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Detecting Children's
Learning Disabilities
Author: David Fitzgerald
The most common learning disability is reading and language skills. Learning
disabilities are not something that child will outgrow or is cured. But once
recognized and focused on, the child can succeed in learning.
Well-meaning relatives and pediatricians sometimes offer assurances that an
infant or toddler or pre-schooler with a delay is a "late-bloomer" that will
catch up and advise parents to "just wait." Yes, all children develop at varying
rates, but a parent often knows when their child is truly not developing in a
typical way. Trust your instincts as a parent: Waiting is not a good idea! Most
children struggle during some part of their
school years. This is common and some help over the hard spots will remedy this
problem. But if you detect your child has continues problems with reading,
writing and math, he or she may have a learning disability. Often children with
learning disabilities have symptoms. These symptoms do not disappear, as the
child grows older. Detecting them is the key to a successful approach to helping
your child.
Early intervention with a child who is behind in language, social, cognitive,
fine motor or gross motor development can make a world of difference! There are
many strategies you can use to help a child make the most of their learning
abilities in early childhood. Almost all children with learning disabilities,
which result in reading difficulties, can learn to read when intervention
strategies start at age four or five. Here are some of the most frequent
symptoms that are observed: ·Difficulty following directions ·Short attention
span ·Poor memory ·Poor reading and/or writing ·Can't discriminate between
letters,
numbers or sounds ·Difficulty with sequencing ·Problems with coordination What
can you do as a parent? You can research on the Internet. You can start with our
site: Go to your local library for research. Your local school can also help.
Have your child take the free screening test (hearing & vision) that their
school offers. Many school have created special teams to solve these kinds of
problems. Check with your school and see what
they offer in the area of learning disables. Also, if you suspect your young
child has a learning problem, you may want to talk to a speech-language
pathologist, or have your child evaluated by a learning disabilities specialist
or child psychologist. There are many assessment techniques that can be used
with preschoolers. There are many professionals working with young children who
can provide appropriate evaluations. It is important to remember that the
population of children with learning disabilities is heterogeneous. The children
are similar because they all have adequate hearing, vision, mental ability,
and much strength, but their specific disabilities and symptoms differ.
Identification is primary. What is the real problem? Once the problem has been
identified, you can establish a program that will best resolve the problem, and
create an environment for the child to have a happy and more fulfilling life.
You will find more information on learning disabilities here:
http://www.delvebookstore.com/learning_disabilities.htm. The author does not
endorse any particular education plan or course of treatment for any child. He
encourage parents to consult with educators and other professionals who know the
child before
determining whether the child has a learning disability and if so how it should
be addressed.
*Source and excerpts from Learning Disabilities Association of America
About the author:
David Fitzgerald is the owner of
www.delvebookstore.com and
develops sources on topics his customers have noted concerns.
Back to Page Contents
Tips
for Encouraging Children to Write By Deborah Shelton
Want to encourage your child's love of writing? Or inspire one who would rather
do anything but write? The answer may be as simple as finding the right pen.
Just as your child may have had a security blanket or an impossibly dirty teddy
bear that she
refused to let you kidnap to the dark recesses of the washing machine, she may
need a special writing tool that's all her own.
This doesn't mean that you need to run out and buy a "special" $500 Mont Blanc
fountain pen. Perhaps a pen with a case in her signature color would work. Maybe
the ink needs to be just the right shade of purple. Take your little one on a
stroll through the pen section of an art supply or stationery store and let her
choose. Seeing such a wide array of writing supplies may spur interest on its
own.
Once you have tracked down a favorite pen, try to do as many creative things as
you can think of to get your child to use it.
1. Everyday Writing: Use everyday situations to help children practice their
writing. For example, the next time you write a grocery list, have your child
sit next to you and write a list of her favorite foods. Whenever you write
thank-you notes, your child can write a miss-you letter to Grandma and Grandpa.
Time to pay bills? Have your little one write about a recent dream while you
write checks.
2. Ghost Messaging: Dip a cotton swab into a small container of lemon juice. Use
the swab to write a message on a sheet of construction paper. When you're
finished, set the paper in direct sunlight and wait for the message to ghostly
appear. It's creepy and fun!
3. Hometown Reporter: Read through a newspaper together to get an idea of the
kinds of stories journalists write about, and how they word headlines. Encourage
your child to write his own articles: investigative, human interest, community
events, celebrity profile, etc. "Publish" the article in a word processing
program and send copies to friends and family. If the article is of mass
interest, send it to the local newspaper!
