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October 2006: Creating Productive Students: How Individual Children Can Learn to Work and Work to Learn
November 2006: Time Management and Homework
January 2007: Life After High School
March 2007: Reading (Part 1)
April 2007: Reading (Part 2)
May 2007: Testing (Part 1)
June 2007: Testing (Part 2)

ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW
October 2006: Melvin Levine, M.D.

Topic: Creating Productive Students: How Individual Children Can Learn to Work and Work to Learn

How can you find/create an interest for your child so that he wants to become an “expert” in that area—particularly when his interests are usually fleeting?

Parents have to be very alert for the subtle signals brains send out regarding one or a very few areas of interest or affinity likely to “stick” and hopefully grow into zone(s) of expertise. It can also help if a parent becomes an active collaborator in cultivating an emerging interest. For example, if a child shows a fascination with snakes or turtles, a parent can help him create a terrarium, acquire a few species, and find relevant books or magazines. Parents can also schedule field trips to the zoo or other places that can fuel that interest.

Parents should never give up on their search for affinities and their “campaigns” to turn those affinities into passions and forms of expertise, which in the best of all possible worlds, will grow and flourish as careers and/or lifelong sources of meaningfulness.

My 16-year-old daughter’s strength is art. She struggles to put her thoughts into words. Her perfectionist tendencies prevent her from finishing a task. So any school assignment becomes a huge chore. We shed many tears over writing a short paragraph. How can she keep up with the increasing academic demands at the 11th grade level?

It is wonderful that your 16 year old daughter has a strength in art. This certainly should be cultivated over time. It would be terrific if her 11th grade teachers allowed her to write shorter assignments and in return create some of her own illustrations with them. It is also clear that she, like so many other students, needs help breaking tasks down into smaller, achievable steps. Thus, when she writes a paragraph, she should begin by making a bulleted list of very brief ideas that she wants to include in the paragraph. She could then turn each of these small units into full sentences and then decide on the best order for these sentences. Once she has done that, she can go back over her writing and decide if her wording can be improved. To keep pace with the academic demands of 11th grade, she will need to be a good strategist and to keep on taming assignments by breaking them down into manageable “bite size” pieces!

Do kids “grow out of” learning difficulties, or do they simply learn to compensate? We are considering taking our child out of Resource for next year, but a very competitive high school looms ahead.

It is difficult to predict whether a child will “grow out of” his or her learning difficulties. Some individuals make remarkable progress, so that the problems they had as children are not at all apparent by early adulthood. In other cases, the dysfunctions may linger, although often to a much milder degree. Fortunately, in most cases, considerable improvement does occur. There has been much research in recent years demonstrating the plasticity and resiliency of children’s brains. They can all make gains.

I think I would not remove a child from resource assistance all of a sudden. Instead, it might be good to taper him or her off gradually, especially when facing the ordeal of a very competitive high school. The decision as how much extra help is needed in high school can be made after several months of a trial period in 9th grade.

My daughter is a perfectionist and is a very successful student and athlete. She will be entering the 8th grade this year. She often times lets things frustrate her and lets things or people “get under her skin”, which prevents her from doing her best and working up to her potential. She verbalizes that she is upset about her performance. How can I, as a parent, help her to understand that she can’t let what other people do or say prevent her from reaching her potential. Or is this something she will just come to learn on her own?

It is very important for a parent to let her child know that she has to emerge as an individual and not be under the relentless influence of her peers all the time. It is obvious that the girl in this instance needs to develop heavy insulation so that far fewer things get “under her skin.” She will also need constant reminders that her work need not be “perfect.” In fact, she should be told that the world’s most creative people make the most mistakes! In committing their careless errors they demonstrate that their minds are highly flexible and capable of original thinking. The great architect Frank Lloyd Wright once proclaimed, “If the roof doesn’t leak, I am not being creative enough!”

My son is 9 and in third grade. He has always struggled with reading. He also cannot do his work unless someone is there to assist him. He cannot seem to start any assignments on his own. What can I do to help?

I think we have to be sympathetic to your son’s plight. His struggles with reading can be severely traumatic at his age. We must recognize that because he has had more than his share of academic difficulties, he has been drained of self-confidence. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with being around to assist him. I would not rush to make him “independent.” In fact, in the adult world we are all interdependent; we must become effective collaborators. Therefore, I never worry when a kid feels more comfortable when there is someone to assist him.

Also, it is a good idea to give him a jump start on any assignment he undertakes. You can help him plan a report or you may need to write the first sentence with him. There is nothing wrong with this kind of loving support. You might discover that when your son is in middle school, he will gradually prefer to work on his own without your consultation or “interference.” Until then, give him all the help he thinks he needs (short of doing it all for him).

How can I motivate my child to work at his best on schoolwork and homework?

One way to motivate a child is to talk to him about the future, the importance of doing well and its potential impact on his career and on his ultimate happiness. Some students are unmotivated because they really don’t see the “payoff.” Kids need to know they are on a ladder leading upward toward lifelong success, and the climb is more than worth the effort.

It is also very important to make sure that your child’s lack of motivation is not due to a form of learning disorder, one that gives him a sense he can never succeed – his ladder is broken. For example, children who have memory problems or difficulties with organization or other forms of output failure have a tendency to lose all motivation. Too often that loss of motivation is blamed for the problem, whereas the underlying dysfunction is causing the lost motivation. It is that dysfunction that needs to be worked on so that the child does not give up on himself.

In addition, there is nothing wrong with providing incentives, even material ones. In doing so, reward productivity rather than grades. A child might receive a new DVD player or a movie night with mom if she hands in every single assignment regardless of her grades. Output is always more important than letters on report cards. If a child becomes highly productive, the motivation and the grades will follow.

My 16 year old son is an average student and loves participating in sports. He wants to get a part time job to make some extra money during the school year, but I worry that he'll get behind in school. Do you think high school kids should have jobs? If so, what kind?

