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ESY: Empowering Students
Often I hear parents say their child was turned down for more schooling during the summer Extended School Year (ESY) because their child did not have significant enough regression-recruitment to qualify for the summer program. Here are some tips...
Optimizing Classroom Accommodations
Optimizing Classroom Accommodations: A Guide for Parents and Educators As students move through the school year, academic demands increase and expectations become more complex. This makes optimizing classroom accommodations an important focus...
Latest Blog Posts
Planning for the Next School Year: How to Prepare Your Child’s IEP for Success
As the current school year winds down, now is the perfect time to begin planning for the next school year IEP. Taking...
Summer Self-Care for Parents of Exceptional Children
Being a parent of an exceptional needs child can be a rewarding yet challenging journey. As summer approaches, it's...
ESY: Empowering Students
Often I hear parents say their child was turned down for more schooling during the summer Extended School Year (ESY)...
Blog Posts
“No Consent” Letter and why you may want to write one
Updated November 24, 2021 Written January 14, 2019 BEHAVIOR, SELF-REGULATION, SPECIAL EDUCATION Have you been following the news? It seems like every week I see a news story discussing the possible improper restraint of a child in a public school....
2 Helpful Hints To Homeschool Children With Special Needs
When I first started homeschooling my surviving quadruplets (3 survivors), who all have autism, I felt like I had no idea what I was doing! Honestly, I did not. We both (the children and I) had to “grow” into our styles of teaching and learning. In this post, I will cover 2 helpful, and important, pieces of advice I have for those new to homeschooling their children with special needs:
– you will need about three years to learn your teaching style and your children’s learning style
– you will want to skip box sets of curriculum
5 Tips for Helping Your Child with Special NeedsTie Their Shoes!
Adaptive skills are essential for a child to master in order to be a successful adult. Adaptive skills are defined as practical, everyday skills needed to function and meet the demands of one’s environment, including the skills necessary to effectively and independently take care of oneself and to interact with other people. When I understood all my children’s disability issues it made sense that the first of my surviving quadruplets did not tie her shoes until she was seven (7) years old!
5 Ways Being a Preemie Impacts Learning
November 18, 2018|SPEECH (SLI), EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, BEHAVIOR, FINE MOTOR, SELFREGULATION, ADHD, PREEMIE 5 Ways Being a Preemie Impacts Learning Pregnant with Quads at 26w4d. I would go into labor again 2 days later. November 17th is World Prematurity Day. The topic...
Adaptive Skills
Adaptive skills are essential for a child to master in order to be a successful adult. Adaptive skills are defined as practical, everyday skills needed to function and meet the demands of one’s environment, including the skills necessary to effectively and independently take care of oneself and to interact with other people.
ADHD Impact on Learning
Practically every day in my IEP/504 Assistance Facebook group, I discuss how executive functioning challenges affect students in school. One of the most overlooked areas is the ADHD impact on learning, which touches everything from focus and organization to behavior and...
Advocacy Skills Development
Introduction Advocating for a child in school can feel overwhelming, but parents who learn advocacy skills can help their child get the support they need. Schools have rules about special education, and parents who understand these rules can speak up when something is not...
Advocating for ESY
Extended School Year services represent one of the most misunderstood yet critical components of special education law. When your child's IEP team determines that ESY is necessary for a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), schools cannot categorically deny services based...
Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs: 10 Essential Tips
Navigating the world of special education can feel overwhelming, but as a parent, you are your child’s greatest advocate. This guide provides ten essential tips to empower you in advocating for your child with special needs, ensuring they receive the support and education they...
Autism in the Educational Setting
Medical versus Educational This is a big post for me to tackle, and I hope you will find it answers many of the questions you have concerning Autism in the educational setting. Many parents, including myself in the beginning of my journey, did not understand there is a...
Back to School Time with Complex Medical Needs
As a parent of a child with complex health needs, I am left here yet again feeling very sorry for myself–and my child–at this time of year. This is the second year in a row that my four-year-old child with multiple disabilities does not have a school to attend. And I will explain why.