4. Sidewalk Chalk: Give your little ones the power to express themselves and
have a ton of fun at the same time. Use sidewalk chalk to write poems, jokes and
short stories on the driveway.
5. Letter Puzzles: This project is fun for the writer and the reader! First,
write a letter to someone on a sheet of paper. When you're finished, use a pair
of scissors to cut the note
into interlocking puzzle pieces. Place the pieces into an envelope and mail or
hand-deliver it. The recipient must assemble the puzzle in order to read the
letter!
6. Dear Editor: Encourage your children to voice their thoughts and opinions
publicly by writing letters to the editors of children's magazines, local
newspapers and even radio stations! Keep a scrapbook of all published clips, or
frame them as a constant reminder of their writing accomplishments.
About the author:
Deborah Shelton is the author of The Five Minute Parent: Fun & Fast Activities
for You and Your Little Ones. Visit The Five Minute Parent for fun rainy-day
activities, family links, and a free email newsletter filled with craft ideas,
guest articles,
contests and so much more!
http://www.fiveminuteparent.com
Back to Page Contents
Homeschool Blogging
A challenge I have faced in homeschooling my son is getting
him to express himself in writing. I always loved to write,
even at a young age, so it is more than a little frustrating
to try to pull written words out of my fourteen year old.
I've been as creative as possible but I can't say that I've
been satisfied with the results so far.
I know that some students just enjoy the act of writing more
than others, just as I enjoyed it more as a teen than my son
does. But being able to communicate in writing in an
invaluable tool.
This year I'm going to try something new: Blogging.
Blogging is very hot on the web. People are using blogs for
many different purposes. Personal or business or just to
share information in a new way.
A blog is it's simplest form is basically a journal. So I am
assigning my son a blogging project - a journal of his
homeschooling year.
I'll be giving him some topics and simple idea starters
to work with and also encourage him to be spontaneous and
psot about his schoolwork, hobbies and other activities.
The project will require four weekly posts of at least 50
words each. Spelling counts and I expect him to use good
grammar although it is an informal writing project and I
won't be grading him on it.
The point here is to get him writing!
As a bonus I'm offering him extra credit for extra posts.
He'll be able to use extra credit to gain privileges of some
kind.
A fun aspect of blogging is the option to open up your blog
for comments from others. I hope it will be another great
connecting point for my son and that the awareness that
others can read and comment will inspire some untapped
creativity.
Of course, having a web based blog brings up privacy
concerns. We have clear guidelines at our house about what
kind information you can and cannot share online.
You can set up a free blog at blogger.com.
If your homeschool teen has his or her own blog they can
submit the blog URL to
hst@homeschoolteen.com and we'll list
it here on our Homeschool Teen blog list.
About the Author: Kelly McCausey is a homeschooling mom in
Gaylord, Michigan. She is the host of
http://www.wahmtalkradio.com
and also owns
http://www.HomeschoolTeen.com
with her 14 year old son Sean.
Your Child Is Failing
(One Father’s Insertion Into The Educational System
... And How He Made A Difference)
By: Danny Von Kanel
No parent likes to here the words, “Your child is failing!” Yet, of the 45.6
million public school students in America, 6.7 to 9 million (18 to 19%) parents
a year must grapple with this reality. At times, the cause is directly related
to the child -- his study habits, interest, or behavior. Other times, failure
resonates with the school system because of inflexible systems, teacher
inattention, or bureaucratic red tape. This latter cause is where my story
begins.
The Shocking News
Midway through Brad’s 7th grade, my wife and I were shocked to open two progress
reports detailing Brad’s failure in two key subjects -- math and science.
Brad had always struggled through school. His elementary years were spent
agonizing over homework as we stayed up many a night assisting. Somehow we
managed. His grades were always in the B and C range. We knew Brad would never
be an A student.We were confident he could achieve up to his ability.
On getting the progress report, my parental concerns kicked-in. I wanted to know
what we could do to bring Brad’s grades up. We both agreed I would go to the
school. Soon after arriving the next day, I became keenly aware inbred
obstinance.
The Intransigent System
Brad’s struggles were in two subjects taught by the same teacher. We felt that
if he could be changed to a new math and science teacher, he would be fine.
Suggesting this to the principal was met with silence. Finally, she emphatically
spoke: “We cannot change teachers! We function using a “team concept”!”
The team concept places each student with a team of teachers. If one teacher
needs a little more time on a subject area, they request another teacher within
the team to give up some time. In constant contact with each other, team
teaching works well for students who are average or above average achievers --
allowing for flexibility. For students who don’t do well, team teaching
propagates intractability.
