Post by SharonF on May 4, 2005 10:38:53 GMT -5
An opinion article I wrote for our local paper (city of about 750,000) was published last Friday. At the urging of others, I'll post the article here.
My thanks to swmom for encouraging me to write it and for helping me edit it.
Our goal was to educate people about what LDs and ADHD really are, how they impact people, and suggest at least one type of nontraditional instruction (multi-sensory) that may be necessary in regular classrooms. So far, I've gotten lots of responses from parents and grandparents, and even from a local high school teacher who wants to collaborate to set up a nonprofit agency to improve literacy. Not quite sure how the last one would work--but we'll at least talk!
www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/11518750.htm
************************************
Posted on Fri, Apr. 29, 2005
Help these students read
Learning disabilities hinder many from processing language
SHARON FOOTE SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER
Through April 21, volunteers with books in hand were visiting Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, YWCAs and public libraries to spark a love of reading. Reading to kids and encouraging older students to read can be extremely beneficial. However, for many it won't be enough.
Imagine learning your alphabet, but not being able to make sense of those letters as they are combined to make words. Imagine being able to read the words but not able to comprehend the meaning of the sentences. Imagine trying harder, yet falling further behind in school every year.
One-in-four students don't have to imagine. They live this frustration every day. An estimated 15 percent to 20 percent of students have learning disabilities (LDs). Most of these LDs affect language processing, especially reading.
Another 5 percent to 10 percent have attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder. ADHD's imbalance of key brain chemicals often diminishes the concentration, processing speed and working memory needed for reading fluency and comprehension. Some students have both LDs and ADHD. One-third of students with identified learning disabilities eventually drop out of school. It's believed that many other students who drop out have learning disabilities that were never identified.
Learning disabled students are not mentally retarded. By legal definition, they have average or above average IQs. Their brains are wired to process information differently.
Learning disabilities are not caused by watching too much TV or playing too many video games. ADHD is not caused by sugar-laden foods or too little exercise. Most LDs and ADHD are biological differences that run in families. LDs cannot be cured, but appropriate remediation and child-specific instruction can create amazing breakthroughs in both learning and self-confidence.
The long list of people with LDs and/or ADHD who overcame their difficulties includes investment broker Charles Schwab, former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw, actress Whoopi Goldberg, designer Tommy Hilfiger, actor Tom Cruise, engineer William Hewlett of Hewlett-Packard and comedian Jay Leno. However, not all people with LDs go on to greatness. It's estimated that 60 percent of America's prison inmates are illiterate and 85 percent of those in juvenile detention facilities have serious reading difficulties.
No Child Left Behind has not led to discernable improvements in test scores for Special Education Students/Exceptional Children. Nationwide research by Education Week magazine found that test scores of students with LDs are 30 to 40 points lower than those of students without LDs. Virtually all students with LDs have the cognitive ability to achieve at higher levels, but most keep falling further behind. Most schools won't meet the annual yearly progress mandates of No Child Left Behind unless test scores in the Special Education/Exceptional Children category improve.
Our community's current literacy initiative is an excellent opportunity to launch comprehensive education reform to help ensure that students with learning difficulties are not left behind. That includes:
• Changing the North Carolina Standard Course of Study at all grade levels to include more multi-sensory instruction. Most students -- even those without LDs or ADHD -- learn and retain information better with a hands-on approach. Most poor readers learn best by doing. They don't learn as well using words alone. An estimated 35 percent of students are visual/spatial learners. There are excellent methods of teaching reading to "learn-by-doing" students. However, too few regular education teachers understand multi-sensory instruction or are given the flexibility to use multi-sensory methods in classrooms.
• Training regular education teachers how to recognize and work with students who have learning differences. A sizable percentage of people with LDs and ADHD, especially ADHD-inattentive type, never receive a proper diagnosis. Most regular education teachers have no formal training in identifying or addressing learning difficulties. Many teachers and parents don't know what to look for and assume the struggling student will outgrow his or her learning problems or is not trying hard enough.
• Establishing a collaborative relationship between CMS and local corporations to fund the changes needed. Schools usually do not have enough funding, staff, training, or appropriate curricula to meet the needs of students with learning impediments. Too often, these students enter the workplace with insufficient skills.
There are dynamic, effective ways of reaching bright, creative, multi-sensory learners who do not learn well with traditional instruction. With one in four students struggling to learn, it is critical that we address this problem now.
Dr. Sylvia Richardson of the Orton Dyslexia Society put it this way: "Literacy gives us the keys to knowledge and wisdom -- the keys to the kingdom. Isn't it time now for us all to put our heads together, to work together to see to it that those keys are given to every child?"