Balancing LRE and Individual Needs
In the realm of special education, determining the most appropriate educational placement for students with disabilities is a complex and critical task. The concept of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) plays a significant role in this decision-making process. This blog...
Braille Literacy in Schools
The Importance of Braille Literacy For students who are blind or have significant vision loss, the ability to read and write is a gateway to independence and opportunity. Braille is not simply an alternative to print—it is a complete literacy system that enables students to...
Braille: Time For A Comeback!
September 30, 2018|ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, SPECIAL EDUCATION, VISUAL IMPAIRMENT (VI) My son, Joseph, Brailled this birthday card for me. Though there are several versions of the alphabet for the visually impaired like the Moon Alphabet, Gall's Traingular...
Child Find
Wrightslaw has a great article on Child Find and the basis for this article is from Wrightslaw What is Child Find? The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act includes the Child Find mandate. Child Find requires all school districts to identify, locate and...
College Board Accommodations: A Comprehensive Guide
As parents of high school students with IEPs or 504 plans, navigating the college application process can feel overwhelming. Standardized tests like the SAT, PSAT, and AP exams are crucial components of college admissions, but what happens if your child requires testing...
Delivering Transition Services While Homeschooling
Transition services are intended to prepare children to move from the world of school into the world of adulthood. Transition planning begins during high school at the latest. Some of the most important work we can do home-educating our children with exceptional needs is teach them how to transition into their post-high-school life and how to be successful with independent living! In this blog post we will cover some important aspects of transition services commonly offered in public schools and how you can deliver a similar program at home. You don’t want to miss the skills needed for independent living, skills needed for employment, and even skills needed for being an entrepreneur.
Difference Between Guidance Counselor and School Social Worker in Schools
Schools rely on a variety of professionals to support students' emotional, academic, and social growth from their first day in kindergarten to their graduation from high school. Two key roles in this effort are guidance counselors and school social workers. While these...
Do Schools Need a Doctor’s Note for IEP Services?
Have you ever been told your child’s IEP services require a doctor’s note? It’s a frustrating situation many parents encounter, often creating unnecessary barriers to the support their child needs. These requests, whether physical therapy, speech therapy, or another related...
Don’t Take Away Recess!
I recently posted an article from the The Telegraph about how children have greater energy levels greater than endurance athletes. Immediately parents in my IEP/504 Assistance group on Facebook started complaining that their child has/had lost recess due to having a behavioral issue in school. Often I find out these children have been diagnosed with ADHD and/or Autism. Why, oh why, do schools do this? As a friend said, it is like cutting your nose off to spite your face! In this post we are going to look at the science behind recess, why school determine this is an effective form of punishment, and what you can do about it.
Dyscalculia: SLD in Math
September 18, 2018|504, PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TESTING, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, MODIFICATIONS, IEP, NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL, SLD, ADHD, IDEA, PUBLIC SCHOOL, ACCOMMODATIONS, SPECIAL EDUCATION, HOMESCHOOL, MATHEMATICS, TESTING Dyscalculia is defined as difficulty acquiring basic arithmetic...
Dysgraphia: SLD in Written Expression
September 16, 2018|SPEECH (SLI), 504, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TESTING, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, MODIFICATIONS, IEP, FINE MOTOR, NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL, SLD, ADHD, IDEA, PUBLIC SCHOOL, ACCOMMODATIONS, SPECIAL EDUCATION, EDUCATIONAL...
Enhancing Related Services
Enhancing related services is crucial to provide comprehensive support to students with disabilities. While academic instruction forms the core of their educational journey, additional related services play a pivotal role in addressing their unique needs and facilitating their...
ESY: Empowering Students
Often I hear parents say their child was turned down for more schooling during the summer Extended School Year (ESY) because their child did not have significant enough regression-recruitment to qualify for the summer program. Here are some tips for ESY empowering students you...
