How Do You Educate Your Special Needs Child for the Real World When they Grow Up?

Educating your special-needs child is extremely important, if they are to ever grow up and participate in the real world. There are many learning disabilities that children will grow out of, and they will be able to overcome in order to live normal lives, active lives, and participate fine in society. Of course, there are some things which are almost impossible to predict, which just goes to prove that your special-needs child's education never really stops.

The other day I was discussing this with a very nice couple whose special need teen was not really cut out to go to college, and they didn't graduate HS in the regular class, nevertheless they got the appropriate education for their particular child, and they would have to continually work with their offspring to prepare them for the real world. Luckily, there are other social services available to help them through this process, but life will always be somewhat of a challenge.

There was an interesting piece not long ago, on FOX News titled; "TSA Admits 'Bad Judgment' After Disabled Man Subjected to Airport Pat-Down" which was published on June 10, 2011. The news segment noted;

"A Detroit father told FOX that the TSA singled out his special-needs son for a pat-down while the family was headed to Disney World. The TSA admitted was a case of bad judgment. The Detroit Metro Airport took his son Drew, 29, and asked him about the padding underneath his pants, which turned out to be adult diapers. Drew, who is severely mentally disabled, had trouble understanding the agents' orders because his family said he has the mental capacity of a 2-year-old."

When the father intervened to explain, the TSA folks said to step back, let them do their job, they knew what they were doing, and not to interfere. Perhaps, you can understand how difficult this was for the family, but it gets back to my main point, and that is; just because your child can understand how to perhaps count money, dress themselves, do limited cooking, and perhaps live on their own, doesn't mean they are prepared for all the things that might occur in their lives.

In this case it turned out to be quite an event, and perhaps a traumatic one for the mentally disabled individual. Maybe the biggest problem here is that many people in our society do not understand how tough it is, but maybe some good will come out of this story in the news, and remind us all, that these special needs folks are also members of our society, and we need to look out for them as well. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 23,500 articles by mid-day on June 23, 2011 is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off..

View the original article here

Dealing With a Defiant Child

I have been learning about dealing with a defiant child from Caleb. He is a smart boy who is very insistent about having things done his way. It does not matter if his way is inconvenient or even impossible; he insists that things be done in his certain way.

For example, he cannot drink his tea if the glass is too full or not full enough. He will simply go thirsty and complain if his glass is not filled to exactly the arbitrary mark he has set. Making the situation even more difficult for those around him is that he rarely communicates this need before the drink is poured. His explanation at that "you should have known."

He has absolutely no respect for any authority. His own desires are more important than any rules that are placed on him. He has no trouble making friends because he is outgoing and outspoken, but he has trouble keeping these friends because he is absolutely insistent on having every thing done his way. He is a terror to teachers and church workers who have him in class because he refuses to follow any rules other than his own.

He has been kicked out of schools and other social groups because of his unsociable behavior. Even his own father will have nothing to do with him due to his defiance and overall disruptive behavior.

He has been to a variety of doctors and social therapists and given several acronyms as to what is wrong with him. However none has yet developed a plan of how to deal with him.

Only one teacher has been able to deal with him and even she has days when she can't handle him. She is a Sunday school teacher at a Unity Church. She accepts him just the way he is and practices non judgment. He responds well to her loving acceptance. However even she cannot get him to comply with the rules that the other children easily follow.

I have noticed what seems to be a flow in the process used by most people who try to deal with Caleb. They try to change him. He is very determined in his way that he will not be changed and soon there is an impasse. Those who try to accept him as he is and try to find ways to work with him seem to have more success in getting him to conform. However, he will always find ways to exert himself and continue to demonstrate his ability to control a situation.

If he finds himself in a situation where he has lost control and he is forced to submit to some authority that has temporarily overpowered him, he will shut down and hide. He often carries a blanket with him even on the hottest day so that he can cover his head and face if he encounters a loosing situation. If he can't use his blanket, he will remove his shirt and cover his face. He will become violent if forced to interact when he is trying to hide from the situation.

He can express love and affection at times. For example, he recently shared his lunch money with a girl in his class who did not have enough. He loves to share snacks with the neighborhood children. But he will not share his toys. He will however leave them scattered around when he is done playing with them.

