. But this won’t last unless the school adjusts his reading program to effectively and efficiently meet his social, emotional, and academic needs.

For a struggling reader, the need for a vacation from reading often signals that his program is failing his needs. It’s not working for him; it’s working against him. So, consider his vacation an opportunity to give him a breather, to modify his program so he’ll likely succeed and feel successful, and to energize his optimism (“I will succeed”). The questions in chapters 4 and 5 of Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds (www.amazon.com) can help. Chapter 6 offers guidance for helping at home.

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond

howard@reading2008.com

www.reading2008.com

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

As Wilson’s school records indicate, over the past decade his social, emotional, and academic progress has been poor. For example, his WISC IQ scores show he’s a highly intelligent 7^th grader, but his performances on recent State of NY reading and writing tests were abysmal.  He failed. His reading and writing competencies were those of a second grader. This lack of progress is corroborated by teacher observations, comments, report cards, and evaluations by the school’s reading and writing specialists.

As we had discussed at our last meeting (12/5/2011), a comprehensive and highly personalized neuropsychological evaluation is very important for improving Wilson’s social, emotional, and academic success. It needs to be administered and interpreted by a neuropsychologist who understands (a) schools, curriculum, and educational methodology; (b) how to evaluate the factors that impede and boost the social, emotional, and academic success of children with Wilson’s history; (c) how schools can effectively and efficiently remediate the neuropsychological factors that impede learning.

With respect to Wilson’s social, emotional, and academic success , we request that the neuropsychologist’s report tell us (a) what Wilson can do well; (b) what he has difficulty doing; (c) what is blocking his progress; (d) what he needs to learn; (e) what research-based interventions can eliminate the blocks to progress; (f) what research-based instructional practices will likely produce the solid success Wilson needs to make far more than a year’s progress in a year’s time; (g) the amount of daily or weekly time the school needs to provide each intervention or related service, so Wilson can make far more than a year’s progress in a year’s time; (h) the training teachers and staff need to help Wilson achieve far more than a year’s progress in a year’s time.

We recognize that Wilson’s IEP Team is responsible for writing his IEP’s goals and objectives and monitoring plan. To facilitate this progress and strengthen these IEP components, we request that the neuropsychological report suggest (a) measurable goals and objectives in all areas of need the evaluation identifies; (b) a monitoring plan that each week provides us with valid data on Wilson’s progress toward each suggested goal and objective; and (c) how to streamline and coordinate the different components of his program. We also request that the report suggest the training we need to support Wilson at home without assuming a primary teaching role.

As Wilson is half way through the academic year and his progress remains poor, we request to review the neuropsychological evaluation report by 2/13/2012 and have a meeting to discuss its implications and Wilson’s IEP by 2/20/12. This will increase Wilson’s chances of realizing success in the last third of the academic year.  We request to meet with the neuropsychologist before the evaluation.

If you have any disagreement with our requests, please contact me within the next two days. We fear time is running out, as each day Wilson is more discouraged about his lack of progress.

Sincerely,

Howard Margolis

A Mythical Parent

The Lesson

If you need information, ask for it.

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond

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:

If my child has severe reading problems and we can afford tutoring only once a week, will once help him?

Without knowing the emotional make-up of the specific child, his history, and the severity and nature of his difficulties, for him I cannot answer the question. However, in a general sense I can. The more quality tutoring a child gets each week, the more likely he is to progress. The two critical words are more and quality.

More. Most activities have a diminishing point of return. Some children will enjoy five hours of football practice a week, will tolerate eight, and resist twelve. Similarly, some will like and benefit from three hours of quality tutoring a week, tolerate four, and actively resist eight. For some, these hours are unrealistic. It depends upon the specific child—his passion to improve his reading, his ability to concentrate for sustained periods, any regrets he may feel about the good things he’s missing, such as playing basketball with friends.

Quality. If tutoring is tedious worksheet after tedious worksheet after tedious worksheet, robotic drill after robotic drill after robotic drill, one hour a week may backfire. But if the child thinks that tutoring is fun, that he’s being taught important things, that he’s making important progress, that his tutor is a good person whom he likes and respects, four hours of tutoring a week may not be tolerable—instead, it may be fun, it may be a something he looks forward to, it may be something he values greatly, it may be satisfying, and thus four hours may prove highly effective, especially if it motivates him to read a lot more by himself.