Executive Functioning and Assistive Technology
Executive functioning (EF) deficits, common in ADHD/ADD individuals, can cause havoc! Here is a variety of Assistive Technology (AT) to help manage EF disorder. These can be used in both the traditional school and homeschool environment. There are numerous apps to help with...
Executive Functioning and the Impact on Learning
Executive functioning often comes up in my Facebook group where I provide free educational advocacy advice. Many schools fail to recognize a child with executive functioning issues even though it is common for children with ADD, ADHD, and Autism along with many other...
Executive Functioning Checklist
“Deficits in executive functions such as planning, categorization, organization, and attention leave them lost amid a sea of things, unable to figure out what to do next.” - Randy O. Frost Introduction: Imagine watching a child sit before an open textbook, their eyes darting...
Extended School Year
Because ESY services are uniquely designed to provide FAPE to students with disabilities, it is necessary to emphasize that these services are NOT: based on the category of student’s disability – services must be based on the student’s unique educational needs; limited to...
FAPE & Endrew: Key Insights for Parents
FAPE & Endrew: Key Insights for Parents In the world of special education, two important ideas parents and teachers should learn are Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and the Endrew F. case. Understanding these concepts is important in special education. We'll...
FAPE and Endrew F
“I've realised that at the top of the mountain, there's another mountain.” - Andrew Garfield FAPE & Endrew: Key Insights for Parents In the world of special education, two important ideas parents and teachers should learn are Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and the...
FAPE LRE IEP Placement Guide
FAPE LRE IEP Placement Guide FAPE and LRE in IEP placement are central principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The law guarantees that all children, including those with disabilities, have the right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in...
FERPA Exemptions
Introduction When it comes to your child's education, understanding FERPA exemptions is essential for navigating privacy concerns. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law designed to keep your child's education records confidential. While FERPA...
FERPA Request Letter Template
Often there are three main reasons a parents may want to do a FERPA request: they want the educational records of their child to review them for information, they are looking for staff emails concerning their child, or are looking for evaluation information used with their child. We will cover these topics in this blog post and give you a template letter for a FERPA request.
FERPA Requests: A Step-by-Step Guide
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that safeguards the privacy of students and their educational records. As a parent, understanding how to make FERPA requests is essential for accessing important information about your child’s education....
Fluid Reasoning: What Does it Mean?
FLUID REASONING, WORKING MEMORY, BEHAVIOR, PROCESSING SPEED, ADHD, ACCOMMODATIONS, MATHEMATICS Fluid reasoning. I often see this listed on neuropsychological and psycho-educational testing but what does it mean and how does it impact education? Fluid reasoning is the ability...
Food Coloring and ADHD: What You Need to Know
Synthetic food coloring has been added to processed foods since the late 1800s. The FDA has insisted that food coloring is not harmful to children and does not cause children to have behavior issues. If you read carefully what is written on the FDA’s site it says, “The totality of scientific evidence indicates that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives, but some evidence suggests that certain children may be sensitive to them.” Notice it says MOST children have no adverse effects. This means some children do. So what does science have to say on the matter?
Functional Vision Evaluation
Identifying Visual Processing Disorder (VPD) accurately often begins with a functional vision evaluation, an important step in ensuring that children receive the appropriate support and interventions. Since VPD can share symptoms with other learning challenges, such as...
Gifted IEP
What They Are and How They Work Gifted students have unique educational needs that often require specialized plans to ensure they are appropriately challenged and supported. If you are unsure whether or not your child is gifted, check out our blog post that talks about the 10...
Girls and Autism
Where are the girls with autism? With more than 1 in 59 children having autism you rarely hear about girls with autism! I often hear about the prevalence of boys with autism but is that a true fact, that there are more boys with autism, or is it the skewing of data? Why are girls with autism missed? One of the biggest reasons why girls are missed because they are known to mask their symptoms and clinicians believe that the medical definition of autism is gender neutral with social ability to be more diagnostic of autism.