He picks who he is affectionate to. He is not influenced by the opinions of others. He sees no duty to show love and affection to even his mother. He is not motivated by a desire to please others.

He shows some signs of autism in that he does not recognize social cues. However it may be that he recognizes them yet fails to take social cues into consideration when choosing his actions.

When dealing with a defiant child like Caleb one is faced with two choices: engage in a battle of wills to see who is stronger or accept him for how he is and adjust to compensate.

Deep down all of us have the same desires as Caleb. We want things to go our way. We want to choose our own actions regardless of how others feel. We want to hide from authority when we are not allowed to do what we want to do. However most of us have decided that the benefits of getting along in society out weight our desire to express ourselves freely. By looking at how we are like a defiant child rather than how we are different helps in learning how to deal with one.

When we try to accept him for who he is and try to adjust our own behavior to compensate, we will have more success. However it is very difficult for most people to be able to set aside their own ego long enough to see that letting him have his way briefly will go along way toward achieving mutual goals. Setting clear rules with tangible consequences in advance seem to work very well with Caleb. However, consistent follow through is required as Caleb will test to see if the rules are consistent.

Overall, he responds well to people who accept him and are willing to work within his self imposed rule system. However he will tell you that he does not like rules. He means that he does not like other people imposing rules on him. By looking for ways to work together and avoiding unnecessary confrontations, the defiant child can be guided toward mutual goals.

Mike Strawbridge is a Performance Improvement Coach who loves helping people achieve what they truly want in life and business.

To learn more about how to save money on Jeep Repairs or Modifications see ==> http://mikestrawbridge.com/blog

View the original article here

5 Lies About Special Education Transportation, and How You Can Overcome the Lies and Get Your Child

Are you the parent of a child with autism or a physical disability, that receives special education services? Does your child need transportation services? Do you think that special education personnel are not being truthful about what the federal special education law (IDEA 2004) says about transportation? This article will be discussing 5 lies that are commonly told to parents about transportation. Also, discussion on how to overcome these lies to help your child receive needed, transportation services.

Lie 1: We can keep your child on the bus for as long as we want. While IDEA 2004 does not address length of bus ride, long bus rides can be negatively affecting a child's education (causing stress, negative behavior).The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) stated in a policy letter to anonymous (1993) that lengthy bus rides may be discriminatory, and may result in denial of FAPE. Why could a long bus ride be discriminatory? If children with disabilities are on the bus longer than children without disabilities, this could be considered discrimination.

Lie 2: No one says that we have to provide transportation to your child, and we are not going to. Transportation is considered a related service and needs to be given to a child, if they need the service so that they can receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

Lie 3: The transportation director makes decisions about whether a child needs transportation not the IEP team. In a document from OSEP entitled Questions and Answers on Serving Children with Disabilities Eligible for Transportation OSEP states "The IEP team is responsible for determining if transportation is required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education and related services... " If your child needs transportation make sure that it is listed in your child's IEP as a related service (if child not riding regular education bus).

Lie 4: The state says that we can bring your child to school 15 minutes late every day, and take her out 15 minutes early due to transportation issues. Ask the school to show you in writing any documentation that proves that they have the right to do what they want to do. In the above example you could ask for "Please show me in writing where it states that our State Department of Education is allowing cutting short of education due to transportation issues!"
Actually the above OSEP document makes it clear that the school day for a child with a disability should not be longer or shorter than the school day for general education students. Since a child would receive less educational time this could also be a denial of FAPE.

Lie 5: If you want your child to participate in extracurricular activities then you must provide transportation, we do not have to. Actually IDEA 2004 states that a child with a disability has a right to transportation for required after school activities as well as for extracurricular activities. Make sure that the extracurricular activity is listed on your child's IEP, and also listed that they require transportation in order to participate in the activity.

How do you overcome these transportation lies?

1. Learn about transportation requirements in IDEA 2004 (which is the federal special education law). I use the book Special Education Law 2nd edition from Peter and Pam Wright, which is fantastic. This book as well as a lot more advocacy information for parents can be found at: http://www.wrightslaw.com.