Money. So what should parents do when they identify a high-quality tutor they can afford for only an hour or so a week, but believe their child needs much more tutoring?

Suggestions. Our first suggestion is to ask the tutor to reduce her rates. Sometimes, quality tutors will do this. However, they too need to earn a living and may not be able to discount their rates dramatically. Thus, our second suggestion.

Ask a counselor at a local college to recommend several competent, trustworthy college students who are interested in tutoring your child for a reasonable hourly rate, one that’s a fraction of the tutor’s rate. With the tutor, interview the college students to identify a promising one. Then have the tutor instruct the student in what and how to teach your child and how to monitor progress. A central part of the tutor’s instruction should be demonstrating a few simple methods to use with the child. Ask the tutor not to overwhelm the student with too many methods. Teaching the student a little bit more every few weeks is better than too much at once.

Once the tutor has trained the student in how to work with your child, the student’s job becomes developing a positive relationship with him, following the tutor’s instructional plan, and monitoring progress. Every three to four weeks, the tutor should observe the instruction, analyze the monitoring information, and meet with you and the student to develop instructional plans for the next few weeks. If schedules prevent real-time observation or if real-time observation would upset tutoring, consider videoing occasional sessions for the tutor’s review.

If you choose the right tutor and the right college student, a student who can follow and positively add to the tutor’s directives, and whom your child likes and respects, your child may benefit considerably. Is this a guarantee? No. But if your child needs several hours of quality tutoring a week and doesn’t get it, his reading may deteriorate further, causing severe academic and emotional difficulties. This problem—costs versus your child’s needs—is frightening and emotionally-draining. Using a tutor as to train and supervise a trustworthy, intelligent college student may not be as good as having a quality tutor directly provide lots of tutoring, but it may solve the problem.

Of course, quality tutoring must be focused, must build your child’s confidence, and must strengthen his motivation to do lots of reading on his own. Chapters 4, 5, and 9 of Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds can help with all three. Chapter 5, Using Reading Evaluations, may be especially helpful as quality tutoring begins with a high quality reading evaluation.

Other Suggestions. If you have other suggestions for tutoring, especially suggestions that have worked for you, please share them with our readers. Let’s help lots of children by giving parents lots of worthwhile ideas.

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond

howard@reading2008.com

www.reading2008.com

**********************************************************************************************************************************

 To Help Children: The Special Needs Talk Radio Network

The Special Needs Talk Radio network (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/) is on the air. Each of its six shows is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth with special needs and their families.

Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and I host Maximizing Your Child’s Potential (Mondays, 9 PM – 9:30 PM EST, http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential).

  Monday’s Show (11/21/2011): Make Reading Evaluations Work

• When: Monday, November 21, 2011, 9 – 9:30 PM EST
• Where: http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential
• Guest: Howard Margolis, Ed.D., Editor, Reading & Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Difficulties

**************************************************************************************************************************************

 Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds

(www.reading2008.com)

PsychologyToday.com wrote that Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds was one of the three “best books about education published in 2010. Recommend [it] to your friends.” On our blog, an English teacher and author wrote that Beating the Odds “is one of the best books, if not the best book on education published this year.”  A Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism called it “a great book.” A parent wrote, “Your Reading Disabilities book is by far the best resource I have found regarding the IEP and IDEA and providing understandable and concrete suggestions and implementation strategies.” Another wrote, your book is “fascinating and effective.” On Amazon, a professor of special education called it “a fantastic resource… well-written, practical… an essential guide.”

The KansasCityExaminer.com cited our blog as one of the ten best special needs blogs of 2010. The Coffee Klatch awarded it a Coffee Klatch emblem, signifying excellence.

