Activity 5.2 LD Online Website Articles Study Skills-A Handout for Parents (1998).
This study skills handout for parents reinforces many of the things that I tell families when I meet with them about study skills. First, I insist the parents and the student meet with me together, even when they are in high school. “For children to learn good study skills, teachers and parents must work together.” “Adolescents also need parental support and encouragement throughout high school (LD online, 1998).” Many of my high school parents think that since their child is in high school they should be independent when it comes to studying. I am constantly reinforcing to the parents that they must set boundaries, be consistent, set expectations and have consequences. The handout stresses making homework completion a high priority by expecting homework completed well, establishing a study routine; including a place to study and having supplies on hand.
The handout suggests using homework completion to teach organizational skills by using an assignment book, estimating how long something will take to complete, finishing assignments on time, taking a break every 45-50 minutes and using techniques such as SQ3R. Consequences should include requiring that all necessary material be brought home, assessing homework completion by reviewing grades and noting progress and areas of improvement, using homework folders (one of my favorites) and reducing a child’s freedom until grades improve. Also parents should reward for good grades and improving grades, but rewards need not be expensive. One thing they listed that I have not tried is graphing grades. I hope to try thisstarting next year.
I also have parent who set unrealistic expectations. The handout is clear of making homework completion a positive experience by being non-critical. Provide support and praise and avoid criticism and anger. Homework should never be a punishment and parents need to be good listeners by encouraging questions and having time to share information learned.
I will use this as a handout for several of my families. I have already given it to some staff members who are parents of young children. I have found it a good resource for things we, as parents, can improve and as reinforcement for the things we do right.
Organizational Skills for Students with Learning Disabilities: The Digital Master Filing System by Patricia W. Newhall (2008).
I was interested in this article because we completely became a tech school when we implemented the e-books this year. One of my interventions and accommodations is the use of a computer for my students with dyslexia and dysgraphia for writing and for my students with ADHD for organization. It was not until this year that a student kept losing things he had saved on his computer that I needed to think differently about digital storage. Our students can use a network folder on the school’s computer system that they have access to from home. I find most students do not use it even though I encourage them not to leave their assignment on their computers. It usually takes losing an assignment to convince students this is what they need to do. Newhall (2008) recommends creating a class folder for each subject and to be specific in naming the document. While I have assumed that most high schools students know to do that, I have not actually taught a student the steps or made sure that they did it properly. I am behind most high school students when it comes to technology but it is a skill worth teaching. Newhall (2008) also recommends printing out and filing hard copies of their digital work into a master filing system and once that is done to delete any material no longer in use. While I may print out copies for students to turn into teachers or to study from, I still recommend keeping digital copies of important work. This works as a portfolio of the student’s work for showing growth, useful in studying from for finals or for use as college essays for applications. “Managing materials is one of the three key categories of study skills that contribute to students’ ability to organize, remember and apply their knowledge. To do well in school, students must develop strategies that make them efficient, effective managers in each of these areas (Newhall, 2008).”
LD Online retrieved on April 16, 2011, from http://ldonline.org/article/c656
Student Skills Strategies
The strategy for answering chapter questions by Archer and Gleason (1989) is a strategy I use with one of my students with Asperger’s. While she has good comprehension skills and she can write a complete sentence it is very difficult for her to put her thoughts into writing, especially when getting started. We follow the strategy from step one: She first reads the question and we talk about what is means. In step two, I have her change the question into a statement and that becomes the first sentence. In step three and four, I have her find and read the section in the book that deals with the question and then we list the item or detail(s) that answer the question. The last step she writes it into sentence form. Since we have just started using this strategy after Christmas and we are not consistently working on answering chapter questions in the lab, I still must scaffold with her.
Archer, A., & Gleason, M. (1989). Skills for school success. Billerica, MA: Curriculum Associates.
The PIRATES test taking strategy by Hughes, Schumaker, Deshler and Mercer (1987) I use with all of my students in the lab and it was a strategy I use to teach in the study skills class. I believe I have used this form since 1987. The only part I do not do is have the students write PIRATES on their tests, but I think I am going to make a poster for the lab for next year based on the information I have gather this semester. The steps to PIRATES are P for prepare to succeed by reviewing the test sections and figuring your allotted time. I for inspect the instructions; I have the students circle or underline keys item in the directions. R for read, remember, and reduce; read the whole questions and possible answers then reduce by marking out the choices that are not possible. A is for answer or abandon; answer it if you know it or skip it if you do not. T for turn back; go back to the skipped answers and do your best. E for estimate the answers you are unsure of by using ACE; Avoid absolutes, Choose the longest and most detailed answer and Eliminate the identical possibilities. S in PIRATES is for Survey; check that all answers are answered and only change answers if you are sure they are wrong. I believe so much in this strategy that when teachers tell the students not to write on their test, I tell them to do it anyway or I make extra copies to turn back to the teacher. If the test comes in a digital form I will often make paper copies so the student can write on them.