2. Call your states Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) for help with advocating for transportation issues.

3. Bring all of the above information to an IEP meeting to assist you in your advocacy.

Good luck in your advocacy!

JoAnn Collins is a successful special educational advocate for over 20 years and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game!" The book is filled with truths about special education, for parents, and lots of easy to use advocacy tips. Check out her blog at: http://specialeducationspotlight.disabilitydeception.com/. For more information on the book and special education as well as testimonials on her book, please go to: http://specialeducationspotlight.disabilitydeception.com/ For questions or comments feel free to E mail me at: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com.

View the original article here

3 Ways to Use the 13 Disability Categories to Benefit Your Child With a Disability!

Are you the parent of a child with a disability that has been unable to convince special education personnel that your child needs special education services? Did you read my number 1 article; What are the 13 Categories of Disability for Special Education Eligibility, and wonder how you could use this information to benefit your child? This article is for you, because I will be discussing 3 ways for you as a parent to use the 13 disability categories, to benefit your child.

#1 Way: Bring the eligibility category list to your child's eligibility meeting. Use this list to advocate that your child's disability is one of the covered 13 disabilities in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). For Example: Schools are reluctant to recognize Specific Learning Disabilities and provide correct remediation, so knowing the definition of Specific Learning Disability (Exhibits a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes-such as visual, motor language etc-which negatively affects a child's education) can help you advocate for this disability category. Once your child is identified as LD you can investigate what the research based method is to re-mediate your child's learning disability, and advocate for these services for your child.

#2 Way: Use the list to advocate for an appropriate disability category for your child. In order to determine appropriate services and remediation that a child needs, the child's disabilities must be appropriately determined.For Example: Many school personnel want to state that children with Autism actually should be categorized as Emotionally Disturbed (ED). While the disability category is not supposed to determine services, in reality it often does; and children with ED categories are often denied educational services. In this example use the definition of ED from my article "... an inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors" to advocate that your child has other issues that are affecting their ability to learn, so therefore your child cannot be labeled Emotionally Disturbed. Many children with Autism have issues related to the Autism, Sensory Integration issues, expressive and receptive speech difficulties, and Learning Disabilities that may explain their difficulty with learning. This leaves out ED as a disability category, because the child has other issues that are causing the difficulty with learning.

#3 Way: Use the category list to educate yourself about the category of OHI: The child exhibits limited strength, alertness, due to chronic or acute health problems, including but not limited to asthma, ADD/ADHD, etc, which negatively affects your child's education.

Be careful about allowing your school district to use this category if your child has ADD or ADHD, and may have learning disabilities. Some school districts may be offering OHI as a compromise when parents believe that their child may have Learning Disabilities. The school district may then refuse to give the child educational services, that they may need. OHI is not a compromise for a specific learning disability category, in my opinion. Children with Learning Disabilities need appropriate remediation which can only be given if the child's Learning Disabilities are recognized by special education personnel.

By educating yourself about the 13 Disability categories you can increase your child's chance of being found eligible for special education services, and also increase their chances of being found eligible under the appropriate disability category. It will also increase your child's chances of receiving an appropriate education! Keep fighting for your child, they are depending on you.

JoAnn Collins is a successful special educational advocate for over 20 years and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game!" The book is filled with truths about special education, for parents, and lots of easy to use advocacy tips. Check out her blog at: http://specialeducationspotlight.disabilitydeception.com/. For more information on the book and special education as well as testimonials on her book, please go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com/. For questions or comments feel free to E mail me at: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com.

View the original article here

Can I Self Educate My Special Education Level Child?

Is it possible to educate your special needs child at home without sending them to a special education class in school? Yes, many parents end up doing this, and use homeschooling as a method along with finding support groups online. You see they often disagree with school districts as to what is the appropriate education for their child, and some seek legal advice, and others forgo the concept of suing the local school district, and simply educate their own child.

Of course, it's a lot harder than it looks, and many professional psychologists for the mentally disabled and special education teachers don't recommend it. Indeed, I would say I don't either, but I can certainly understand a parent's need to make that choice on their own. Nevertheless, let's go ahead and discuss this for a moment if we will.