Assuring me that Mrs. Wondercook (not her real name) inspires quality, the
principal suggested I observe her teach. I agreed. Wanting to be fair, I devised
an evaluation tool to write down what I observed. The next day I journeyed to
her classes hoping my suspicions were wrong. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the
case.
Mrs. Wondercook knew her subject but not how to teach it. She never looked my
sons way. She never called on him or tried to get his attention. Unless a
student raised their hand, they were never recognized or brought into the
discussion. Brad’s reasons for failure were obvious. My suspicions were
realized.
Leaving the classroom, I went to talk to the principal. She asked, “How did your
observation go?” When I shared the results, she became angry: “I said you could
go and observe, not critique.
You are not qualified to critique!” “Ma’am”, I responded. “I have been teaching
education for 20 + years and I know a good teacher when I see one”. From there
our conversation went nowhere. The bottom line was: Brad’s class schedule would
not be changed.
That evening I called each of the school board. They promised they would look in
to it. The next evening they called. The board was willing to change Brad’s
entire team but not the two classes. Generally, they would never offer this
change had not a precedent been set a few nights before.
Then came my wife’s and my dilemma: Should we change Brad’s entire team when he
is making good grades in other subjects? Wouldn’t it be more traumatic in mid
year to acclimate to new slate of teachers than to keep him where he is and make
the best of it?
We decided on the latter. With a commitment to help Brad as much as we could at
home and a determination to visit the school weekly to check on his progress, we
felt we could pull him through.
The Positive Results
Mrs. Wondercook, to her credit, got the message. She began paying special
attention to Brad. She began giving one on one help. As a result, Brad’s grades
began to climb in math and science. We were trilled when he brought home B’s and
C’s.
Though positive as this turned out, we are convinced Brad would have failed had
I not gotten personally involved. By doing so, I saw the team approach concept
as having flaws. It failed miserably with deficient students -- leaving no
recourse for change. The responsibility of the teacher is to teach and the
student to learn. But it is also the responsibility of the teacher to teach in a
way a student can learn. If a teacher fails to tailor their approach to these
students, parents are left to fight a system unwilling to change. The end result
can be less than positive.
Dos and don’ts in parental involvement:
1. Don’t assume teachers have examined your child’s cumulative file. None of
Brad’s teaching team had bothered to look.
2. Do know your rights as parents. You have a right to observe your child in
school.
3. Do be kind, considerate, and professional. Genuine concern addressed in a
civilized manner reaps rewards.
4. Do your research. Having all the facts is a prerequisite to real
transformation.
If your child is failing, get involved. It could be your child is giving less
than his best. Once you’ve ruled out your child, go to the teacher and ask why.
If their response is unsatisfactory, go
to the principle. The school board should be your final option but don’t
hesitate to make contact if you are stonewalled by the principal and teacher. If
the system is broke, join your local PTA and
begin to step your way to improvement.
Parents who get involved do make a difference. My experience proves things can
change.
Side Bar
If your child is failing, these resources can
assist you:
* National Coalition For Parental Involvement
3929 Old Lee Highway Suite 91 - A Education
Fairfax, VA 22030-2401
1-703-359-8973
* National PTA
330 N. Wabash Avenue, Suite 2100
Chicago, Illinois 60611
1-800-307-4782
http://www.pta.org
* Alliance For Parental Involvement In
Education
P.O.Box 59
East Chatham, NY 12060-0059
http://www.croton.com/allpie/
* The Parent Institute
P.O. Box 7474
Fairfax, VA 22039-7474
800=756-5525
Note: Team teaching is alive and well. Type in team teaching in any search
engine on the Internet and you will see how vast its
acceptance. It’s time to take a new look at the concept.
**********************************************************
Contact Danny R Von Kanel at
dannyvk@bellsouth.net . See his new book, "Built by the Owner's Design" at
http://www.DannyVonKanel.kingdomgrowth.com or
http://www.authorsden.com/dannyrvonkanel
This article provided by the Family Content Archives at:
http://www.Family-Content.com
Back to Page Contents
You Are Your Child's
Advocate
By Dr. Mark Nagler, Ph.D. © 2004
Advocacy is a vital task. Once you have mastered the strategies of advocacy,
you will be able to deal with all of the problems encountered by your special
child. Advocacy means representing your child with vigor and commitment,
whether with medical personnel, teachers, employers, friends, or relatives.
