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A Beach Bag Full of Summer Learning Resources
Did you know that two-thirds of the academic achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their higher-achieving peers is attributable to how they spend their summers? Learning shouldn't stop when school is out, so we offer you a veritable beach bag of ideas to help keep students engaged and challenged during the summertime.
A Student's Perspective on Writing
Eli tells us what it is like to have dysgraphia. Regina Richards, a well-known expert on dysgraphia (and Eli's mom), explains how to help children who struggle with the challenges Eli describes. Practical techniques discussed include POWER (Prepare, Organize, Write, Edit, Revise) and providing authentic positive comments that move the child forward.
African-American Students and U.S. High Schools
This fact sheet, prepared by the Alliance for Excellent Education, looks at statistics related to the graduation rates and college readiness of African-American students, as well as the quality of the teachers and schools that serve them.
Attending Meetings to Plan Your Child's Individualized Education Program (IEP)
This checklist prepared by the PACER Center will help parents prepare for and get the most out of Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings with school staff.
Boys and Books
The statistics are consistent: Young male readers lag behind their female counterparts in literacy skills. This article looks at the social, psychological, and developmental reasons why, and suggests solutions — including the need for more men to become role models for reading.
Building Trust with Schools and Diverse Families
While increased family involvement is linked to improves student performance, it is not always fully understood and examined within schools. Different types of involvement may include parenting, communicating with schools, volunteering at schools, supporting learning at home, participating in school governance and decision-making, and taking part in school-community collaborations. In order to encourage and foster this comprehensive involvement with all families, school administrators and teachers must develop mutual trust, consider the different cultural attitudes some families may have towards schooling, and be diligent in reaching out.
Communication Strategies for All Classrooms: Focusing on English Language Learners and Students with Learning Disabilities
Here are some concrete suggestions for teachers who want to communicate well with all of their students, especially English language learners and students with learning disabilities. Incorporate these suggestions and you will reach many more students.
Consejos para padres de adolescentes con dificultades para escribir
Al graduarse de la escuela preparatoria, se espera que los estudiantes estadounidenses hayan aprendido a escribir de manera eficaz para una variedad de propósitos, desde la redacción de cartas y cuentos hasta ensayos e informes de investigación. Sin embargo, a muchos estudiantes de la escuela media y la preparatoria no les gusta escribir, y los estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés como segunda lengua pueden tener especial dificultad para la escritura. En este artículo veremos algunos de los motivos por los que los estudiantes más grandes buscan evitar la escritura, así como algunas sugerencias para que usted pueda ayudar a su hijo adolescente a convertirse en un mejor escritor.
Designing a Dossier — An Instruction Book for Your Child
Many of the adults in your child's life are unfamiliar with learning disorders in general, or your child's unique pattern of strengths and limitations. Help their babysitters, coaches, teachers, church personnel, bus drivers, school support staff, dentists, barbers, neighbors, and relatives understand their limitations. Develop a short one- to three-page dossier that provides useful information about your child. This article describes key elements of such a document, and provides a sample.