Global IEP Transitions
Navigating Educational Challenges for Children with Exceptional Needs Relocating to a new country is an adventure filled with excitement, possibilities, and new beginnings. However, for parents of children with exceptional needs, global IEP transitions present unique challenges...
Halloween and Autism
October 12, 2018|BEHAVIOR, EMOTIONS, PARENTS, AUTISM, HOLIDAY, HOMESCHOOL Autism Autism is a neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorder that impedes social interactions and is often accompanied by sensory issues that cause heightened anxiety and tantrum-like behaviors...
Halloween and Sensory Issues: Sensory Processing Disorder
October 28, 2018|HOLIDAY, SENSORY Halloween is right around the corner! Most kids can't wait to put on their costumes and make their way through the neighborhood, but for children with sensory sensitivities (often associated with ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, and Sensory Processing...
Halloween Printables Craft Ideas
Halloween Printables: Creative and Fun Activities for Families Looking for engaging ways to celebrate Halloween? Our Halloween printables offer a versatile collection of crafts, games, and activities perfect for kids, families, and educators. These printables are designed to...
Homeschooling Children with Special Needs Around Appointments
Did I ever mention I am a scientist by trade? I love to experiment. I like to try things out, several different ways, and see which way I like best. This also includes how I am homeschooling my children and how I am homeschooling around appointments. I tried homeschooling only at home. I tried homeschooling on-the-go including using teachable moments and I tried to limit myself to online-only homeschooling. Out of all these options, I find homeschooling on the go to be the best option for my family and here is how I do it…
Hyperlexia: The precocious reader
December 17, 2018|READING, ADHD, AUTISM, GIFTED I find the topic of hyperlexia quite interesting! James, Baby B out of my surviving quadruplets, is a precocious reader. I kid you not, when he was 18 months old, I was out driving around and James...
IEE Process in Special Education
Learn about the Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) process and how parents can request an independent evaluation in special education.
IEP Documentation Strategies
Effective advocacy relies on strong IEP documentation strategies, which combine a deep understanding of the right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) with the effective use of data. As parents navigate the complexities of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for...
IEP Goals Made Easy
Are you ready to dive into the exciting world of Individualized Education Programs (IEP)? Setting up effective IEP goals can be a game-changer in the educational journey of students with special needs. We're going to explore a simple yet powerful template for IEP goals, along...
IEP Meeting Responses That Are Polite Yet Assertive
Powerful IEP Meeting Responses to Secure Your Child’s Rights IEP meetings can feel like a high-stakes negotiation, with your child’s future hanging in the balance. When the school’s recommendations don’t seem to align with your child’s unique needs, having prepared, assertive...
IEP Meeting: Essential Tips to Prepare Effectively
IEP Meeting: Essential Tips to Prepare Effectively An IEP Meeting is a chance for parents, teachers, and school staff to come together and create a plan to help a child with special needs succeed in school. IEP stands for Individualized Education Program (IEP), which is a...
IEP Recess Advocacy
Recess plays a crucial role in children’s development, enhancing social skills, behavior, and academic performance. Unfortunately, many schools overlook its importance, especially for children with disabilities who face unique barriers to participation. This blog post explores the benefits of recess, legal protections under the ADA and IDEA, and effective advocacy strategies for ensuring every child, regardless of ability, has access to unstructured play. Together, we can champion the cause of recess as an essential part of the educational experience.
IEPs and 504s and the Potential Impact of Dismantling the Department of Education: Separating Fact from Fear
With talks of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, the future of IEPs and 504 plans has become uncertain. While federal laws like IDEA ensure protections, a shift toward state control could bring changes in how support is applied and funded. Parents may need to take a more active role in local advocacy to maintain consistent educational support.
Improving Reading Skills
Improving Reading Skills Navigating your child's reading journey involves a blend of understanding their strengths and challenges, creating a supportive learning environment, implementing effective strategies, and collaborating with educators and specialists. In this guide,...
