Biology Of Language Study

Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University are working together on the Biology of Language Study that is looking at the way genes affect language skills.

They are seeking families where at least one family member shows a history of language or reading problems.

The study will not cost you anything. You will receive a $20 gift card for your completion of the enrollment interview and another for your child's completion of the eligibility testing. If your family is eligible for further assessment, each family member asked to complete testing will be paid $100 at the end of participation.

No travel time is necessary. All information can be taken over the phone.

For more information about the study or to inquire about enrollment, contact:

Drs. Chris Bartlett and Steve Petrill

bls@ehe.osu.edu

1-800-678-6494

website information:

http://bls.ehe.osu.edu/

OH Dept. of Ed. Rules Against Columbus School District for Non-compliance in the Area of Learning Disabilities

Read the Ohio Department of Education's complaint findings against the Upper Arlington City School district (Columbus, OH).

ODE finds the Upper Arlington District negligent in:

Identifying students with Specific Learning Disability, including dyslexia, in a timely manner- causing students to be placed in ineffective programs for 2-4 years.

Providing interventions (especially in reading) that do not address or resolve the student's academic difficulties; consequently resulting in those students being denied timely evaluations.

Following written guidelines and procedures in identifying struggling students

The Upper Arlington School District agreed to provide teacher training on policy and procedures in identifying children with learning disabilities and to implement teacher in-services on such learning disabilities as dyslexia, ADHD, and dycalculia.

Dyslexia Independent of IQ

According to MIT News Office:

IQ is not a good predictor or indicator of reading difficulties.

Brain-imaging study suggests that reading difficulties are the same regardless of overall intelligence — and that more children could benefit from support in school.

Read more here.

Building Phonemic Awareness in Young Children

According to the National Reading Panel Report 2000, there are 7 essential phonemic awareness tasks that children must master to become proficient readers.

These phonemic awareness tasks include:

Count or say each sound

Add a sound

Delete a sound

Change a sound

Compare two words

Blend sounds into words

Create words that rhyme

Click here for ideas in fostering these essential building blocks to reading in

preschool and elementary aged children.

Common Myths About Dyslexia

Read about 15 Common Myths of Dyslexia including:

1. Reversing letters is a definitive sign of dyslexia.

2. Dyslexia cannot be diagnosed in young children.

3. Dyslexia is caused by poor teaching.

4. The solution for dyslexia is to have children read aloud more often.

5. If a child can read, he does not have dyslexia.

Congressional Budget Cuts Affect Learning Ally (RFB&D)

Like so many other nonprofit organizations, Learning Ally (RFB&D) recently learned that its current appropriation has been discontinued as part of the most recent round of Congressional budget cuts.

Effective August 31, all current individual memberships will expire. Effective September 1, a Learning Ally Individual membership will be $99 per year. However, prior to August 31, we are offering the opportunity to register or renew a one year Individual membership for $79. We hope you will take advantage of this limited time $79 membership offer.

What is Phonemic Awareness?

Listen Dr. Reid Lyon, former Chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch within the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as he explains in his own words how phonemic awareness is an essential reading skill that children must have to become good readers.