If a child has a learning disability, summer months can be thought of as a period of relaxation away from academics and learning. Although, it is also important to remember that students with learning disabilities can lose critical skills over the summer months. The balance is to find fun and creative ways to keep academic skills sharp during this period of time without seeming like you are doing “school.” Here are some ideas to have fun and be creative this summer with your early childhood LD learner. Another name for…Throughout the day, make a game of vocabulary building with everyday… Read More »
Early Intervention
Early Intervention is important for long-term success for individuals with learning disabilities (LD) and/or ADHD. Early identification includes the evaluation and treatment provided to families and their children under 3 years old who have, or are at risk for having, a disability or delay in speech, language, or hearing. A child can quickly fall behind if speech and language learning is delayed. Early identification increases the chances for improving communication skills. Once disorders are diagnosed professionals can help to remediate and accommodate for success at home and in the classroom.
WEBINAR: Transforming Third Grade Common Core Stress to Success for Students with Learning Disabilities
December 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment
The convergence of Common Core Assessments and Third Grade Retention policies pose a major threat to students with learning disabilities nationwide. Students with LD are likely to be retained and/or fall behind in their reading comprehension. This presentation will focus on how parents, teachers, outside professionals and advocates can help students with learning disabilities using a combination of strategies from early identification, effective interventions, the most effective accommodations, parent and teacher collaboration and other innovative ideas. Our presenters, Mira and Mark Halpert, will share some startling statistics that highlight the risks, share strategies parents and professionals can use and discuss… Read More »
October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month!
October 1, 2014 By 7 Comments
Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) is working hard this month to shine the spotlight on learning disabilities. It is important during Learning Disabilities (LD) Month to focus less on the disabilities aspect and focus more on the incredible abilities so many of these individuals possess as well as emphasize the phenomenal achievements and important strides so many of these individuals have made. Membership in LDA is a way in which to support and nurture individuals with learning disabilities throughout not only the United States but the world. LDA does make a difference in the lives of those it touches.… Read More »
Early Childhood Intervention Makes a Difference
October 1, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Parents are their child’s first teachers. Understanding what their child must have to grow, learn and thrive can be a tremendous learning process for every parent. Much is known about how a young child learns and how their brains develop. We also know that emotional, behavioral, motor and language development all occur differently in each child. Parents need reassurance as issues in development appear. It is important for parents to find the support needed from their own self education, from family relationships and from their communities. Children develop at their own pace and our first job as parents is to… Read More »
Starting School: Ages 3 to 8
July 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment
by Meg Carroll, Early Childhood Education Committee Time to start school? For the first time? For a new academic year? Truth be told, there are at least a few students looking forward to school. And they are not all “A” students. Because schools have to coordinate the movement of large numbers of people, schools use routines. Many children find these routines comfortable and empowering. Young children love to tell “what comes next” in a typical school day. That’s why summer, although it’s fun, can also be stressful to some children. The routine is less apparent, so children don’t feel they… Read More »
Early Childhood Committee Targets National Concerns
May 28, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Finally Congress and some state and local leaders are starting to understand the importance of early childhood education. Equal access to quality early childhood education is a different matter and certainly dependent on where young children live in this country and what their family’s economic situation is at present. While Washington works through funding issues for early childhood education and hopefully gets promised dollars to the states, it is important for LDA members to work in their own state and community to improve access to quality childhood programs. The LDA Early Childhood Committee is dedicated to helping its state and… Read More »
The Third-Grade Reader
May 28, 2014 By Leave a Comment
by Margaret Blood and Richard Weissbourd State education officials recently trumpeted gains in 10th-grade MCAS scores, while headlines warned that 6,000 high school seniors have not yet passed the science test now required for graduation. When community-by-community MCAS results are announced today, we should all focus on a number that foreshadows later success – or failure – in school: third-grade reading scores. Third grade marks the critical transition from “learning to read’’ to “reading to learn,’’ as reading begins to underpin instruction in all subjects. Yet 43 percent of Massachusetts third-graders tested last May were not proficient readers. The results… Read More »
What is an Individualized Family Service Plan?
