Learning Strategies
Find out more about strategies you can use to make the most of your child's learning abilities.
Determining Reading Level of Schoolwork
In an excerpt from "Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book," Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis share a neat trick for figuring out the grade level of reading material.
In an excerpt from "Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book," Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis share a neat trick for figuring out the grade level of reading material.
Developing Vocabulary at Home
In an excerpt from "The Shut-Down Learner," Dr. Richard Selznick gives an easy at-home method for boosting your child's vocabulary.
In an excerpt from "The Shut-Down Learner," Dr. Richard Selznick gives an easy at-home method for boosting your child's vocabulary.
Ten Reading Goals to Set
Whether your kid's a flat-out reluctant reader or just easily distracted by activities that offer quicker gratification, getting your child to really commit to reading can be a challenge. Sometimes it helps to make a little contest of it -- set a goal and offer a reward for reaching it. Here are ten goals to try, ranging from small-scale to long-term.
Whether your kid's a flat-out reluctant reader or just easily distracted by activities that offer quicker gratification, getting your child to really commit to reading can be a challenge. Sometimes it helps to make a little contest of it -- set a goal and offer a reward for reaching it. Here are ten goals to try, ranging from small-scale to long-term.
Enterprising Parents: Educational Materials Index
Looking for educational materials for a child with special needs? Consider these online stores run by parents just like you. They've taken what worked for them and marketed it to help other parents; maybe their discoveries will work for you, too.
Looking for educational materials for a child with special needs? Consider these online stores run by parents just like you. They've taken what worked for them and marketed it to help other parents; maybe their discoveries will work for you, too.
Special-Needs Business Profile: Alacan Publishing
Profile of an online business selling products for improving memory for schoolwork, started by the father of a boy with developmental delays.
Profile of an online business selling products for improving memory for schoolwork, started by the father of a boy with developmental delays.
Five Ways to Use TV for Good
TV gets plenty of criticism, but particularly for children with special needs, it can be an informative window on the world and a motivation for learning and connecting.
TV gets plenty of criticism, but particularly for children with special needs, it can be an informative window on the world and a motivation for learning and connecting.
Dice Game Makes Math Facts Fun
Help your child learn which numbers add up to the same thing with an easy-to-improvise game using cards and dice.
Help your child learn which numbers add up to the same thing with an easy-to-improvise game using cards and dice.
Motivating Bookmarks
Motivate children to read 10 books with a bookmark that marks their progress.
Motivate children to read 10 books with a bookmark that marks their progress.
Help Your Child With Homework
Children with learning and developmental differences may need lots of help with homework, but are you up for the job? Ask yourself these eight questions before getting down to work.
Children with learning and developmental differences may need lots of help with homework, but are you up for the job? Ask yourself these eight questions before getting down to work.
Top 10 Reasons to Try Flash Cards
Children with special learning needs require lots of repetition and reinforcement to learn new concepts. Flash cards provide that service cheaply, efficiently, and at pocket-size. Here are 10 reasons to try them.
Children with special learning needs require lots of repetition and reinforcement to learn new concepts. Flash cards provide that service cheaply, efficiently, and at pocket-size. Here are 10 reasons to try them.
Teach Your Child Reading Comprehension
Teaching your child to read words is half the battle -- teaching him to understand the meaning and music in what he reads is the hard-fought other half. Use the book "Mosaic of Thought" to help your reluctant reader gain a greater appreciation of reading.
Teaching your child to read words is half the battle -- teaching him to understand the meaning and music in what he reads is the hard-fought other half. Use the book "Mosaic of Thought" to help your reluctant reader gain a greater appreciation of reading.
Teach Your Child to Read
Phonics-based reading programs work well for children with special needs, but many schools have abandoned them in favor of a whole language approach. Put your child through a course of phonics-based reading instruction yourself with the book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons."
Phonics-based reading programs work well for children with special needs, but many schools have abandoned them in favor of a whole language approach. Put your child through a course of phonics-based reading instruction yourself with the book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons."
Homework Help for Kids with Special Needs
It's normal for a child to hate doing homework, but for children with special learning, motor or developmental needs, that hatred can blow up into tantrums, meltdowns, and endless nag-a-thons. It doesn't have to be that way. Here are six ways to make the homework experience less painful for all involved.
It's normal for a child to hate doing homework, but for children with special learning, motor or developmental needs, that hatred can blow up into tantrums, meltdowns, and endless nag-a-thons. It doesn't have to be that way. Here are six ways to make the homework experience less painful for all involved.
Study Buddies Help Facts Stick
Memorizing facts and concepts can be tough for children with special learning, developmental or behavioral needs. These five study buddies can help turn that slippery information into sticky-notes for the brain.
Memorizing facts and concepts can be tough for children with special learning, developmental or behavioral needs. These five study buddies can help turn that slippery information into sticky-notes for the brain.
'Birthday Math' Makes Calculating Fun
To give your child some unsuspected practice in math and memory skills, show her how to look up her favorite celebrities on IMDb and use their birthdates to figure out their ages.
To give your child some unsuspected practice in math and memory skills, show her how to look up her favorite celebrities on IMDb and use their birthdates to figure out their ages.
Top 5 Ways to Keep Learning Going During School Breaks
How do you keep little brains working when school's out? Spend some vacation time doing these activities that combine fun and learning.
How do you keep little brains working when school's out? Spend some vacation time doing these activities that combine fun and learning.
Help Your Child Recognize Emotions
Identifying emotions -- in other people, and in themselves -- can be hard for children with special needs. Here are five fun ways to help your child learn what facial expressions mean, how to recognize emotions in others, and what those same emotions feel like to them.
Identifying emotions -- in other people, and in themselves -- can be hard for children with special needs. Here are five fun ways to help your child learn what facial expressions mean, how to recognize emotions in others, and what those same emotions feel like to them.