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As mentioned in last week’s blog article, we have been attending and presenting seminars at several educational conferences over the past several weeks. Last week was no exception, as we visited and briefly presented for a third time at the Patrick Henry Downtown Academy’s Parent Symposium here in St. Louis.

Just like attendees at the previous educational conferences, interested parents and teachers at the school expressed their concerns about struggling readers, asking questions about various reading challenges that included dyslexia. Some of the young students from the school were also present. These parents and teachers (and even some of the students) told us what it’s really like for some students who struggle to read just like conference attendees over the past several weeks had mentioned. The following are some of the reading symptoms described:

1. Eyes get tired when reading for just for a few minutes.
2. Florescent lights in the classroom seem to cause a glare and make it hard to focus, much less read and understand what is read.
3. Can’t focus on the line to be read. Eyes are all over the page.
4. My child loses his place all the time when he tries to read.
5. My daughter says that the letters on the page look like they are moving or waving.

With these symptoms described to us more than a few times, we shared information about the importance of comprehensive eye exams and the value of using our Reading Focus Cards (Patent 7,565,759). At the same time, we also provided literature that included tips and strategies to help challenged readers of all ages.

Finally, we thought this might be a good time to provide these parents and teachers as well as our readers here some new resources for symptoms like those listed. The descriptions above could be possible indications of dyslexia. However, dyslexia is a reading challenge for which accommodations are not provided in student IEPs (in most states). In fact, an IEP is not even provided for students with a singular diagnosis of dyslexia (again, in most states). At the same time, dyslexia is a reading challenge that can significantly impact one's self-esteem and overall success in life. As a result, we wanted to provide the following new resources we hope will be helpful to many:

New Resources for Dyslexia and Other Reading Challenges

Teaching Resources (from TES)
(Last updated on April 19, 2013)
Over 600,672 free teaching resources for dyslexia and other learning challenges to use in your classroom and school today. TES Teaching Resources is where teachers share and download free lesson plans, classroom resources, revision guides and curriculum worksheets. Whether you are looking for SEN teaching strategies and approaches, VCOP activities, or secondary classroom activities, you can choose from 1000s of teacher resources, download them for free and adapt them to suit your classroom activities.
http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resources/

Supporting Spelling (from TES)
(Last updated on October 11, 2012)
TES provides a selection of strategies and ideas to help your students improve their spelling. The range of free resources includes lesson plans and worksheets on mnemonics, spelling guides, games and strategies helpful for supporting pupils with dyslexia and moderate learning difficulties.
http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6258399

Understanding Dyslexia: Infographic---Visual diagram describing dyslexia from the WeAreTeachers Blog (Published April 03, 2013)
http://www.weareteachers.com/community/blogs/weareteachersblog/blog-wat/2013/04/03/understanding-dyslexia-infographic

Top Tips to Start Supporting Students with Dyslexia (from TES)
This colorful diagram provides teachers and parents with strategies to use immediately with children and teens challenged with dyslexia.
http://pinterest.com/pin/80150068341286459/

OpenDyslexic---A new, open-sourced font created by Abelardo Gonzalez to increase readability for readers with dyslexia. The typeface includes regular, bold, italic, and bold-italic styles. It is being updated continually and improved based on input from dyslexic users. There are no restrictions on using OpenDyslexic outside of attribution.
http://opendyslexic.org/

Reading with COLOR---What a Difference It Can Make!
(Published March 10, 2013)
http://www.focusandread.com/blog/post/3537480

For information on customizable reading tools:
www.FocusandRead.com Tools for struggling readers of all ages!
www.BrennanInnovators.com Info & support for struggling readers
314-892-3897

Image courtesy of: Brennan Innovators, LLC at http://www.focusandread.com/blog

There is no doubt that our blog visitors are always looking for resources and tools for dyslexia. These are the number one, sought-after items according to our blog analytics' reports. This continues to be the case week after week.

Many of these visitors are teachers who seek practical and usable information about dyslexia not provided by their school districts and professional organizations. Others are parents who desperately want to help their children succeed in school, despite the struggles with reading those children face daily in their classrooms. Still others are adults who have been challenged with reading issues most of their lives and continue to search for tools and strategies to improve focus, concentration, comprehension and retention.

Because of this continuous demand and the increasing number of phone requests we consistently receive, we have gathered again a new list of tools (both low- and high-tech) to manage the symptoms and effects of dyslexia, allowing challenged readers to focus and read with more success. Additional resources for dyslexia are listed immediately to follow. These tools, resources and information are from both Yale University and the University of Michigan.

Low-Tech & High-Tech Tools for Dyslexia

Technology for Dyslexia
Review of several tech devices specifically helpful to persons with dyslexia
From Yale University
http://dyslexia.yale.edu/Technology.html

Software and Assistive Technology
Description and information about various technologies to help accommodate for challenges and increase self-confidence at home, in the classroom, or on the job
From the University of Michigan’s University Center for the Development of Language & Literacy
http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/tools/software-assistive-technology

Assistive Technology at School (Info about Low- and High-Tech Assistive Technology)
A Charter School's Journey into Assistive Technology ---article by Joshua Jenkins
From Yale University
http://dyslexia.yale.edu/EDU_schooltechnology.html

The Reading Focus Card to Help Students with Dyslexia & ADD/ADHD (Low-Tech Tool to Help with Dyslexia)
Review from University of Michigan’s University Center for the University Center for the Development of Language & Literacy
http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/latest/reading-focus-card-help-students-dyslexia-addadhd

Apps for Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities-(Collection of both Android and Apple-compatible apps)
List compiled by the University of Michigan’s University Center for the Development of Language & Literacy
http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/tools/apps

Other Resources for Dyslexia

Tips from Dyslexic Students for Dyslexic Students
by Nancy Hall
From Yale University
http://dyslexia.yale.edu/DYS_Student2Student.html

Book Scanning Services
As dyslexics struggle with reading, pouring over pages of small, tightly-printed text may not be the best option. Luckily, book scanning has become a viable option for transferring printed text into PDFs and e-Book formats to help dyslexics read.
http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/tools/book-scanning-services

Learn About It—What is Dyslexia and Debunking the Myths—Quiz
http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/primary-links/learn-about-it%E2%80%94what-dyslexia-and-debunking-myths%E2%80%94quiz

Press Release - Patented ADHD Reading Tools Can Help ALL Kinds of Readers
http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/patented-adhd-reading-tools-can-help-all-kinds-readers

Happy reading, everyone!

