when reading the words is not enough!

: I may let you down here there because the problem you describe is one I deal with too. And thus far I haven’t found any answers. Recently a teacher came over to my side on this issue but only because his own son was recently diagnosed ADD after found to be struggling greatly in school. Now my dear colleague is found of telling everybody, “It’s not that some kids don’t try, some kids have real “organic issues.”Better late than never I suppose. Do these teachers have anyone in their lives who has struggled in school?Do your kids have to be in these Social Studies classes? Do their IEPS require modifications? Is your building principal any more helpful than mine in these matters? Is there any higher authority to which you can appeal for help with these teachers? What did the office do with the child who was sent up?As to learning strategies that would help these kids, without adult support through such demands, there can’t be any “quick fix.” If your resource room is still available to them in any way,though, you could keep copies of easy read textbooks in your room for them. May they choose there ten areas of events and people or are they assigned by the teacher? If they may, you could help them choose. Choose concepts of the Civil War easier to comprehend like slavery rather than the Nullification Agreement or states’ rights.These dear students are lucky to have you in their court. Without you, it sounds like they might have nobody.Hello, I wrote recently about the success we’ve been having using the
: SRA Corrective Reading Program for 4th and 5th grade students. Now
: I have a new problem. Several of my students have attained at or
: near grade level reading but are having great difficulty in the
: regular classroom particulary in the area of Social Studies. I’ve
: taught these students the SQ3R comprehension method to locate and
: comprehend text. I’ve also taught the multipass strategy to a few
: students. My biggest problem seems to be convincing the regular
: ed. Teachers that these kids are still disabled and need
: modifications and supports for the more difficult content courses.
: I see the cycle of failure beginning again for some of my kiddos
: and given how far these kids have come over the last year, I’m
: desperate to find some answers. I need some learning strategies
: that can quickly help these students. I also need some information
: that I can give my reg. teachers that they will accept and
: understand. He is an example of the work my fifth graders are
: expected to perform: Look up ten areas of events and people
: concerned with the Civil War. Look through TWO textbooks to locate
: information. Write a paragragh on each item and the information
: must be written in your own words. Obviously, I see a problem with
: this assignment especially given the these students just learned
: how to read the words within the last few months!!! One of my most
: successful students, who raised his reading level from 1.3 grade
: level to 4.5 over the last year, ended up sent to the office over
: this because the teacher said “He refused to complete his
: work”. Well DUH!!!!! How can I phrase my concerns in a way
: that the teachers will accept? Thanks for your help, I can always
: count on you guys!! Pam.

EMAILNOTICES>noHow are these children’s writing skills? It’s great that they’ve made such great strides in their reading skills; that can only help. But I’ve read that writing skills usually tend to lag behind. Can the LD kids write as well as they’ve learned to read? If not, are the teachers expecting them to be able to, anyway? If so, these kids have got real trouble.BTW, I’m not a reading specialist, so I would like to be enlightened on the following. What, specifically, is the kind of trouble they’re having with the more difficult coursework like social studies? And how is the trouble affecting their ability to do the kinds of homework such as that you mentioned in your letter? What would help them to be successful at it, since their own efforts aren’t turning the trick (and neither is punishment, obviously)?I wish I had some great advice to give, but I don’t. All I can do is echo what Sara said—that these students are very lucky to have you. I hope someone else can give you some workable ideas!Yours truly, Kathy G.

: How are these children’s writing skills? It’s great that they’ve made
: such great strides in their reading skills; that can only help.
: But I’ve read that writing skills usually tend to lag behind. Can
: the LD kids write as well as they’ve learned to read? If not, are
: the teachers expecting them to be able to, anyway? If so, these
: kids have got real trouble.: BTW, I’m not a reading specialist, so I would like to be enlightened
: on the following. What, specifically, is the kind of trouble
: they’re having with the more difficult coursework like social
: studies? And how is the trouble affecting their ability to do the
: kinds of homework such as that you mentioned in your letter? What
: would help them to be successful at it, since their own efforts
: aren’t turning the trick (and neither is punishment, obviously)?: I wish I had some great advice to give, but I don’t. All I can do is
: echo what Sara said—that these students are very lucky to have
: you. I hope someone else can give you some workable ideas!: Yours truly, Kathy G.Kathy and Sara, I appreciate your responses and will try to answer your questions. My principal is not very supportive but my assistant principal is. My assit. principal handles the discipline so the student who was sent to him was providided with a place to “time out” and referred back to the classroom. Most of my students in this group do have problems with written expression, however, their sentence and paragraph structure is generally o.k., the primary problem is spelling and handwriting. The teachers do seem to understand that these skills are a result of being L.D. and not laziness. I’ve been reading through my L.D. methods textbook and I think the problem may be helped with graphic organizers centered around the “big ideas” of the current unit in Social Studies. I think my biggest problem with my reg, ed, teachers is the lack of understanding that these students cannot understand inferential information. Our Social studies texbook in written above grade level, with complicated sentence and pargraph sturcture and difficult vocabulary. The chapter questions are 90% critical thinking and inferental information. My students who just learned to read the darned thing just don’t have the experience necessary to adequatly handle the text, but there is a perception is that I am “coddeling” (sp) the students. I really need some ideas on how to articulate the fact that L.D. is more than just reading the words. I’ve tried to print information and give to my teachers and frankly I think it goes into the trash can! There is a huge problem at my school with understanding that our students are disabled and not just lazy or bad. I thought that when my students began to improve with basic reading this perception would improve, but in some ways it seems to have made it worse. Last week my principal actually stated in a staff meeting that special ed. is just an excuse for not doing. I know I’m fighting an uphill battle, but I refuse to quit. The teachers in my school are dedicated professionals, there has to be way to convince them that these kids are worth the extra effort. I didn’t mean to climb up on the soap box again, but I do feel better getting my frustrations off my chest and hopefully someone else has fought these battles and improved their situation. Thanks guys, Pam