We thank these and many other reviewers for their kind words. And we hope that our book and blog helps lots of children, parents, teachers, IEP Team members, and schools. It’s why we keep plugging away. – HM & GB

Overcoming Problems of Reading Fluency

Dr. Tim Rasinski of Kent State University

Monday, October 17, 2011, 9 – 9:30 PM EST

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Parents often ask us for the names of experts to evaluate their children or help them develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Often, these requests come from parts of the country with which we’re unfamiliar. In such situations, we generally make these suggestions:

• Check who teaches the relevant graduate courses at your local university. For example, if you want an expert to evaluate your child’s reading problems, check the university’s catalog and course schedule to see who teaches courses on the evaluation of reading problems. If you want an expert to evaluate your child’s problems with mathematics, check who teaches such courses. Call these experts (often professors) to get a sense of their personality, professionalism, values, availability, and fees. If they can’t offer their services, ask them for recommendations.
• Check if local universities have clinics that specialize in your child’s problem, such as a reading clinic, a learning disabilities clinic, a behavioral difficulties clinic, a counseling center.
• Review electronic databases of journal articles, such as EBSCO. Databases are often available through libraries. Search them for relevant terms, such as “reading disabilities + evaluation” if you’re seeking an expert to evaluate your child’s reading problems. Read several recent articles. Then call the authors of those you liked, even if they’re a thousand miles away. Briefly discuss their articles and your child’s difficulties; ask if they can recommend experts within 50-miles of your home. It’s a small world: After a few calls, you may get several names.
• Check book reviews on www.amazon.com and www.bn.com. If possible, read at least 10 reviews. Call the authors of the well-reviewed books. They may know experts near you.
• Ask parents of children with similar problems. Ask who they would recommend, would not recommend, and why. If they used the expert they’re recommending, and you think they would be willing, ask to see a copy of their expert’s report or the IEP she helped write. See if several people recommend the same expert.
• Ask your child’s doctors. If they make a recommendation, ask what experiences they had with the expert they’re recommending.

Once you have the names of experts, interview them. Assess their knowledge, openness, availability willingness to listen, and interest in helping. Ask about their fees. Ask to see samples of their reports or IEPs (with names omitted). Ask how they conduct evaluations or help to develop IEPs and how, if needed, they’ll follow up.

Before interviewing experts, learn what a quality evaluation or IEP should look like. For information on reading evaluations, read chapter 5 of Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds (www.reading2008.com). For information on developing IEPs, read chapters 8 through 13.

Are these suggestions foolproof? No. But they can help you find experts who will make a positive difference in your child’s life.

If you have other ideas about finding experts, please put them in a comment on our blog. Your ideas may help our readers.

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond

howard@reading2008.com

www.reading2008.com

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

The Special Needs Talk Radio Network: It’s On The Air

The new Special Needs Talk Radio network (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/) is on the air. Each of its six shows is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth with special needs and their families.

Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and I host Maximizing Your Child’s Potential (Mondays, 9 PM – 9:30 PM EST, http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential).

Tonight, Monday, October 3^rd, our guest will be Dr. John Pellitteri of the City University of New York. Dr. Pellitteri will discuss, Strengthening Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence.

Over the next few months, our guests will include:

• October 10^th —Dr. J. Richard Gentry, Educational Consultant, Raising Confident Readers: Birth and Beyond
• October 17^th —Dr. Tim Rasinski, Kent State University, Overcoming Problems of Reading Fluency
• October 24^th —Susan Orloff, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist, Learning Re-Enabled
• October 31^st —Dr. Nancy Padak, Kent State University, Helping Your Children Overcome Reading Problems
• Dr. Richard Boon, University of Georgia, Helping Teenagers Improve Their Reading
• Dr. Erica Lembke, University of Missouri, Monitoring Your Child’s Progress
• Dr. Patrick McCabe, Mercy College, Developing the Confidence of Struggling Learners
• Staci Greenwald, Special Education Attorney, The Pro’s and Con’s of Public and Private School Programs
• Dr. Annmarie Urso, State University of New York at Geneseo, How Response-To-Intervention ( RTI) Can Unlock Your Child’s Potential

If possible, look at the Special Needs Talk Radio’s website (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/). See how its many experts can help you help the children and youth you care about.

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

On Saturday, The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio) reported:

The Upper Arlington school district failed several dyslexic students, and broke federal education laws, because it refused to test children for disabilities and help them learn to read, a state investigation found. District officials, however, deny the state’s findings.

…. According to the complaint, officials refused to acknowledge that students had dyslexia and put them in remedial reading classes that weren’t designed for those with the reading disability.

