SUMMER LEARNING IS VITAL

Whew! We have completed a school year with all its ups and downs. Teaching and learning are both challenging and require our best effort everyday! Now we (teachers, students and parents) are ready for a break.Yes, it is vital for all of us to get away and do something completely different for a bit - it is good for our brain, emotions, and our body.

But, alas, we should only take a short break from all things academic. We know that when we allow too much time to go by, we begin to forget or at the very least, get rather rusty at what we once did well. Same for your child's academics. In order to not have to deal with intensive review in August, your child really must maintain skills this summer. 

Your child's teacher is the best person to ask for ideas of what should be reviewed or retaught in these two short summer months. Besides purchasing a workbook to practice reading, writing, grammar or math, there are some good (and beware - not so good) online tools. Free are best, but free can also just be a waste due to all fun and no real challenge in learning, repetition and true instruction in weak skills.  

To provide free reading practice that also has comprehension questions and writing, check out www.readworks.org    ReadWorks is free and a parent can register themselves and their child, if you want him/her to work online. Online is easier to grade, in my opinion, but you can also print out the passages and grade that way.  Specific reading skills are targeted as well as all reading levels and interests. It is important to provide practice, improve fluency, and remediate skills.  

Another valuable site, which I believe is still free to parents/kids, is www.mobymax.com
I love this one as it targets ALL sorts of academic areas from K-12. It has phonics, reading, vocabulary, grammar, math, science, social studies, test prep and so much more. Again, a parent may register themselves and then their child. When there is an assessment, please just get your child started, but then STEP AWAY FROM THE CHILD and allow them to finish complete with their own errors.  This allows the program to adjust and begin at the child's  level of need - which you want.  If you provide 'help' it can adjust to levels too high and not be beneficial at all. Just choose the icons of greatest need in which to work...do not have your child do them all. That would be too overwhelming. 

Finally, if you have not checked out these two helpful resources, you MUST! First, I love this parent friendly site as it covers so many learning needs with resources and parent advice. It is www.understood.org  Even as a teacher, I love its informative articles and tips! Then, if you have any concerns about your child's language impairment or dyslexia, you must visit www.dys-add.com/   which has important information about what dyslexia is, how to  identify it and steps to take. I love that it will read anything printed on that site to you as well as all the helpful videos available. 

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE is the best way to keep those skills sharp.  You can do that is so many FUN ways.  Have fun, learn, keep skills sharp and begin well in that next grade in August!

Have a blessed summer, 
Mrs. Stewart, FMCS LRP

New and great resource!!

I want to thank Tamara for sharing a great resource link!!

Hi Myra,

First off, I wanted to say thank you for putting together the "The Learning Resource Program at Fort Myers Christian School, Fort Myers, FL" page on your site (http://mrsstewartsresourceroomfmcs.blogspot.com/). There are some really useful links/resources on there.

Also, there's a resource guide by SuperSummary called the "Guide to Overcoming Dyslexia" (http://www.supersummary.com/dyslexia-guide/) that I thought your visitors would also find helpful. Perhaps it would be worth adding it to your page? Let me know what you think.

In any case, hopefully I'm not bothering you. Have a great day!

Best,
Tamara Haskell

These answer a lot of questions and are terrific resources for parents of students with learning needs:

My favorite for parents:     Understood https://www.understood.org/

Great resource:                   Smart Kids With Learning Disabilities www.smartkidswithld.org/

Provides tech tools:            Learning Ally https://www.learningally.org/

Develop self-Advocacy Skills in Your Child

This article discusses the importance of teaching your child in the early years to understand what is needed for his/her learning success and develop respectful ways to speak to the teacher(s) about obtaining the agreed upon supports and accommodations.

http://www.smartkidswithld.org/getting-help/raising-independent-kids-2/self-advocacy-strategies-ages/

Summer help to keep sharp!

These are terrific resources for parents of students with learning needs:

BEST PARENT LINK:      Understood https://www.understood.org/

Smart Kids With Learning Disabilities www.smartkidswithld.org/

Learning Ally https://www.learningally.org/

Use the Lee Public Library to practice skills: 

https://www.leegov.com/library/kids/homework 

and also:   

https://www.leegov.com/library/kids/kid-friendly-apps  

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS! (updated)

These are terrific resources for parents of students with learning needs:

BEST PARENT LINK:      Understood https://www.understood.org/

Smart Kids With Learning Disabilities www.smartkidswithld.org/

Learning Ally https://www.learningally.org/

Use the Lee Public Library to practice skills: 

https://www.leegov.com/library/kids/homework 

and also:   

https://www.leegov.com/library/kids/kid-friendly-apps  

Inspiring Struggling Students: ADHD

  Parents, this is a YouTube video that is almost an hour long. However, you could just listen to it, perhaps with headphones on your phone as you walk, drive, or clean.  There are just a few slides that you can go back and take a look at later. This is very informative and you can learn a lot about your child who has ADHD and ways to cope with school work, homework, fidgeting and ideas to defuse for both you and your child.
 