For more information:
www.FocusandRead.com Tools for struggling readers of all ages!
www.BrennanInnovators.com Info & support for struggling readers
314-892-3897

Image courtesy of: http://bookivoremidwest.blogspot.com/2010/07/sustained-silent-reading.html

Can it be that the first grading period has arrived already? Yes, and with it come the annual or semi-annual, parent-teacher conferences. This realization usually causes one of two parental reactions ---“I can’t wait to see how Evan is doing!” or “I’m worried about what Ms. Jackson is going to tell us about our Emma.”

From a teacher’s standpoint, this first conference with parents can also be a stressful event. At conferences, educators often meet students’ parents for the very first time. These conferences usually occur right after the hard work of term test taking for students followed by the time required to prepare report cards with individual performance comments. All the while, these teachers continue to plan lessons, correct papers for the second term already begun, and reply to emails and phone calls from parents and colleagues. It can be a very overwhelming time of the year!

If the scheduled conference is for the benefit of a struggling student, the level of concern on the part of the parents may be even greater, and the teacher may need to prepare even more carefully in order to best help the student. Parents can do much to help make the first conference a very positive experience for all involved, particularly for their child:

• First and foremost, show respect for the educational professional seated before you. She likely spends more hours per week with your child than you do during the school year. She knows your child and will provide valuable information to enable the child to enjoy more learning success.

• Secondly, when constructive criticism about your child is offered, listen and remember what is said. If needed, jot down a few notes regarding the suggested areas of needed improvement.

• Normally, the teacher will make suggestions or offer resources to help with those improvements. Continue the note-taking. However, if none are offered, “gently” request her recommendations, tools and strategies or other resources you might consider to help your child develop more skill in a specific area.

• Finally, remember to be appreciative. Make it known to this teacher that you are grateful for the time and efforts she gives to help your child read and learn. Teachers are human beings in the work of service, hard work that very often is not always appreciated by those who are served. Be grateful for their dedication and commitment.

For educators, you most likely have a preferred format for conducting conferences. No matter which conference “template” you use, there are a few good ideas you might want to keep in mind:

• Try to describe student weaknesses in constructive ways---with some degree of gentleness. Of course, never compare one student with another.

• For every shortcoming or struggle a student may be experiencing, be kind enough to provide a possible strategy to help bring about improvement.

• Always remember to share at least one positive comment about each child. Every child has at least one talent, gift or characteristic that makes him or her special. Share these good comments with parents.

• Finally, offer encouragement to parents who may be struggling to guide their challenged children.

Once again, we have taken the time to gather some resources here to help both parents and teachers at this special “conference time” of year. We hope you will find them beneficial as you work together to help a child improve and experience more learning success!

Resources for Parents

FREE IEP e-book---To help parents plan for a child's IEP meeting! (from the NCLD---National Center for Learning Disabilities)
http://info.ncld.org/free-e-book-iep-meeting-planner-?utm_source=LDOnLine.org&utm_medium=Twitter

What Is a 504 Plan? (Video)---Excellent 5 min. video that clearly explains a 504 plan (from the NCLD)
http://www.ncld.org/learning-disability-resources/videos/video-what-is-a-504-plan

40 Winning Accommodations---New, FREE ADHD Printable! (from ADDitude Magazine)
Increase the odds of your ADHD child succeeding in school with ADDitude's FREE printable, 40 Winning Accommodations.
http://www.additudemag.com/RCLP/sub/9109.html

10 Top Tips for Dyslexia---Tips parents can use to help their children challenged with dyslexia to enjoy more learning success in school
http://www.teach-our-kids.co.uk/10-top-tips-for-helping-your-child-with-dyslexia/

The Top 50 Apps for Kids (2012)---In education, music, art and more
http://www.babble.com/kid/kids-products/50-best-kids-apps-family/

Resources for Teachers

Parent–Teacher Conference Tip Sheets---both English & Spanish (from Harvard Family Research Project)
http://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/browse-our-publications/parent-teacher-conference-tip-sheets-hojas-de-consejos-para-las-reuniones-de-padres-y-maestros

Parent-Teacher Conference Resources---These resources will help maximize the benefits of parent-teacher collaborations to serve each child's educational needs. (from TeacherVision.com)
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teacher-parent-conferences/resource/3713.html

Family Involvement Publications & Resources---Articles and other resources to help with conferences (from Harvard Family Research Project)
http://www.hfrp.org/family-involvement/publications-resources

The Best Resources on Parent/Teacher Conferences---Some of the most useful materials to help with parent-teacher conferences (from EduBlogs.org)
http://engagingparentsinschool.edublogs.org/2011/10/29/the-best-resources-on-parentteacher-conferences/

Happy learning, everyone!

For more information:
www.FocusandRead.com Tools for struggling readers of all ages!
www.BrennanInnovators.com Info & support for struggling readers
314-892-3897

Image provided by: http://edusavvyparents.com/parenting