…. “We struggled through the system with our daughter for three years and had to become experts in order to prove to the district that our child, in fact, did have a learning disability,” Doug Shanks, one of the parents, said in an interview.

…. Problems with identifying dyslexic students are common in suburban districts, said Earl Oremus, headmaster at Marburn Academy, a Columbus private school that serves students with dyslexia and learning disorders. He said districts often try remedial reading programs that don’t help dyslexic students before acknowledging the disability. “The longer you wait to intervene, the more damage occurs to the child,” he said.

For the full newspaper story, go to http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/09/24/ua-schools-broke-law-on-testing-state-finds.html.

In this era of draconian budget cuts, invisible disabilities, like reading disabilities and other learning disabilities, may well be ignored. Eligibility and Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams may be overwhelmed by the increasing number of students they have to serve, the lack of reading specialists, depleted teaching staffs, inadequate budgets for staff-and-teacher-training, stresses created by larger classes, the retirements of many experienced teachers and administrators, administrative pressures, and a host of other forces. Thus, children with reading and other learning disabilities need knowledgeable parents to respectfully and persistently advocate for their needs. You can find a wealth of information on special education laws, problem solving, and advocacy strategies in chapter 7 through 13 of Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds (www.reading2008.com,http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Disabilities-Beating-Howard-Margolis/dp/0615279007/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1287371499&sr=1-1).

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond

howard@reading2008.com

www.reading2008.com

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

The Special Needs Talk Radio Network: It’s On The Air

The new Special Needs Talk Radio network (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/ ) is on the air. Each of its six shows is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth with special needs and their families.

Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and I host Maximizing Your Child’s Potential (Mondays, 9 PM – 9:30 PM EST, http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential).

On Monday, September 26th, our guest will be Dr. Richard Selznick, Director of the Cooper University Hospital Learning Center. If your child struggles in school, if he’s a “shut-down” learner, Dr. Selznick will offer insight and practical tips for motivating and helping him.

Over the next few months, our guests will include:

• Dr. John Pellitteri, City University of New York, Strengthening Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence
• Dr. Tim Rasinski, Kent State University, Overcoming Problems of Reading Fluency
• Dr. Nancy Padak, Kent State University, Helping Your Children Overcome Reading Problems
• Dr. Richard Boon, University of Georgia, Helping Teenagers Improve Their Reading
• Dr. Erica Lembke, University of Missouri, Monitoring Your Child’s Progress
• Dr. Patrick McCabe, Mercy College, Developing the Confidence of Struggling Learners
• Staci Greenwald, Special Education Attorney, The Pro’s and Con’s of Public and Private School Programs
• Dr. J. Richard Gentry, Educational Consultant, Raising Confident Readers: Birth and Beyond
• Dr. Annmarie Urso, State University of New York at Geneseo, How Response-To-Intervention ( RTI) Can Unlock Your Child’s Potential

If possible, look at the Special Needs Talk Radio’s website (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/). See how its many experts can help you help the children and youth you care about.

From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Last night, Dr. Stephen Lange’s gave a great radio interview about helping children overcome sleep problems. It was chock-full of valuable, practical information.

To listen to or download it, go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/specialneedstalkradio/2011/09/20/maximizing-your-childs-potential.

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

The Special Needs Talk Radio Network: It’s On The Air

The new Special Needs Talk Radio network (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/ ) is on the air. Each of its six shows is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth with special needs and their families.

Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and I host Maximizing Your Child’s Potential (Mondays, 9 PM – 9:30 PM EST, http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential).

This coming Monday, September 26th, our guest will be Dr. Richard Selznick, Director of the Cooper University Hospital Learning Center. If your child struggles in school, if he’s a “shut-down” learner, Dr. Selznick will offer insight and practical tips for motivating and helping him.