Interoception, Autism, and Food
December 6, 2018|OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT), HEALTH, BEHAVIOR, AUTISM, SENSORY I am sure you are asking yourself what the heck is interoception? I had not heard of it either until recently. Interoception, as we will be discussing today, did not really come about until the...
Lack of Effort or Slow Processing Speed?
Slow Processing Speed. What the heck is that and what does it mean for my child??? Processing speed is the rate at which a person can take in information and process that information for understanding. Two of my children, Margaret and Joseph, tested as having profound...
Letter Requesting Initial Educational Testing per IDEA
Okay, I know I homeschool but I still engage in educational advocacy for others. Why? Because I feel like I have a lot to offer others in the way of service, and to be honest, I HATE seeing how public schools abuse/misuse special needs students! So my help for today is how...
Letter Requesting Testing for Special Education
Why a Letter Requesting Testing for Special Education Matters Submitting a letter requesting testing for special education is a critical step in advocating for your child’s needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A written request does more than...
LRE & Non-Academics
Navigating Inclusion Beyond the Classroom When we discuss the education of children with disabilities, it's important to know about the "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE) concept. This idea is really important and it's a big part of a law called the Individuals with...
Mastering Close Reading
For children with exceptional needs, such as working memory issues or executive functioning deficits, reading comprehension can often pose significant challenges. However, there are effective strategies that can help these students improve their understanding of texts and...
Medical Versus Educational
One of the most frequent topics that I discuss with parents is to clarify the difference between a medical diagnosis and an educational eligibility under IDEA. The distinction can be quite small; however, that does not mean it may not be relevant! Read more to find out the differences between these two.
Medical vs Educational Speech Therapy: What Parents Need to Know
Medical vs Educational Speech Therapy Differences Explained For parents struggling to grasp the ins and outs of special education, the difference between speech therapy approaches can be a real head-scratcher. You might find yourself in a situation where your child's private...
Musical Resources for Homeschooling an Auditory Learner
So how do you home educate a child who seems to learn more by auditory information any other mode of learning? Music can really help!
October Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness
October 15, 2018|PARENTS, LOSS, PREEMIE There are many woman who mourn for a child they lost in pregnancy or infancy. I lost my daughter, Martha, the day after she was born as part of a set of quadruplets. Her brothers and sister remember her and Margaret celebrates her life...
Optimizing Classroom Accommodations
Optimizing Classroom Accommodations: A Guide for Parents and Educators As students move through the school year, academic demands increase and expectations become more complex. This makes optimizing classroom accommodations an important focus during the second semester....
Parent-Teacher Communication Strategies
Effective parent-teacher communication strategies are essential for supporting a child’s growth, both in and out of the classroom. A strong partnership built on trust and collaboration ensures that everyone works toward the same goal: helping the child succeed academically,...
Parent’s Rights in Special Education
As a parent of a child with a disability, understanding your rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is essential for effective advocacy. Knowing how to navigate the IEP process, request evaluations, and ensure your child’s needs are met can make a...
Parental Observations in the Public School Classroom
Does a parent have an automatic right to observe his/her child in the classroom, and do schools have to secure written consent from the parents of other students in the classroom before the parent can observe his/her child in the classroom? IDEA does not say anything on the matter. Odd, isn’t it?
Planning for the Next School Year: How to Prepare Your Child’s IEP for Success
Get ready for the next school year with PASEN’s step-by-step guide to reviewing your child’s IEP, identifying strengths, setting new goals, and addressing potential denials of FAPE. Learn how to document progress, schedule meetings, and advocate effectively for your child.
Please Wash Your Hands: Life with the Medically Fragile
October 3, 2018|HEALTH, PREEMIE, MEDICALLY FRAGILE Life with the Medically Fragile So many exceptional children suffer from medical complications that make catching a "simple" cold anything but simple! Yet, when parents ask family and other care providers to...
Prior Written Notice (PWN): Why it is so Important!
