Learning Challenges Archives

Does My Child Need An IEP?

September 6, 2020 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

This is a question that doesn’t always have a quick answer. An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) provides specialized instruction so that a student can access the general education curriculum. Prior to beginning the IEP process a number of things need to be considered.

If your school follows a standards-based curriculum, how is your child progressing? Is your child meeting the standards for their grade level with minimal support during and after the school day? If so, it is likely that beginning the IEP process is not warranted.
Is your child accessing the general education instruction in their classroom with accommodations in place? Is he/she meeting standards with these accommodations in place? If so, then consideration of a 504 Plan is worthwhile.
If your child is struggling academically, have you and your child’s classroom teacher(s) identified the specific areas of concern? Have concrete instructional strategies and interventions that can be implemented in the classroom and at home over a set period of time been identified (Response to Intervention [RTI])? What was the outcome? Did your child make the progress expected? If so, continue to identify effective strategies and implement them at school and at home. If your child did not make progress toward or achieve their goals, despite excellent instruction and on-target strategies, it may be time to begin the IEP process.

The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Process

Prior to developing an IEP the student must be identified as having an educational disability. Parents are part of the team that addresses the question “does this student have an educational disability?” Other members of the team are usually comprised of a school-system psychologist, the child’s teacher(s), a special educator and often a school administrator. The team determines if they suspect the child has an educational disability and if further assessment is needed.

Generally, the team identifies questions that should be answered as part of the assessment process. Common questions might be:

What is the current level of STUDENT’S intellectual functioning?
What is the current level of STUDENT’S academic functioning?
How does STUDENT’S current level of intellectual and academic functioning impact their ability to access the general education curriculum without specialized instruction?

If the assessments and answers to these questions indicated that an educational disability is present, then the disability will be identified and the next step will be to develop an IEP. The IEP includes the current intellectual functioning and academic data. This information drives the identification of the goals and objectives which make up the heart of the document. The intensity of the support/intervention needed to meet the goals and objectives will determine the amount of service a student requires. This can range from 5 minutes a day to a full-day of specialized instruction.

Parents are often concerned about the stigma of their child receiving special education instruction. However, depending upon the structure of your child’s school and program, this intervention can be delivered seamlessly. As a special education teacher, administrator and consultant, I often ask parents, “If your child had significant allergies and they impacted their ability to do well in school, wouldn’t you intervene? If your child needed glasses, wouldn’t you provide them?” Almost everyone responds, “Absolutely.” This same response should be strongly considered if your child legitimately qualifies for special education support.

By Laurie Gross, Educational Consultant and Reading Specialist.

Encouraging Summer Reading at Every Age

May 27, 2020 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

Summer reading is a perennial rite of passage for school-age children. Some kids rush their parents to a local books store or online to Amazon the moment their school’s list is released; others would prefer for that piece of paper to stay crushed in the bottom of a backpack. But whether they like it or not, students of every age find themselves assigned at least one required book—if not three or five or seven—to keep them company in the warmer months.

Summer reading, however, can be much more than a requisite slog through a classic novel. School summer reading programs are a valuable part of academic enrichment, and with a little exploration and planning, going beyond your child’s school’s summer reading requirements can be a fun and exciting process–one that will give your child an academic edge come fall. Below, you’ll find three strategies for helping students elevate their summer reading experiences at any age.

Elementary-Age Students

Children in elementary school are only just getting acquainted with the rules and conventions of academic reading and writing. Through their first book reports, essays, and other writing assignments, they’re coming to see that writing in school comes with some very specific requirements, and they’re beginning to learn how they themselves fit into the big world of reading and writing. Some students may find this foray into maturity intimidating; for others, it may simply be exciting. Either way, finding their own writing skills and voice is one of the biggest challenges facing this age group, and it’s a perfect theme to address through summer reading.

A number of children’s publications feature stories and articles written by children, and now’s the time to introduce your kids to such writing. Highlights Magazine, Time for Kids, and Sports Illustrated For Kids are just a few of the many publications that routinely feature content created by children (in addition, the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series welcomes stories by kids). Even if your children never choose to submit their own work to these publications—which they very well might!—seeing kids’ writing featured and celebrated will give them a sense of involvement in the writing world, and an understanding of how writing might fit into their own lives. Plus, it tends to be easy to get kids interested in the subjects that other kids choose to write about—and the more minutes they spend reading this summer, the better off they’ll be in the fall.