Over the next few months, our guests will include:

• Dr. John Pellitteri, City University of New York, Strengthening Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence
• Dr. Tim Rasinski, Kent State University, Overcoming Problems of Reading Fluency
• Dr. Nancy Padak, Kent State University, Helping Your Children Overcome Reading Problems
• Dr. Richard Boon, University of Georgia, Helping Teenagers Improve Their Reading
• Dr. Erica Lembke, University of Missouri, Monitoring Your Child’s Progress
• Dr. Patrick McCabe, Mercy College, Developing the Confidence of Struggling Learners
• Staci Greenwald, Special Education Attorney, The Pro’s and Con’s of Public and Private School Programs
• Dr. J. Richard Gentry, Educational Consultant, Raising Confident Readers: Birth and Beyond
• Dr. Annmarie Urso, State University of New York at Geneseo, How Response-To-Intervention ( RTI) Can Unlock Your Child’s Potential

If possible, look at the Special Needs Talk Radio’s website (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/). See how its many experts can help you help the children and youth you care about.

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

It’s September. Your child is starting to struggle with reading. How long should you wait to get help? Should you wait until November, December, January? After all, his teacher needs a chance to help him. Will it pass if you just show patience and encourage him to do better?

Our Response

Usually, it won’t pass, so don’t wait. Make a formal request to the school to evaluate his reading and related needs and to provide whatever services he needs to become a successful reader. A good evaluation, supported by quality resources, should help your child and his teacher.

Our Reasoning

• “More than 88 percent of children who have difficulty reading at the end of first grade display similar difficulties at the end of fourth grade” (Juel, 1988; in Leipzig, 2001).
• “Longitudinal studies show that, of the youngsters who are identified as having reading problems in the third grade, approximately 74% remain reading disabled through the ninth grade. This appears to be true even when special education has been provided. It should be made clear, however, that interventions applied after a child has failed in reading for two or three years may not be effective for several reasons, including the student’s declining motivation and impaired self-concept” (Lyon, 1996, p. 66).
• “Three-quarters of students who are poor readers in third grade will remain poor readers in high school” (Shaywitz et al., 1997; in Leipzig, 2001).
• “Educators and researchers have long recognized the importance of mastering reading by the end of third grade. Students who fail to reach this critical milestone often falter in the later grades and drop out before earning a high school diploma. Now, researchers have confirmed this link…. Results of a longitudinal study of nearly 4,000 students find that those who don’t read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than proficient readers…. While these struggling readers account for about a third of the students, they represent more than three fifths of those who eventually drop out or fail to graduate on time” (Hernandez, 2011, p. 3).

More Information

Chapters 3 and 4 of Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds (www.reading2008.com) will show you what to look for. They list the questions you need to ask the school to answer in its evaluation. If you don’t ask the right questions, you may not get the right answers.

Chapter 5 will show you how to evaluate the quality of the school’s evaluation and how to use it to help your child get a program that increases his chances of success.

References

Hernandez, D. J. (2011) Double Jeopardy: How third-grade reading skills and poverty influence high school graduation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation; Center for Demographic Analysis, University at Albany, State of New York; Foundation for Child Development, http://www.aecf.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications.aspx?pubguid={D4DBAD77-DE2E-4FAE-B443-A9AEEBBC6E35}

Juel, C. (1988). Learning to read and write: A longitudinal study of fifty-four children from first through fourth grade. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80:437-447.

Leipzig, D. H.  (2001). Top 10 things you should know about reading. NY: LDOline. http://www.ldonline.org/article/358?theme=print.

Lyon, G. R. (1996). Learning disabilities. Special Education for Students with Disabilities, 6 (1), 54-74, p. 66.

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond

Howard@reading2008.com

www.reading2008.com

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

The Special Needs Talk Radio Network: It’s On The Air

The new Special Needs Talk Radio network (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/ ) is on the air. Each of its six shows is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth with special needs and their families.

Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and I host Maximizing Your Child’s Potential (Mondays, 9 PM – 9:30 PM EST, http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential).

This coming Monday, September 19th, our guest will be Dr. Steven Lange, Child and Adolescent Psychologist. He’ll discuss how to solve a problem that schools and learning experts often ignore, but shouldn’t, a problem that can hurt learning, hurt potential, hurt families. He’ll discuss Helping Children Overcome Sleep Problems.