It sounds as if your 16 year old son is a terrific kid, a boy with a strong interest in sports who is holding his own academically. I think there is nothing wrong with him having a part-time job. However, he will need considerable help to be highly proficient at time management. He will have to work hard and play hard, budgeting his time meticulously on paper. I do think it is good for high school students to have jobs, but stringent limits should be placed on these jobs, and the work ought to be discontinued if a student’s academic productivity starts to wane.

Ideally, it would be good for students to have jobs that are not “no brainers.” Scanning items in a supermarket or bagging can actually dull a potentially scintillating brain. On the other hand, having contact with people, working in a restaurant, or assisting in an office can be beneficial. Try to help your teenager find a job that offers at least a small amount of intellectual potency and stimulation.

ABOUT THE EXPERT

Dr. Mel Levine is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Medical School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Dr. Levine is also the co-founder of All Kinds of Minds, a non-profit Institute for the study of differences in learning, with financier Charles R. Schwab. In addition, they co-chair the Institute's Board of Trustees.

Over the past thirty years Dr. Levine has pioneered programs for the evaluation of children and young adults with learning, development and/or behavioral problems. In 1995, Dr. Levine received the C. Anderson Aldrich Award for outstanding contribution to the field of child development, putting him in the company of Dr. Benjamin Spock, Dr. T. Berry Brazelton and Dr. Jerome Kagan, recipients of this prestigious award in other years.

Dr. Levine's groundbreaking framework for understanding why children struggle in school provides a straightforward, practical system for recognizing variations in the way children learn and uses their strengths to help them become more successful students. Properly executed, this model can change lives by radically improving prospects for success in and out of school.

ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW
November 2006: Jamie Miller, Ph.D. and Tonya Peterson, M.Ed., All Kinds of Minds

Topic: Time Management and Homework

How can I help my child with organization when I get frazzled at the very thought of trying to get organized myself? Please help!

First, it sounds like helping your child with this particular issue is something best suited for someone besides yourself. Solicit assistance from someone else (e.g., life coach, family member, friend) who is naturally more organized to help. It may be ideal if both you and your child set individual goals for which you could support and hold each other accountable. Maintaining organization may be even harder than getting organized. Plan for booster sessions. Knowing in advance that your progress will be assessed may help both of you to maintain your goals.

Also, you could incorporate some creative challenges and prizes to help along way. For instance, you and your child might create a sticker chart to monitor your progress. The chart should describe specific behaviors that must be demonstrated in order to attain a reward (e.g., If mom sorts through the mail every evening for one week, she is entitled to a thirty minute bath without interruptions. If child files his loose pages every evening for a week, he is entitled to stay up fifteen minutes past bedtime on the weekend).

What are some strategies to assist a child who is able to do the work but is taking three times as long to complete assignments in the classroom and at home? Unfinished classroom work is sent home on top of the homework, so what strategies would work best to deal with the homework when he works at one pace despite the amount of work he has to do?

There are many explanations for working at a slow rate (e.g., sleep problems, attention issues, graphomotor weaknesses, etc.). A first priority is to determine what is contributing to the slow work rate so that appropriate interventions can be implemented. A thorough evaluation can help pinpoint what is contributing to the student’s pace.

I just finished reading "The Myth of Laziness"; your description of Mark Taylor is a dead-on description of my son! Like Mark, "Sam" left traditional school in the middle of his junior year and received his diploma by completing a correspondence curriculum. He is now at the local community college and is having trouble organizing his time. I have offered to help him, but he has declined all help. Since he has always been disorganized, I'm sure that's his "default" way of thinking. Should I let him flounder, or be more assertive about providing assistance?

Given “Sam’s” age and his decline of receiving your help, perhaps you could direct him toward other resources that are available to him. For instance, at his school they may have a Learning Center or Study Skills workshop. You could also suggest that he meet with a Life Coach. Life coaches are professionally trained to help individuals identify goals. They provide guidance and direction towards meeting those goals. To learn more about coaching and selecting a coach, visit http://www.coachfederation.org

My 14-year-old son has an Active Working Memory and Mental Energy weakness. What is the best time and way for him to attend to his homework?

First, your son should identify how he feels during different times of the day. The best time for him to do homework is when he feels rested and energized. He may benefit from small breaks during his homework. The breaks are a good time to re-energize by partaking in some type of activity, such as walking or playing music. Some students have more energy when they know in advance how much they need to do and they can mark off their accomplishments as they make progress. Some students like to start off easy, while others do best by getting the hardest task done first.

Additional strategies for managing Active Working Memory and Mental Energy are available in the LearningBase and the Parent Toolkit.

My 5 year old is in kindergarten, and the school he attends has started to send homework 3 times a week. My son has problems concentrating for longer than 2 to 3 minutes. What is the best way to have him do his homework without either of us getting stressed?

First ask the teacher how long the homework is expected to take. Guidelines vary, though for kindergarteners, homework should probably take about 15-30 minutes.
To help increase the time he can focus on a task, use a timer set for short intervals, perhaps starting at 3 minutes, and gradually increase the time. Your son may need to continue to have small breaks every 5 minutes.
Establish regular and consistent routines around homework. For instance, set a particular time and place for homework. Create a setting that fosters good concentration (e.g., quiet, clutter-free, materials easy accessible).
Encourage your son to work independently; however, an adult should be close by for questions and support.

ABOUT THE EXPERT

Dr. Miller is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been working with children for the past 7 years. She holds a Masters in Counseling from Villanova University and received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the Miami Institute of Psychology. She has extensive knowledge and experience with early childhood development, developmental delays, childhood disorders, learning issues, and psychological and behavioral concerns. Dr. Miller joined the Student Success Program’s clinical staff in August, 2003.