Now then, there was a very interesting article in our local paper; the Desert Sun which was titled "Program Lessons Kids' Isolation - One-On-One Time Helps Autistic Children, Learn And Make Friends" by Sherry Barkas published on May 9, 2010. The article stated; "talk to parents of children with special needs about their lives, and one sad word arises - isolated."

Consider if you will be number of increased cases of kids diagnosed within the autistic spectrum. Some insist that it is only recently that we've come to understand what autism is, and that there were always lots of Autistic cases. Others, are pretty sure it's not the case, that autism really is on the rise.

In many places such as in and around Silicon Valley, and states like New Jersey, the autistic rate is exceptionally high, and it puts a real stress on school districts, and school budgets, at a time, right now, when the schools need all the money they can get, and they need to be able to keep the money they have.

Now then, getting back to the article and the point I'd like to make, if you educate your special education level child at home, they will be missing out on what most psychologists, and other parents with special needs kids say is the biggest problem, the problem of isolation, and being alone. If these kids are going to a regular school within a special-needs class, they will be constantly interacting with other kids, and that is very positive for their mental development.

Indeed, I hope you will weigh all of the issues addressed in this article, and talk to a professional psychologist about the choices you might end up making, and the ramifications of those choices. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 23,500 articles by mid-day on June 23, 2011 is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off.

View the original article here

How to Help Your Child With Autism Begin The School Day

The beginning of the school year, and the start of each school day, can create potentially stressful situations for you and your child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Most children with Autism not only need routines, they require them in order to cope with an ever-changing environment. This article is designed to help prepare your child for the transition to a new year and for the beginning of each school day.

For children with autism, who typically have difficulty with transitions, the daily requirement of getting up and ready for school can cause tremendous stress and frustration. Starting school can present extreme difficulties for children with autism because children with ASD are required to conform to unpredictable and demanding schedules, rules, behaviors, and social norms.

As you prepare your child for a school year, begin by introducing new school supplies gradually. When purchasing clothing attempt to keep within the parameters of what fabrics, colors, and textures are suitable for your child. Tags may need to be cut out of clothes and all items should be clearly labeled. Depending on your child's specific needs, select materials that will appeal to his or her unique interests. For example, your child may want a certain cartoon character on his or her lunch box. For another children, this might pose too much of a distraction. Item can be purchased, set aside out of view, and introduced gradually. By the time school begins, however, your child needs to have the chance to become acquainted with each new item.

Visit the school, discuss, and walk through routines. For example, pack your child's lunch box and have a picnic in the lunch area at the school prior to the beginning of the year. As teachers begin to set up their new classrooms plan to visit the school. If possible take your child to see the classroom, the nurse's office, the library, etc. You also have the right to arrange a meeting before the school year starts. This is a good opportunity to get to know the team members and to make certain that your child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is up-to-date. Discuss concerns with the support staff and let the school know what your child needs in order to be successful. Request a follow-up meeting a week or two after the year begins to iron make adjustments.

Many children with autism respond well to visual stimuli and are comforted by what is familiar; establishing and maintaining a daily routine helps your child feel secure. Create a daily picture schedule to help your child prepare for the day and to transition between home and the external world. You may want to use picture cards. These cards can be laminated and attached with Velcro to laminated cardboard. This daily schedule will help your child with transitions. The picture schedule includes photos in chronological order that represent key transitional activities. Pictorial schedules may, but do not have to, include captions. If a picture schedule is used at home it may readily be adapted into the school setting. A picture symbol, such as a question mark, can indicate when an unexpected or unpredictable event may occur. Becoming familiar with such a symbol will help even the unexpected become more predictable. Another idea is to use timers and alarms to indicate the time for a transition from one activity to another. Your child's temperament will help in determining which schedules and devices will alleviates rather than promote anxiety.

Social stories that explain procedures and routines may also help your child to understand events and behavioral expectations.

Keep an open line of communication with the school, particularly the principal and teacher(s). While email is helpful, communication logs provide a hands-on method for relaying information between home and school. A small notebook for daily comments can eliminate hours of frustration for your child and his or her caretakers/teachers. Any change in routine can be documented in order to facilitate an understanding of unsettling events or changes in your child's routine.

