Blog
IEPs & 504s: A Brief Primer
Parents frequently ask about 504 Plans and IEP’s. Before getting too far into the weeds, I will respectfully ask the parents if they know the difference between them and what they even are. A majority of the time, I get a half shrug, coupled with a “not really.”...
On 504 Plans & Finding the Right Accommodation
Many people come in inquiring about a 504 Plan for their child. It’s important to know what you are seeking. With 504 plans (which come out of Americans with Disabilities Act legislation or ADA , we are saying that the child has a disability and needs to have...
Draining the Joy of #Reading
I’m not exactly sure when it occurred, when we collectively decided to drain the joy out of reading in early childhood, but it happened some time ago perhaps when we weren’t looking. The expression about the frog being boiled by degrees so he won’t jump out of...
Our Explanations of Child Behavior
Maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s because I think back to an era where kids were rarely on medication even if their behavior was a bit off. Maybe it’s because of the lens through which I see kids. Parents will have lots of theories about their child’s behavior, often linked...
Explaining #Dyslexia at Dinner
My wife and I were out for dinner with another couple, both of whom were in the medical field with lots of years of experience. They were curious about my recently presenting as a keynote speaker at the Decoding Dyslexia conference in Utah. “So, Rich, what percentage...
Just Do Your ‘Personal Best’
Kids are frequently told a lot that they need to be doing their “personal best.” Doesn’t that seem like an unfair standard? Are you doing your “personal best?” If I were honest about it (and I would like not to be), I think I have failed at my personal best every...
‘What’s My Address? Where do I Live?’
As part of an assessment I always ask kids to write their name and address. Lately, I’ve been noticing a troubling trend. Increasingly, kids look at me blankly when it comes to the address part. They don’t know where they live. Look, I understand that for kids...
Dyslexia – Labeling or Describing
“Identifying a label for student’s type of learning disability is not the key issue. Use of the label dyslexia may not even be necessary. Describing the phenomena observed in the child should be the goal of the diagnostic assessment, especially in an area as muddled...
Parenting Styles
As part of my constellation of professional activities, I often talk to parents about their child’s behavior. Frequently, I find myself highlighting two fundamentally different styles of parenting. With “Reactive Parenting,” as the name implies when a negative...
Comprehension – Sometimes Forgotten in #Dyslexia Land
Those of you who have followed this blog or any of my stuff over the years, know the importance I place on the development of decoding skills and reading fluency. In fact, I have viewed the mastering of decoding as a possibly the central task or hurdle for a child to...
Screen Junkies?
Here are a couple of things to consider from an informal survey I have conducted with kids and the parents regarding the children they know in their social circle and at school: 95-99% of the kids starting at age 12 have cell phones. 95-99% of kids age 4 – 7 are...