Tonya Peterson is a former elementary classroom teacher who specializes in teaching children with learning differences. She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and a Masters of Education from North Carolina State University. She has particular interests and knowledge in individualizing classroom instruction, reading instruction, and inclusion models. She is also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma International. Tonya joined the Student Success Program’s clinical staff in August, 2003.

ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW

January 2007: Anne Wheeler, Ph.D. and Donna Carlson Yerby, M.Ed., Clinical Center for Development and Learning at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Topic: Life After High School

Dr. Wheeler and Ms. Yerby received numerous questions regarding “Life After High School.” Responses below are grouped by the main topics of questions received, including college support, selecting a college, and student responsibility.

College support for students with special needs

My son is entering the 12th grade this fall and has had an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) since the 6th grade. He desperately wants to attend college and is concerned about being a "sped" as he described it to me recently. What can I do to ensure that he will have the ability to gain admission to college free from this bias while at the same time not being shortchanged in improving his learning? Should I be weaning him from Special Ed, and how does that work?
Does a post graduate institution need a costly update every 3 years-especially if the learning style/challenge is documented and the 504 Plan has been in place since 9th grade?
In our high school, we have structures in place that encourage students to seek extra help and use techniques that help them learn in different ways. Many are very successful here. But it is difficult to communicate the importance of choosing a college or university that will enable them to continue to do this. Students have an idea that they won't need alternative learning strategies in college, that they are now "fixed" because they have experienced success in high school. Any ideas on this?

Most colleges and universities provide specialized support services to students who provide appropriate documentation. If an incoming student had an IEP or 504 Plan in high school, he/she should inquire about “Disability Support Services” when considering applying to a particular school. Admission requirements include a report of a psych-educational evaluation completed within the past 3 years. (See College Board website for specific guidelines.) Once admitted, no further testing is required as long as the student stays at that college. Having a so-called “disability” is not a deterrent to admission. On the contrary, many colleges allot a certain percentage for candidates who are eligible. It is important for students to register for these services, which can include individual mentors, tutoring, study guides, editing support, as well as individual accommodations (e.g., separate testing, extended time). However, it is up to the student to communicate with individual professors regarding his/her needs.

Students who have struggled with their learning difficulties benefit from ongoing demystification in order to understand and own their differences and needs. They can be taught to advocate for themselves so that having a so-called disability is not an impediment to becoming successful adults. (See the All Kinds of Minds Library and SchwabLearning.org for advocacy tips).

Selecting a college

We think our son is ready for college; he is an 11th grader. Then we look at a school like Landmark College and have second thoughts. We think he will benefit from it, but comparing the tuition between that and a state university, we are unsure. How do you make the choice?
My son will be graduating from high school in May. He was diagnosed with dyslexia in the 2nd grade. He will be graduating with a regent’s diploma. My question is should he start with the local community college, or are there colleges designed for children like him?
I am having a difficult time assessing what is the best type of college for my son. He has performed well in all mainstream classes and really excelled in math and sciences. He recognizes that a small, liberal arts college is not right for him; however, I am not sure how to balance an environment where he will be sufficiently challenged but not overwhelmed.

When considering college choice, there are so many variables for any student. Start early in narrowing your options. Visit the schools if possible (most provide tours) and/or talk with others who have attended. Environment is important as some students thrive in large university settings while others are more comfortable in a smaller, more nurturing situation.

If a student has special needs, schedule a meeting with an admissions counselor to discuss support services (see responses about college support). Prepare your questions ahead of time and bring a copy of appropriate documentation with you (e.g., IEP, report of prior testing).

Affordability is another issue; you need to have realistic expectations of what is to come over the next several years. Currently, many students require 6-7 years to complete an undergraduate degree. It is advisable to inquire about what financial aid is available and to investigate scholarship opportunities, some of which are targeted at students with special needs.

A 2-year program or community college is an appropriate choice for many students (support services are provided). Colleges designed specifically for students with learning differences are more likely to offer individualized instruction.

Organizational skill; student responsibility

My 15 year old's ADHD symptoms are mostly controlled by medication. She can never seem to be completely organized, though, especially with assignments. She uses a planner, but sometimes she fails to write homework assignments down or even forgets to look at her planner. How can we help her develop better habits before she is college bound and we aren't there to fend for her?
My 17 year old high school junior struggles with organization on a daily basis. He often has his homework assignments completed, but "forgets" to turn them in or cannot find them in his backpack if they are not readily apparent to him.
How do you get children in this age bracket to take ownership of their responsibilities?

Organizational skills can be taught. Generally, parents are not the best teachers because we step in and help and provide ongoing safety so the student is not accountable for his/her failure. For students transitioning to college, the need to be organized with time and materials is crucial. Some colleges offer mentoring services, but it is up to the student to utilize them. For many students, an individual tutor or coach can teach strategies, monitor progress, and provide support, which is especially crucial in the first year. (See the All Kinds of Minds LearningBase for tips on organization).

Gifted students who struggle with learning

Our daughter is a senior in high school and was recently diagnosed as exceptionally gifted and learning disabled. She currently has a 3.0 GPA but scored 32 on her ACT's. Her psychologist has told us her issues are lack of confidence and fear of failure related to these long un-diagnosed learning disabilities, and our approach has been to hire tutors and to help build her confidence. We still have to watch over her closely to get her to do and turn in her assignments in her classes-both hard and easy. Any suggestions on the college transition and helping her succeed? She is going away for school. Her Dr has explained that schools who have outreach to kids with learning disabilities may not have a program for her special needs/gifts, and she would not pursue it anyway.

Many children who are gifted and have learning disabilities face confusion around understanding their profile. While they are likely told from a young age that they are smart, they often find themselves struggling in school and can’t reconcile their difficulties with what other’s perceive as intelligence. It is important for children, and especially adolescents to understand how their brain works and develop strategies for using their strengths to compensate for their challenges. Working with a tutor, mentor, or therapist may also be a critical piece of support for students who are gifted and have a learning disability.