While every child with ASD is unique the suggestions listed above have proven helpful in preparing for a smooth transition to a new school year and, with minor adjustments, to the daily school routines.

View the original article here

How to Help Your Child Improve Their Handwriting

As a teacher helping children with dyslexia I see many children struggle with their handwriting. There are many reasons why this is so and they are all correctable. Handwriting is a fine motor skill and takes time to develop the small finger movements required for neat, tidy writing. You can help your child in a number of ways by using the following 5 tips.
Ensure that your child is sat with both feet flat on the floor and sat up straight. This helps concentration and gets children ready to write. Slouching over their desk and resting their head on their hand is not good for being alert and concentration. It could also mean that they need to visit an optician that specialises in helping children with handwriting and vision problems.Turn the paper about 20 degrees away from the hand that they write with, this will give their elbow room to move as they write and their hand can relax on the paper.Hold the pencil with a tripod grip, this is the most effective way to hold a pencil for neat handwriting.Grip the pencil by imagining it is a baby bird, you don't want it to fly away but you don't want to squash it either. This is helpful for children to understand just how tightly they need to hold it, especially for children who hold on to their pencil so tightly their fingers go white at the knuckles.If your child is having problems holding the pencil then invest in a good quality pencil grip to help them master the tripod grip with ease.

You will undoubtedly be met with some resistance to these changes but do persevere with lots of fun practise focusing on pencil holding skills regularly, not just with writing but with drawing and painting. They will take time to master, but once mastered, they will lead to success in handwriting for a lifetime.

You can learn more about the tripod grip and the right kind of pencil grip for your child's handwriting by reading more at Let Me Learn.

Sue Kerrigan is a teacher helping dyslexic, dyspraxic and dyscalculic children in the UK.

View the original article here

How To Teach A Child With Learning Disabilities

Education is very important and when a child suffers from learning disabilities it is still vital that you influence his or her learning experience in a positive way in order to make a difference in how they interpret things. Every child sees and hears things differently but if your child has been diagnosed with learning disabilities, don't worry you can still encourage your child and help them to learn just in different ways.

Sometimes disabilities in learning can be misdiagnosed as ADHD. While they may have similar symptoms, they may be completely different in the end. ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects more people than you realize. Learning can be more difficult because the individual cannot keep their attention on any one thing for too long.

There are seven types of learning disabilities according to the American Medical Association. These are:

* Dyslexia, or special impairment

* Dyscalculia or the inability to understand basic math concepts

* Dysgraphia or the inability to write correctly

* Language problems

* Time and space management problems

* Memory complications

* Sensory integration complications

When someone suffers from disabilities in learning they are challenged in some way or several ways while trying to perform a simple job or task that wouldn't normally be a problem. In fact, learning disabilities may not be diagnosed until later on in the school year. You may be able to pick up on it if your child is good in one subject such as science but cannot comprehend basic math problems.

If you have been told that your child suffers from one or more learning disabilities you may first blame yourself for not picking up on symptoms or clues earlier. You may continuously blame yourself while you try to back up in time figuring out when your child started showing signs that something wasn't being understood.

Attention deficit disorder is different from other learning disabilities in several ways. When someone suffers from ADHD all normal cognitive reactions are affected instead of only one or two like in the example above. ADHD is more of a medical condition then it is a learning disability and therefore it is picked up during an examination from a medical professional and not during a test given by the school.

If you feel that your child may suffer from a disability such as the ones listed below, these learning disabilities your child's school will know how to further test your child in order to determine which disability he or she may suffer from. Once it has been diagnosed, your child can receive special help and counseling in order to learn how to deal with their learning disabilities and how to better help themselves. If you suspect that your child may be suffering from a disability contact your school to set up a test that can determine if this is correct or if something else may be wrong. A child should be able to learn without any disabilities however when a disability exists a child can still learn.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit http://www.childdevelopmentmedia.com/.

View the original article here

You Can Fight Back Against Special Education Denials That Hurt Your Child!

Are you the parent of a child with autism, learning disabilities, or another disability receiving special education services? Are you sick and tired of special education personnel in your district denying your child needed related and special education services? This article will empower you to fight back for your child by addressing important advocacy skills.

