Archive for the ‘special education’ Category
4 Easy Activities to Improve Reading Skills (Part 1)
August 1st, 2010Help Your Kids Improve Reading Skills
As a parent you do have the power and ability to help your kids improve their reading skills. There are 4 easy to implement activities that each take just a few minutes a day to improve reading.- Improve reading fluency in 5 minutes a day
- Improve spelling and learn the 8 ways we put letters together to make words
- Improve reading comprehension by playing a reading comprehension game
- Improve writing skills using specially designed graphic organizers
Improve Reading Skills: Reading Fluency Training
Reading fluency training is one of the easiest activities for parents to do with their kids to improve reading skills, and it only takes 5 minutes a few times a week to make a dramatic difference. Reading fluency training works to improve reading skills whether you have LD, dyslexia, are falling through the cracks, or are even gifted. You may not realize how important reading fluency and accuracy is, so here is an example on how it impacts your reading or your child’s reading. For example, you are reading a passage and read Susan can go to the store. You finish reading the selection and go to the questions and there is a question that asks, Why couldn't Susan go to the store? You think to yourself - What…I read Susan can go to the store. This question doesn't make any sense to me. BUT, what the sentence actually said was…Susan can't go to the store. Your eyes skipped the apostrophe t…The whole meaning was lost. That is one of the things that the Five Minutes to Better Reading Skills reading fluency training program corrects. With improved reading fluency, you don’t skip or omit words or parts of words. You don’t miss out on important pieces that are critical to reading comprehension. That is why it is important to have accurate reading for reading comprehension.Mid Summer Training – What You Can Do to Prepare Your Kids for School
July 9th, 2010
Mid Summer Training – What You Can Do to Prepare Your Kids for School
I Can Hardly Believe It? Check it out...
The FREE Live Teleseminar is filling up fast – Only 100 68 52 Spots left!
Reserve your spot now.
Mid-Summer Training Call
I have had so many calls from parents recently, wondering how to help their child between now and when school starts back up. They realize it’s not too late to give their child a boost, but they also want to be sure they have an enjoyable rest of the summer. So, I decided to have a teleseminar where I will present information on summer activities to help your child's skills improve as well as activities rich in experiences and family time.
I'm hosting a FREE Live Teleseminar on Wednesday July 14th at 8 pm Eastern, 7 pm Central, 6 pm Mountain, and 5 pm Pacific. Upon registering you will receive a FREE Handbook on the 5 things you can do to help your child over the summer. Those that attend live will receive a surprise FREE gift.
Searching for Mid-Summer Activities to Improve Your Child's Skills and Still Have Fun?
FREE Live Teleseminar on Wednesday June 2nd at at 8 pm EST, 7 pm CST, 6 pm MST, and 5 pm PST.
Space is limited. You can attend via phone or via internet!
Reserve your Teleseminar line now at:
Title: Mid-Summer Activities to Improve Your Child’s Skills and Still Have Fun
Time: Wednesday, July 14th at 5:00pm Pacific
Listening method: Phone + Web Simulcast
To attend, visit:
Mid-Summer Training Call
LD Specialist and Board Certified Educational Therapist Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., is answering your questions about summer activities to help your child improve their skills. The teleseminar will be recorded; if you can't attend, you'll be able to listen later. Plus special surprise bonus just for registering! Those that attend live will receive another surprise FREE gift.
Mid-Summer Training Call
Searching for Mid-Summer Activities to Improve Your Child's Learning Skills and Still Have Fun?
July 8th, 2010
It’s the almost middle of Summer Vacation and as you know, it is the perfect time to give your child a boost in their learning skills, but you still want to have fun…
Join Bonnie Terry’s call and find out what you can do in just 20 minutes a day to boost your child’s reading, writing, and math skills and have fun at the same time.
I'm hosting a FREE Live Teleseminar on Wednesday July 14th at 8 pm Eastern, 7 pm Central, 6 pm Mountain, and 5 pm Pacific. Upon registering you will receive a FREE Handbook on the 5 steps you can take to help your child over the summer even if they have a learning problem, LD, dyslexia. The activities and steps are for all age students - kindergarten through adults.
Those that attend the Live Teleseminar will also receive a surprise FREE gift. And, of course, if you can’t make it live on the call, you will get access to the recording!
Mid-Summer Training Call
FREE Live Teleseminar on Wednesday July 14th at 8 pm Eastern, 7 pm Central, 6 pm Mountain, and 5 pm Pacific.
Space is limited. You can attend via phone or via internet!
Reserve your space for the Teleseminar now at:
Title: Searching for Summer Activities to Improve Your Child’s Learning Skills and Still Have Fun?
Time: Wednesday, July 14th at 5pm Pacific, 6 pm Mountain, 7 pm Central, 8 pm Eastern.
Listening method: Phone + Web Simulcast
To register, visit:
Mid-Summer Training Call
Learn About:
1. How to improve your child's reading, writing, and math skills in just 20 minutes a day
2. 5 steps you can take to help your child
3. Activities to do at home, in the yard, or in your neighborhood
Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET
Should We Do a 504 Plan for Our Son?