Middle School Readers

By the time students enter sixth or seventh grade, they’ve been through the mill of school-assigned novels and probably sucked down a fair few fictional reads of their own choosing. While younger children often enjoy reading about protagonists whose lives resemble their own, middle schoolers might crave a bit more adventure and a bit less familiarity. They’re growing more curious and informed about the adult world, and are eager to begin breaking free of their own small childhood worlds. That’s why middle school is a great time to introduce students to engaging nonfiction summer reading.

Because research-based academic work will become more important as kids move up through the grades in school, getting more acquainted with factual readings now can be great academic preparation. And with the abundant free time that summer offers, students are also able to explore subjects that intrigue them more deeply—by checking supplementary texts out of the library, visiting museums, or trying out activities for themselves (maybe, for example, they’ll read a book about a champion bicyclist and decide to spend more time biking themselves). Letting kids’ existing interests dictate their reading is often a good way to go, but exposing them to new subjects is just as important. The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has an award for great nonfiction for young adults, and their lists of past and present winners are a great resource for finding books that might suit your child. It’s also valuable to remember that summer reading can be about texts that serve many different purposes—for some students, a cookbook or a guide to building tree houses will encourage reading much more than a traditional biography or book of essays ever could.

Teenagers

Teenagers are routinely introduced to classic adult fiction in their high school English classrooms, and it’s likely that their required summer reading will contain much of the same. For this age group, novels written for adults are often the stuff of work rather than play, but many teenagers are also reaching the point at which they are eager to appreciate books that aren’t specifically geared toward the Young Adult demographic. For these precocious readers, summer reading is a great opportunity to become acquainted with the broad world of contemporary literary fiction. With the abundance of exciting, well-written fiction being published these days, there are plenty of opportunities to introduce your teenager to novels that are both entertaining and thought-provoking—novels that will help draw them into a lifetime of happy, engaged reading.

Of course, passing along novels that you’ve enjoyed is always a good rule of thumb, but if you’re looking for suggestions, turn again to the trusty YALSA and their innovative Alex Awards. The Alex Awards are presented annually to new books written for adults that “have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.” Last year’s winners include critical darlings such as Maria Semple’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Louise Erdrich’s The Round House, and all of the winners are sure to engage teenagers in contemporary literary trends and conversations—and prepare them for the literary rigors of college along the way. In case your own teenager is on the less precocious side, YALSA also publishes outstanding lists of “Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers,” which are a great starting place for finding accessible, often plot-driven books for teenage readers who might rather not read.

For every age group, the resources are practically limitless—all it takes is a bit of initiative and know-how to help your children make their summer reading a truly transformative experience.

By Hannah Sheldon-Dean, Private Tutor

How to Avoid the Summer Slide

May 10, 2020 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

Summer is fast approaching and many parents have already planned activities and camps for their children, or they’re in the process of planning or recalibrating. We know that summer is the ultimate freedom, the time for exploration and play, the time to finally unwind from the busy school year. So how do you maintain your child’s academic skills while enjoying the freedom and playfulness of summer vacation? A critical part of summer planning relates to academics and keeping students’ skills not only intact, but also progressing. Each year, we observe that some of our own students slide back several weeks or months when summer vacation does not include any academic practice. While many students can recover fairly quickly during the fall, this summer slide is an unnecessary setback that can negatively impact a student’s confidence and make going back to school more difficult.

When you stop and think about it, the contrast between the structure of the school year and the liberation of summer is profound. During the school year, students are asked to sustain attention for long periods of time, to read critically, to write reflectively, to problem solve, and to synthesize information. The summer is typically the yin to the school year yang.

But a balance can be achieved to keep those learning muscles strong while still allowing for some rest and recovery. We view learning as a marathon, not a sprint, and the current school year schedule makes that tricky. With proper planning and collaboration, parents can help their children to maintain a successful position without creating a household battle.

