Blog
Dr. Selznick’s blogs are written to help parents navigate the difficult waters of raising children struggling with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, as well as ADHD and deficits of executive functioning. His overriding mission is to speak to parents in “down-to-earth terms free of jargon.”
“Pull the Curtain”
One of my favorite comedic bits is the one from Jerry Seinfeld’s standup where he talks about the difference between flying first and passenger class. As the stewardess brusquely pulls the curtain between the first class and the rest, she has a look of, “If you only worked harder,” looking at the hapless passenger class.
With that said, let’s look at Olivia, a lively and engaging 8-year-old third grader. Involved with a range of typical 8-year-old pursuits, she’s well-liked by her teachers, coaches and peers.
There’s only one problem.
Olivia can’t read, spell or write very well.
Oh, wait, there’s another problem. As determined in a recent special education evaluation, Olivia won’t be qualifying for her to get help in the form of an IEP.
You see, her score on an IQ test called the WISC-V came in at 91 (27th %ile) and her Composite Reading score was an 83 (13th %ile).
When the mom was told there wasn’t supporting evidence to generate an IEP, the mom was flabbergasted.
“Wait,” the mom said. “My child reads at a level where about 90% of the children her age read better than she does and she does not qualify for services? How is that possible? I think you’re telling me that Olivia is just not smart enough. That is, if her IQ came in at 110 or 115, we’d be signing an IEP right now.”
There was no response to the mom’s statement.
Pull the curtain.
Copyright, Richard Selznick, Ph.D. 2022, www.shutdownlearner.com.
To Contact Dr. Richard Selznick for advice, consultation or other information, email rselznick615@gmail.com.
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“Relational Component of Tutoring – the ‘Secret Sauce’ of Success”
One of the “go to“ recommendations I often make following an assessment is for the child to see a tutor if it is at all possible. When done well, tutoring provides many benefits. One often overlooked is the intangible - that is, the relational benefit. Working on...
“‘FAPE’ Realities”
Let’s say you have a 7 year old child just finishing second grade who struggles greatly with reading, spelling and writing and has been diagnosed with a learning disability (i.e., dyslexia). The school has recently classified the child for special education and an IEP...
“Rolling the Dice”
“Oh, my, my, my, I’m the lone crap shooter, playin the field every night.” ‘Tumblin Dice,’ the Rolling Stones) In the last post we talked about kids who are “rudderless (see “Rudderless”). This week we focus on the older ones, high school and college kids, who are...
“Rudderless”
13-year-old Liam comes in trudging behind his mother, staring at his phone. While I think I have a decent relationship with Liam having evaluated him a while back with a follow-up session or two, I also think there's a pretty big part of him that is annoyed about...
“The Plight of Leora – A Play in Four Acts”
Leora a 10-year-old fourth grader has been struggling since kindergarten. Every year the parents have raised their concerns with the teachers. The answers are variations on a theme. Act I: In first grade it was, “She’s still young and it’s probably developmental.”...
“Tipping the Scales”
Some of you have been loyal followers of this blog for over 10 years, while others have joined more recently. If you've been one of the loyalists, you know there are some themes that cycle through the blog posts. While I do my best to keep these fresh, after...
“Shannon , Shannon, bo Bannon”
Anxiety over a child's development starts early. Recently a mom said to me, “My son is drowning in school. Do you think he has a learning disability?” What was particularly striking about this question was the fact that the child in question was only just five and in...
Two Minute+ Tidbit Tip: “Mythologies of Dyslexia”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNmOHYMCdyo
TWO MINUTE+ TIDBIT TIPS: STAGES OF READING PART II
“‘OQ’ Low or You Don’t Give & You Get”
14-year-old Jamie comes in for an assessment. His pediatrician has told the parents that he thinks Jamie has inattentive ADHD. When I meet Jamie I do my best to connect with him, but he’s not buying what I’m selling. Giving me blasé’ (“must I do this”) fist bump...
