FAQ 1. My child appears to be struggling in school. Her teacher says to just wait; she'll be fine. Her grades aren't that bad. What should I do? A conference with your child’s teacher is a good first step. Collect information on your child’s performance, ability to study at home and school, attitudes toward school, and relationships. All of these can be important indicators of problems. You should also learn about your rights and responsibilities as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is a law that requires all states to provide a public school education no matter how severe the disabilities are. Ultimately, trust your intuition! No one knows your child better than you. If you suspect a problem, it is very important that you seek help as soon as you realize your child is having difficulty learning. 2. How do I know if my child has a learning difference? An unexpected gap between aptitude and achievement in school can signal a potential learning difference. 1 in 7 Americans (15%) have some type of learning disability. If you notice your child is struggling with learning, here are some specific signs to look for: Preschool
Kindergarten—Fourth Grade
Fifth—Eighth Grade
3. If I think there really is a problem, what should I do first? It is very important that you get help as soon as you realize your child is having difficulty learning. Finding the right person to work with your child, and getting help early, can mean the difference between success and failure in school. It is scary to admit that your child is struggling to learn. Research tells us that parents fear that their child may be “labeled for life” if he or she is identified as having a learning disability. Please know that you are not alone. Consider that at least 2.7 million children are receiving help in school because of a learning disability. The National Institutes of Health even estimate that one of every seven Americans (15 percent) has some degree of learning difficulty. Most learning difficulties affect reading and language skills. In fact, a significant majority of students with a learning disability have problems with reading. If these children receive appropriate help in the early grades, most of them will become skilled, independent readers. When help is delayed, it becomes harder and harder for children to catch up. Perhaps the most important reason to seek help early is to spare children the frustration and failure they experience when they don’t do well in school and don’t know why. You can help your child to understand that he or she is intelligent but simply learns differently. 4. What is a learning disability? Researchers think that learning disabilities are caused by differences in how a person's brain works and how it processes information. Children with learning disabilities are not "dumb" or "lazy." In fact, they usually have average or above average intelligence. Their brains just process information differently. The skills most often affected are: reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and doing math. It is not a disease and therefore cannot be cured. It is a life-long condition. However, with appropriate intervention, students with learning disabilities can succeed in school and become successful adults. 5. Why go to the trouble and expense of testing? If you suspect your child may be having trouble learning, it is important to have an evaluation to better understand the problem. Just as you would never treat a broken arm with cold medicine, neither do you want to treat your child for the wrong learning problem. Testing provides you with specific information about what your child's needs are. Test results determine eligibility for special education services in various states, and they also determine eligibility for programs in colleges and universities. The appropriate assessment will provide a basis for making educational recommendations and determining the baseline from which remediation programs will be evaluated. 6. What if my child has dyslexia? Who can help us? Academic therapists (sometimes called educational therapists or academic language therapists) are specialists specifically trained to work with students with dyslexia. They have completed extensive training in multisensory structured language teaching. They are trained to remediate problems in reading, spelling, written language, and sometimes math. Not all students need academic therapy; some just need tutoring for help with a particular subject. Schools, counselors, pediatricians, and other parents can be sources for locating a specialist. Often, the individual who administered the assessment can recommend a therapist. The first step is to meet and interview the individual to determine if he or she has a personal style that is comfortable for you and teaching expertise that is appropriate to your student’s learning needs. 7. What can I expect from an academic therapist? Your child should receive intense remediation that begins with the basics and builds the learning continuum step-by-step. Academic therapists start at the beginning so that no gaps are left in the student’s education. Processing information in reading, writing, spelling, and math is addressed with an individualized and structured plan for each student. 8. How long will intervention take? How long it takes depends on the severity of the problem, age of the child, and the frequency of the sessions. The more intense the treatment, the quicker you will see results. Optimally sessions should occur two to four times a week until the student reaches a level of independence commensurate with his or her age and cognitive ability. Success is not always immediately measurable. Remember, one-to-one academic therapy is a process, not a product. There is no quick fix for the student with a learning difference. The appropriate treatment is one of the most important steps in a lifetime of learning. 9. My child shows signs of ADD/ADHD. Is there an alternative to medication? ADD/ADHD and learning disabilities are closely linked. Having your child tested will provide a diagnosis so you know what you’re dealing with. Academic therapy could be the only help your child needs. 10. What Do I Do? If you suspect your child is not performing at an appropriate level, you should call and arrange for an interview with an academic therapist. She may recommend testing before any intervention can take place. However, tutoring can often be started while waiting for test results. The earlier potential problems are addressed, the better the outcome.
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