February 4th, 2010
Hi Bonnie,
We spoke with the principal at my son's school this morning. The talk went well and he seemed very concerned about our son. But, the bottom line is, the school is reluctant to give my son 504 because it will stick with him for life (though they offered today if we really really want one). They are going to test him soon for gifted so that we can include additional accommodations in an IEP or 504 if necessary. What is my next step? Should I go ahead with a 504 Plan?
Candi
Having a 504 Plan in place is not a stigma, it is protection and accommodations for your son that will help him learn with greater ease. What is wrong with that? If the school needs to implement specific accommodations to help your son that is what needs to be done. The beauty of it is that it will carry him from one year to the next but can be changed and adjusted as your sons needs change. It will ensure that attention is brought to his learning needs. If at a later date - which may be a year or years down the line and he no longer needs them, fine, you don't have to have him covered by a 504 at that point.
Here is an informal comprehensive learning difficulty/disability screening tool you can do as a parent and get a great picture of the underlying causes of your kids learning problems available. This tool actually helps you to understand why your child struggles, which may be accerbated by his ADHD. There is usually some underlying cause that may not be enough for the schools testing to show that there is a specific learning disability, but it is still actually interferring with their learning with ease.
For example, each of my own kids tested to be gifted, but they each had an area that made learning harder than it needed to be. Once we understood what that or those areas were, learning became easier for them.
Hope this helps,
Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET
P.S. Don't forget to sign up for the FREE teaching & homework tips!
Bonnie Terry
Reading Help: Readiness Activities for K – 3rd
November 2nd, 2009
When do you start giving your kids reading help? When do you teach them reading readiness?
You would be amazed at the number of children I've seen over the years that have needed reading help that didn't have a solid foundation of reading readiness skills. This goes for children that are in kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th grade. So, when I received the following question from Karen, I thought it would be a good idea to shed some light on reading help and reading readiness.
I just received a letter from Karen regarding activities for teaching her triplets.
Karen writes:
"My triplets are 5 yrs. old and in kindergarten this year. One is a special needs child. I could use ideas for teaching multiples. There is no older sibling to model. Also, trying to work with our special needs daughter and the others creates many challenges."
Hi Karen,
I know what you mean about challenges - working with 3 kids at the same time and one of them being a special needs child can be difficult.
Here are some tips for working with kids at the same time - whether they are in kindergarten or any of the primary grades.
I would pick a time to work with each of the kids individually - for 10 to 15 minutes so they get some individual time with you. While working with one of them the other two can be doing something like coloring or listening to a book on tape.
In fact, you can even read their favorite books into a tape - at a speed that is comfortable for them to listen to and then they can listen to you reading to them - following along with your voice - while you are doing some individual work/activity with the others. Then you are still being 'present' to the one/s you aren't working with.
You might even set up a special spot with their stuffed animals and a large pillow where they get to listen to the books. So it winds up being the 'special place' where they get to listen to stories.
Also, I would do things like playing Simon Says, bean- bag toss, hop-scotch, or red light green light - games that are relatively easy to do with all 3 that would also work on listening skills and following directions.
You are at the perfect time for doing reading readiness activities with your kids. Remember, all kids need the following readiness skills in order to do well with school tasks. These specific readiness skills are critical to being a successful learner. Reading help is lessened when these readiness skills are in place.
Readiness skills can be categorized into the following areas:
- Matching - objects and or sounds
- Size - small-medium-large; big-little; long-short; fat-thin
- Shape - circles, squares, and triangles
- Action - start - stop; slow-fast
- Position - top - bottom; under-over; forward-backward; up-down; inside-outside
- Relationships - same-different; parts-whole
- Configurations - patterns & sequencing
- Classifications - sorting objects into categories or arrange them into groups - by size, shape, or color
- Combination Concepts and Time - positions & shapes or positions and matching and time
- Listening & following directions (These skills are utilized in all of the above activities.)
Tips for a Successful IEP Meeting
October 3rd, 2009
I just came across this article on preparing for an IEP and wanted to share it with you.
Learn what to do before, during and after an IEP meeting.
By GreatSchools Staff
As a parent, do you approach IEP meetings with fear and dread? If so, here are some suggestions to help you feel more at ease and able to participate as a full member of the team that plans your child's special education program.
Before the Meeting:
- Build a positive relationship with at least one person on the IEP team, such as the classroom teacher, principal, or school psychologist, before the meeting. Such a relationship will help you feel more comfortable and know someone else hears your point of view.
- Plan ahead and put your thoughts down on paper, so you won't forget to mention what's important to you during the meeting. Complete the IEP Planning Form before the meeting. Know the purpose and format of the IEP meeting and who will be there ahead of time. That way you won't be surprised by the number of people around the table or the process being followed. IDEA 2004 contains new provisions that you should be aware of, including who can be excused from IEP meetings, and alternative ways to hold IEP team meetings.
- If you wish to share the results of a private evaluation with the IEP team, send copies of the reports to the team ahead of time so they can be familiar with the data before the meeting, rather than take valuable time during the meeting to review them. In some cases parents may feel that sharing this report (or particular aspects of the report) will not be of benefit to the IEP process; it's your choice whether to do so.