Please click on link below.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nwAkQmYUeI

CREDITS:

Published on Nov 13, 2014

Strategies for Students with ADD

Martha Cole (Verticy Program) and Michelle Dunn (Orton-Gillingham trained)

Join Calvert education counselors for the second of this three part series for students that are struggling to succeed. This session will focus on helping students to focus on their assigned reading and lessons and includes ideas for hands-on learning, varied environments for study as well as many other tips.

Need more information? Call Calvert Education Counselors toll-free at 1-877-638-0237.

Fun and Simple Exercises Help Children’s Attentiveness

NeuroNET LEARNING has a research blog that is worth checking out!  The link below connects you to: Fun and Simple Exercises Help Children’s Attentiveness.  Once you've explored that topic, take a look around their site for more valuable insights and tips!

http://neuronetlearning.com/blog/fun-and-simple-exercises-help-childrens-attentiveness/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fun-and-simple-exercises-help-childrens-attentiveness

What is Dyslexia - YouTube video

What is Dyslexia - Ask an Expert!  Created by THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES   Click on the link below or copy and paste into your browser's window.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKsjfnCMuYY

Want to connect with parents of children with ADHD, learning disabilities, dyslexia and more?

https://www.understood.org

Our Mission at UNDERSTOOD.ORG:  

 

Our goal is to help the millions of parents whose children, ages 3–20, are struggling with learning and attention issues. We want to empower them to understand their children’s issues and relate to their experiences. With this knowledge, parents can make effective choices that propel their children from simply coping to truly thriving.
This journey can pose challenges, though. That’s where Understood comes in. Understood aims to give parents a direct path to the support they need most to make them feel more confident and capable, less frustrated and alone:

• We promise well-researched, practical information that’s easy to apply to everyday life.
• We promise daily access to expert advice that’s free of charge, clearly communicated and never influenced by commercial interests.
• We promise a secure community where parents can trade tips and experiences with other parents like them.
• We promise to help parents recognize and develop their children's strengths—and to address their challenges.
• We promise to share resources and tips to help parents work constructively with schools, professionals and others in their community.
• We promise to respect parents’ privacy and their knowledge of what’s best for their children and family.
• We promise to listen to feedback and use it so that we can continue to make Understood better and better.

By fulfilling these promises, we believe we can help parents achieve successes, large and small, that fuel their child’s progress.

Succeeding is Believing (Having Good Teachers Helps, Too) « Smart Kids With LD Smart Kids With LD

Succeeding is Believing (Having Good Teachers Helps, Too) « Smart Kids With LD Smart Kids With LD

Dyscalculia -Learning Disability involving math

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO LEARN MORE: http://ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dyscalculia

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia refers to a wide range of lifelong learning disabilities involving math. There is no single type of math disability. Dyscalculia can vary from person to person, and it affects people differently at different stages of life. Work-around strategies and accommodations help lessen the obstacles that dyscalculia presents. And just like in the area of reading, math LD is not a prescription for failure.

A PEEK INSIDE OUR LEARNING RESOURCE PROGRAM

 Bella (1st gr.) segmenting sounds in a word for her spelling test.

 Tyler (2nd gr.) practicing spelling words on SPELLING CITY.com

 The Learning Resource classroom is set up for standardized testing week.

 Middle school students working on a language arts program online.

 

 So VERY PROUD of Lucas, 7th grade, who competed in the ACSI Speech Meet in Miami!!!

Danny (4th gr.) using the iPad for some skill practice. 

 

 Middle school students reading/listening to a class novel.

 

 Individual reading time!

 

ADHD Symptoms in Girls and Boys | Different Signs of ADD/ADHD - NCLD

ADHD Symptoms in Girls and Boys | Different Signs of ADD/ADHD - NCLD

Do Boys and Girls Show the Same ADHD Symptoms?

By Mark Griffin, PhD

Girls and boys tend to display different ADHD symptoms. You could say that boys with ADHD frequently stand out more in the crowd than their female peers. In addition to having trouble paying attention and being easily distracted, boys with attention-deficit issues are often more likely to act out in school. Girls regardless of which kind of ADHD they have—the hyperactive-impulsive kind or the inattentive, daydreamy kind (also known as ADD)—seem to compensate better in school. Teachers might notice them being a little itchy or overly chatty, but girls are less likely than boys to be blurting things out in class or pushing or shoving the kid next to them. Teachers tend to have a different tolerance level for the behavior girls with ADHD exhibit than they do for boys with ADHD. Signs to look for in girls include: Being withdrawn A daydreamy or “ditzy” quality Non-stop talking Interrupting and speaking out of turn Messiness or disorganization Trouble finishing tests and assignments on time Being overly emotional or sensitive In the book Understanding Girls With AD/HD, Dr. Kathleen Nadeau says, “Girls are less rebellious, less defiant, generally less ‘difficult’ than boys.” Because they’re socialized to please teachers and parents, girls try hard to compensate for the disorder—making it much harder to spot. When teachers or parents do take note of girls’ behavior, explains Nadeau, they might chalk it up to immaturity or lack of academic ability, rather than ADHD. Boys with ADHD often behave in ways that are tough for teachers to ignore. This helps explain why boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than their female peers and also why boys tend to get diagnosed as younger ages than girls. Girls are diagnosed with ADHD on average five years later than boys—boys at age 7 and girls at age 12. There are also many girls who never get diagnosed. Research indicates as many as 75 percent of girls with attention issues are undiagnosed. Research indicates that girls with ADHD often struggle more than boys to pay attention, and as they get older, they are more likely than girls who don’t have ADHD to have problems with depression, substance abuse and eating disorders. Since girls often present different ADHD symptoms than boys, it’s important to be familiar with the more subtle ways in which girls act out. That awareness will help girls who do have ADHD get the help they need sooner. Dr. Mark Griffin is the former Head of Eagle Hill School, a school for children with language -based learning disabilities in Greenwich, Connecticut. He’s a member of the Professional Advisory Board and Board of Directors of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this article without seeking professional advice. The contents of this article contain information that may or may not pertain to your situation. NCLD and its agents disclaim all liability for actions you take or fail to take based on this content.

