For an insightful and sensitive podcast about inclusion by Kathern Burke (Executive Director, Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta, Canada) and parent of children with special needs, download the podcast from http://www.blogtalkradio.com/specialneedstalkradio/2011/09/09/inclusive-classroom. Below is Inclusion: Why Can’t We Be Friends?, a post that she let us reprint.
Why Can’t We Be Friends?
Guest Post by Kathryn Burke
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta
Alberta, Canada
Some memories are so vivid it almost seems like a DVD is being played in your brain when they are being recalled. The memory I want to share is like that for me – so vivid I am still able to recall everything from the smell of the room to the buzz of the fluorescent lights. Read more...
conflict, Dyslexia, dyslexic, IDEA, IDEA 2004, inclusion, inclusion ideology, inclusionist, inclusionists, Kathern Burke, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, parent, parents, research, research on inclusion, SNTR, special education rights, Special Needs Talk Radio, struggling reader
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Take lots of photos of your child doing safe, enjoyable July 4th kinds of things. Show him the photos and discuss them with him in relaxed, informal ways. During your conversation, stress two or three common words you think he can learn. Informally, tell him the meaning of the words and use them whenever it fits the situation. Encourage him to use the words. Avoid stress. Have fun. Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, parents, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, resilience, Resiliency, self-efficacy, self-esteem, strengthening resiliency, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, vocabulary, vocabulary development
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
A Guest Post by
Barbara J. Morvay, MA
Retired Superintendent, Atlantic County (NJ) Special Services School District & Author of My Brother is Different
Since grief is usually associated with death, why do I mention it here?
Because many parents who have a child with disabilities grieve, especially when their child is young. Read more...
children with disabilities, Developmental Disabilities, disabilities, families, grief, grieving, Parenting, parents, stages of grief
From Reading and Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan & Dr. Howard Margolis
Parents of struggling writers worry about their children’s struggle. They want to know, “How can I help my child?”
If your child struggles with writing, this post might help you and your child’s school identify the type of writing instruction your child needs. It will do this by first discussing critical but often ignored areas of diagnosis, then discussing a typical but inadequate diagnostic process that can do more harm than good, and finally suggesting actions you can take. A follow-up post will outline one effective, well-researched method for helping struggling writers improve their writing: Self-Regulated Strategy Development. Read more...
diagnosis of writing problems, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, IEP, independent level, instructional level, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, monitoring of reading, parents, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading intervention, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, reading tests, remedial reading, remediation, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, struggling writer, struggling writers, test, testing, tests, Writing, writing assignment, writing assignments, writing diagnosis, writing evaluation, writing problems
Why Can’t We Be Friends?
Guest Post by Kathryn Burke
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta
Alberta, Canada
Some memories are so vivid it almost seems like a DVD is being played in your brain when they are being recalled. The memory I want to share is like that for me – so vivid I am still able to recall everything from the smell of the room to the buzz of the fluorescent lights. Read more...
conflict, Dyslexia, dyslexic, IDEA, IDEA 2004, inclusion, inclusion ideology, inclusionist, inclusionists, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, parent, parents, research, research on inclusion, special education rights, struggling reader
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
Hello Everyone,
By now you’ve probably read many of our posts. If you think that our blog can help people you know, please share this press release with them. It’s one way that Gary Brannigan and I can help parents and teachers help children with reading disabilities beat the odds.
Many thanks,
Howard Margolis
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Helping Children Overcome a Devastating Disability: Reading Disabilities
One in four children struggle to read. Many read so poorly that by ninth grade they’ve been held back one or more times. In despair or anger, many quit school. Read more...
blog, disabled children, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, parents, parents of children with dyslexia, parents of children with reading disabilities, parents of disabled children, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading intervention, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, remedial reading, remediation, struggling learner, struggling learners, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
In a valuable new book, Virginia W. Berninger and Beverly Wolf challenge the often heard but simplistic charge made against children with learning disabilities: They’re just not motivated. This, Berninger and Wolf argue, is often false: Read more...
diagnosis of writing problems, dysgraphia, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, IEP, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, parents, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading problem, reading problems, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, struggling writer, struggling writers, Writing, writing assignment, writing assignments, writing diagnosis, writing evaluation, writing poblems
A recent blog posting said that writing difficulties may be more common than reading difficulties (http://tln.typepad.com/middleweb/2009/05/writtenlanguage-disorder.html#comments). I agree. Here is my response. Read more...
diagnosis of writing problems, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, IEP, independent level, instructional level, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, monitoring of reading, parents, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading intervention, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, reading tests, remedial reading, remediation, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, struggling writer, struggling writers, test, testing, tests, Writing, writing assignment, writing assignments, writing diagnosis, writing evaluation
Children who struggle with reading typically struggle with writing. Even if their reading improves, their writing often doesn’t.
A common reason for their continued difficulty is the failure of their schools to adequately diagnose their writing problems. Instead, their schools limit diagnosis to grade equivalents from standardized tests — “Sawyer’s grade equivalent for writing was 2.9; he’s three years behind.” This statement fails to identify the current causes of Sawyer’s problems. It fails to tell his teachers and parents what he isn’t doing or can’t do that’s causing his writing problems. In all likelihood, instruction that’s built on an inadequate understanding of Sawyer’s problems will be inadequate. It will likely ignore or give short shrift to those parts of the writing process that should be stressed for Sawyer. Read more...
diagnosis of writing problems, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, IEP, independent level, instructional level, intervention, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, monitoring of reading, parents, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading evaluation, reading intervention, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, reading remediation, reading tests, remedial reading, remediation, struggling reader, Struggling Readers, struggling writer, struggling writers, test, testing, tests, Writing, writing assignment, writing assignments, writing diagnosis, writing evaluation