- Review current reports, last year's IEP (if applicable), and Parents' Rights and Responsibilities sent to you annually.
Does an IEP Hold the School More Accountable Than a 504?
September 18th, 2009
I received an email today where a parent stated "I think that if you have a choice that you should definitely do the IEP because it make the school more accountable and you have to be included in the review."
Actually, both a 504 and an IEP are legal documents and must be complied with, and as a parent you must be involved in either meeting and you need to sign off on the plan. Since they are both legal documents, both 504's and IEP's hold the schools accountable.
An IEP is more encompassing than a 504 plan. If your child is under an IEP, in addition to specific measurable goals and extra services with a specialist, there are usually specific accommodations written regarding the child's time spent within their regular classroom. These are things like extra time to do the assignment, modified assignments, planners, or recording answers to tests on tape recorders if writing is a problem. In effect, the accommodations that are written into an IEP are what a 504 plan would have. (The IEP should have anything in it they would put in a 504 plan + the goals and time with a resource specialist or other service provider).
A 504 is typically used for students that do not qualify for an IEP because there is no significant discrepancy between the IQ and performance of the student, BUT the student is struggling in the classroom.
The following paragraph is an excerpt from the book From Emotions to Advocacy, written by Pam Wright and Pete Wright
To be eligible for protections under Section 504, the child must have a physical or mental impairment. This impairment must substantially limit at least one major life activity. Major life activities include walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, writing, performing math calculations, working, caring for oneself, and performing manual tasks. The key is whether the child has an "impairment" that "substantially limits … one or more … major life activities."
I usually suggest to parents that they not sign off on the plan at that meeting and say something to the effect, "we've talked about a lot of details today, it is a lot to absorb. I would like to go over them with my husband/spouse/ significant other or if you are both there - we need to go over them and review them." You may see some 'jaws' drop, but this will help you to be sure you are getting what you need. This does give you time to really look over the document and be sure it contains everything you need for your child. And, sometimes you realize you really need an additional service. Sometimes the additional service or accommodation is added without a problem because the school needs to get the IEP or 504 completed in a timely manner. To help you have a better understanding of your child's difficulties and the underlying causes of them, you will want to use a parent friendly informal LD dyslexia assessment tool. Hope this is helpful. Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCETHow Do You Make Visual Clocks for Your LD, Dyslexic, or ADHD Children?
August 26th, 2009
Hi Bonnie,
I would be interested to know more about how you make your
visual clocks and what they look like.
-Susan
Susan,
As a teacher of K- H.S. age, I have a lot of resources and supplies. I'm a learning disability specialist and educational therapist as well as parent. I have ADD & have worked with ADHD kids for over 30 years. So, I have a number of telling time work sheets that are blank as well as a large blank clock stamp for making clocks.
The stamp can be gotten from
https://educationalinsights.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?
And, I just did an online search and found this site where you can program in your times on the clocks and then print the sheets.
http://www.time-for-time.com/worksheets.htm
After making them, I would copy them on card stock paper to make them more durable and cut them from the sheets so I can tape them across the top or side of their desk.
You can even color code the hands of the clock or copy them on different colors of card stock to make it even easier for your kids to follow.
Hope this helps.
Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET
P.S.: Don't forget to sign up for the 10 FREE homework & teaching tips - right above my photo.
Using Visual Clocks to Help Your ADHD, Dyslexic, or LD Kids at School
August 22nd, 2009
I've been in contact with two parents regarding using visual clocks to help their children keep track of transition times at school. Thought you might be interested in their questions and my response to them.
Has anyone used visual charts with pictures of items and clock faces
that show time? I am having trouble finding websites so I can get one
set up for school to show my son when he will be doing things. I talked
last year about it but the teacher never did it and I want to try this
year and see if it helps but I can not find sites
Any ideas?
Nichole from MI
Nicole,
I would love to have whatever info you get. Can you use
Boardmaker? We asked the school if WE could provide our son with a visual
schedule to help him at school, and they said "no - then the other kids
would want one." The sad part is that we didn't pursue it. This year,
though, we are at least going to do that at home.
-Susan
Nicole,
I've used visual clocks but I've made them myself. What I would do is to
make up my own clocks and then go in to meet the teacher and say something
to the effect of "I'm so glad to meet you. We're looking forward to a
great year with you. I know you have my son's (daughter's) best interest
at heart and want to help him/her succeed. I just wanted to give you a
heads up on what has worked for us. Using visual clocks that are on
his/her desk to denote the change in subject or class makes a big
difference in their day. I know how busy you are with the start up of the
year so I went ahead and made them up for him/her. If you could just tell
us your transition times so we can fill them in that would be great."
This type of statement tells them rather than asks, but tells them in a
nice way and you are being helpful by making them up and taping them to
the desk. It is also giving the teacher credit for working with you to
help your child succeed as well as getting them off the hook with the
statement that you know how busy they are with starting up the school
year.
I hope this helps!
BTW: I'm a parent as well as a teacher
Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET
P.S. Feel free to ask you questions and/or leave a comment!