Blog
“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...
Anger: “You Can’t Make Me” – Depleting Emotional Fuel
What do these behaviors sound like to you? · Not handing in homework consistently · Responsibility avoidance · Procrastination · Not able to sustain mental effort · Forgetful I bet you are thinking something like ADHD, of the inattentive variety, or some form of...
“And the Beat Goes On…And the Beat Goes On”
Directions to Child on Worksheet: Look back and Write: Look back at the question on page 99. Think about the most important events that happened in the story. Now write a response to the question. Be sure to include details from a story to support your answer....
“OT” for Writing: Step One – What’s Next?
When children struggle with written expression, “OT,” or Occupational Therapy appears to be the go to recommendation that is often given. Writing has been shown to be the single most complex skill domain of the academic process. The following quote from...
Why Screen for Dyslexia?
Why Screen for Dyslexia? I continue to be amazed by the amount of misinformation out there on dyslexia related reading disabilities. Over the next few weeks I’m going to try and tackle some of the issues that are involved with screening and assessment. ...
ADHD Larry and His Weekly Report Card
I met a mom and her kid this week, a wiry nine year old giving the teacher the usual amount of stuff typically attributed to ADHD. You know, calling out when he is not supposed to; talking too much; rushing through his work – those sorts of things. It sounded like...
Dyslexia Screening & Other Updates
Hi Gang: A little news and updates: Dyslexia Screening Book Released I’m excited to announce the release of my new book, “Dyslexia Screening: Essential Concepts For Schools and Parents.” In paperback, the book is available through www.shutdownlearner.com and will soon...
“But, Does She Have Dyslexia?”
Lauren is an 8 year old child in the first half of the third grade who I recently evaluated, just before the start of her school year. My evaluation found Lauren to be a somewhat inefficient reader, although almost all of the scores obtained on her fell solidly in an...
Brief Tip: Get Clear on Your Reading Remediation
There are essentially two types of reading problems: Type I: This type refers to the child who has trouble decoding words and reading fluently. They are typically viewed as “dyslexic.” Even though they are typically called "dyslexic," I like to call them "Type I...
Dyslexia Intervention: What Every Parent Should Know
As some states around the country have implemented new laws on dyslexia, some people have come to me to talk about how, “They have finally discovered dyslexia and this new method - Orton-Gillingham.” Well, not to burst any bubbles, but dyslexia has been around for a...
Reading Problems: A Brief Primer in Two Acts
I often think there is needless complication in the field relative to the varieties of issues that children present. From the perspective of having seen tons of kids over the years, I typically see two essential types of reading problems. Each one requires a different...