From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Parents of children in special education often ask, “How can I get the training I need to help my child at home?” As we discussed in our post of November 14th, Getting Counseling and Training to Help You Help Your Child (http://www.reading2008.com/blog/getting-counseling-training-to-help-you-help-your-child.htm), training to understand your child’s special needs and to support your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a related service.
If the school’s IEP Team members say “No. It’s not what we do, it’s not required by law,” we suggest that you show them what the federal rules and regulations about special education say: Read more...
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, homework, IDEIA, IEP, IEP Team, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, parent counseling, parent training, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading problem, reading problems, related service, strengthening resiliency, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, tutoring
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Despite the legal requirement that each child in special education have an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) with a Present Levels section (“present levels of academic achievement and functional performance”) that’s complete, up-to-date, and sufficient to develop meaningful and measurable goals (and in some cases, objectives), parents often complain that the school members of the IEP Team refuse to create such a Present Levels section. They complain that school members rush through the section or stonewall them by refusing to provide information that’s current, valid, and functional. All they get are standardized test scores from achievement test batteries like the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test or the Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational Battery. (Such scores are insufficient to develop quality goals and objectives.) Read more...
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, evaluations, frustration, frustration level, IEP, Individualized Educational Program, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Present Levels, present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading levels, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
The Desperate Need for Strong Disability Advocacy Groups
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis Read more...
Advocacy, advocacy groups, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, 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, we discussed five evaluation and IEP traps that often harm children with reading disabilities. Today, we’ll discuss five more.
Agree or Disagree: It’s fair to ask a school to measure a child’s progress once or twice a year, but asking a school to objectively measure progress weekly is simply asking too much. It’s “overkill.” Read more...
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, evaluation, evaluations, IDEA, IDEIA, IEP, IEPs, Individualized Education Program, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, Special Education, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Last week, we presented ten statements to expose evaluation and IEP traps that often harm children with reading disabilities. Today, we’ll discuss the first five.
Agree or Disagree: For an evaluation to help a child, it should focus on testing the child with widely used standardized tests that compare him to other children of his age or grade. Read more...
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, evaluation, evaluations, IDEA, IDEIA, IEP, IEPs, Individualized Education Program, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, Special Education, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
Evaluation and IEP Traps
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
If your child is eligible for special education and you’re involved in developing his IEP, you may want to think about and respond to these statements. Next week we’ll post our responses. Read more...
- Agree or Disagree: For an evaluation to help a child, it should focus on testing the child with widely used standardized tests that compare him to other children of his age or grade.
- Agree or Disagree: Schools should use a child’s test scores to determine the method(s) most likely to help her.
Advocacy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, evaluation, evaluations, IDEA, IDEIA, IEP, IEPs, Individualized Education Program, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, Special Education, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
If your child has autism, what’s the best program or method for teaching him? Despite lots of hype, lots of claims, lots of testimonials, no one knows.
But unfortunately, many parents and school personnel mistakenly believe that all children with autism need the same instructional program or method, that only one program or method is universally recognized as the best, that only it is appropriate, that only it can help these children.
The Literature
The professional literature contradicts this view. Here’s a sampling: Read more...
Advocacy, applied verbal behavior, Autism, autistic spectrum disorder, discrete trial instruction, discrete trial teaching, discrete trial training, IDEA, IDEIA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Lovaas, Parenting, program planning, remediation, Skinner, verbal behavior
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
A Guest Post by
Staci Greenwald, Esq.
Recently, I received this warning from Staci Greenwald, Esq., an outstanding special education attorney who has a child with special needs. Although the warning focuses on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in New Jersey, it contains a critical message for parents throughout the country: know the rules and regulations that govern special education in your state or territory, put your concerns and requests in writing, and act quickly. Here’s the warning: Read more...
Advocacy, budget cuts, disabilities, dispute, disputes, due process, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, IEP, IEPs, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, mediation, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, Special Education, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
Below is an e-mail I received about the re-authorization of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, also known as ESEA. Although I do not agree with everything in the e-mail, I agree with much and think you should decide for yourself about what you support. Whatever you decide, please WRITE CONGRESS. Please be ACTIVE in improving the lives of children, youth, and adults with disabilities. — Thanks, Howard Margolis
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Advocacy, Congress, ESEA, NCLB
In a previous post we argued that it’s “A Tough Time For Children And Adults With Disabilities.” Politicians are cutting critical services, using budget shortfalls as the excuse, when in many cases the underlying motivation is encased in political philosophy, opportunism, and the belief that people with disabilities and their families won’t or can’t effectively challenge the cuts. We recommended several action steps.
Action Steps
We suggested that people who care about children, youth, and adults with disabilities, any kind, should: Read more...
Advocacy, advocate, advocates, Developmental Disabilities, disabilities, disability, disability policy, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, mental retardation, Parenting, policy, politics, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problems, retardation