October 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment
After your young child’s evaluation is complete and he or she is found eligible for early intervention services, you, as parents, and a team will meet to develop a written plan for providing early intervention services to your child and, as necessary, to your family. This plan is called the Individualized Family Service Plan, or IFSP. The IFSP is a very important document, and you, as parents, are important members of the team that develops it. This webpage focuses on the IFSP–both the process of writing it and what type of information it will contain. The IFSP is a written… Read More »
First Steps for Parents When School Problems Are Observed
October 15, 2013 By 1 Comment
If a student is having unusual difficulty in school the parent should discuss the situation with the teacher and other school personnel. Most schools have a problem-solving team which works with families in reviewing and solving problems that affect school performance before beginning a formal process of referral for special education and related services as described in IDEA. Problem-solving activities or strategies used by the regular education teacher to address the child’s difficulty may consist of changes in the physical environment, changes in instructional approaches, short-term remedial activities, peer tutoring, or behavioral management plans. Learn more about who serves on… Read More »
Reading Instruction: Tips for Teachers
October 15, 2013 By 2 Comments
Reading is the single most important educational skill your students will learn. Understanding the organization and meaning of text and instruction in both phonics and literature is essential to helping young children read. By understanding the prerequisite skills for reading, teachers can build a solid foundation for their students to learn and succeed in school. Here are some ways to create appreciation of the written word, develop awareness of printed language, teach the alphabet, develop phonological and phonemic awareness, teach the relation of sounds and letters, teach children how to sound out words and to spell words, and help children… Read More »
Early Childhood Resource Websites
October 12, 2013 By 2 Comments
The following websites regarding early childhood issues provide useful information for parents, teachers, and other interested professionals. Included are general websites from organizations specializing in early education and information for parents, teachers and policymakers; resources on reading to infants and toddlers; and free resources for parents and teachers from the US Office of Education, information on early childhood in IDEA 2004, and a great tool kit developed for parents by the Office of Special Education Programs. Using these resources can lead to additional websites and sources of information to find answers to other questions about the development of babies and… Read More »
Early Writing: Why Squiggles Are Important
October 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Much earlier than the time when we actually think of children as writers or readers, we must begin to provide opportunities that encourage writing. There are a number of ways to do this. Having conversations with children; answering those why questions; talking about what you see as you drive to various places; sharing stories and storybooks are just a few of the ways that our young children can be engaged in conversations. Even though we are talking about early writing, early literacy is really a more correct statement, as the experiences that relate to early reading go hand in hand… Read More »
Activities For Young Children: Providing Practice For Development
October 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Young children with learning disabilities need many opportunities to practice the skills they are taught. Both parents and caregivers should plan activities to provide the positive practice needed for development. Here are some ideas for playing games using newly learned letters and words; finding numbers, letters and words in everyday items; other games that provide practice with numbers, letters, words and concepts; and using computer games and software to practice skills already learned. As you become familiar with these ideas to help your child become more aware of the ways that letters, words and numbers can be used, you will… Read More »
Parents Are Their Child’s First Teachers
October 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Many simple everyday occurrences provide excellent opportunities to enhance your child’s development. Never underestimate the value of even 15 minutes of quality time spent with your child. Remember, you are your child’s first teacher! Talk about everything around you and respond with sentences using any words the child contributes. Play games with the alphabet to introduce new letters. Tell stories about your childhood, your child’s favorite book or video character. When reading a story, describe what’s going on in the pictures and ask your child what he thinks. Let your child see that reading is fun and it’s important to… Read More »
Assessment of Readiness Skills During Early Childhood
October 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Young children develop rapidly, frequently experiencing tremendous change and growth physically, cognitively, linguistically, and socially. Preschoolers, for example, seem to race from one milestone to the next. Nevertheless, the rate of growth and development among young children varies greatly. Indeed, as a result of this high variability during early childhood that can be seen in nearly any environment with preschoolers and kindergartners, many professionals balk at labeling children as learning disabled. Studies indicate that early intervention can make a significant difference in a child’s development and many other professionals want to respond promptly when they note developmental delays or see… Read More »
Early Childhood Assessment-Birth to Three Years
October 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
It is important for parents and professionals to work closely together. When they become a team, everyone has a better understanding of how an infant, baby or child is responding to the world, how he or she learns, and what he or she can do. To begin this process parents need to observe their child carefully and record their observations so they can discuss their child’s development with the professionals who work with babies and young children and their families. This type of assessment is a developmental assessment. The following guidelines will assist parents of a child from birth to… Read More »
A Learning Disability is Only One Part of a Child
October 11, 2013 By 1 Comment
When a child is born, it is usually a time of joy for the whole family. How new parents respond to this new little person is influenced by many factors. Some feelings revolve around how comfortable parents are in taking care of the child, whether the child was wanted, and whether the child is welcomed into an intact family. The personality of the infant as defined by Chess and Thomas is also a factor. Some are easy, contented babies, others may be fussy. Tactilely defensive babies, who do not want to be held, may cause the mother to question her… Read More »
Helping Young Children with Learning Disabilities at Home
October 3, 2013 By 1 Comment
Many parents of young children with learning disabilities ask what they can do at home to help their youngsters. Generally, the first step is to try to understand the child’s difficulties and to consider how these weaknesses might impact on self-help skills, communication, discipline, play and independence; however, above all, we encourage them to focus on the child’s strengths in order to build self-esteem and to help them become an integral part of the family. Like all parents, they need to consider the delicate balance between providing too much or too little assistance for the child‒a balance between under and… Read More »
