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.”
504 Plans: Avoid Templated Accommodations
In 504 Land, one of the classic (almost knee jerk) accommodations recommended is to give an ADHD child extra time.
Let me ask you this: How many impulsive, “hurry-let’s-get-it done-style” kids do you know who want extra time?
The answer is none.
The last thing that the ADHD kids want is more time. In fact, they are looking to be the absolute first one done, regardless of the work quality.
Gavin, age 9, typifies this process on a daily basis. Rushing through his school work and homework, Gavin can’t wait to be finished. In school he’s usually the first one done.
Gavin’s mother explains to him that the school is developing a 504 plan for him so he could have extra time on tests and school work. Gavin is stunned, in disbelief.
“Extra time???” he exclaims. “What do you mean extra time? I hate those worksheets. Why would I want to spend more time on them. I want less time!!!!”
“Oh,” his mother continues. “They are also going to offer you preferential seating so you can follow directions better. You will sit right up there next to Mrs. Smith.”
“What????,” thinks Gavin. “Am I hearing this correctly? Whose preference is this? Not mine! I prefer to be as far away from Mrs. Smith as possible. Maybe my mother prefers that spot in the classroom. Not me. That’s not preferential seating.”
504 plans may sound great on paper with a lot of wonderful accommodations. Just like a football coach who has all of his game plan mapped out before going into the game, the 504 plan documents the various and sundry ways the child will be “accommodated.”
Accommodations like extra time and preferential seating may sound good on paper, but the reality may be something very different.
The most important question to ask yourself (and the special education team) is “What specific accommodations does the child need?”
Takeaway Point
504 Plans can be very helpful for a child with a disability, but they need to be personalized to the child’s needs, not pre-templated.
Balanced Literacy vs. Bottom-Up Methods: Which is Better?
When they are given nonsensical methods that do not work for them, they remain shut-down and discouraged.
Getting a Roadmap – The Stages of Reading Development (Part 2 of 2)
Regardless of whether the child does or does not have a learning disability, the concept is that a child is somewhere on a continuum from the first stage through to the final stages.
Getting a Roadmap – Knowing the Stages
An “old-school” concept not discussed much anymore, but that is still quite relevant has to do with the “Stages of Reading Development.”
“‘The Blind Men & the Elephant'” #Dyslexia
"It was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant Though all of them were blind, That each by observation Might satisfy his mind." The above comes from the parable of "The Blind Men and the Elephant." A group of blind men touch an...
“Does Spelling Matter – Part II” (#Dyselxia)
Last week we raised the question of whether spelling matters (,https://shutdownlearner.com/does-spelling-matter-2/), as the issue of struggling spellers is often dismissed since there are a variety of spell check tools available. Almost always, struggling spelling is...
Does Spelling Matter?
Georgia is a lively, spontaneous and friendly 10-year- old student entering the fifth grade. Cognitive testing placed her between the average to above average range for most of the domains assessed. Spelling and writing were a different story for her. Here are some...
“Reading Comprehension Challenges & School Bus Problems: What’s the Connection?”
When Kids struggle with reading comprehension it is interesting that there often is an overlap in "real life,” that is in the way the child interacts in their personal world. In this era of automatically labeling and pathologizing behavior as “ADHD,” this overlap is...
“Rubbing My Head” (#Dyslexia #ADHD #Whatever)
This blog can occasionally serve as a bit of a confessional, providing me with a forum to voice some concerns regarding the issues that emerge while working with struggling children and their parents. So, with that in mind here’s a confession. Sometimes I honestly...
“Takes Your Breath Away #Dyslexia”
Even though I’ve probably evaluated a few thousand dyslexic kids in my career, it still takes my breath away when I meet those who are on the more significant to severe end of the spectrum. This week my breath was taken away on back-to-back assessments. Both children...
“We’re Not Doctors…We Think You Should See a Neurologist”
Oliver, age 8, has difficulty behaving in his third grade class. They were told by the school, "We're not doctors, so we don't know why he's doing these things, but we think you should see a neurologist." The last statement is code language. Here's the translation -...