FREE presentation on Dyslexia by leading dyslexia expert, Susan Barton, Thursday, January 23

FREE and I HIGHLY recommend attending if possible!

Click on the link near the end to register for: Thursday, January 23, 6-9 PM

Learn about dyslexia from leading dyslexia expert, Susan Barton.

You'll learn:

1. Dyslexia's inheritance patterns and the genetic link
2. The symptoms of mild dyslexia in adults
3. The classic warning signs in children
4. Why most dyslexic children don't qualify for special ed
5. Research-based "best practices" to improve spelling, reading, and writing
6. Why tutoring alone is not enough -- and much more!!!

Who should attend?

Parents who are trying to determine if dyslexia is their child's issue, or who know it is and need to understand all the areas that it will impact, including math and memorization

Teachers who don't understand why children who can't master spelling and struggle with reading don't qualify for special education services

Reading Specialists who need to know how to informally identify which of their struggling readers may have dyslexia -- and what to do to help them

Principals who want to start early intervention programs to achieve the goal of No Child Left Behind -- that every student is reading at grade level by the end of third grade

Resource Specialists who need to know how to close the gap for students who have a learning disability

School Psychologists who want to learn to distinguish dyslexia from other learning disabilities

Speech Language Therapists who are often the first specialists to work with dyslexic children because of their difficulty articulating R's and L's, M's and N's, and S, SH and CH

Pediatricians who are often asked by parents to test their children for dyslexia

Counselors and Psychologists who often deal with the lifelong emotional damage that undetected dyslexia and academic failure causes

Click here for a list of upcoming presentations.

Susan Barton is trained in seven different Orton-Gillingham-based programs and teaches graduate-level courses on dyslexia through the University of San Diego.

Susan was recently inducted into the International Dyslexia Association’s Hall of Honor.

Click here to learn more about Susan.

Sponsored by:

The Learning Solution

Seats ARE still available, but please register to make sure we have enough handouts.

Leading dyslexia expert, Susan Barton, will give three FREE dyslexia presentations in Florida this month.

January 21   Jacksonville

January 23   Ft. Myers

January 24   Spring Hill

Come learn why bright children struggle first with spelling, then with written expression, and eventually hit a wall in reading development by third grade -- if not sooner.

Susan will share the symptoms & causes of dyslexia, effective tutoring methods, and simple classroom accommodations needed to succeed. Susan will also stay and answer questions from the audience.

This free presentation is open to the public. Parents, teachers, principals, reading specialists, and other professionals are encouraged to attend.

Ft. Myers

Date:	Thursday, January 23
Time:	6:00 - 9:00 pm
Place:	First Baptist Church of Ft. Myers
	1735 Jackson Street, Ft. Myer, FL 33901
Contact:	Kristin Current     email
	239-313-6211
	Click here to register for Ft. Myers

Dyslexia Insight #4: by Ben Foss

Dyslexia Insight #4: Seven Secret Fears About Your Dyslexic Child - NCLD

Dyslexia Insight #3: By Ben Foss

Dyslexia Insight #3: What It Takes for a Dyslexic Kid to Love Books - NCLD

Dyslexia Insight #2: By Ben Foss

Dyslexia Insight #2: The Best Way to Start a Conversation About Dyslexia - NCLD

Dyslexia Insight #1: By: Ben Foss

Dyslexia Insight #1: Make Dyslexia About Strengths—Not Shame - NCLD

Free Webinar: HELPING STUDENTS HANDLE HOMEWORK TIME

HELPING STUDENTS HANDLE HOMEWORK TIME

 

By popular demand, Educational Therapist Shawn Simon returns to Learning Ally on September 10 to deliver a free public webinar for parents and teachers of children with dyslexia. Shawn's live tutorial on Getting a Handle on Homework delivers proven strategies to help students and families manage the stress of homework hour, keep on top of assignments and avoid "backpack disasters." Please consider this chance to register for this free session.