Advocacy Strategy 1: Educate yourself about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA 2004) and your states regulations on special education. You can do this by reading books, attending conferences and developing friendships with more experienced parents of children with disabilities. By being educated on federal and state law your chances of success with your advocacy increase.

Advocacy Strategy 2: Documentation is critical in winning a special education dispute. Begin sending letters to document what is occurring in your child's education. Important verbal conversations must be followed up by a short letter, to the person you spoke to. For Example: Your child's teacher states in a phone conversation that your child is not progressing, and needs more intense related and special education services. Immediately write a letter to the teacher, including the date and time of the conversation, and what was said. The letter needs to be Hand delivered to the teacher, or sent certified with a return receipt. This will document what the teacher said, even if she denies that she ever said it.

Also, save any letters or other documentation sent from special education personnel. You should save important school papers, any notes about negative behavior, any documentation that you need to strengthen your advocacy position. I once advocated for a young boy who had negative behavior at school. The school was sending home daily behavior sheets, and I advised the mother to date them, and not throw them away. We used them at a due process to show that when the school district stated the child's behavior was out of control, the behavior sheet said he was fine. Documentation can win a case, or lack of documentation can lose a case.

Advocacy Strategy 3: Tape record all IEP meetings, and if possible and necessary have a transcriber transcribe them for future use. Transcriptions of IEP meetings can be used at due process as documentation.

In all my years of advocacy, I have never been a huge fan of tape recording, but I have recently changed my mind. School districts have become so bold in denying things they tell parents, that it is critical that parents have documentation of what is being said in meetings, and what the school district is agreeing to. I find a huge discrepancy between what many special education personnel agree to in a meeting, and what is being documented in a child's IEP. A transcript of a tape recorded meeting could be used as evidence in a due process hearing, to show what the school district agreed to.

Advocacy Strategy 4: Whenever special education personnel want to change a child's label placement or refuse to change your child's label or placement, they must give prior written notice (PWN) to you. Also, if they deny services that your child needs, they must also give PWN. For example: If you take your child to an independent evaluator and bring the report of recommendations to the school district, and they refuse to follow the recommendations, they must give you PWN, on why they are not following the recommendations.

Advocacy Strategy 5: Be willing to file state complaints or due process for non compliance with IDEA 2004, or if the school district does not give your child FAPE. Going over the school districts head is the best way to ensure that your child is getting the appropriate services that they need.

With these advocacy strategies under your belt, you will have a better chance of prevailing in a dispute with your school district. Your child is depending on you so work hard for their benefit.

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special eduation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://disabilitydeception.com/.

View the original article here

The Importance of Identifying If a Child Has a Learning Difficulty, Learning Disability or Dyslexia

Recent study by The International Dyslexia Association states that 74% of students who are weak readers in 3rd grade remain weak readers in the 9th grade. Several students still don't read well even as grown- ups. However, it is certainly not too late for individuals with learning difficulties, learning disabilities, or dyslexia to learn to read, process, and express details and information more effectively. I have seen it first-hand. Even 50 a year old can enhance their abilities. In fact, those adults that have had strokes have been able to restore some of their cognitive abilities once they knew exactly what the fundamental areas were that the stroke impacted.

Determining what your student's learning problems are and working with them is crucial because if they go unidentified and unaddressed, students may spend their school years either feeling stupid, struggling with their schoolwork, or disliking school. They may feel that their work is never going to be good enough so they stop striving. They may seem to stare off into space, not attending to instruction. They may regularly interrupt the class. Eventually, they may not be able to get into the college of their choice or get the job of their choice.

The Most Common type of Learning Disability: Language Learning Disability

Language learning disabilities are disorders that affect one's ability to either interpret what is observed or link information coming from different parts of the brain.

Difficulties with linking information throughout the brain can show up in a variety of ways. There can be certain difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read, write, or do math.

How We Learn

The best way to talk about learning disabilities is to discuss about learning. We learn 3 ways, by seeing (visual processing), hearing, and (auditory processing) and doing (tactile/kinesthetic processing). Within each of these 3 categories there are 9 sub-categories of processing. Generally when one is struggling with learning reading, writing, or math it is due to one or more of these sub-categories of processing not working as efficiently as they could, should, and can. These skills are all learned and can easily be enhanced.