So how do you do it? Each situation, each learner’s response to instruction, and each teacher is unique. For summer success, especially this year, we encourage parents to develop a strategic plan in partnership with their school, child, and, possibly, private tutor. From camp to virtual field trips to kitchen-lab science, there are tremendous enrichment and experiential learning opportunities available.

During the summer, students also need to practice sustaining attention, synthesizing information, and problem-solving in more structured ways to avoid cognitive atrophy and allow for a fairly seamless transition back to school. Here are 5 tips for planning summer learning. The most important thing is to set yourself up for success. Choose from the suggestions below, commit to a schedule and hold strong. Follow your child’s lead, but insist on a minimum of 15 minutes for each activity to maintain stamina. But most importantly, have fun!

1) Talk to your child’s teacher by early June. Prepare a friendly email or request a brief conference asking for recommendations of skills or concepts to work on during the summer. You might refer back to report card comments to confirm if certain skills were mastered. Also, confirm if there is any required schoolwork for the summer. Many schools ask students to read a certain number of books, to write book reports, or to complete math practice work over the summer. Book lists or summer packets may be available.

2) Talk with your kids about their learning goals. Once you’ve gathered more information from the school, share it with your children and talk with them about their summer interests. Review your family calendar and share the options for summer activities. Make your kids part of the process.

3) Read daily. It takes discipline, but all students need to read daily for a minimum of 20 minutes. Students also need to be engaged in conversations about the text. It is incredibly complex to develop proficiency with summarizing, identifying the main idea, determining an author’s message, or explaining the theme. Students need tremendous practice and modeling. For independent reading, should have “just right” books at an appropriately challenging reading level. Many families have the most success when this reading time is scheduled first thing in the morning or as an afternoon “siesta” period.

4) Practice writing and typing (even drawing helps). There are lots of ways to practice writing over the summer that are meaningful and fun. Our students often like to keep journals for writing friendly letters to their parents, family members, or tutors about their reading, and they love getting a written response in return. Students also like to write stories and publish their own books. A great site to use is www.blurb.com, and summer journaling with a tutor can be managed locally or from a distance via online collaborative tools. Typing is also a real-life skill that every student should master at an early age. Software is available to help students develop proficient typing skills.

5) Practice math. Set aside at least 3-4 times a week for math practice. Math practice should include problem-solving, mastering basic facts, and building number sense. Workbooks, games, and websites are readily available in addition to customized private programs and math camps. IXL.com has practice activities for every grade level aligned with state standards.

We wish everyone a wonderful and well-deserved summer vacation and a smooth transition back to school in the fall.

By Brad Hoffman, M.S.Ed.
Board Certified Educational Planner and Learning Specialist
My Learning Springboard, Inc.

Dr. Dorothy Strickland on Improving Early Literacy Skills

April 30, 2020 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

We can’t stress enough the importance of early literacy, thus we wanted to present this great video by Dr. Dorothy Strickland, who was the State of New Jersey Professor of Reading at Rutgers University; she passed away in April 2020. Prior to her appointment at Rutgers, Dr. Strickland was professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and she is also the coauthor of the text Supporting Struggling Readers and Writers.

In this video, Dr. Dorothy Strickland speaks at a hearing on improving literacy skills in children and young adults. In her presentation, she discusses the key role that early literacy plays in enabling the kind of early experiences linked to academic achievement:

“For example, young children need parents, caregivers, and teachers who: know that a child’s capacity for learning is not determined at birth; who involve children in trips to local points of interest and talk with them about what they see and do; who provide time for reading to children and talking with them about what is read.”

Check out some of our other resources on early literacy:

Written by: Editorial Team, My Learning Springboard, Inc.

Online Learning: Anxiety Management

April 8, 2020 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

As the coronavirus pandemic continues and we all settle into new routines, chances are that you and your family are experiencing some stress and anxiety around the state of the world and the uncertainty that comes with it. This situation can be especially challenging if your child is already dealing with high levels of anxiety and/or a diagnosed anxiety disorder. Plus, it can be tough to help kids stay calm when you’re not feeling so calm yourself!

But while online learning and guiding children’s education at home are certainly unfamiliar hurdles for many families, the good news is that they can also be great vehicles for practicing anxiety management. There are lots of helpful tools out there for helping manage children’s anxiety, but it can be hard to find ways to actually practice them in day-to-day life. By making the most of your child’s new at-home school day, you can build anxiety management into daily routines and help your child develop healthy habits that will be help them keep their cool for years to come.

