Geralyn M. Clancy Attorney at Law

https://home.edweb.net/presuming-competence-essential-for-true-inclusion/

Why Presuming Competence is Essential for True Inclusion - edWeb Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D. offered participants in a recent edWebinar a new way to define the term "inclusive education."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/three-quarters-of-autistic-children-also-have-other-types-of-neurodivergence-finds-study/ar-AA1mOPsQ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=85690967b9a94b1ac21924fc42b793fc&ei=41

Three-quarters of autistic children also have other types of neurodivergence, finds study Three quarters of children (76.2%) who were diagnosed with autism also had traits of other neurodivergent neurotypes—including traits associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning and motor differences—according to a new study.

https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/dyslexia-and-developing-brain?fbclid=IwAR3ENpTCbOFdt1fR0Qp62ulYp9wH9jdytKwLXDCHmijuS_YyjyZ6M3q_t5o

Dyslexia and the Developing Brain Research on dyslexia is identifying the many factors — neural to societal — that are linked to the condition

The anecdote at the beginning of this article is a *perfect* example of why schools fail to teach so many children to read.

https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/trtr.2258

The authors understand that phonics is an important part of reading instruction. (Thank you National Reading Panel.)

It begins with a scene in which a reading "specialist" uses an incomplete phonics screener on a 2nd grader. She tests only basic letter sounds (early kinder phonics) and not the spelling patterns, like consonant digraphs, vowel teams, etc. that the child would need to access 2nd grade level text or to develop full alphabetic decoding.

Like most Balanced Literacy teachers, the authors seem comfortable with teaching letter names and letter sounds, but they don't understand how kids can use phonics to reliably read words.

Next, she tests the student on a 1st grade word list.

You might think this reflects an understanding that the ability to read words in isolation is an important skill, but NO. The authors don't understand that automatic word recognition is necessary for efficient reading.

Word lists in assessment kits like F&P, are meant to help teachers decide which level book to have a student read in order as they determine a Guided Reading reading level. Difficulty with the 1st grade word list means the child is given a low-level predictable book.

The child tries to read a book which includes simple, repetitive sentences and pictures. It's purpose-written to force a beginning reader to "orchestrate cues" from meaning and context.

Because the text isn't controlled for phonics, the girl is confronted with words that she can't yet decode.

She tries hard to sound out the words.
(Perhaps that's what a parent or her classroom teacher has taught her).

But in Balanced Literacy, expecting a kid who hasn't been taught r-controlled vowels to manage a word like "after" is not seen as unfair. Neither is giving a kid who has kindergarten level phonics a polysyllabic word like "insects."

In the paradigm of Guided Reading, a kid is supposed to balance her phonics (visual) knowledge with attention to meaning and context.

The problem, according to Guided Reading, is that the kid REALIZED that she doesn't know how to read a word and she appealed to an adult for help. In Balanced Literacy, kids are supposed to teach themselves to read by "word solving" using "multiples sources of information."

Balanced Literacy materials are based on the theory that skimming and sampling text–decoding some words, guessing others based on sentence structure and using picture clues to figure out the rest–is more efficient and reliable than reading every letter in every word.

So kids are given predictable books that force them to confront words they don't know how to decode.

And beginning readers either fake it until they make it or, like the girl in the anecdote, they don't. And they move into 2nd grade without basic reading skills.

Balanced Literacy teachers are trained to see students' challenges with predictable books not as a sign that the reading materials are flawed, but rather:

- as a problem with the child who isn't "orchestrating the cues of meaning, structure, and visuals"

- evidence that phonics is unreliable

Balanced Literacy teaches teachers to give up on phonics and try to help kids find workarounds for decoding. It tells us that phonics is not very useful.

And it sells us expensive and ultimately ineffective reading interventions.

In the anecdote, both the kid and the classroom teacher were stumped and they both appealed for help from the reading specialist. That well-intentioned "specialist" was unable to help them due to poor training and shoddy materials

So everyone in the anecdote loses out.

The struggling reader and her teacher both being failed by the instructional materials that were provided by their school demonstrates, quite concisely, why our literacy rates are so low.

And the fact that publications for teachers print articles that are so disconnected from fact, research, and evidence-based practice is yet another reason why teachers and students continue to struggle to get the outcomes we deserve.

We're regularly failed by the professional organizations, journals, "experts," curricula, materials, and training that purport to care deeply about literacy and teaching. We're long overdue for change.

