Students With Disabilities Struggle In Remote Classes

 Months into the school year, students with disabilities in one district's remote study program are still grappling with nonexistent or slow-to-arrive accommodations and services. Read More >

Lawmakers Want Investigation Into Effects Of School Closures On Kids With Disabilities

 Nearly a year after schools shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic, some members of Congress are calling for an investigation into the impact of the closures on students with disabilities. Read More >

Therapists Who Help Tots With Developmental Delays See Big Drop In Referrals

 Since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of children referred to early intervention has plummeted leaving therapists worried that the kids being missed could face long-term consequences. Read More >

Vocabulary Instruction

§  8 ways to make vocabulary instruction more effective   

What brain science reveals about math learning

Brain activity in male and female students ages 3 to 10 years old is largely similar when they are engaged in math tasks, according to a report released today in the journal Science of Learning. Researchers said they have, however, identified gender differences in high-level mathematical thinking.

National Public Radio

Google Glass May Help Improve Social Skills In Kids With ASD

Researchers say they have more evidence that an at-home intervention using Google Glass boosts socialization and learning in kids with autism. Read More >

Research starts to link anxiety, learning

Some research suggests that chronic anxiety could be categorized as a learning disorder, Daniel Barron, a resident psychiatrist at Yale University, writes in this blog post. Barron spoke with Michael Browning, a practicing psychiatrist, who says the key to investigating this issue may be a measurement of learning rate -- similar to how physicians measure blood pressure.  Scientific American online

New Documentary Questions IQ As A Measure Of Intelligence

A film challenging what it means to have intellectual disability is set to screen at theaters across the country. Read More;

How to implement differentiated instruction

Education consultant Lisa Westman writes that some obstacles are still blocking teachers from adopting differentiated instruction. In this blog post, Westman offers suggestions to help educators, including using assessments to identify students who have mastered the subject and instituting more instructional breaks. Edutopia online

Youths may benefit from self-regulation interventions

Sixty-six percent of curriculum-based, exercise-based, mindfulness and yoga, social and personal skills, and family-based interventions were associated with consistent self-regulation improvements in children and teens, UK researchers reported in JAMA Pediatrics. The findings, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 49 studies involving 23,098 youths ages 2 to 17, also showed that most intervention groups had better academic, behavioral and health outcomes, compared with controls.

Physician's Briefing/HealthDay News

The Wheel for the Apps Goes Round and Round….

There are many iPad apps out there for Autism, but how does one know which ones to investigate for the common learning characteristics of individuals on the Autism Spectrum (ASD)?  When looking for apps for students with ASD, it’s important to consider all educational apps, not just those labeled as Autism apps, but the ASD APP Wheel is a great place to begin.

Mark Coppin, the Assistive Technology Director at Anne Carlson Center, Jamestown, ND, developed a sampling of apps available for the common learning traits and characteristics that are typical for students with ASD.  Continue Reading...

Try This Technique for Helping Your Child with Description and Written Expression

Does your child have a learning disability in oral expression or written expression? Perhaps a language impairment affects your child’s ability to describe things in an organized way? Maybe your child is just a reluctant writer who struggles with how to get started? The expanding expression tool may be helpful for you. Meet the Expanding Expression Tool The expanding expression tool (EET) is a kit developed by a speech-language pathologist from Michigan. It is a multi-functional, tactile tool to help with language and writing development. It can be used for oral expression and written expression. The tool uses a color-coded chart to help a student describe an object by…  Read in browser »

Why Kids Have Trouble Sitting Still—and What Parents and Teachers Can Do About It

It’s the second most frequent request I get in my work with teachers and parents: “My student/child has trouble sitting still. Do you have a cushion that will help?” So what’s the number-one request? “My student/child can’t sit still. Which weighted vest should I get?” Do you see a pattern? Why can’t our kids sit still? Let’s Take a Look Back Let’s go back twenty, thirty, forty years and see what kids were doing with their time. Back in 1971, a typical kid might be watching television while lying on the shag carpet (the original Tummy Time). No recliner or video…  Read in browser »

Spelling & Dyslexia

Spelling is a challenge for children with dyslexia. This fact sheet explains how weaknesses in language skills (including the ability to analyze and remember the individual sounds in words) affect spelling and how we can help children with dyslexia become better spellers.  http://www.readingrockets.org/article/spelling-and-dyslexia

Related:  Why Phonological Awareness Is Important for Reading and Spelling

Study reveals 4-stage process for solving math problems

The brain goes through four distinct stages when solving math problems, according to a study published in Psychological Science. The findings may be useful when designing math instruction, said lead researcher John Anderson, a professor of psychology and computer science at Carnegie Mellon University.   The New York Times (free-article access for SmartBrief readers)

How to Increase Higher Order Thinking

Parents can do a lot to encourage higher order thinking (HOT) – thinking on a level beyond just memorizing facts or re-telling something exactly the way it was told to you. Here are some strategies to encourage complex thinking, including seven different ways to answer kids’ questions in a way that promotes HOT. You can do this during family trips, around the campfire, at the baseball game … anywhere!   http://www.ldonline.org/article/34655/ 

8 Ways to boost Your Child's Working Memory

Do you have a child who has trouble keeping one bit of information in mind while he's doing something else? For example, if he's helping you make spaghetti and the phone rings, does he forget he needs to go back and keep stirring the sauce? You may want to learn ways to help with working memory. Find out how you can help your child by using some of these techniques:

• Teaching your child visualization skills
• Chunking information into smaller bites
• Playing cards together   Learn 8 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Working Memory >

Practice Makes Perfect

Experts agree that chores play a valuable role in the growth of our children. In this article, the author shares how her family handled the chore issue.  https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/blog/article/practice-makes-perfect?utm_source=Blog+Articles+from+Navigate+Life+Texas&utm_campaign=b504c70957-Blog_Articles_English&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_535745c42a-b504c70957-341152989

Love That Max: Great Toys for Kids with Special Needs: 2015 Gift Guide

This blog post from November 2015 shares Max approved toy ideas.  The list is comprised of a mix of new and classic toys that address fine- and gross-motor skills, social skills, and speech and language.  They also simply look fun to play with.   http://www.lovethatmax.com/2015/11/best-toys-for-kids-with-special-needs.html

Repetition May Hinder Learning In Those With Autism

Repetitive drills are often used to help individuals with autism learn new skills, but new research suggests that this approach may do more harm than good. 
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/10/13/repetition-hinder-autism/20869/