General Information

I have some avid game players in my extended family, so when we get together for the holidays, we play all kinds of games, particularly word games, of which my mom is a wizard! For a dyslexic child or adult, word games can be an absolute nightmare. I met a neurosurgeon once who shared with…

We recently tested two boys with very similar learning strengths and challenges.  In testing, they both had good attention, but one became squirmy in his chair whenever he had to read. The squirmy little guy had been diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder without Hyperactivity).  He was never a problem in class, but was reported…

What Came First?  The Chicken or the Egg?  I think lack of confidence and motivation in students comes down to this kind of question. What Parents Often Say About Motivation “If my son were more motivated, he would do fine in school.” “I think she just lacks confidence.  That’s why she takes so long to…

What does horse racing have to do with people talking too fast?  Nothing really, but I wonder if that’s what it feels like to students with slow processing speed.  Race horses fly by in a blur. What would school be like if words flew by you in a blur? Students with learning challenges sometimes feel…

Pay attention!  Pay attention!  Pay attention! How many times can you tell a kid to pay attention before they finally get the message?  For some parents and teachers, it feels endless. Having worked with thousands of struggling learners over the years, I recognize that ADHD is a real and sometimes a devastating challenge for families.…

Most things in life get better with practice.  A learning challenge is not generally one of them. A 10-year-old with a 1st grade reading ability A perpetually distracted student A teen who studies like a maniac but never fails to fail his tests A child who constantly says, “Huh? What?” Who is falling behind in…

Someone emailed me a cartoon of a principal on the phone with a parent saying, “I wouldn’t say your son is a bad child.  He’s gifted in disruptive behavior.” Augh!  Not the phone call you want to get! Many years ago when I taught 4th grade, I had a student, Tony, who constantly made clever…

Attention challenges are really hard to understand – even for students who have them.  They have good intentions, and then find themselves daydreaming or doing something else when they should be working. A parent recently shared with me that her son, who has auditory processing, reading, math, and attention challenges, is in an intervention class…

Have you ever known someone who repeatedly “invaded” your personal space?  They just stand or sit too close in conversation?  There is something really uncomfortable about that, even if the person is someone you know and like. Often I speak with parents who express concerns about their child’s social skills and ability to make and…

Two pipes coming out of a wall are just two pipes coming out of a wall, right?  I guess that depends upon who’s looking at them! My first reaction when I saw this picture was delight.  My next thought was, “That artist must be dyslexic.” I realize that’s a gross generalization.  Certainly not all artists…