This will be your most important task as a parent, as it will have an effect on
all aspects of your child's life. Advocacy can ensure proper medical diagnosis,
treatment, integration, accessibility, and independence. You must be prepared
to push organizations on a regular basis to ensure a reasonable and adequate
accommodation of your child's needs.
What You Need to Become a Successful Advocate
There are many ways to advocate on your child's behalf. The following keys,
combined with a large dose of commitment, can lead to success.
Knowledge
Begin by obtaining all available information which includes: a details of what
your child needs, how best to meet these needs, what personnel and services are
required and if they are available, costs and financial resources available and
your legal rights. Gather this information from medical, support groups,
libraries, relevant
specialized institutions, and experienced professionals.
Commitment
While the vast majority of health care professionals are qualified, dedicated
and caring, your child will often be one patient among many, all of whom have
numerous needs that must be fulfilled. It cannot be stressed enough that if you
make it you job to always put your child first, you will find the rewards of
successful advocacy
to be worthwhile for your child and the entire family.
Expertise
With time you will learn techniques that will help you advocate for your child.
Keeping an open mind, choosing opportunities with care, asking questions, and
being ready to change if something isn't working will go a long way to getting
the results you need for your child.
Problem Solving
Learn non-confrontational ways to deal with problems as they confront you.
Write letters and make phone calls, use allies such as support groups,
demonstrate your genuine interest in finding a solution. Keep constant notes on
your child's medical history, education and recreation to help show others what
your child has accomplished in the past.
Advocacy is a strategy you can use to ensure that your child has the most
appropriate opportunities in all phases of his or her life. By using advocacy
you will become informed about your child's disability and you will learn how to
select the personnel who will be most beneficial to your child. Advocacy will
provide you with organizational skills, a clear focus on what to attain and the
confidence that you will achieve the best possible care and
treatment for you child. Remember, "Yes You Can!"
RESOURCE BOX:
Dr. Mark Nagler is a motivational speaker for people with disabilities. He was
born with Cerebral Palsy and has triumphed over his disability by becoming an
expert in the Disability Studies field. He has a B.A. from the University of
British Columbia, a Masters degree from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D.
from Stirling University in Britain. Although never able to write, he was able
to achieve his impressive array of degrees and author 12 books. He has
lectured across Canada, the United States, Britain, Sweden, Hungary and
Israel. He has used his cerebral palsy to empower students, parents and anyone
else with whom he comes in contact. His book, "Yes You Can", illustrates his
own experience in over coming disability and his other work, "What's Stopping
You?", conveys strategies that adults can successfully use in living with
disability. www.marknagler.com
Back to Page Contents
TEACHING MATH AT HOME
by Sandra Kuykendall-Lombard
© 2003
Math is essential in life when you are cooking, buying groceries or paying bills
but to a toddler or preschooler it can be as simple as who has more cookies!
As parents we read to our children but many of us neglect counting and other
math concepts early on. Why? For some, math is something we think can be taught
at a later age, but we are now learning that even babies are capable of learning
math. So how do you teach the very young?
It is best to teach young children with concepts they understand. Here are
some tips:
For counting:
Get into the habit of counting everything with your child.
The buttons on his jacket, the peas on his plate, and the shoes on
his feet! Use manipulatives such as blocks and cubes and count them
together. Count body parts like hands, eyes, nose and fingers.
Cooking is an ideal method of talking about numbers. Cut a pizza in
half, that's two pieces! Cut it in quarters, now you have four
pieces!
For comparisons:
Weigh toys. Ask your child "Which toy is the heaviest?
Look at vegetables and ask which one is bigger or smaller?
For concepts, sorting and classifying:
Concepts like longer, shorter, more, less, heavier, and lighter,
nearer and further are parts of math too. Compare objects when you
see them. When it comes to sorting and classifying, make a
collection of objects and sort them by size, shape, or color.
Making math a part of you child's life is important. Read stories that include
counting and sorting and show the difference in objects. Talk about numbers in
daily activities such as grocery shopping and cooking. Sing songs about
counting.
Remember that it is easier when you learn the actual counting of math before
learning the labels of numbers. Young children may not understand the numeral 4,
but they will understand it stands for "four of something." The key to teaching
math at home is to use your child's world of objects they can understand.
~ Enjoy being your child's first teacher in life ~
About the author
Sandra Kuykendall-Lombard lives in Texas with her husband and son. She is a
writer, homeschooler, artist as well as a parent to a special needs child. As a
free-lance writer, her content focuses on gardening, crafts, relationships and
family life. For more ideas, visit the homeschool board of Friends and Families,
where friends become family.
http://www.friendsandfamilies.com/
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