Jets’ Rex Ryan acknowledges toughest foe: dyslexia

Words have always been Rex Ryan’s biggest challenge.

Empowering Parents

If you have a child who is a struggling reader, your family is not alone. Learning to read is a challenge for almost 40 percent of kids, and an even bigger challenge for their parents. 

Empowering Parents, a PBS special hosted by Al Roker, visits schools in Huntingtown, Maryland, and Portland, Oregon, to help families identify early signs of reading problems and find ideas for getting their kids the help and support they need to succeed at reading.  [To view this video on your computer you'll need a high speed Internet connection.View the video}

This Web-based video is about how brain scientists are working to solve the puzzle of why some children struggle to read and others don't. Startling new research shows the answer may lie in how a child's brain is wired from birth. This video demonstrates how effective interventions can change the brain. and help people overcome disorders like dyslexia and autism.  To view this video on your computer you'll need a high speed Internet connection.View video

The College Board's recent research report revealed that a student's score of the SAT Writing section was the best perdictor of success for college freshmen…. even better than the Math or Critical Reading scores! This finding reinforces the need for students who may be college-bound to begin early developing skills in English grammar and usage. read more

Don Johnston Incorporated, AbleNet and Dr. Karen Erickson, Center for Literacy and Disabilities Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, announced a 'first of its kind' reading curriculum to support students with moderate to severe/profound intellectual disabilities at the 2008 Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference in Orlando, Florida. read more

… from Time.com

In the latest study on the effects of popular videos such as the "Baby Einstein" and "Brainy Baby" series, researchers find that these products may be doing more harm than good. And they may actually delay language development in toddlers.

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Durham Local Educational Authority study suggests Omega-3 fatty acids have real benefits for a pupils with a range of specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD.  read more

What are Autism Spectrum Disorders? (from the National Institutes of Mental Health)      Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs), cause severe and pervasive impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. These disorders are usually first diagnosed in early childhood and range from a severe form, called autistic disorder, through pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), to a much milder form, Asperger syndrome. They also include two rare disorders, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder. read more

Children must understand how speech sounds work to be ready for instruction in reading and writing. There are many activities that you can do with students to help them understand how speech sounds relate to letters. read more