The Belief of Fathers
This post is for all those great fathers who never lost sight of the young men or women their children could become. Here's a story from the past - some of the experiences will sound familiar: "Several of my uncles and aunts had tried to teach me to read, and because...
Response to Intervention RTI Hurts Students with Dyslexia
RTI or Response To Intervention is currently the dominant approach to reading instruction in public schools across the United States (over 70% of school districts), but in a just-released progress report funded by the Department of Education from the Institute of...
SELF-ADVOCACY: Common Accommodations and Modifications
KNOW! One of the first steps in advocacy is knowing which accommodations and or modifications you need. ASK! Here's a nice list from the state of CT. There's a reason this article is filed under "Self-Advocacy". Students should be aware that they...
How to Help With the Social and Emotional Side of Dyslexia
Dr. Michael Ryan is a Michigan Clinical Psychologist who developed one of the first clinical programs for LD students at Colorado State University and he spoke at our first Dyslexic Advantage conference. From his writing at LDOnline and the IDA: How can parents and...
HOW TO READ A WORDLESS PICTURE BOOK
With so much focus on reading for children with dyslexia, the choice of a wordless picture book might seem to be unusual, but it shouldn't be. Dyslexic children should be exposed to wordless picture books at an early age, and also be encouraged to continue read them...
Positive Affirmations
A dyslexic woman and successful tech entrepreneur was interviewed and asked what helped her overcome 'the odds.' Here's what she said: "Affirmations...I literally told myself the naysayers were wrong about me. I told myself exactly what I needed to hear, every single...
Dyslexic Entrepreneur’s Advice for the Road [Premium]
Great advice from Stephen Key at Additude. For many adult dyslexics, running your own business is the best way to build on strengths and create a positive working environment. Stephen offers the following helpful advice for those at the beginning their journey. “1. I prepare for every situation. My learning disability has caused me to fear the unknown. Feeling prepared soothes my nerves. Before I attend a meeting, I make sure to have an agenda. I like knowing what is expected of me. Because I don’t like being caught off guard, I am constantly studying up — on all sorts of topics. Much to my wife’s amusement, I even studied up on the first book we read for our neighborhood book club. When I’m traveling, […]
What’s the Most Stressful Time for Dyslexic Students?
ANSWER: Grades 3-5 in Elementary School. If we know this, are we doing everything we can to help students emotionally and socially in these grades? There are many pressures that converge on the 3-5th grade (see The 3rd Grade Wall), and developmentally, it is a...
Effect of Strength-Based Coping on Children’s Stress and Coping
From Australia: "Strength-based parenting is an approach where parents deliberately identify and cultivate positive states, processes and qualities in their children," Professor Waters said. "This style of parenting adds a 'positive filter' to the way a child reacts...
Dyslexia and the Third Grade Wall [Premium]
If you’re not aware if the ‘3rd Grade Wall’, you can get blind-sided. A recurring theme that we hear about when we interview accomplished dyslexic men and women is the trouble and failure (often grade retention) that happens in the 3rd grade. Why?  What’s the big deal about the 3rd grade? From Time Magazine, “Take a guess: What is the single most important year of an individual’s academic career? The answer isn’t junior year of high school, or senior year of college. It’s third grade. What makes success in third grade so significant? It’s the year that students move from learning to read — decoding words using their knowledge of the alphabet — to reading to learn. The books children are expected to master are no […]
Surviving Parent Teacher Conferences [Premium]
Parent-Teaching Conferences can be stressful for both parents and teachers. Keep your eye on the big picture, think strategically, and work toward a positive year for your student in the classroom. Often the amount of time you have with the teacher is quite short because of the total number of students involved. As a result, plan on showing up to see how the beginning of the year is progressing and focus on finding solutions if your students is lagging behind or having difficulties. If you’ve purchase Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, or Dyscalculia Teacher cards, now is a good time to use them. Quick  Tips for Parent Teacher Conferences If Your Student is Dyslexic: Make a Positive First Impression – This may be the first time your meeting this teacher and she […]