“‘Spelling. That’s So Yesterday'”
Let’s say your 12-year-old sixth grader spells the following words: (brief) bref (success) susess (educate) edcccate (result) resolt (kitchen) kicten Then writes the following story to a prompt: “Once a o pon a time there was a kid that was a million...
“A Few New Disorders”
This week we turn our sights to a few disorders that may make it into the diagnostic manual upon its revision. The first is one that I know I have very badly. It's being called "PBD," or "Pushback Disorder." PBD usually manifests when parents come in with theory...
“The Tooth Ache Comes Back”
Beside the fact that I am having root canal done later today, I find myself having a throbbing toothache all too often. Behind the toothache, let's look at Joanna, an 8-year-old third grader. Increasingly, frustrated by her school challenges, Joanna is prone to...
“‘Fix-It Talk’ vs. ‘Skill Talk'” (#LD #Dyslexia #ADHD)
I spend a good deal of my professional life assessing children in an attempt to identify their profile of strengths and weaknesses. Once a child is assessed, I do my best to explain the data to the parents in straight-forward, non-jargon terms. The part of the...
Why Ask ‘Why?'” (Part II)
app Frequently, I hear from parents that they just want to know "why" something is taking place (e.g., a behavior or a learning problem) . As I hear their question, I understand they are seeking a "diagnosis," such as ADHD or dyslexia. For many parents when they get...
“Why Ask ”Why?” (Part I)
Brett, age 8, has difficulty behaving in his third grade class. Frequently calling out, pushing on line and at times being rude to the teacher and other kids, his parents have been called in for the "meeting" to discuss Brett and his behavior. They are told by the...
Sibling Rising
Jacob is an endearing 8-year-old child, well-liked by teachers and other kids. Playing a variety of sports, he is frequently seen as a team leader by coaches and peers. There is one problem, though, eating at Jacob. Even though he is now in third grade, he still...
“My Kid Can’t Pay Attention – Must Be ADHD” (Not So Fast)
Every week I hear an array of concerns regarding distractibility and inattentiveness. Beyond the immediate assumption that the child has ADHD/ADD (in other words a neurological disorder), I do my best to broaden the narrative and review other factors to consider that...
“New School Year Blues – Part II”
Last week we started our two-part series to try and help you have a smoother ride this school year and to try and reduce the New School Year Blues. In the first three tips, we encouraged you to turn down the heat during homework; to find ways as a parent to back it...
New School Year Blues – Part I
Well, it's just past Labor Day. You know what's coming. That pit in the stomach is starting to form. Yep, it's back to school. I know that you will see all kinds of articles in parenting magazines and the internet such as the 10 Tips for Having an Easy, Breezy School...
“Ain’t the Beatles ‘Day in the Life'”
“Woke up, fell out of bed Dragged a comb across my head Found my way downstairs and drank a cup And looking up, I noticed I was late Found my coat and grabbed my hat Made the bus in seconds flat Found my way upstairs and had a smoke And somebody spoke and I went into...
“World of Dyslexia – Part II”
Lowering Your "Frustration Quotient" Before getting into this week’s blog, there are two corrections to make from the previous week’s post: It was pointed out to me that the correct website for the International Dyslexia Association is www.dyslexiaida.org, not the one...
“Welcome to the World of Dyslexia” (Part I)
https://shutdownlearner.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/triangle.png
(***For every one of these blogs (500+ and counting), I feel I need to put out a front-end disclaimer, in case people get riled up. What is said here is an opinion. Take it for what it’s worth!) So, let’s dive in the opinion pool again. Not sure when this light bulb...
“What About the Grandparents? (Part II)”
This is an opinion driven business. Sure, there’s research on child behavior and clinical theories, but ultimately it comes down to an opinion. So, here’s one more. When it comes to the question raised in the previous blog on the role of grandparents (Role of...