Blog
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.
Busting Mythologies – #Dyslexia
There is a mythology out there that is very hard to overcome. The mythology typically originates from the school after a parent has queried the school about getting assessed for dyslexia. A parent whose child I worked with recently, was told the following: “Dyslexia....
Draining the Car Battery – #ADHD
When it comes to kid issues, too often I hear simplistic answers to issues that can be very complex. My favorite answer to almost everything is, “My kid has ADD.” Listen up everyone. With determining ADD/ADHD it’s not like a dental X-Ray, where there is objective...
My “Decoding Hurdle” Obsession
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “He’s like a dog with a bone.” You know, it’ referring to that person who won’t let up or who keeps beating the same drum over and over. Sometimes I feel that way. I won’t say how long I’ve been beating the “decoding hurdle”...
Reading Comprehension in the “Way Back Machine”
Let’s go once again into the “Way Back Machine.” This time we will go to the mid 1980’s. What was the red hot topic in the field of reading and cognitive psychology? I will give you a hint. It wasn’t decoding or reading fluency. The topic of the decade, the one...
Matthew Effects are Powerful – Act Early
Matthew Effects Are Powerful-Act Early A number of years ago a very powerful piece of research emerged in the field of psychology and education. This research, by Dr. Keith Stanovich ultimately became known as the “Matthew Effects.” The Rich Get Richer A...
The Grind of School
Let’s be honest, school can be a bit of a grind. This is especially so if you are the kind of kid who struggles with reading, spelling and writing. For those who do not have learning problems, school also can be a grind, as well, but they have a much easier...
Under the Big Circus Tent of Normal Variation
I live in the land of analogies and metaphors. Something is always reminding me of something else and an image gets created. One of my favorite metaphors is thinking of kids as under the big tent of “normal variation.” Under this circus tent you see a wide variety...
“One Man’s Ceiling…”
This week I couldn’t shake singing to myself, “One Man’s Ceiling is another man’s floor,” Paul Simon’s song reminding us it’s all a matter of perspective and relativity. What inspired this song running through my head? Let me tell you about Bradon, an 8 year old...
The Decoding Hurdle
Young children face many hurdles that they need to overcome. They come in succession. Getting over one leads to another. Some hurdles are more important than others and are not all equal in their level of importance. One particular hurdle I have been consistently...
Socializing in the Modern World
Most of us say, say over the age of 40, have in their mind a recollection of things like playing outside with friends for hours on end. Being inside was to be avoided at all costs. Not only that, being inside meant you were in proximity of your parents, and really,...