Prevent Summer Learning Loss Before It Happens

2021-10-07T09:17:27+00:00

Reading activities during the summer can play an important role in helping students maintain their reading skills. Summer slump, or the potential for academic skills to regress during school vacation, is a concern for many students. Children with language-based learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, may be at a higher risk of summer slump than their peers.(1) More generally, children who may also be more vulnerable to summer slump are those who take a vacation not just from school, but also from engaging with text during the summer months. These reduced reading experiences may be because students don’t enjoy reading, they may not [...]

Prevent Summer Learning Loss Before It Happens2021-10-07T09:17:27+00:00

Academic Success and ADHD

2021-10-07T07:21:18+00:00

Staying in their seats until given permission to get up, raising their hands before talking, paying attention when the teacher speaks, following directions to complete repetitive work within time constraints, and becoming increasingly independent and organized are all hurdles the student with ADHD faces—hurdles which can prevent them from meeting academic success. Experts suggest that many of the school problems experienced by children with ADHD do not result solely from the biological factors that underlie the disorder, but from a disparity between the child and the learning environment. Some suggest that a shift needs to occur away from accommodating these students’ weaknesses to [...]

Academic Success and ADHD2021-10-07T07:21:18+00:00

Talking to Your Kid About Their Learning Disability

2021-10-07T09:10:44+00:00

Difficult conversations are exactly how they sound: difficult. They can be uncomfortable, awkward, emotional, and go all wrong. But, with a little guidance, research, and planning, these difficult conversations can actually be really great. You’ll be amazed how much you can learn about your child, how open the lines of communication can become, and that really, it doesn’t have to be so bad.There are a few things to consider when preparing to talk to your child about his/her learning disability. Notice that I said “preparing.” The best outcomes require a little planning and forethought. Here are some suggestions and tips to [...]

Talking to Your Kid About Their Learning Disability2021-10-07T09:10:44+00:00

Strengths of the Dyslexic Mind

2021-10-10T05:28:13+00:00

“The single most important implication of research in dyslexia is not ensuring that we don’t derail the development of a future Leonardo or Edison; it is making sure that we do not miss the potential of any child. Not all children with dyslexia have extraordinary talents, but every one of them has a unique potential that all too often goes unrealized because we don’t know how to tap it.” —Maryanne Wolf, Proust and the Squid(1) Too often we focus solely on remediation for students with dyslexia; while that’s critical, it also is important to recognize the many strengths that individuals with dyslexia possess. Most [...]

Strengths of the Dyslexic Mind2021-10-10T05:28:13+00:00

What is Orton-Gillingham?

2021-10-07T07:14:35+00:00

What is Orton-Gillingham? To begin, a different question might be: who were Orton and Gillingham? Dr. Samuel Torrey Orton was a neuropsychiatrist and pathologist who, in the 1920s, became interested in studying children and adolescents who were not reading as expected despite average or above average intelligence. He described the students as having streshosymbolia, or “twisted symbols,” because many of them reversed their letters or read letter sounds in the wrong order in words.(1) Dr. Orton hypothesized that the brain organization of these students was different, and he experimented with multisensory methods to teach them to read and spell. Later, Dr. Orton worked with Anna [...]

What is Orton-Gillingham?2021-10-07T07:14:35+00:00

Print Books vs. E-Readers… Which is Better? Depends on Who You Ask…

2023-06-15T08:25:35+00:00

Since the release of the Kindle, Nook, and iPad, e-readers have become very popular, and so has the debate between e-books and print. A 2012 Pew Research Center survey found that the average number of books read on an e-reader is 24, compared to 15 books for those reading print.(1) E-books are convenient, often less expensive, offer a number of accommodations, and can now be accessible across a variety of devices. However, research suggests that there may be a difference in how we comprehend text across each format. A 2014 study conducted by Anne Mangen of Norway’s Stavanger University found that readers of a short mystery novel on a [...]

Print Books vs. E-Readers… Which is Better? Depends on Who You Ask…2023-06-15T08:25:35+00:00

What Do Parents Need to Know About Close Reading?

2021-10-05T13:09:05+00:00

Close Reading is an instructional routine requiring students to look critically at a short, complex text, reading the same text multiple times, and answering text dependent questions to deepen understanding. It is included among the Common Core Literacy Anchor Reading standards (R.CCR.1) which states: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. One major goal is to give all students the opportunity to engage in close reading of complex text. The spotlight is on close reading because it [...]

What Do Parents Need to Know About Close Reading?2021-10-05T13:09:05+00:00

Organizing Your Child’s Powerful Paperwork

2021-10-05T13:06:21+00:00

When your child has a disability, all of the additional responsibilities required can be overwhelming. The amount of documents your child accumulates is massive, and it can be easy to just put the progress reports, testing, and IEPs aside and focus on the present; but organizing those documents and looking back is essential to ensuring your child’s IEP is effective. The first step in getting organized is making sure you have all the documents you need. Your file should include IEPs (both draft and final with all signatures), progress reports, evaluations, any communication between you and the school, and work samples. If you do not have all of [...]

Organizing Your Child’s Powerful Paperwork2021-10-05T13:06:21+00:00

Navigating the Special Education System

2021-10-05T13:15:11+00:00

Advocating for children with special needs can be a confusing and overwhelming experience for parents. Parents of children who require special education services quickly learn that they must be zealous advocates to help their children obtain the supports and placements that they need to make meaningful educational progress. When the system works in a way that allows a child to reach his potential, it is extremely rewarding for parents to see that their advocacy made a difference. On the other hand, it can be very frustrating when, despite the parents’ best efforts, a child’s needs are neglected and the child falls [...]

Navigating the Special Education System2021-10-05T13:15:11+00:00

Staff Book Recommendations for Young Readers

2021-10-05T13:09:31+00:00

This time of year, many of us have the opportunity to spend extra quality time with family and friends. After chatting about what everyone has been up to and savoring some delicious seasonal treats, why not enjoy a good (and calorie-free!) book? Here are some suggestions from our staff on favorite books to share with the young readers in your life: The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin “My daughters and I went to hear Grace Lin read this book when they were 7 and 8 years old, and she signed a copy for them. The story is based on the author’s life as a [...]

Staff Book Recommendations for Young Readers2021-10-05T13:09:31+00:00
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Professional Development
for Educators

PTI

 
Beth

Beth Dinelli, M.Ed
Director
[email protected]

220 Reservoir Street, Suite 6 Needham, MA 02494-3133

Phone: 781.444.5193

Fax: 781.444.6916

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