It is also important for all children to become more independent as they move into and through the college years. Although no parent wants to see their child fail, sometimes they need to in order to learn from their mistakes. On the flip side, when they are able to be successful on their own, they are more likely to identify with the success and build their confidence for the next time.

Students who are gifted and have a learning disability are eligible for services at the college level, and all schools should have a program that offers those services. For students who have struggled with organizational challenges and time management, it is especially important to seek out these services. It is up to the student to utilize the services; however, in some instances mentors on campus will be able and willing to follow-up with the student if given permission to do so. Ultimately, success in college depends on the level of investment the student has towards achieving a degree and the amount of support they have in reaching their goals.

ABOUT THE EXPERT

Donna Carlson Yerby is the Education Section Head at the Clinical Center for Development and Learning (CDL) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC). A learning specialist and educational diagnostician, Donna has collaborated with Dr. Levine since 2000 to provide assessments and learning plans for students with learning differences. At the CDL she coordinates the Young Adult Program (ages 18-30) based on Dr. Levine’s book, Ready or Not, Here Life Comes. Donna was instrumental in developing clinical programs and professional development at the All Kinds of Minds Student Success Center. While an instructor in the School of Education at UNC, Donna designed a course on differentiating instruction to meet individual needs. She received her M.Ed. from UNC.

Anne Wheeler is a licensed psychologist and clinical scientist at the Clinical Center for Development and Learning. She received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2004 and completed a combined postdoctoral fellowship through the CDL and Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. She serves as the primary psychologist for the Young Adult Program at the CDL. Anne also conducts research and provides clinical services for children and young adults with developmental disabilities and their families.

To learn more about the Clinical Center for Development and Learning and the Young Adult Program, or to schedule an appointment, phone 919.966.5171 or visit http://www.cdl.unc.edu

ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW
March 2007: Ann Hobgood, M.A., N.B.C.T., Clinical Center for Development and Learning at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Topic: Reading (Part 1)

Note from Ms. Hobgood: My responses to the submitted questions are as precise as possible since I have only a very small snapshot of each student’s profiles. When assessing a student’s difficulties with reading, knowledge about such things as school placements, interventions that have been tried, past forms of school instruction, quality and consistency of exposure to literate language, and onset time of the individual problems may provide valuable information about why a child is struggling. Reading difficulties at all grade levels need to be managed with the close consultation of an educator and or specialist.

Visual Perception & Tracking
I work individually with a fourth grade student who consistently adds and deletes words from the text that he is reading. Many of his additions in the text will not compromise the meaning, but, when he deletes words the meaning often breaks down. This happens when I give him text that is at his reading level (two years below his grade level). How can I tune up his visual perception skills?

What suggestions can you make for a student who is having difficulty with visual tracking? This is causing difficulty in reading as he skips words and lines of print.

I’m not sure the problems are due to visual perception or visual tracking. While visual tracking issues are relatively rare, visual processing problems can hinder early letter identification and the recognition of the visual configuration of words. However, many kids with weak visual skills are good readers, relying on strong language and memory functioning.

Inconsistently inserting and omitting words and skipping lines of text are common phenomena when observing students who are reading aloud. Such mistakes usually do affect the meaning. For example, reading “the sailor made errors when reading the map” for “the sailor made no errors when reading the map” gives the reader completely wrong information. While many errors are not so drastic, the meaning will be affected by even more subtle mis-readings (e.g., “very good” for “good” and “a book report” for “a book and report”). Such mistakes are often due to two areas of the attentional controls: depth and detail of processing (seeing to it that incoming relevant information is processed with enough depth or intensity so that the material is accurate and can stay in the mind) and insufficient self-monitoring (determining during and after production how effective our efforts were). Even good readers sometimes omit words, but we usually self-correct based on a lack of meaning. A student who omits lines of text without noticing the lack of meaning is definitely not processing deeply enough. Superficial attention to detail may obscure visual features of words. Poor feedback or self-monitoring can interfere with decoding as students fail to ask themselves “Does this sound right?” or “Does this make sense?”

Some suggestions:

Emphasize reading for detail and encourage self-monitoring. Working one-on-one, ask “Were you right on that?” after a student inserts or omits a word. Ask “Did that make sense?” when a student skips a line of text. The idea is to prompt frequently with the goal of having the student eventually hear his own internal voice consistently asking “Were you right?” as he reads.
With a beginning reader (K-2), ask her to record her own reading and listen to herself after several sentences, comparing what she hears to what the book said.
A clear strip of plastic can help a student to maintain his place and not skip lines.
Some students skip and/or insert words because they are rushing. Be sure the student is reading fluently but not reading too rapidly to notice errors.

Early Reading Skills

My son can read on grade level 1st grade, but has trouble w/phonics, handwriting & some processing. His sister and mom are dyslexic. At what point do I have him tested?

It sounds like your son is performing adequately at grade level but is struggling with some aspects of reading and writing. It is important to keep in mind that there can be a family history of reading difficulties - but don’t put too much emphasis on it. He may not have the problems his mother and sister have. However, I would suggest that you have your son assessed now. A qualitative assessment would yield more information for interventions and accommodations than standardized testing would. A standardized achievement test will give you numbers that indicate whether he is performing at or below grade level in reading but do not provide the information you need to know what to do to help him (i.e., where his breakdown points are). A reading specialist (private practice or at public school) can observe his reading behaviors and let you know what needs to be in place to help him. Be sure that he does not interpret this assessment as an indication that he has a global reading problem. You might benefit from reading the sections on Reading (pp. 182-201) and Assessment (pp. 269-276) in Dr. Mel Levine’s book, Educational Care: A System for Understanding and Helping Children with Learning Differences at Home and in School, available from Educators Publishing Service. The online Parent Toolkit offers suggestions for supporting reading difficulties as well.

We have worked with specialists to find out our child's areas of difficulty, which are auditory processing and word attack skills. How can we help her now and be sure that her teacher is doing what she needs to do to address these needs in the classroom?