Over the next few months, our guests will include:

• Dr. Richard Selznick, Cooper University Hospital, Helping the Shut-Down Learner
• Dr. John Pellitteri, City University of New York, Strengthening Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence
• Dr. Tim Rasinski, Kent State University, Overcoming Problems of Reading Fluency
• Dr. Nancy Padak, Kent State University, Helping Your Children Overcome Reading Problems
• Dr. Richard Boon, University of Georgia, Helping Teenagers Improve Their Reading
• Dr. Erica Lembke, University of Missouri, Monitoring Your Child’s Progress
• Dr. Patrick McCabe, Mercy College, Developing the Confidence of Struggling Learners
• Staci Greenwald, Special Education Attorney, The Pro’s and Con’s of Public and Private School Programs
• Dr. J. Richard Gentry, Educational Consultant, Raising Confident Readers: Birth and Beyond

If possible, look at the Special Needs Talk Radio’s website (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/). See how its lineup of experts can help you help the children and youth you care about.

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Are Lexiles flawed? Limited, but not flawed. The problem is not Lexiles, but how some schools use them.

What Are Lexiles?

Lexiles are scores produced by a readability formula that analyzes text (e.g., passages, articles, books) for the length of sentences and the frequency with which words generally occur. Longer sentences, with rarer words, words readers rarely see, are considered more difficult to understand than shorter sentences with words readers often see.

Limitations

As far as this goes, Lexiles are fine. They can help librarians and teachers get a rough idea about the difficulty of materials for hypothetical groups of children. But they cannot tell anyone if a particular article or book is appropriate for a particular child, especially a struggling reader.

The reason is simple: Lexiles do not know the struggling reader. They don’t know his likes and dislikes, his background, his oral language abilities, his decoding and sight word abilities, his reading fluency, his anxiety levels, his independent work habits, his energy level, and, and, and….

Here’s what some recent literature says about Lexiles:

• Estimating readability is not an exact process. Lexile … reading levels are merely guidelines for making good choices. Unfortunately, they give us the impression of being more precise than they actually are. Moreover, they do not account for the needs of a particular small group. (Walpole & Mckenna, 2009, p. 101)
• Results indicated that none of the readability estimates [including Lexiles] were significantly related to [words read correctly per minute] …. These findings replicate and extend previous research suggesting that estimates of passage difficulty based on readability estimates are not related to students’ oral reading performance, and students’ readings of passages are a better gauge of passage difficulty than are readability estimates. (Ardoin et al., 2010, p. 282)

The Bottom Line

Consider Lexiles one piece of information that can help identify appropriate reading materials, but by themselves cannot. Do not accept, as correct or absolute, statements that your child’s Lexile score shows he should read books at Lexile level 451 (roughly mid-2^nd grade).

If your child struggles with reading, and his school says he needs to read books at Lexile level 451, ask for impartial, corroborating information, such as his independent, instructional, and frustration levels on an informal reading inventory, samples of his orally reading books at the 451 Lexile level, and the enjoyment he gets from reading these books.

References

Ardoin, S. P., Williams, J.C., Christ, T. J., Klubnik, C., Wellborn, C.. Examining readability estimates’ predictions of students’ oral reading rate: Spache, Lexile, and Forcas. School Psychology Review, 2010, Vol. 39 Issue 2, p277-285.

Walpole, S., & Mckenna, M. C. (2009). How to plan differentiated reading instruction. New York: The Guilford Press.

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond

www.reading2008.com

howard@reading2008.com

*************************************************************************************************

Special Needs Talk Radio Network: It’s On The Air

The new Special Needs Talk Radio network (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/ ) is on the air. Each of its six shows is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth with special needs and their families.

Staring September 12, Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and I will host Maximizing Your Child’s Potential (Mondays, 9 PM – 9:30 PM EST, http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential).

Over the next few months, our guests will include:

• Dr. Steven Lange, Child and Adolescent Psychologist, Helping Children Overcome Sleep Problems
• Dr. Richard Selznick, Cooper University Hospital, Helping the Shut-Down Learner
• Dr. John Pellitteri, City University of New York, Strengthening Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence
• Dr. Tim Rasinski, Kent State University, Overcoming Problems of Reading Fluency
• Dr. Nancy Padak, Kent State University, Helping Your Children Overcome Reading Problems
• Dr. Richard Boon, University of Georgia, Helping Teenagers Improve Their Reading
• Dr. Erica Lembke, University of Missouri, Monitoring Your Child’s Progress
• Dr. Patrick McCabe, Mercy College, Developing the Confidence of Struggling Learners
• Staci Greenwald, Special Education Attorney, The Pro’s and Con’s of Public and Private School Programs
• Dr. J. Richard Gentry, Educational Consultant, Raising Confident Readers: Birth and Beyond

If possible, look at the Special Needs Talk Radio’s website (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/). See how its lineup of experts can help you help the children and youth you care about

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Finally, The Perfect Reading Test!!!!!

