From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
A Guest Post by
Louis Pica, Jr., Ed.D., Child Psychologist
Note: Louis Pica, Jr. was an outstanding child psychologist who worked tirelessly to help children and youth with learning, emotional, cognitive, and attention difficulties. Because Lou was practical, humane, and highly structured, the children with whom he worked benefited greatly. Below are several of his tips for helping parents of children with attention difficulties to monitor their children’s learning and to motivate them to succeed. In addition to attention difficulties, these tips have proven effective for children with learning, emotional, cognitive difficulties. Of course, you may want to modify these so they reflect your child’s stage of development and his school and home situations. But reading these, and then discussing them with a psychologist, learning consultant, or teacher, may be a good place to start. Thanks Lou. – Howard Margolis Read more...
ADD, ADHD, attention, Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, homework, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, self-efficacy, self-esteem, strengthening resiliency, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, study skills
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
If your child has a reading disability, the school should monitor his progress frequently enough to prevent minor problems from becoming major ones, to prevent him from getting frustrated with work that’s too difficult, to prevent him from becoming bored with work he’s already mastered, to accelerate instruction when the data shows he can handle it comfortably.
In 2006, the federally-funded National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD; Johnson et al.) recommended that schools assess the progress of students who need “extensive and intensive interventions” twice weekly (p. 2.4). Children with reading disabilities are part of this group. Read more...
Assessment, curriculum-based assessment, curriculum-based measurement, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, monitor, Monitoring, monitoring of reading, reading assessment, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading problem, reading problems, reading tests, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
Many parents of children with reading disabilities (and some advocates and attorneys) insist that the Wilson Reading System (Wilson) is the only reading method that can help their child learn to read. They claim it’s the scientifically proven method for overcoming dyslexia and other reading disabilities, and thus the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) supports it.
They’re wrong. And if they take this argument to court, and the school’s experts are well-versed in the research, the school has valid reasons for prefering its methodology, the IEP’s goals and objectives and services are sound, and the hearing officer or judge believes, like most do, that courts should not overturn a school’s decision about methodology, the parents will likely lose. Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexics, evaluation of reading programs, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Orton, Orton-Gillingham, reading, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, reading program, Reading Programs, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, Wilson Reading, Wilson Reading System
Here are 15 guidelines that can strengthen the effectiveness of your advocacy.
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Have your child evaluated by experts who can identify your child’s needs.
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Make sure you understand his needs before you meet with school personnel to discuss his needs and possible interventions.
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Make specific requests (in writing) for meeting his needs; support your requests with reports from well-credentialed experts, experts whom the school respects.
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Treat people with respect, even if you disagree with them, even if they reject your requests. Read more...
Advocacy, advocating for children, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, IDEA, IDEA 2004, IEP, IEP meeting, IEP meetings, IEPs, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, monitoring of reading, parents, problem solving, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, Special Education, struggling reader, struggling readers IEP
A critical component of beginning reading and word recognition is your child’s ability to isolate, identify, and manipulate or apply sounds that he hears within words. When kindergartners and first graders listen for, identify, and manipulate large or small units of sounds within words, like the sounds of syllables or individual letters, it’s called phonological awareness. When they do this with only the smallest meaningful sounds, sounds that distinguish between words, like the /b/ sound in bat and the /c/ sound in cat, it’s called phonemic awareness. Read more...
components of reading, decoding, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, phonemic, phonemic awareness, phonological, phonological awareness, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, test, testing, testing cautions, tests
Often, no.
With enthusiasm, dedication, and genuine tears of gratitude, many parents advocate for particular reading programs, programs they claim cured their child’s dyslexia. They’re joined by many teachers and private reading consultants. These proponents—genuine in their beliefs and unbridled enthusiasm for particular programs—ignore these possibilities: Read more...
- Good teaching, rather than the particular program, was responsible.
- The placebo effect was operating, as it often does. A sugar pill can sometimes be as effective as a brand name pill costing $100.
- The program works for some children, but only for a few.
- Other programs would have worked as well, or better.
Dyslexia, dyslexics, evaluation of reading programs, Orton, Orton-Gillingham, reading, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, reading program, Reading Programs, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, Wilson Reading, Wilson Reading System
Shortly after meeting me, parents often ask, “What program and services does my child need to overcome his reading disabilities?” They’re surprised when I say, “I don’t know enough about your child and his problems. Tell me more. Exactly what problems does he have? With what components of reading does he struggle? What can’t he do?” My response often surprises and disappoints them. Here’s my explanation.
A Reading Evaluation Needs to Pinpoint the Problem: The Five Areas of Reading
To be effective, programs that aim to improve the reading of children with reading disabilities need to focus on the child’s specific difficulties. Identifying those difficulties requires an evaluation from a reading specialist. Read more...
components of reading, comprehension, decoding, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, fluency, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, phonemic awareness, phonic, phonics, phonological awareness, reading comprehension, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, test, testing, tests, vocabulary
After reading our posts on monitoring the progress of children with reading disabilities, several parents and teachers requested more information. If you want more information, we suggest you read Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds, chapters 7 (Monitoring Progress) and 9 (The IEP). We also suggest that you join our mailing list. By joining, you will get a free pdf article, Monitoring Your Child’s IEP: A Focus on Reading (co-authored by Sheila Alber-Morgan, Associate Professor, Ohio State University). We hope these suggestions help.
Assessment, curriculum-based assessment, curriculum-based measurement, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, monitor, Monitoring, monitoring of reading, reading assessment, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading problem, reading problems, reading tests, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
The post below was originally published two months ago. I’m republishing it because its topic—monitoring children’s progress—is critically important. The topic is so important that I’ve encouraged university scholars to provide more comprehensive information on one of its recommendations, curriculum-based measurement (CBM). Thus, the Reading & Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Difficulties (RWQ) will publish a thematic issue on advances in CBM. The issue, edited by Erica Lembke of the University of Missouri, will address many CBM topics, including its use in tutoring, newly created CBM measures for students with cognitive disabilities, and the school-wide use of CBM. Read more...
Assessment, curriculum-based assessment, curriculum-based measurement, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, monitor, Monitoring, monitoring of reading, reading assessment, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading problem, reading problems, reading tests, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
Is your child with reading disabilities mastering the skills he was taught last month or is he struggling with them? Is his fluency increasing? Is he effectively using his study skills in different classes? Do you need to prepare him for what the school will soon teach him?
If he’s eligible for special education, a letter like the one below might answer these and similar questions. If he’s ineligible, it pays to send the school a modified version. In both cases, it pays to meet with your child’s teachers to discuss the details and build a positive relationship. Read more...