Our famous app wheel has been updated! We hope you like it and find it useful when it comes to narrowing down the choice of thousands of literacy support apps out there. Download the new version here www.callscotland.org.uk/downloads/posters-and-leaflets/ipad-apps-for-learners-with-dyslexia/ Let us know if there are any other apps you think should be on the wheel- thanks!

Love this... ❤️

Photo credit: Generation Mindful

For help managing parenting triggers:

https://genmindful.com/blogs/mindful-moments/why-do-my-kids-trigger-me

October 3rd is officially Dysgraphia Awarenesss Day. As you are aware we are passionate about all the D’s, and the more we learn about dysgraphia the more we do to help educate and empower our community. Our founder’s child is both dyslexic and dysgraphic so she was thrilled to be listed as one of the speakers for the Turn Write Around group on October 3rd. There’s a great line up for the day so don’t miss out.

https://time.com/6137387/taylor-harris-this-boy-we-made-iep-excerpt/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-share-article&utm-term=ideas_books&fbclid=IwAR3qNoNHyYoUtrBCkhb84wibetmNqHgjGOzUPZim_QztRPR3e9Nu8gzs8a4

In my experience as a special education attorney since 1995, there are many false assumptions made by some school district administrators staff when it comes to the color of the special needs children's skin. The tone of school districts' not wanting to "invest" in children of color as much as white children is hard to take. The laws are written for all students with disabilities and should be applied equally. Equality is an ongoing fight...

What It Takes to Get Support for a Black Boy With Special Needs “I just want to say that this didn’t have to be so hard.”

The relationship of handwriting ability and literacy in kindergarten: a systematic review - Reading and Writing Evidence supports a link between handwriting and aspects of literacy, including both reading and writing. Most evidence, however, pertains to children from grade one and above, once foundation skills known to support emerging literacy have been established. The purpose of this systematic review is t...

It's more than just our dyslexic children who are struggling under current instructional models. It's well past time we have a much larger conversation.

Characteristics of Dyslexia...

https://athome.readinghorizons.com/dyslexia-symptoms-and-signs-diagnosing-dyslexia

Dyslexia Symptoms and Signs - Diagnosing Dyslexia - Reading Horizons At-Home One of the very first clues to dyslexia may be delayed language. Once a child begins to speak, look for the following problems:

This young man, Trevor Clark, learned to read despite having severe Dyslexia... In this video, he shares his story and his knowledge of Dyslexia. Amazing...

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__youtu.be_X5Yk3RcD4XE&d=DwMFAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=WrwsGf6LBqETu9yPx82ifQ0Zno6vMiYbS4FE02bO0yc&m=wW6n3HfHYRIsVXwAo_Pd1Kzz5E68oUth3mD9O0J76wA&s=MIIGa03EwLYDPB-ZQPBG1d_ymNROGEgVNbl3wuauFOc&e=

Trevor Clark - What We Know About Reading Trevor Clark shares research around reading and how he remediated himself when he was in his 20s. For free electronic resources, to donate to him, or tutori...

The US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs has numerous resources on what it refers to as "long COVID," which are the long-term effects of COVID suffered by students. These students may qualify for a 504 Plan or an IEP (under Other Health Impairment). Please share with anyone whose student may be affected and in need of support.https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/ocr-factsheet-504-20210726.pdf

www2.ed.gov

https://ldaamerica.org/s2p-virtual-conference/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=getresponse&utm_content=Correction%3A+Meet+Dr.+Maryanne+Wolf%21&utm_campaign=Learning+Disabilities+Association+of+America+Newsletter

LDA’s Science to Practice (S2P) Virtual Forum: Striving for Equitable Assessment in SLD Identification – Learning Disabilities Association of America Save the date for our 59th Annual Conference in New Orleans! January 27th - 30th, 2022REGISTRATION IS OPEN for Our Science To Practice (S2P) Virtual Forum!October 6th - 8th, 2021

This early screening is critical to our children.

http://www.yesonsb237.com/yes-on-sb-237_social-media_6/?fbclid=IwAR23zcBVBQ1-M1AHmdLWSYfndPEO99nuomNuexOd0T5hr8BDKZOLWQujsZw

Yes On SB 237_Social Media_6 - Yes On SB 237 Without universal screening for signs of dyslexia, many students are never identified as being at risk and consequentially, never get the intervention they need to become literate.

This is a very important post! The Department of Education Office of Civil Rights is asking for public comment. This is an opportunity to impact change!