Is it perfect?

No.

No test is perfect, and test scores, without proper interpretation and without corroborating information, can damage children. Inaccurate scores can easily lead to a reading program, a class placement, or an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that backfires.

To better understand test scores and help ensure that your child’s reading program is effective,  read and save these quotes from a test manual I reviewed for the University of Nebraska’s Seventeenth Mental Measurements Yearbook.

• Examiners should be cautious in interpreting the results of even those tests that are reliable at the highest levels because they still possess considerable error. For example, a test with almost perfect reliability (i.e., .95) … still contains about 15% error. As a result, test scores, especially when they are used to make judgments about individuals, must always be interpreted carefully…. In every case, diagnoses and hypotheses resting on test data have to be confirmed by other observations. (GDRT-2-Manual, p. 34).
• Too often examiners forget the dictum that ‘tests don’t diagnose, people do’ and base their diagnoses exclusively on test results, a hazardous enterprise at best. Test results are merely observations, not diagnoses. They specify a performance level at a given time under a particular situation, but they do not tell the examiner why a person performed as he or she did.
• The questions concerning the why of the test performance are the very essence of diagnosis, and they can be answered only by an insightful, competent test examiner. Test results make useful contributions to diagnosis; but in the end, practical diagnosis rests on the clinical skills and experience of examiners. Test results are only aids to clinical judgment. (GDRT-2-Manual, p. 34).

Remember these quotes when reviewing a single test score or set of scores from a single test. If, for example, your child was given a learning evaluation and the examiner administered only one reading test (with several subtests), and other information contradicts your child’s reading test scores, discuss these quotes with the examiner. Ask her to get objective, representative samples of your child’s reading that supports or disputes her findings. (Good professionals welcome such  opportunities; they know all tests and test results contain error.) If impressive corroboration is not found, do not trust the scores. Instead, seek further information, which may include a far more comprehensive assessment of your child’s reading abilities.

Reference

Bryant, B. R., Wiederholt, J. L., & Bryant, D. P. (2004). Manual for the Gray Diagnostic Reading Tests-Second Edition (GDRT-). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond

www.reading2008.com

howard@reading2008.com

****************************************************************************************************************************

Special Needs Talk Radio Network: Launching September 6th

On Tuesday, September 6, the new Special Needs Talk Radio network (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/ ) will launch six new radio shows.  Each show is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth with special needs and their families.

On Monday evenings, Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and I will host Maximizing Your Child’s Potential (9 PM – 9:30 PM EST, http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential).

Future guests on our show will include:

• Dr. Steven Lange, Child and Adolescent Psychologist, Helping Children Overcome Sleep Problems
• Dr. Richard Selznick, Cooper University Hospital, Helping the Shut-Down Learner
• Dr. John Pellitteri, City University of New York, Strengthening Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence
• Dr. Tim Rasinski, Kent State University, Overcoming Problems of Reading Fluency
• Dr. Nancy Padak, Kent State University, Helping Your Children Overcome Reading Problems
• Dr. Richard Boon, University of Georgia, Helping Teenagers Improve Their Reading
• Dr. Sarah Allen, Educational Consultant, How Neuropsychologists Can Help Parents Develop Quality IEPs
• Dr. Erica Lembke, University of Missouri, Monitoring Your Child’s Progress
• Dr. Patrick McCabe, Mercy College, Developing the Confidence of Struggling Learners
• Staci Greenwald, Special Education Attorney, The Pro’s and Con’s of Public and Private School Programs
• Dr. J. Richard Gentry, Educational Consultant, Raising Confident Readers: Birth and Beyond

If possible, look at the Special Needs Talk Radio’s website (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/). See how its lineup of experts can help you help the children and youth you care about.