November 4, 2018|IEP, PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE (PWN), IDEA, PUBLIC SCHOOL, SPECIAL EDUCATION In our Facebook group for parents of public school students, IEP Assistance and Special Needs Parenting Advice, the topic of Prior Written Notice comes up quite often! Prior Written...
Rare Disease Day: Understanding 2-Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria and Its Educational Impacts
Rare Disease Day, observed annually on the last day of February, shines a light on the over 300 million people worldwide living with rare medical conditions. It's a day dedicated to increasing awareness, fostering inclusion, and inspiring action to improve lives. Rare diseases,...
Scaffolding in Education
When a child struggles with learning, parents often focus on accommodations—extra time, a quiet space for tests, or assistive technology. However, another critical tool for student success is scaffolding in education. Scaffolding provides structured support as a student learns...
Section 504 Timelines
Navigating Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is crucial for parents and educators. This federal law ensures that individuals with disabilities receive necessary support in programs and activities, including public schools, which receive federal financial assistance....
Self-Care for Parents: Tips for Mental Health and Daily Balance
Self-Care for Parents: Tips for Mental Health and Daily Balance While parenting can provide immense fulfillment, it can also lead to exhaustion. With so many demands on your time and energy, it's easy to neglect your own needs. However, self-care for parents is not selfish but...
Service Animals in Schools
Ensuring children with special needs receive the education they're entitled to under the law remains a priority. Understanding the function of service animals—including dogs and miniature horses—as set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and differentiating them...
Special Education Terms to Know: Part 1
I remember being in college as a Teaching Assistant providing tutoring to mostly freshman students for an Earth Science 101 class. Most of the students who attended my study group were failing or making a "D" in the class. When I asked them WHY were they taking Earth Science...
Special Education Terms to Know: Part 2
So my post got so long I needed to break things up! Here is another installment of the terms, defined, for your reading pleasure!IEP: Individual Education Plan is developed for children who qualify as a child with a disability under IDEA. If your child is needing academic goals...
Special Education Terms to Know: Part 3
Woohoo! We have hit the final installment of the special education terms you need to know (according to my FB group)! This final installment will wrap up this series of posts. I truly hope you all have found these posts helpful and something beyond just the standard definitions that can be found elsewhere.
Special Needs Parenting: A Man’s Perspective
November 28, 2018|PARENTS, FAMILY It’s been the mantra since the dawn of mankind. God said to Adam, “Did you eat from the tree of knowledge?” Adam said, “Yes, but it was because Eve told me to.” Of course, this is a loose translation, but the sentiment has been shared by every...
Summer Self-Care for Parents of Exceptional Children
Being a parent of an exceptional needs child can be a rewarding yet challenging journey. As summer approaches, it's essential to prioritize self-care and take time to recharge, relax, and prepare for the upcoming year. In this blog post, we will explore some activities and...
Support Student Learning at Home
Helping your child succeed in school starts at home. When parents create a supportive environment, children learn better and feel more confident. Small changes, like setting routines and reading daily, can make a big difference. This guide shares seven practical ways to support...
Supporting Your Child at Home
Helping your child succeed doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the most powerful thing you can do is focus on supporting your child at home through simple, daily routines. Whether your child is in kindergarten or high school, your involvement makes a big difference. From...
Tailored Learning at Home
It is crucial that children who struggle to learn have access to educational environments that are genuinely inclusive. By adapting the regular curriculum to each child’s unique needs and circumstances, we can help every student reach his or her full potential. Today’s topic...
Things to Know About Functional Behavioral Assessments
Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs) Functional Behavioral Assessments are essential tools for understanding and addressing behaviors that interfere with learning. Federal guidance emphasizes their use not only for students with disabilities but also for any student whose...
Top 10 Signs of a Gifted Child
Gifted children often exhibit unique behaviors, aptitudes, and ways of thinking that set them apart. Recognizing the top 10 signs of a gifted child early can help parents, caregivers, and educators nurture their potential in positive and impactful ways. What Defines a Gifted...
