From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
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. Read more...
disabilities, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, goals, goals and objectives, IEP, Individualized Education Program, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, objectives, progress monitoring, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, special education law, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Many parents and professionals blame a child’s reading disabilities on specific reading programs, such as basal readers or whole language. They argue that the child would have become a good reader if his school had only used the right commercial program, like Open Court. Occasionally, they might be right. Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, educational principles, educational psychology, frustration, frustration level, instructional principles, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
In 1965, N. Dale Bryant, one of the great pioneers in helping children overcome dyslexia, explained why children with reading disabilities should read materials that are easy, not hard for them. Below are two quotes from Bryant that explain why a target of 80% word recognition accuracy, found in many goals and objectives, will impede the progress of struggling readers; why quickly and accurately recognizing only 80% of words will frustrate them; why quickly and accurately recognizing 95-98% of words in paragraphs is a common and much-needed standard for matching readers to instructional level materials, the level of materials that teachers should typically use when teaching word recognition; why quickly and accurately recognizing 99% of words in paragraphs is a common and much-needed standard for matching readers to independent level materials, materials children read by themselves, without any help; and why 90% or less word recognition accuracy is a common standard for frustration level materials, the level to avoid. Let me repeat: the level to avoid. Here are the quotes: Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, IEP, Individualized Education Program, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
If your child knows how to rhyme, knows a fair number of sight words and the sounds of most initial consonants, such as the sounds made by the letter ‘b” and the blend “sl,” but he’s struggling to learn and use the sounds of individual vowels to decipher unknown words, here’s a suggestion. Instead of teaching him individual vowel sounds, ask the school to consider teaching him vowel spelling patterns, such as “ack” in back, lack, black, smack, and slack. Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, phonics, phonograms, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, spelling patterns, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, vowels, word families
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Many parents of children with reading disabilities have been told, “Comprehension can’t be taught. Kids have it or they don’t.” Factually, this assertion is wrong:
Reviews of the research …[show] that … comprehension strategies will help students learn. However, teachers must demonstrate, model, and explain to students how to comprehend as they are implementing these strategies (National Reading Panel, 2000). (Tierney & Readence, 2005, p. 249)
And, as Reading Rockets asserts, teachers can teach comprehension and its essential ingredient, monitoring: Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, reading comprehension, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
Using IEPs to Solve Homework Problems
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Homework is part of schoolwork. In many schools, teachers collect and grade it. And if students fail to submit it on time, they’re penalized. Thus, most IEPs should address homework, especially if it creates frustration for students and causes friction, fighting, and tears at home.
If homework frustrates your child, answer these questions about his ability to handle typical homework assignments: Read more...
- Without help, can he accurately explain what his assignments require him to do?
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, homework, homework difficulties, homework problems, IEP, IEP Team, IEP Teams, IEPs, Individualized Education Program, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
In our previous post on reading disabilities and other learning disabilities, we said that we would soon give you links to Paired Reading, Read-Alouds, and homework support. Below are the links. We hope they help. (If, by some chance, the links don’t work on your computer, just paste the link into your browser’s addresses bar.)
In our next post, we’ll discuss how you can make homework policy and goals part of your child’s IEP.
Howard Margolis, Ed.D. © Reading2008 & Beyond www.reading2008.com Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, homework, IEP, IEPs, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, read-alouds, reading aloud, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, reading to children, resilience, Resiliency, strengthening resiliency, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
Hello Everyone,
A pdf copy of my recent Keynote Session (Learning Disabilities Worldwide), Simple Ways to Help Children with Learning Disabilities, is available for download from my website: www.reading2008.com. It will be available through November. To get a copy, go to Resources, at the top of the page. At Resources, look at the list under Resources: Documents. Under Resources: Documents, download the pdf file, Simple Ways to Help Children with Learning Disabilities.
All the best,
Howard Margolis, Ed.D.
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, homework, intervention, keynote, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, resilience, Resiliency, self-efficacy, self-esteem, simple ways, strengthening resiliency, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, study skills
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Keep this in mind:
- Lots of M&M’s can make you FAT.
Repeat it five times: Read more...
- Lots of M&M’s can make you FAT.
- Lots of M&M’s can make you FAT.
- Lots of M&M’s can make you FAT.
- Lots of M&M’s can make you FAT.
- Lots of M&M’s can make you FAT.
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, meaning, Memory, memory strategies, memory strategy, 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
Often, children with reading disabilities spend so much time and mental energy trying to decode words that they pay little attention to the meaning of what they’re reading. This is a strong indication that for them the material is too difficult. If teachers regularly give children with reading disabilities such frustrating materials, these children may learn that reading has only two purposes: to sound out words and to hurry and finish. Reading is not about meaning, understanding, or enjoyment. Read more...
comprehension, cross-checking, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, reading comprehension, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