A diagnosis of “auditory processing disorder” can encompass very wide ranging symptoms and difficulties which are not within the scope of this discussion. Such symptoms can include attentional difficulties (e.g., trouble focusing on a speaker), memory problems (e.g., not remembering what was just said to him), and language issues (e.g., confusing similar sounding sounds). The otolaryngologist, audiologist, pediatrician, and or speech language pathologist who diagnosed this set of symptoms needs to address the interventions necessary for improved processing.

If your daughter has difficulty with sound/symbol association (the sounds that letters and letter combinations make) and she has not developed appropriate strategies for decoding words, the suggestions below may be helpful. You did not mention your child’s age or grade, but similar strategies would be used for any age reader who is at this stage of early literacy.

Some suggestions:

Your daughter needs to develop multiple strategies to use when attacking unknown words. She should:
- Look at the pictures.
- Think about the story.
- Reread to the “tricky word” or the point of difficulty.
- Get her mouth ready for the first sound.
- Make a guess, and then check to see if what she read looks and sounds right.
She should be flexible in his strategy use: if one strategy does not help, then she needs to try another. It will be important for her to be able to verbalize these various strategies so she can learn to think of a variety of ways to work at solving a particular unknown word. When she encounters an unfamiliar word, she should not be told the word but should be given time to use her strategies and attempt the word herself. She may need frequent reminders about the five things to do when she comes to a word she doesn’t know.
Your daughter would likely benefit from instructional reading approaches that emphasize common letter patterns and units such as word families, prefixes, suffixes, root words, and compound words.

Inconsistencies in Reading

My 9 old year son seems to have good/bad periods reading. He seems to improve a lot during a few weeks, and then he backs down for a long time. Have you seen this pattern before?

I have. It would be nice if we all traveled along a smooth upward slope when learning – but it doesn’t always happen that way. The “backsliding” can be very frustrating (and often not explainable), but if your son is still making overall forward progress, I would advise you to try not to worry too much. I am not aware of any techniques to shorten the “down” times. However, my experience with working with the same students over spans of several years has shown me that many students gain smoother forward growth as they get older and as they have more academic success.

I find it helpful to chart progress in some way so that I (as teacher or mother) can see the growth spurts. For example, if he is reading in a book series that is leveled (each book has a level assigned to it by the publisher or others according to its difficulty level), you can make a spreadsheet that shows the title, date begun, date completed, level, and percent of accuracy of decoding and question answering. The Wright Group is a publisher who produces excellent leveled books on topics that appeal to students in elementary school. He may remain at the same level for a long time (or even slip back occasionally) but you can determine if there is progress overall. A good reading instructor/tutor should be able to accelerate his progress and document it accordingly for you.

For more information on Reading, visit the LearningBase and the Parent Toolkit.

ABOUT THE EXPERT

Ann Brownlee Hobgood has worked with Dr. Mel Levine and All Kinds of Minds (AKOM) since 1996. She was instrumental in the planning and development of various aspects of the AKOM Student Success Centers including the creation of the academic assessment and intervention digital tools used at those centers. She was the Educational Section Head of the Center for Development and Learning (CDL) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill until her retirement in 2005. Ms. Hobgood continues to see children in clinic with Dr. Levine at the CDL. Prior to her association with AKOM, Ms. Hobgood was a Reading Recovery teacher and a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She is a National Board Certified Teacher.

To learn more about the Clinical Center for Development and Learning or to schedule an appointment, phone 919.966.5171 or visit http://www.cdl.unc.edu

ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW
April 2007: Ann Hobgood, M.A., N.B.C.T., Clinical Center for Development and Learning at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Topic: Reading (Part 2)

Note from Ms. Hobgood: My responses to the submitted questions are as precise as possible since I have only a very small snapshot of each student’s profiles. When assessing a student’s difficulties with reading, knowledge about such things as school placements, interventions that have been tried, past forms of school instruction, quality and consistency of exposure to literate language, and onset time of the individual problems may provide valuable information about why a child is struggling. Reading difficulties at all grade levels need to be managed with the close consultation of an educator and or specialist.

Reading Comprehension

My 9 year old son has always been a great reader, can read at a 5th grade level, but his problem is reading comprehension. I know this will be affecting him in more than just reading soon. How can I make his school understand that? They only seem to care if he's failing in his classes, and he's not. He does well overall, has no problem with math as long as they are numbers, but if you get into something like negative numbers or math problems that expect you to "figure it out on your own," he will struggle every time. What can I do?

As you note, weak reading comprehension can certainly affect success with math word problems. Also, by the 4th-5th grades, poor understanding can impact learning in content subjects such as science and social studies since the information being presented is more and more decontextualized (removed from common knowledge). Students who decode well often seem to be reading above grade level but are often just “calling words” with little understanding of what is being said. It is important to understand that reading consists of decoding (reading the words), comprehension (understanding what you read), and retention (remembering the information as for a test). Since your son is reading accurately and apparently doing well in school (remembering information and making good grades on tests), he is apparently decoding and retaining information well. The break-down seems to be at the understanding level. To learn new information, I assume he is relying on your reading texts to him, listening carefully to the teacher and discussions at school, watching videos, participating in hands-on activities, and accessing illustrations, maps, and charts.

