Dr. Forgan’s articles about helping children with learning disabilities.

When Jacob Can’t Read

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There is a major problem when ‘Jacob’ can’t read and is in the first grade or higher. If your son, daughter, or grandchild is 6 or older and can’t read get it checked out. This advice assumes your child has at least average intelligence, attends school, and receives adequate instruction. At this young age the timing is critical so don’t let anyone tell you to wait and see or just give ‘em more time. I can evaluate your child to determine the best reading program to teach him or her.

My son was fortunate that I knew the warning signs to look for because in kindergarten he struggled to learn to read. He attended preschool, had a good kindergarten reading teacher, and we worked together at home, but he just could not seem to unlock the reading code. The traditional way of learning to read did not work for him. I paid a certified Orton-Gillingham based multisensory reading tutor to begin teaching him twice a week using this specialized method. It did wonders and he learned to read and now as a middle school student reads like a pro. My family and I are forever grateful to Mrs. Johnson for her skill in helping teach him to read. The testing and tutoring were great investments for his future success.

These are some warning signs to look for in young children: speech problems, slow reading, knowing a word in one sentence but not the other, difficulty sounding out words, and poor everyday spelling. Warning signs in older students include: does not enjoy reading, difficulty remembering what was read, difficulty telling important from unimportant details, spells poorly, and when speaking, may have difficulty finding the correct word. These warning signs often get worse with age. I can evaluate children for reading problems as young as age five and a half.

When Kids Struggle

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Up to 20 percent of kids struggle to learn.  Reading is the academic area where most kids struggle followed by writing.  If you have a child that struggles in school then you know first hand how frustrating it is for your child.  Because of your child’s struggles you might call him or her names like lazy, unmotivated, or difficult.  Most schools are not equipped to effectively deal with kids that struggle.  Kids make some progress but not enough to overcome their difficulties.  So, what are parents to do? 

There are some good books parents can read to help their child.  Here are a few suggestions.  Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, The Motivation Breakthrough by Rick Lavoie, Winning With People by John C. Maxwell, and The New Dare to Discipline by James Dobson. 

I also recommend an evaluation for your child because this process determines if there is a learning disability, information processing disorder, or other subtle issue that is the underlying problem.  Most kids and teens do not want to go to school and struggle.  When they struggle, battle with homework, argue, stress, and stomach aches and headaches increase you know there are real issues.  If you see these warning signs then consider having me evaluate your child.  You can find out what is going with your on for about the cost of a new set of tires and you’ll get a lot more mileage from helping your child.  Having answers can give you an action plan for your child and peace of mind for you.

Don’t Wait For Your Child To Fail

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As a parent, are you thinking, “I hope things go better for my child in school this year?”  Do you anticipate a negative daily call from the school about your child’s behavior or effort?  Your child’s issues from last year may not have surfaced yet but could be bubbling.  My advise to you is don’t take a wait and see approach.  Time is too valuable and the school year will be over before we know it.  Historically, school districts move slow when supporting kids that struggle. 

Be proactive.  If you know your child may have learning or behavioral issues at school, contact me.  The results of my evaluation will identify strengths and weaknesses.  It is accepted by all schools.  This documentation will speed up the help your child receives in school.  Without written documentation, your child’s school won’t make any accommodations.  These are things like not counting off for messy handwriting, a reduced list of spelling words, use of a word processor, copies of notes, not missing recess, and extra time on tests and assignments.  In order to receive extra time on the SAT or ACT, your child must currently have this accommodation in place at school. 

A proactive investment in your child’s future will save you from wasting your money on hit and miss search for answers.  Your child’s school will give extra help and support if you have the proper documentation.  Answers await you.  Don’t wait for your child to fail before getting help.  Your child will thank you.

IEPs Versus 504 Plans

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Many children have repeated a grade in school, get poor grades, can not pass tests, and struggle to remember information despite being intelligent and making an effort to learn.  These children can often qualify for extra help or accommodations in school.  The type of extra help come from having a 504 accommodation plan and/or an individualized education plan (IEP).  Both plans can allow for extra time on in class tests and the FCAT, non-graded spelling tests, frequent breaks while working, use of a word processor, spell checker, and many more. 

In order to qualify for either plan, parents must provide the school with testing documentation that shows the child has an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity which includes reading, writing, learning, and listening.  A licensed psychologist in private practice can help parents and public schools have a psychologist on staff as well.  You may be thinking, “Is one type of plan better than the other?”

The 504 accommodation plan is not considered special education.  Schools do not receive any additional money to implement 504 plans.  Schools do receive extra money if a child is in special education and has and individualized education plan (IEP).  If a child qualifies for special education, they receive extra help from a special education teacher.  Students with a 504 plan typically do not receive help from a special education teacher and parents must provide tutoring at their own expense.  School personnel do not frequently tell parents that once a child is in special education, they rarely get out.  I can help you decide which plan is best for your child.

Holding Kids Back

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It is the time of year when parents and/or school personnel consider retaining a small percentage of children to complete another year in the same grade.  The argument that parents often hear is something like, “Mark is immature and lagging academically behind his peers so another year would allow him to catch-up and boost his confidence because he’ll do much better with the curriculum a second time.”  In most cases, I disagree.  If your child is average or only has a learning disability, ask yourself the question, “What will be drastically different in the academic curriculum that makes you think Mark will need another year?”  The answer is “probably not very much.”  A second time will not solve most problems.  Major research studies indicate that retention (regardless of grade) is associated with later high school drop out, lower levels of academic achievement in the 11th grade, and decreased self-esteem.  It’s cited that children perceive retention as one of the most stressful events they could experience (see my www.wrightslaw.com for references). 

If your child is doing so poorly that the school is considering retention, have a thorough psychoeducational evaluation completed as soon as possible.  The evaluation provides answers so you don’t use a hit and miss approach for helping your child.  An evaluation should be thorough and information should be gathered from parents, teachers, the child, and others.  At minimum, a licensed school psychologist’s evaluation should include intelligence, academic, self-esteem, and information processing tests.  Parents should receive a through, in person, follow-up explanation of results with specific recommendations in a written report.  A psychoeducational evaluation is the main way to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses to form an appropriate action plan.  The plan is used so parents and school personnel can work together to improve your child’s performance without retention.