They are requesting information in the form of written comments that include information, research, and suggestions regarding the administration of school discipline in schools serving students in pre-K through grade 12. OCR solicits these comments to inform determinations about what policy guidance, technical assistance, or other resources would assist schools that serve students in pre-K through grade 12 with improving school climate and safety, consistent with the civil rights laws that OCR enforces, to ensure equal access to education programs and activities. OCR has promulgated regulations to implement civil rights laws and periodically provides policy guidance and technical assistance to clarify these statutory and regulatory requirements. Information received through this request may be used to assist OCR in preparing further guidance, technical assistance, and other resources.

Disabled children & Black and brown children are disproportionately restrained,secluded, suspended, expelled, & subjected to corporal punishment. It must stop!

Please provide public comment & share this widely!

Comment here: http://bit.ly/tellOCR

https://www.ednc.org/this-reading-skill-may-not-sound-exciting-but-is-it-the-missing-piece/?fbclid=IwAR1i6TTq0km_FNSQ6BReEUP82Cs8tLYzX2JDxAWn5iBHx92Vh2WXpKJ1cxQ

This reading skill may not sound exciting, but is it the 'missing piece'? Phonemic proficiency -- advanced phonemic awareness and letter-sound knowledge -- is the starting point for becoming a skilled reader, David Kilpatrick says.

Office for Civil Rights Announces Public Hearing on Title IX Regulations

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced a virtual public hearing be held from June 7-11, 2021, to gather information for improving enforcement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Members of the public can register to make a live comment or send written comments to [email protected], following the guidelines in the hearing notice. COPAA opposed changes made to the Title IX regulations under the Trump Administration, has signed joint to recommendations to Congress on needed changes to Title IX, and is planning to testify at the hearing.

https://sedn.senate.ca.gov/

The hearing is taking place tomorrow, March 10, 2021. Instructions for public comment are as follows:

https://sedn.senate.ca.gov/?fbclid=IwAR3X8geGHmiExaIU30ieW-qtnJjAhraTH4ZlW-wfmvW-knLFquRV1SQjrAc

There is also a petition to sign in support and share with your family, friends, and community. Many of us have loved ones or friends whose lives are impacted by Dyslexia and related issues. It is imperative to ensure early detection so that the children may receive the appropriate reading intervention. The petition is found at:

https://p2a.co/QanZpHP?fbclid=IwAR0kuBo2ldZHbS7uuQs9iSME5FxP_LCpg7pFVUrqeDSiuNnAB0icb9JP2Js

Take Action Now to Support Universal Screening for Risk of Dyslexia! SB 237 clearly places literacy for all students as a top priority of a more equitable education system. Join me in taking action to support a universal screening for risk of dyslexia! []

Geralyn M. Clancy Attorney at Law updated their business hours.

https://www.understood.org/en/community-events/blogs/the-inside-track/2015/03/04/stealth-dyslexia-how-some-dyslexic-students-escape-detection

Stealth Dyslexia: How Some Dyslexic Students Escape Detection What is stealth dyslexia? Brock and Fernette Eide explain how stealth dyslexia differs from "classic" dyslexia and offer advice on addressing decoding issues.

This film was released yesterday, May 21, 2020. If you have Dyslexia, if you have children or family members with Dyslexia, if you love someone with Dyslexia, please watch this film. I can guarantee that you know someone with Dyslexia, but you may not be aware of it.

Our Dyslexic Children - 2020 World Premiere Thank you so much for your support! Please visit our website at https://ourdyslexicchildren.com to join the conversation, and our community. Also consider do...

Interesting read...

Head Righting Reflex Delays Cause Poor Visual Skills for Reading and Vestibular Issues for Attention Head Righting Reflex Delays Cause Poor Visual Skills for Reading and Vestibular Issues for Attention This article contains information regarding head righting reflexes. Affiliate links are included for your convenience. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a rem...

Perfectly stated❤️

“No Consent” Letter - with sample

Why Your Child Needs a "No Consent" Letter for Restraint and Seclusion – Inclusion Evolution Two Ohio teachers caught on video dragging an Autistic boy will not be criminally charged. The disturbing video below shows the teachers restraining the boy. The teachers still face possible disciplinary action. This type of incident of restraint and physical punishment of students with disabilities...

Scarborough’s Reading Rope: A Groundbreaking Infographic - International Dyslexia Association Share This: Volume 7, Issue 2 April 2018 Hollis Scarborough—creator of the famous Reading Rope and senior scientist at Haskins Laboratories—is a leading researcher of early language development and its connection to later literacy. Dr. Scarborough’s association with the International Dyslexia ...