From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
The Press of Atlantic City headlined, in bold font, “State task force says teachers aren’t doing enough to identify kids who can’t read.” The article blamed lower grade teachers for failing to identify children with reading problems and for failing to use the right methods to teach reading. (To me, the not so subtle, unscientific subtext was to keep banging the ideological drum to purchase and use the Wilson method and its commercial materials to teach reading.) Below is the comment I submitted. Read more...
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, politics, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, Reading Materials, reading methods, reading problem, reading problems, reading research, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, teachers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
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. Read more...
Advocacy, Assessment, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, evaluation, evaluations, IEP, IEPs, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, reading assessment, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading problem, reading problems, reading test, reading test scores, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, test score, test scores, testing, tests
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
If evaluating (assessing) reading problems is done correctly—if it’s more that an endless list of standardized test scores and brief test descriptions—it can pinpoint what’s blocking progress in reading and offer valuable insights and ideas about how to correct them. Unfortunately, when professionals with little knowledge of reading disabilities evaluate children’s reading, parents and teachers rarely get more than lists of scores, embedded in software-generated boilerplate. This wastes paper.
To correctly pinpoint remedial instruction, parents and teachers need to request answers to the right questions before the evaluation. Here are four: Read more...
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, evaluations of reading, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, learning evaluations, Parenting, questions, reading diagnosis, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluations, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
For an excellent podcast on how to get and keep special education services in tough economic times, go to www.reading2008.com. Click the podcast button (top, right) to download the May 26th podcast by Michael Inzelbuch, Esq.
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A Note on Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds (www.reading2008.com) Read more...
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, Special Education, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
The National Center for Learning Disabilities broadcast the announcement below. If you ever find yourself in a dispute over services for your child, you’ll need to hire expert witnesses. Thus, for you it’s critical that Congress pass the bill below–the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act. If Congress does not, and you win in court, you will not get reimbursed for your experts and may have to pay tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket. If the bill passes, the school may have to reimburse you all or part of your experts’ fees.
Dear Howard, Read more...
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Free Podcast at www.reading2008.com
Getting And Keeping Special Education Services In Tough Economic Times
Staci Greenwald, Esq.
Special Education Attorney
Sussan & Greenwald
1249 South River Road
Cranbury, N.J. 08512
www.special-ed-law.com
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Chapters 7 through 13 of Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds discusses federal special education laws and shows how you can apply them to improve the odds of getting and monitoring the services your child needs.
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A Note on Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds (www.reading2008.com) Read more...
Advocacy, attorney, due process, IDEA, IEP, Parenting, related services, Special Education, special education laws
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Many middle school and high school students with reading disabilities have difficulty understanding their textbooks and succeeding on assignments. Reasons for their difficulties include: Read more...
- Their inability to understand the demands of the task
- Instruction devoted solely to the mastery of subject materials, such as a social studies chapter.
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, high school, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, learning strategies, learning strategy, middle school, Parenting, PROVE, reading comprehension, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, 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
This week I was thinking of what to say about the school budget in my town, Voorhees, NJ. I strongly believe that only a yes vote will help the children. Read more...
Advocacy, budgets, butget, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, School budgets, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
FREE CONFERENCE CALL ON
GETTING AND KEEPING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES IN TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES
STACI GREENWALD, ESQ., SPECIAL EDUCATION ATTORNEY
When: March 24, 2011 @ 9 pm EST
Phone number: Call (661) 673-8600
Use Access Code: 899615# (remember the #)
Length: Approximately 50 minutes
To submit questions in advance, please e-mail them to howard@reading2008.com.
Advocacy, conference call, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, related services, Special Education, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
For parents to effectively help evaluators and teachers develop a reading program that’s likely to help struggling readers become proficient, parents need to ask focused, knowledgeable, insightful questions. Easier said than done. Fortunately, many of these questions have already been written. In Reading Disabilities: Beating the Odds, you can find questions on the critical aspects of kindergarten and first grade reading in chapter 3, critical aspects of reading in grades 2 and above in chapter 4, evaluations in chapter 5, monitoring progress in chapter 7, and developing and monitoring IEP’s in chapters 10 through 13. Read more...
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, learning evaluations, Parenting, questions, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluations, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