There is a simple way for you as a parent or teacher to find out if your child has learning problems, dyslexia, or learning disabilities. Using the informal assessment, the Learning Disability Screening Tool, gives you the ability to identify the fundamental causes of learning problems. With this knowledge and understanding about your child's learning problems, you become the 'expert' on your child. You will know what has been holding your child back. You can now be pro-active and deal with your child's learning difficulties, learning disabilities, or dyslexia.

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET is a LD Specialist. Ms. Terry helps parents identify, understand, & address the underlying causes of their child's learning problems. Dyslexic, LD and ADHD kids advance 2-4 years in 20 minutes a day with Ms. Terry's books, games, and guides http://bonnieterrylearning.com/.

View the original article here

Advocating for the Child With Autism

For families of children with autism the relationship between the family, school, and community is critical. Parents who are blessed with a child with autism must refrain from self-blame and need to advocate for their child. If you suspect that your child has autism it is helpful to seek medical attention and professional advice as early intervention is highly recommended.

Each child's needs are individual and must be recognized as an integral part of his or her complete development.

The type of educational setting that is most beneficial depends on the age and specific needs of the child.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Speak with individuals you trust and ask for their suggestions.

A creative and flexible approach is beneficial as the child's needs will fluctuate depending on age, severity of autism, changes within the environment (home and school), and physiological changes.

Within the course of a day the child with autism will experience a wide range of situations that require supportive guidance.

As a parent you have the right to meet with the teachers and administrators within your child's school as often as necessary to facilitate an appropriate assessment and educational plan.

It is important to learn what educational providers are available to help with autism training and autism treatment. For example, your child may benefit from such services as speech/language support, occupational and/or physical therapy, and adapted physical education.

While academic skills are a necessary component of your child's education, social skill development is critical for academic and life-long success.

In becoming an advocate for your child, information is critical. Access written materials, articles, books, and the many informative web-sites that provide up-to-date autism resources, autism news, and information regarding autism. Speak to your health care providers, professionals within your child's school, other parents of children with autism, your child's caregivers and teachers, and become involved in support groups.

View the original article here

3 Parenting Tips to Advocate for Functional Skill Training for Your Child in Special Education!

Are you the parent of a child with autism or another disability receiving special education services? Is your child struggling with academics, and you think could benefit from learning functional skills? Learning to read and write are important, but so are functional skills, that can help a child live a full and enriched life! This article will be discussing 3 parenting tips that you can use in your advocacy efforts!

Tip 1: Use Federal special education law Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA 2004 to strengthen your advocacy efforts for functional skill training. IDEA states that every IEP that is developed for a child must contain a statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance. What does this mean for your child? Your child's IEP should state what level your child is at in the area of functional skills. Make sure that these statements are based on objective data such as tests and not subjective opinion.

The law also states that the child's IEP must contain a statement of annual goals in not only academic areas, but functional areas as well. Make sure that the functional goals are specific and are measurable.

Also, make sure that any skills training given to your child is written clearly on your child's IEP and has specific amount of times that the training will be given. Training needs to be given in natural environments and at natural times. For example: Teeth brushing training needs to be given after the child has eaten, either after lunch or after a snack. Training also needs to be community based, so that the child will be able to generalize the skills to all environments.

Tip 2: Use the purpose and findings of IDEA 2004 to convince special education personnel how important functional skill training is for your child. The purpose of IDEA is to help prepare children for further education, employment and independent living. Children must have appropriate functional skills in order to be prepared for their adult life.

The findings of IDEA 2004 from Congress state that the law is to help improve educational results for children with disabilities, so that there is equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self sufficiency.

Behavior and social skills are two areas of functional skills that are often overlooked by parents and advocates. Ensure that appropriate social skills and behavior is being taught to your child, so that he or she will be able to be a full participant in the community, when they are an adult.

