Back to School
Time flies when you're having fun! It's hard to believe, but it's just about time to head back to school. Check out our resources below to make this school year the best one yet!
Top 10 Back-to-School Tips for Special Education Teachers
Along with new smiling faces, a new school year brings special education teachers new IEPs, new co-teaching arrangements, new assessments to give, and more. In order to help you be as effective as you can with your new students, we've put together our top 10 list of back-to-school tips that we hope will make managing your special education program a little easier.
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Back-to-School, for Parents!
When the back-to-school bells start ringing, parents often hear and read school-related terms that are unfamiliar to them. This article highlights three terms and descriptions related to reading instruction that may help give parents a better understanding of what's happening in your child's classroom and what it all means for your learner.
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Goal Setting for Children with Learning Disabilities: Your Role Is Important
January isn't the only month for setting new goals and resolutions; back-to-school time provides another chance to start off with a clean slate. Take a look at these recommendations for starting the year off right with your child! Suggestions include being sure to teach and model perseverance and positive ways to manage setbacks and failures.
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Education for Life and Work
Preparing today's youth for tomorrow's workforce includes arming them with 21st century skills. But what does that really mean? The National Research Council appointed a committee of experts to help define terms and outline clearly just what our students need. In this report brief, you'll learn more about the domains of 21st century learning and how to teach for deeper understanding. The full 300-page report is also available through National Academies Press.
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Evaluation for ADHD
Seeking ADHD evaluation is not, as many people fear, a decision about treatment or applying a diagnostic 'label.' A skilled evaluation is an integral step towards fully and compassionately understanding a child's experience. A well-coordinated evaluation is nothing more than a way to gain the knowledge we need to move skillfully forward. Read more in this article from Dr. Mark Bertin, a developmental pediatrician and contributor to LD OnLine.
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Featured Partner: International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) is a non-profit, scientific, and educational organization dedicated to the study and treatment of learning disabilities and dyslexia, as well as related language-based learning differences. IDA focuses resources in four essential areas: advocacy, information and referral services, parent support and outreach, and standards and practices for service providers.
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Advice: Can a child "grow out of" dyslexia?
My daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia at age 9. She is now 16 and has been retested. We were told she no longer qualifies for modifications. Did the dyslexia resolve? She still has much difficulty with the dysgraphia, but the school says she doesn't qualify for modifications. Is this possible?
Usually, dyslexia is not "cured." One learns to compensate for it. It is possible that the help she received taught her enough compensatory strategies that she no longer needs help. You need to discuss your questions ... (Read on for more)
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Glossary Term: Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
UDL provides a framework for creating flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments that accommodate learner differences. For more information visit the Center for Applied Special Technology website.
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Featured Resource: EcoKids
Looking for a website to help with you teach environmental education? Look no further than EcoKids! Kids can learn about EcoKids, play fun games, and take an eco-challenge. Teachers, after signing up, can access lesson plans and printables, visit the literacy corner, enter contests, and more!
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LearningStore Resource: Live It, Learn It! The Academic Club Methodology for Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD
To help educators use this fun, multisensory teaching technique to motivate students, this handbook gives them:
- an easy-to-follow 15-step process for establishing an Academic Club with minimal expense
- information on how the clubs promote positive behavior and foster cooperation among students
- detailed profiles of Academic Clubs, complete with suggested activities, decorations, character roles, and costume ideas
- insightful interviews with teachers who have used the Academic Club Approach
- And more!
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Conferences — Mark your calendars!
Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD) 34th Annual Conference on Learning Disabilities
October 10-11, 2012
Austin, TX
Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) Annual Conference
February 13-16, 2013
San Antonio, TX
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Research: Education Department to Study ELLs with Disabilities
Challenges related to identifying English-language learners who have disabilities and providing appropriate services for them are about to become the subject of a U.S. Department of Education "exploratory" study. Using a case study approach, researchers will examine six school districts and three schools in each district. The goal is to learn more about current processes and personnel involved in the identification of English-language learners for special education services.
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