Some suggestions:

Encourage your son to visualize as much as possible. After reading a small section of text, stop him and ask him to tell you what the sentences said. If he cannot, have a discussion with him about the content and ask him to read it again. I often teach students to create “movies in their heads.” Help him talk about the setting (e.g., “it must be very hard to see anything since the story said the sun had already set…”), describe what the characters look like (e.g., “she must look like your cousin Beth since the story said she was thin and athletic…”), and visualize the action (e.g., “they must be getting really tired since the story said they were trying to run through the knee-deep water…”).
Some students have difficulty understanding when they read because of weak vocabulary knowledge. An adult can discuss any words that may be problematic. It is best to explain and give examples of words (again using known experiences if possible) rather than giving or looking up definitions. For example, if the word “treacherous” appears in the story, your son will likely read the word easily. But if he does not know what it means, he will have little understanding of the sentence containing the word. In a preview, tell him about a time you and he experienced something treacherous. For example, you could say: “Remember when we tried to explore that old falling-down house? Those front stairs were treacherous!”
Linking new information to prior knowledge is essential for understanding (and retention). Before your son reads something, preview the content so that he has a mental file folder open, ready to receive and file the new information. You can quickly read a paragraph and give him a summary including the main idea and salient details. While he is reading that section, you can be reading ahead.

Zac has begun 4th grade this year. He has a diagnosed disability. Last year with help at school and daily one on one help at home we were able to move his reading level from barely 2nd to 4th grade. He has no marked behavior problems. Comprehension and the ability to visualize what he has read is the biggest challenge. He can memorize and we have found poetry very helpful. Under time stress he loses the information however well rehearsed. Trick questions are road blocks/mind blocks. I am worried that we will lose gains we have made in self esteem and actual progress. Are there specific things. such as books, computer games that will help me to help him?

Congratulations to Zac on his reading progress! There is really no way for me to recommend helpful books or computer programs since I have not assessed your son and do not know his specific strengths and weaknesses. However, I would suggest continuing the one-on-one assistance with an emphasis on reading comprehension and “answering tricky questions.” Students who have difficulty visualizing while they are reading often find Classic comic books and/or visual novels helpful. Visual novels are similar to comic books in that the dialog is illustrated frame by frame. They are available in larger bookstores. Zac may find these interesting although most may be above his reading level at this point. His tutor can break his reading into small chunks and have him retell the story or act it out if that is doable. The tutor will need to determine how large a chunk Zac can handle but it is better to err on the side of too short (a few sentences or a paragraph). Helping Zac to link information that he is reading to prior knowledge or experiences can help with remembering what he has read.

I have a child in the 2nd grade who is struggling in reading. She has had trouble from pre-k on. She is exposed to reading material and has been from the womb. Her father and I have and still do read to her and she reads to us but is lacking in fluency and comprehension. Fluency is like 15-18 words per min. She is also struggling with learning basic math facts. What do I do? Per the teacher, she can not legally tell me that she needs to be tested. Tested for what? Learning disability?

Your daughter needs to be tested to determine where her difficulties lie. You should exploring scheduling her for cognitive testing (IQ) and academic achievement testing (level of mastery of reading, writing, math). In addition, I would suggest a neurodevelopmental assessment by a developmental pediatrician to look at attention, memory, language, sequencing, spatial ordering, higher order cognition, etc. and for a general physical to rule out any medical problems. The testing may or may not yield a diagnosis that results in a school label, but the primary reason for assessment is to gather information to help you and the school develop a plan and strategies to help your daughter learn to the best of her ability.

Additional resources:
Assessment Tips by Dr. Levine.
Individualized assessments modeled after Dr. Mel Levine’s outstanding clinical practice

Reading Recovery

We are in Australia and my son is 9 years old and has Expressive Language Disorder. His reading is quite delayed. What is the best thing I can do to help with his reading? He was unable to access Reading Recovery at his school because they only pick the students who they feel will be able to read fluently after their intervention. Children in his category get left out. He dislikes reading (because it is difficult) and even if I pick material he is interested in - he quickly gives up.

It is unfortunate that your son did not receive Reading Recovery assistance since you are right there in the “home country” of that program! The student selection criteria required of those teachers does sometimes exclude children who could benefit from the early intervention. But it is certainly not too late for him to begin to make significant reading progress. Many of the students I taught successfully in public school had significant hearing impairments and thus significant disorders in both receptive and expressive language with 3-4 years of reading delay.

I would suggest that you look for a private tutor who has been trained as a Reading Recovery teacher. They are exceptionally well prepared teachers with a proven track record of making progress with the most difficult-to-teach students. Without knowing specifics of your son’s weaknesses in language, it would be difficult for me, as an outsider, to gauge where to begin. One of the most powerful things about the Reading Recovery program to me is the ability and opportunity to get to know your student so well that you know exactly what is the most powerful intervention at each step of the way. Accelerated reading progress is exciting for the student and teacher, and the successes he experiences can be the very thing that begins to motivate your son to want to put forth the effort to learn to read. The books used in that program are easily adaptable and appropriate for older learners. It is very important to choose books at or below his reading level (likely kindergarten to early first grade level) and to make sure that he feels comfortable and confident in moving up bit by bit toward more challenging reading. You might be interested in reading some of Marie Clay’s books to gain more insight into her research and techniques of Reading Recovery.

I work with ELL students whose heritage language is Spanish. They seem to have an inordinately difficult time learning to read. Even when they become orally proficient in English, a large number of them still cannot decode simple English. I am wondering what type of reading intervention might work. I have read extensively about reading recovery and wish our school district had the program. What do you think?

Reading Recovery is designed as an intervention for first grade hearing students, but it is easily adapted for use with other populations. I would suggest that you look into getting the training yourself and adapting the strategies for use with your students. It is a very structured, methodical approach that uses the child’s strengths to circumvent weaknesses. For example, if phonology is not a strength, the child is taught several other strategies for figuring out unfamiliar words. Phonology is still a vital part of every day’s lesson but is used in combination with other techniques to guarantee forward progress and success. There is a writing component to Reading Recovery lessons that I find has been very helpful to students with language deficits. Students learn how to formulate and write correct English sentences and can usually read them back easily. You can find books by Marie Clay on amazon.com.

For more information on Reading, visit the LearningBase and the Parent Toolkit.

ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW
May: Dr. Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., NCSP and Kristy Raska, M.Ed., All Kinds of Minds

Topic: Testing (Part 1)

My son is a junior in high school, diagnosed with ADHD in 7th grade. Until high school he did okay but not well consistently in school. Since high school his inconsistency has gotten worse, particularly in testing. I will study with him and swear he knows all the material, and then he will fail; whereas on the next test he achieves a 90 or better. I can not correlate it to type of test or anything. How can I help him?

Students with weak attention often perform inconsistently on tests, which can be very frustrating for them (and their parents!). Attention is important at two time points- when studying and when taking the test.

Obviously, studying requires maintaining concentration and resisting distractions (like television, the Internet). But studying also involves setting up a good plan for learning the material and self-checking one’s memory, both of which require attention.

When taking a test there are a lot of potential distractions in a classroom, some big (like hallway noise) and some subtle (like the clicking of a clock). Test questions themselves involve different aspects of attention. For example, multiple choice questions require picking up small details and sorting out non-essential information. Responses to essay questions usually need to be planned first, which takes attention.

Basically there are a lot of ways that attention can affect studying and test-taking. So what can be done to help?

First, it is important to pinpoint the problems. Though a clinical assessment can help, much can be learned simply by talking to students (especially high schoolers) and teachers. What’s going on during studying? What’s it like when taking the test? Is there a pattern to the types of mistakes being made or items that seem harder than others? The selection of strategies for studying and test-taking depends on answers to questions like these.

In general, students need to establish a plan for studying that should describe what material is likely to be on the test, how the information will be learned, and how the student will self-check (e.g., practice test). Students who have a hard time determining what will be tested may need more support from teachers, like study guides or past tests. When it comes to memorizing, it usually helps to actively engage with the material, like reformatting text notes into a diagram, rather than passively reviewing it. Mnemonic strategies, such as forming acronyms from the first letter of each word in a set or sequence, are useful tricks for memorizing. Self-checking is a really important step and ideally should be done in a way that mimics what the classroom testing atmosphere will be like (e.g., no television or reference books around).

Is it fair to give a child with a learning disability an IQ test?

Depending on what is done with the results of IQ testing, it certainly can be unfair! If an IQ test were to be used in isolation to determine a student’s placement, that probably wouldn’t be fair at all. Summarizing students into single numbers (like IQ scores) does not capture the incredible diversity in neurodevelopmental profiles. Even the most rigorously-designed IQ tests don’t sample everything in a student’s abilities.

Tests are just tools, and such tools can be very helpful in the hands of professionals who appreciate all the complexities of learning. A good assessment draws information from many different sources – not just a single test. Such sources are parent and teacher descriptions, interview with the student, review of school work, and a range of tests. There are many kinds of tests that are designed to assess areas of learning such as memory, language, and attention.

So if an IQ test is to be used, it should be part of a broad battery that thoroughly describes a student’s learning profile.

My daughter, who is reasonably good at pre-algebra math, is not testing well on her studied-for tests. I do not think it is lack of conceptual understanding (she does well on the practice tests) – just working too fast, looking at the first thing in the sentence without considering the rest (although she does use a colored pencil to highlight key words), and carelessness in checking work. What can we do to help her show her knowledge?

It can be very frustrating when students do poorly on tests even though they – and their parents - know that they know the material. The first step is to try to help the student understand what is happening to cause the low test scores. It might be useful to review the tests together to try to pinpoint the breakdown for the questions that were answered incorrectly. A good starting point could be to compare the actual test to the results of the practice test, and talk about why the student feels there is a discrepancy between the two.

Students whose test scores are affected by rushing, inattention to the details of questions, and inability to check work often benefit from untimed tests (when and if that’s possible) and/or testing in a different room so as not to feel the need to compare progress to that of classmates. Even just knowing that there is no rush to finish can help students to slow down just enough to improve their scores -- and very often they end up not needing the extra time at all. Alternatively, since untimed tests are not always possible, teachers can require the whole class to work for the entire duration of the test time rather than allowing each student to turn in his or her paper as they finish; this will help the whole class to take their time and to check their work after completing the test.

Another strategy a teacher can employ when a student makes numerous little mistakes on a test is to assign a grade to the test but to not mark problems that are incorrect. The student can then be permitted to look over the test, identify those questions that were not initially answered correctly, and to fix the answers. The teacher can give extra credit points for those problems that were corrected. Because this requires redoing each and every problem to find errors, it actually amounts to as much if not more work than taking the actual test, so many teachers are receptive to the idea of extra credit points. This will help the student, parent and teacher to identify where the breakdowns are occurring, and to then work together on a plan for future tests.

We have a child that is in the 7th grade and is proven to be very bright, but is increasingly having difficulty in school. Many of the signs seem to point to ADD, and we have had some screening done through the school system that suggests that this may be the case. We need to get him thoroughly tested to determine exactly what is going on, and how to best help him. Our insurance company will pay for psychological services and testing, and we have a list of psychologists to choose from, but none are clearly specialists in adolescents and ADD. We have met with one psychologist so far who is interested in doing the testing, but we're not convinced that he has lots of experience with this kind of thing. How important is it to have a specialist do the testing and how do you determine whom to choose?

A clinical assessment can be very helpful to a struggling learner if the assessment has some important features. For example, the assessment should result in a profile of strengths and weaknesses (not just a diagnosis or label). It is really important that strengths get illuminated, and many assessments just focus on weaknesses. Regarding the weaknesses, they should be listed specifically and be linked to school performance so that learning breakdowns are explained (for example, “Shaky long-term memory is undermining his writing skills.”). The assessment should culminate in demystification, meaning that the student (and family) gets an understanding of the profile and a more positive outlook on learning. Finally, a good assessment also provides practical strategies to help the student based on strengths and weaknesses.