Set Daily Intentions

Studies show that children tend to benefit when they have clear—and high!—expectations to live up to. That doesn’t mean that you need to hold your child to an unrealistically high standard, but it does mean that they should know what’s expected of them each and every day. This is especially true now, when the lack of commitments outside the home can make kids feel like the days are all the same and the stakes are low. In turn, that sense of not knowing what to expect can exacerbate kids’ anxiety.

Accordingly, one helpful anxiety management technique is to start each school day with a predictable ritual that makes it clear what the rest of the day will hold. This should include a few key components:

A quick review of what the day’s schedule will look like. What will your child do first? When will they take a break? What time is lunch?
A rundown of the tasks that will be completed. This might be a concrete goal (finish chapter 3, for instance) or a set amount of time devoted to a topic (read for 30 minutes).
An assessment of what supplies will be needed, and where your child can find them. Will they need a calculator, markers, or a timer? Work together to gather those supplies now so that your child doesn’t have to waste worry looking for them later.

Then, it’s also helpful to include a “bonus” in your child’s morning ritual, so that they—and you!—remember that the day can be as much about fun as anything else. Be creative here—what does your child enjoy and find exciting? This could be reading a bit of a favorite book, spending time playing with a pet, or checking on the plants growing on your terrace. Any quick activity that brings calm and focus to your child’s morning is a great way to start off the school day on the right foot.

Make the Most of Breaks

Having enough time to just breathe is a huge part of effective anxiety management. If your child feels pressured to focus and achieve every minute of the day, they’re likely to have higher levels of anxiety—especially now, when they might be scared about the pandemic and having difficulty processing their feelings.

That’s why it’s essential to take plenty of breaks during the remote school day. Depending on your child’s age and personality, you might schedule short breaks in between subjects, have one longer break in the middle of the day, or try a 50/50 model—for instance, 30 minutes of work followed by 30 minutes of play. Experiment with different break structures and see which one works best for your child. You can even use different structures on different days to break up the week; maybe one structure is for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while another is for Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Beyond just taking breaks, it’s also important to build anxiety management tools into your child’s breaks as much as you can. They might just want to reach for an iPad game—and sometimes, that’s completely okay! But you’ll also want to encourage them to use more focused stress-busting activities when you can. For example, this might include:

Having a quick dance party to a favorite song—music and physical activity can both help relieve anxiety!
Taking a walk outside or even just sitting by a window for some fresh air and sunshine.
Spending a bit of time on a creative project, whether that’s playing with clay for a few minutes or coloring in a drawing page.
“Meeting up” with a friend for a FaceTime snack break. Kids need to keep in touch with their loved ones just as much as you do!

By being purposeful about breaks and what your child does with them, you’ll make anxiety management a regular touchpoint throughout the day.

Celebrate Small Wins

During these unprecedented days of remote learning, it can be hard to know whether you and your family are “doing it right.” But rest assured—there’s no one right way to handle this situation! It’s important to emphasize this point to your children, whether they’re used to getting straight As or struggling with the new requirements of online learning. Just by getting through the days during this uncertain time, kids and families alike are reaching a meaningful goal that deserves to be celebrated, and marking achievements (even ones that might seem small) is another great way to practice anxiety management.

To do this, try closing out your child’s school day with a rundown of what went well that day. These might be academic milestones, like a good grade on an online quiz, but it’s also helpful to guide your child in celebrating other kinds of success. For instance, did your child demonstrate any of these positive behaviors today?

Sticking with a challenging task
Helping out around the house
Caring for a pet or sibling
Coming up with a creative idea
Being quiet or focused when asked

Any chance you have to compliment your child and focus on how they’re succeeding is a chance to support anxiety management, so make this a daily habit to round out the school day on a positive note.

It’s an overwhelming time for most of us, and anxiety management is really critical. If there are any ways our team can help to support your family with online learning, school planning, or parent coaching, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

By Hannah Sheldon-Dean, MSW and Private Tutor, Brad Hoffman, MS.Ed. and CEP, and Faya Hoffman, M.A. and CEP