From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

If struggling readers do not have strong knowledge of the vocabulary they hear in class and see when reading, they cannot become good readers. Below are three easy principles for helping struggling readers develop strong listening and reading vocabularies. Of course, you need to adapt these principles to the developmental level of your child or student. One more “of course”: Make the activities fun and interesting.

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Free Podcast

How Occupational Therapy Can

Help Children Achieve Their Potential

Susan Orloff, OTR/L

Author of Learning Re-enabled

 

 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/specialneedstalkradio/2011/10/25/maximizing-your-childs-potential

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Overcoming Problems of Reading Fluency

Dr. Tim Rasinski of Kent State University

Monday, October 17, 2011, 9 – 9:30 PM EST

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From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

To listen to Dr. Selznick’s podcast on helping the Shut-Down Learner, go to

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/special-needs-talk-radio-blog/id463238657#

Or go to

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/specialneedstalkradio/2011/09/27/maximizing-your-childs-potential

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The Special Needs Talk Radio Network: It’s On The Air

The new Special Needs Talk Radio network (http://specialneedstalkradio.com/) is on the air. Each of its six shows is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth with special needs and their families.

Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and I host Maximizing Your Child’s Potential (Mondays, 9 PM – 9:30 PM EST, http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential).

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From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

In grades 4, 5, and 6, the reading problems of many struggling readers explode. Readers slam into walls of failure and frustration. Their struggles are not unexpected. They have well-known causes:

  • Curriculum that fails to focus on what they need to learn to become successful readers
  • Curriculum that doesn’t give them the kind of instruction and practice they need
  • Language, memory, and organizational abilities that can’t readily handle the grade’s more complex and demanding tasks and language
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From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Three common curriculum gaps that can intensify children’s reading problems are failing to teach them phonological awareness, automatic word recognition, and an alternative to single letter phonics.

Teach Phonological Awareness. This is the ability to identify and manipulate sounds within spoken words. For example, say the word bat without the /b/ sound. Unfortunately, may struggling readers struggle with phonological awareness. To develop proficiency, they need instruction.

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From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

As many readers of our blog know, a direct mail advertisement from Rutgers University Continuing Studies promised that its 10-hour summer reading program of potentially large classes would quickly “turn poor readers into good readers.” The letter made other promises:

  • Your child will become a strong, independent reader, build confidence, and become more successful in school.
  • Your child will complete reading assignments more quickly and easily, be more successful in school, and become a strong, enthusiastic reader.
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From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Many proponents of particular reading approaches relentlessly bash other approaches. These proponents can be anyone. They can be teachers, professors, parents, politicians, or special education advocates. Many are well intentioned, but have little or no experience teaching reading, have little or no understanding of the relevant research, or have psychologically imprisoned themselves with strong ideologies that distort their observations and thinking. Many ignore all facts and research that undermine their beliefs, stress only those that support them, and fight vigorously to prove they’re never wrong, always right; they suffer from cognitive dissonance. Sadly, the decisions they make or influence can hurt children with reading disabilities.

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From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

As we mentioned before, frequent, extreme stress and the anxiety it produces can devastate children with reading and other disabilities:

If the stress is too severe or too prolonged … stress begins to harm learning…. Stressed people don’t do math very well. They don’t process language very efficiently. They have poorer memories, both short and long forms. Stressed individuals do not generalize or adapt old pieces of information to new scenarios as well as non-stressed individuals. They can’t concentrate. In almost every way it can be tested, chronic stress hurts our ability to learn. (Medina, 2008, p. 178)

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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.

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