When it comes to assessing attention problems there are some other important considerations. First, the clinician really needs to consider other aspects of learning along with attention. This is because other problems may cause behaviors and breakdowns that can look like weak attention. For instance, a language problem often leads to incomplete understanding in the classroom, and when people don’t understand something they often tune out and lose focus. Second, if attention really is weak, it is useful to pinpoint which aspects of attention are causing difficulty. Is it the capacity to resist impulses (facilitation and inhibition), look ahead and plan (previewing), keep up concentration (focal maintenance) or some other attention controls?

The considerations above could be used as a “shopper’s guide” for finding an assessment that can help a student achieve greater success.

ABOUT THE EXPERT

Craig Pohman, Ph.D., NCSP; Clinical Assistant Professor, School Psychology Program, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Clinical Scientist, The Clinical Center for the Study of Development and Learning, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC

Dr. Pohlman joined All Kinds of Minds in 1998. As one of the clinical leaders of the Student Success Program, he has conducted or supervised thousands of assessments of struggling learners. He has designed techniques, tools, and systems to help other clinicians integrate a neurodevelopmental assessment approach into their practices. His upcoming book, Revealing Minds: Assessing to Understand and Support Struggling Learners, describes how to develop a deeper understanding of students’ assets and weaknesses in order to support them with effective learning plans. It can be reserved for receipt in August 2007 at www.josseybass.com

Kristy Raska, M.Ed., is the Project Manager of the Student Success NYC Project, a program that brings the Schools Attuned teacher training and the Student Success student assessments and learning plans to underserved public elementary schools in New York City. Ms. Raska joined All Kinds of Minds in 2003 as a Learning Specialist on the start up team for the New York Student Success clinic. Prior to her career with All Kinds of Minds, Ms. Raska worked at Bank Street College of Education on a project to reform and restructure Newark’s public schools, and she taught high school in alternative educational settings. She received her M.Ed. from Columbia University, Teachers College.

FEATURED ASK THE EXPERT INTERVIEW
June: Dr. Craig Pohlman, Ph.D., NCSP and Kristy Raska, M.Ed., All Kinds of Minds

Topic: Testing (Part 2)

My son is very intelligent, and has never had to study much to do well in school. Now he's in 8th grade, and he's finding he needs to study and he's not quite sure how to study? Do you have any suggestions? He is an organizational mess.

The changing academic demands placed on students as they move into higher grades often catch some students (and families!) off guard. What used to come easily with minimal effort now requires a set of skills that the student has to cultivate, such as note taking, study skills, and efficient organization of time and materials.

There are lots of different ways to study, and each student needs to find ways that work best for them. For instance, some do well creating flash cards to study information while others do better by creating rhymes and using mnemonic devices, while others do better by using information to create sample tests for themselves. Some things, however, are consistent for all students in developing good study skills. It is important to create a structured study-time routine in a room or area with minimal distractions (e.g., no TV, no telephone, no other members of the family passing through). Initially, it would be helpful to create a very detailed “To Do” checklist that includes the big picture (e.g., “study chapter 2 of my social studies book for the test on Friday”) as well as all the small steps necessary to achieve the final goal. Tackling tasks in small “chunks” is a good idea (e.g., “read the first section or page of the chapter; underline important details; take notes in my study notebook; review notes; read the second section of the chapter…”). It can be very rewarding for a student to be able to monitor study progress by checking off each task as it is completed.

In addition, students often need help organizing materials. It might help to have one notebook for taking notes in class or jotting down notes while reading (this book can be somewhat messy) and another in which all notes are later transferred more neatly, ideally in a different format so that the student has to really grapple with the material (rather than passively copying it). There should be one “neat notebook” for each subject area. The act of reformatting notes can really help to set the information into long term memory; also, when it comes time to study for a test, all of the information is right there, neatly written, organized and easily accessible for review. Initially, an adult should look over the notes to ensure the critical information is being recorded, something that is often difficult for students.

It might be helpful, particularly for older kids who may be somewhat resistant to help from parents, to work with a homework coach or tutor to develop strong study and organizational skills. The school could provide suggestions for a tutor, or local college or university students might be good resources for this type of work.

Why do schools continue to request evaluations when the learning challenge is unlikely to change? Does a post graduate institution need that costly update every 3 years-especially if the learning style/challenge is documented and the 504 has been in place since 9th grade?

Learning issues can change over time, particularly as students move from one educational setting (and set of demands) to another. So a re-evaluation can be useful to see how a student is doing. Federal law may mandate regular re-evaluations in order for the student to continue qualifying for services, but local districts and institutions have some leeway in how they set up their policies to be aligned with the law. Although initial evaluations are usually pretty involved in terms of time and amount of testing, re-evaluations do not necessarily need to be. For example, a re-evaluation may include brief procedures intended to track a student’s progress. Such an abbreviated battery can still provide information on the student’s learning, fulfill legal requirements, and cost less.

I read "The Myth of Laziness" when my son was in 2nd grade. His teacher described him as one who could talk two grade levels above, but wrote a grade or two below grade level. He is now in 5th grade and struggling with writing projects. His teachers think he is just not organized; but I believe there is more to it. If I wanted to get him tested; what kind of testing should I be seeking out? Is there such a thing as Neurodevelopmental testing?

Although a certain degree of organization is required for the act of writing, there are many possible explanations for a discrepancy between oral and written language. The act of writing requires all sorts of activities that are not necessary for speaking, such as spelling, handwriting, punctuation, etc. One way to think about it is this: getting ideas from the brain to the mouth is like making a simple, local phone call; getting ideas from the brain down the arm to the fingers to the pencil and then to the paper is like a much more complicated, long distance phone call. Some kids have a great local-call plan, but experience static when trying to call long distance.

Because so many brain functions go into the act of writing, a clinical assessment can be a good way to pinpoint exactly where the breakdown is occurring. There is indeed such a thing as neurdevelopmental testing; in fact, there are two clinics affiliated with All Kinds of Minds that utilize Dr. Mel Levine’s philosophy and framework -- one in Chapel Hill, NC, and the other in New York, NY. Both clinics are linked to the All Kinds of Minds website.

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