“Missed Opportunities for Practicing ‘The Skill of…'”
So much of a child’s world can be framed in an ongoing series of different skills. For example, some kids have the “skill of” saying hello and greeting someone they meet for the first time. Others may have the “skill of” manners in social interactions by saying...
“‘Hayden, Remember to Use Your Indoor Voice'”
Modern parents can make you nostalgic for bygone eras. There was a time when children went outside to play and basically did not see their mother for a solid 8 hours, except when she made them a nutritious bologna sandwich on white bread, which was wolfed down before...
“‘Spilling the Milk’ & ‘You Owe Me’ – Child Behavior in Two Acts”
Since my latest book, Beyond the Power Struggle: A Guide to Challenging Kids, was published some months ago, I have had some interesting interactions – a number of different interviews and parents contacting me about their kid’s behavior. A nice surprise was a small...
“So, What If I Have Dyslexia?” (#Dyslexia)
“So, what if I have dyslexia?” The question threw me a bit, especially since it was coming from a nine-year-old boy.” 99% of the time when I ask a child, even a teenager, whether they have any questions following an introductory session, they shake their head saying...
“Dyslexia is Not a Score”
A number of years ago, I had the good fortune to take part on a panel during a symposium on dyslexia sponsored by the grassroots parenting group, Decoding Dyslexia: NJ. Dr. Sally Shaywitz, the author of “Overcoming Dyslexia” was the keynote speaker. While talking...
“Gradations from the Middle” (#Dyslexia #ADHD #Other Stuff)
Parents commonly come in with common questions such as, “Does their child have ADHD?” or “Is my child dyslexic?” Difficulty with reading and attention occur on a continuum or a spectrum from below the mid-point of average (see bell-curve picture above), to more...
“Double Check Your Hypotheses & Theories” (#Child Behavior)
While meeting with parents to discuss the concerns they have regarding their children’s struggling, numerous hypotheses and theories are often offered as to why children do what they do. Typically, the theories are linked to medical explanations, in other words...
“The Power of Nonchalance” (#ADHD; #Executive Function Disorder)
Synonyms for “nonchalance:” apathy, complacence, indifference, unconcern, torpor Antonyms for “nonchalance:” concerned, interested, motivated A parent came to talk to me about her 14-year-old-son, Brett. Previously “diagnosed” with ADHD of the inattentive variety,...
My Interview with Documentary Film Director, Jamie Redford (#Dyslexia)
(***This blog is a revision of an earlier post.) Understanding dyslexia is challenging, primarily because of the deeply embedded mythologies that we hold. Chief among them is “the reversal thing.” To illustrate, try this experiment. With any friend or relative ask...
“Not Reading the Signals”
An issue often overlooked with children diagnosed as ADHD is a frequently occurring underlying variable of social judgment and difficulty with “reading” cause and effect. Difficulty with reading cause and effect impacts both social and academic functioning, such as...
Join the Fun: “Empowered Parents Summit”
I am honored to be a part of this Empowered Parents Summit. So many great speakers are presenting their view of parenting in the modern era. I will be talking about issues related to my latest book, "Beyond the Power Struggle: A Guide for Parents of Challenging...
Interview with Betty B. Osman, Author: “No One to Play With: The Social Side of Learning Disabilities”
A number of years ago - time does fly by - I was the host of a podcast show that was a part of The Coffee Klatch Network, Special Needs Talk Radio. In that role, I had the honor of interviewing some of the top names in the field. I thought it would be fun to revisit...
“Ongoing Themes: #Dyslexia #ADHD #LD Discrepancy #504 #Parenting”
Those of you following this blog for some time know there are some recurring themes in these posts (that mostly irritate me). For others newer to these posts, I will help to bring you up to speed with some of the predominant ones. The LD-Discrepancy Model: Easily the...
“Ineffective, Inefficient, Irrational, Immoral and Indefensible”
Most of you understand the concept of standard error of measurement (SEM). In a nutshell, SEM tells us that on any given day that you can be within an interval of confidence that an obtained score is accurate. For example, if the obtained IQ score is 100, you can have...