Sharon Foote is a Charlotte mother of two teenagers and is active in assisting families of children with learning differences. Reach her at sfoote@carolina.rr.com
My thanks to swmom for encouraging me to write it and for helping me edit it.
Our goal was to educate people about what LDs and ADHD really are, how they impact people, and suggest at least one type of nontraditional instruction (multi-sensory) that may be necessary in regular classrooms. So far, I've gotten lots of responses from parents and grandparents, and even from a local high school teacher who wants to collaborate to set up a nonprofit agency to improve literacy. Not quite sure how the last one would work--but we'll at least talk!
www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/11518750.htm
************************************
Posted on Fri, Apr. 29, 2005
Help these students read
Learning disabilities hinder many from processing language
SHARON FOOTE SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER
Through April 21, volunteers with books in hand were visiting Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, YWCAs and public libraries to spark a love of reading. Reading to kids and encouraging older students to read can be extremely beneficial. However, for many it won't be enough.
Imagine learning your alphabet, but not being able to make sense of those letters as they are combined to make words. Imagine being able to read the words but not able to comprehend the meaning of the sentences. Imagine trying harder, yet falling further behind in school every year.
One-in-four students don't have to imagine. They live this frustration every day. An estimated 15 percent to 20 percent of students have learning disabilities (LDs). Most of these LDs affect language processing, especially reading.
Another 5 percent to 10 percent have attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder. ADHD's imbalance of key brain chemicals often diminishes the concentration, processing speed and working memory needed for reading fluency and comprehension. Some students have both LDs and ADHD. One-third of students with identified learning disabilities eventually drop out of school. It's believed that many other students who drop out have learning disabilities that were never identified.
Learning disabled students are not mentally retarded. By legal definition, they have average or above average IQs. Their brains are wired to process information differently.
Learning disabilities are not caused by watching too much TV or playing too many video games. ADHD is not caused by sugar-laden foods or too little exercise. Most LDs and ADHD are biological differences that run in families. LDs cannot be cured, but appropriate remediation and child-specific instruction can create amazing breakthroughs in both learning and self-confidence.
The long list of people with LDs and/or ADHD who overcame their difficulties includes investment broker Charles Schwab, former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw, actress Whoopi Goldberg, designer Tommy Hilfiger, actor Tom Cruise, engineer William Hewlett of Hewlett-Packard and comedian Jay Leno. However, not all people with LDs go on to greatness. It's estimated that 60 percent of America's prison inmates are illiterate and 85 percent of those in juvenile detention facilities have serious reading difficulties.
No Child Left Behind has not led to discernable improvements in test scores for Special Education Students/Exceptional Children. Nationwide research by Education Week magazine found that test scores of students with LDs are 30 to 40 points lower than those of students without LDs. Virtually all students with LDs have the cognitive ability to achieve at higher levels, but most keep falling further behind. Most schools won't meet the annual yearly progress mandates of No Child Left Behind unless test scores in the Special Education/Exceptional Children category improve.
Our community's current literacy initiative is an excellent opportunity to launch comprehensive education reform to help ensure that students with learning difficulties are not left behind. That includes:
• Changing the North Carolina Standard Course of Study at all grade levels to include more multi-sensory instruction. Most students -- even those without LDs or ADHD -- learn and retain information better with a hands-on approach. Most poor readers learn best by doing. They don't learn as well using words alone. An estimated 35 percent of students are visual/spatial learners. There are excellent methods of teaching reading to "learn-by-doing" students. However, too few regular education teachers understand multi-sensory instruction or are given the flexibility to use multi-sensory methods in classrooms.
• Training regular education teachers how to recognize and work with students who have learning differences. A sizable percentage of people with LDs and ADHD, especially ADHD-inattentive type, never receive a proper diagnosis. Most regular education teachers have no formal training in identifying or addressing learning difficulties. Many teachers and parents don't know what to look for and assume the struggling student will outgrow his or her learning problems or is not trying hard enough.
• Establishing a collaborative relationship between CMS and local corporations to fund the changes needed. Schools usually do not have enough funding, staff, training, or appropriate curricula to meet the needs of students with learning impediments. Too often, these students enter the workplace with insufficient skills.
There are dynamic, effective ways of reaching bright, creative, multi-sensory learners who do not learn well with traditional instruction. With one in four students struggling to learn, it is critical that we address this problem now.
Dr. Sylvia Richardson of the Orton Dyslexia Society put it this way: "Literacy gives us the keys to knowledge and wisdom -- the keys to the kingdom. Isn't it time now for us all to put our heads together, to work together to see to it that those keys are given to every child?"
Sharon Foote is a Charlotte mother of two teenagers and is active in assisting families of children with learning differences. Reach her at sfoote@carolina.rr.com