From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Pronouncing words is important, but insufficient for success in reading. To read successfully requires the reader to understand the words he sees and how they relate to one another. Here are eight reasons your child may have trouble understanding or comprehending what he reads.
He has difficulty recognizing words. If your child struggles to recognize too many words, he’ll have little attention or mental energy left to consider the meaning of what he’s reading. Usually, children who struggle to quickly recognize more than 5% of words get frustrated with what they’re reading and pay little or no attention to the meaning of their reading materials. Read more...
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
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Despite hopes for inclusion, the answer is often no. Placement in general education often fails to improve the reading of children with reading disabilities. Here are five common reasons: Read more...
- The teachers lack the knowledge and skill necessary to remediate reading disabilities, even if a co-teacher has a master’s degree in special education.
- Much of instruction is whole class instruction, not instruction geared to serving the individual needs and abilities of children with reading disabilities. (And with all the budget cuts, class sizes are increasing.)
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, inclusion, 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
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...
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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
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...
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From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Hi — Lori Lite offers many wonderful ideas for helping children to relax. Below is one of them. Of course, if your child has a history of panic or related disorders, or you think he might react adversely to relaxation exercises, check with a qualified professional before trying Lori’s ideas. In any case, it’s good to read about them. – Howard Margolis, Ed.D.
Holiday Relaxation Breathing Read more...
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From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
The Right Amount of Homework
For children who successfully finish classwork or homework without struggle, who complete their homework without tears, fights, trembling, or other forms of frustration, Dr. Harris Cooper of Duke University, one of the nation’s leading authorities on homework, offers these research-based guidelines:
A little amount of homework may help elementary school students build study habits. Homework for junior high students appears to reach the point of diminishing returns after about 90 minutes a night. For high school students, the positive line continues to climb until between 90 minutes and 2.5 hours a night, after which returns diminish. (Harris, 208, p. 21) Read more...
Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, homework, homework policy, IEP, IEPs resiliency, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, resilience, strengthening resiliency, 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
To help you help your child improve his memory, our last three tips discussed meaning, repetition, discussion, elaboration, interest, and focus of attention. Our last tip will deal with history, novelty, importance, and list a few more factors over which you have some control. Read more...
Confidence, Dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslexics, frustration, frustration level, intertest, Learning Disabilities, learning disability, Memory, Motivation, Parenting, Reading Disabilities, reading disability, reading levels, Reading Materials, reading problem, reading problems, self-efficacy, struggling reader, Struggling Readers