Transfer of Educational Rights for Adult Students
Supporting Your Adult Child’s Education As a parent, you’ve likely played an active role in your child’s education—attending IEP meetings, advocating for services, and ensuring they receive the support they need. However, the transfer of educational rights for adult students...
Transitioning from High School
Transitioning from high school to college marks a pivotal milestone for young adults, especially those with disabilities. While K-12 education supports these individuals through Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 plans, entering higher education introduces a...
Twice Exceptional Students
How to Support Gifted Learners With Disabilities Parenting a twice-exceptional (2e) child means balancing the extraordinary and the challenging every day. Twice-exceptional students are uniquely gifted—they might excel in math, art, or science while navigating disabilities like...
Understanding Evidence-Based Interventions in Special Education
What Does “Evidence-Based” Really Mean? If you are the parent of a child with an IEP, you have likely heard the term evidence-based intervention used during meetings, evaluations, or program recommendations. While it sounds reassuring, the term is often misunderstood or...
Understanding the IEP process
As a parent, navigating the education system can sometimes be challenging, especially when your child has special needs. Understanding the IEP process is crucial to ensuring your child receives the support they need to succeed. In this comprehensive guide, we will break down...
Unlocking the Potential of Kindle as an Educational Tool
Oh Apple! How I LOVE your wonderful products and the AMAZING array of educational apps; HOWEVER, the cost is astronomical! That’s why I’ve started exploring the Kindle as an educational tool. It’s a much more affordable option compared to an iPad, which can easily cost $450...
Visual Impairment Covers Convergence Insufficiency Too!
September 28, 2018|ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, IEP, ELIGIBILITY, IDEA, VISUAL IMPAIRMENT (VI), EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION In our sister group, IEP/504 Assistance, parents of children with convergency insufficiency or other visual impairments are being denied eligibility for special...
Visual Processing Disorder Defined
Visual Processing Disorder (VPD) and Dyslexia are two distinct conditions that can significantly impact a child’s ability to learn, particularly in reading and other academic tasks. While both conditions affect how a person processes information, they do so in different ways....
Visual Processing Is Important!
Did you know 65% of the population are visual learners? Now, what do you do when you have a child that has vision loss in one eye, reduced peripheral vision in the other eye, BUT is STILL a visual learner? Think about that for a minute. Yes, Joseph, my son with only one “good” eye, is a visual learner. Joseph has problems with visual-spatial reasoning among other visual processing issues. As it turns out, all my children have visual-spatial problems. They all score in the 5 to 18 percentile in visual-spatial reasoning. So how does an issue with visual-spatial reasoning impact learning? I hadn’t a clue so I wrote this post to understand! Hopefully you, will find it helpful too!
What is Anomia? A Look at Speech Disorders
Speech or Language Impairments (SLI) is one of the 13 categories for disability recognized by IDEA. There are many reasons why a child may end up with a SLI eligibility for special education including children with autism, aphasia, epilepsy, and many others.
Anomia is a type of aphasia. So what is aphasia? Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that impairs a person’s ability to process language, but does not affect intelligence. Aphasia impairs the ability to speak and understand others.
What to Ask in Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher conferences are pivotal opportunities for parents to engage with educators and gain valuable insights into their children's academic and social development. These meetings provide essential information on how your child is progressing in school and foster a...
When the School Calls to Pick Up Your Child for Behavior
Handling School Calls to Pick Up Your Child: A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Your Rights Every parent dreads seeing the school’s number pop up during the day, especially when it concerns behavioral issues. These calls can create a wave of anxiety, disrupt work and plans, and...
Working Memory: The RAM of the brain
December 13, 2018|WORKING MEMORY, PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TESTING, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, BEHAVIOR, IEP, NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL, SELFREGULATION, ADHD, ACCOMMODATIONS, SPECIAL EDUCATION, AUTISM, PREEMIE, EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION, DYSLEXIA So what the heck is working memory? I think of it...