Tip 3: According to IDEA parents have the right to be full participants in any decision that is made regarding their child's education. The law also includes a section under IEPs, where any information provided by parents needs to be included. Educating yourself not only on why functional skills are important but what is the appropriate type of training that a child needs is important.

Consider writing your own parent input statement about what type of functional skill training needs to be given to your child. Bring this input statement to your child's IEP meeting, and make sure that it is attached to your child's IEP.

Anticipated needs must be addressed by special education personnel and parents. This is a good time to think ahead of the skills that your child will need as an adult, and include functional skill training in your child's IEP or transition plan.

Use these three tips to help you succeed in your attempt to include functional skills training in your child's IEP. They will appreciate your efforts to make sure that they are prepared for adult life!

JoAnn Collins is a successful special educational advocate for over 20 years and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game!" The book is filled with truths about special education, for parents, and lots of easy to use advocacy tips. Check out her blog at: http://specialeducationspotlight.disabilitydeception.com/. For more information on the book and special education as well as testimonials on her book, please go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com/. For questions or comments feel free to E mail me at: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com.

View the original article here

Is Your Child a Visual Learner?

Sending your child to the best school is no guarantee that she will get the best education that you want for her. Several studies attest that there are different learning styles and most schools are yet to adapt a curriculum that will fit a particular child's learning style.

A study on 100 urban school districts published by Dr. Wilma Gillespie in 1982 revealed that achievement scores, teacher recommendations and grades were the three most prevalent criteria employed in selecting students for gifted programs. All three of these criteria, however, can only identify the gifted auditory-sequential learner - a child who can think primarily in words, has auditory strengths and a step-by-step learner.

But not all children are auditory-sequential learners.

Linda Kreger Silverman is a Colorado-based educational psychologist who extensively studied child development. Silverman's research revealed the presence of visual-spatial leaners - the "picture thinkers".

"The visual-spatial learner model is based on the newest discoveries in brain research about the different functions of the hemispheres. The left hemisphere is sequential, analytical, and time-oriented. The right hemisphere perceives the whole, synthesizes, and apprehends movement in space. We only have two hemispheres, and we are doing an excellent job teaching one of them. We need only become more aware of how to reach the other, and we will have happier students, learning more effectively," she said.

Identifying a visual-spatial learner:

So how do you know if your child is a visual-spatial learner?

There are some behavioral signs that will indicate that your child is more of a visual than auditory learner.

Her lecture notes are full of colored highlight markers, charts or diagrams. She can read body language easier than others, then she's a visual learner. Any action that takes place in her mind appears with color, texture and shape, her dreams are colored and she knows the trends.

Any flicker of an eye, slight raising of an eyebrow or faded hint of a smile will be noticed by a visual leaner. She doesn't need words, because any sign from the other person helps her make her move from there. Sign language is her second method of interaction.

When she reads something, a visual learner makes detailed and vivid movie in her mind concerning the information she's reading. She can also remember where the information was located on a page. When she meets someone news, she might forget that person's name, but she will remember what that person looked and wore.

A visual learner observes every detail of a painting, examine how photographs are displayed in a book and pause before a mural.

She will never get lost in a city or anywhere else, because she will easily remember how they got in that place. She can also visit a city or find a given place just by looking at a map.

How to help a visual learner:

If your child is a visual learner, here are some things you can do to enhance her learning process:

*Ask your child's tutor to include PowerPoint presentations - which include illustrations, charts, diagrams, maps, etc. - when helping her to do her homework.

*Teach her to encircle or highlight every important keyword in a book or article.

*When she is studying, it is better to keep her away from windows, as this distracts her.

*A quiet place to study is recommended, with no pictures or posters on the walls. Any TV or music player must be out of sight or turned off.

*Her cell phone should be in silent mode or switched off.

*Encouraging her to make lists helps develop her visual sense.

*Train her to make use of mind-mapping methods.

*Use colored pens to highlight a section in a book. They are best for stimulating her mind and help her think better.

*Place a white board or cork board on a wall so she can post reminders and mini notes.

Prime is a content management strategist for Ahead Interactive (http://www.aheadinteractivetutorial.com/), leading provider of live, video-powered online tutorials. She writes articles on productivity and stress management to help busy working women cope with overwhelm.

View the original article here