Hughes, C. A., Schumaker, J.B., Deshler, D.D., & Mercer, C. (1987). Test-taking strategy. Lawrence, KS: Excel Enterprises.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cognitive strategy instruction: study skills retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://www.unl.edu/csi
Activity 5.3
Helping Children with Executive Functioning Problems Turn In Their Homework by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel (2008). I was interested in this article because I have a lot of students who struggle with executive functioning skills especially when it comes to homework. First step is to understand the point at which the problem occurs, and to consider what needs to be changed or added to the routine to get past it. The strategy may include instituting a home or school routine, or trying a different way to organize information. Cooper-Kahn and Dietzel (2008) recommend developing templates of repetitive procedures and photo charts for core classes. I often wrote a list of items for my own daughter who has ADHD when she was in school but I wish I had thought of a regular template. Unfortunately in my school, setting up class routines take a bit longer since each subject has a separate teacher with different routines. When a general routine was suggested for all classes I received a lot of resistance. One of the tricks listed for the use of technology that often works well is for the students to send digital copies. A few of my students not only send copies to their teacher but also to me in case they need to be printed out for a hard copy and turned in that day. One strategy suggested was to link the desired behavior that a student forgets to do to an already established habit.
Parents as Study Partners: Building an Academic Partnership with Your Child by Alexandra Mayzler and Ana McGann (2010). I originally chose this article as a resource to give to parents, but as I read the article I think this would be useful for anyone who teaches high school students. The first section asks parents to remember what it was like to be in high school to help them relate to their child and what they may be going through. In my experience this has not been helpful. What children are expected to do in high school is far more demanding than when I was in high school and I was on a college-prep track. I also find many parents, especially fathers, of students with disabilities who feel they got through it without any help and so will their kid. Beyond this first section the suggestions were very good.
The section under family time discusses creating reasonable structure, limits and expectations. Mayzler and McGann (2010) recommends stressing to your child that they are working together as a team. “It is important to have the whole family create mutually agreeable expectations, and to communicate these expectations (2010).” Stating what the consequences are if the expectations are not met and following through is needed to be successful. Families need to create a structured routine that includes dinner time. A wall calendar that shows upcoming family events and appointments is useful.
Section two suggests establishing open communication. Establishing a “check-in” day with regular updates on school and extracurricular activities is a good beginning. Check-in must be judgment-free. If you are being critical they are less likely to be open. It is important that as the child matures that they start taking part in the decision-making process. Adults are used to telling kids what to do. I made this mistake with a junior when his mother and I decided it would be helpful to remove him from a class without asking him. He was very angry. I had to apologize for not including him in the decision. When I work with students I let them decide what they need to work on after we discuss what they have to complete. As long as they are working I do not interfere with their choice but give assistance as needed. If they make a mistake or a bad choice we discuss what they could have done differently. I also give freedom for the students to complain about a class as long as they are not demeaning a teacher. Often they just need to blow off stream. I then ask what they have control over. Another suggestion the authors made to parents, I also do with my students, and that is informing them when I will be talking to a teacher. I first encourage them to advocate for themselves before I take this step. This includes seeking out resources and support and giving encouragement when they do.
The third section suggests creating mutual learning environments. As my children were growing up it was understood when someone had homework to do the television was not to be on including the adults. I always found homework got done a lot faster. I think children need to see adults working, studying and reading so they understand learning never ends. Since I have started this class I have shared my moments with my students both good and bad.
The fourth section is helping with homework. Parents need to instruct their child were and how to find the answer and not just give it to them. You must also understand that your child may not learn the same way you do. I was in a parent conference when a parent was arguing about making their child annotate a book. The mother stated she could not annotate and comprehend at the same time so because of his disability he could not do that. When I asked the student where he was having problems we adjusted the strategy to include summaries at the end of the chapter and how he could annotate quotes. The mother was not happy that he still needed to do it. The father understood what we were trying to do and felt it would work since he often did that in his head. I also had a parent who verbally quizzed his son and could not understand why he was not doing well on tests because he knew the information. I recommended another way to study the information using his preferred style and in the same format as the test (visual and written) and the student did better.
LD Online retrieved on April 16, 2001, from http://ldonline.org/article/c656
Activity 5.4 Theo’s Gift In the opening scene of “Theo’s gift” Theo and his girlfriend are studying for a Greek mythology test for a college course. Justine is asking Theo questions and he is verbally answering. Theo’s dad comes in and quizzes him on the material. Theo can correctly answer the questions about the character and the main concept of the story. Based on this scene one would guess that Theo would do well on his test.
Theo returns home and is upset because he received a C on the test and doesn’t understand because he knew the material. His parents look at the first question of the test and do not understand why he missed it because it is obvious what the answer is. When the mother reads the question out, Theo did not understand what the question was asking. Both of his parents think he was over confident and didn’t read the question thoroughly. He needs to be more careful and to work harder. Theo feels no one understands him or supports him. He doesn’t even understand himself. This is often the reaction of teachers, administration and families to tell students with disabilities to work harder or that they are just lazy. A week ago a teacher of a students with a disability who was in her class and she was aware of having a disability told me “He is just lazy.” This is a student who is diagnosed with a bi-polar disorder and cycles about every three weeks. I fired back that I cannot imagine going through life feeling on top of the world for three weeks and then not wanting to do anything for three weeks and when you don’t get anything done for those three weeks you are so far behind that you cannot believe you can catch-up when you feel good again.
When Theo and his parents meet with his college professor she states that Theo’s notes are incomplete and disorganized. His writing has many structural and grammatical errors and when he is asked a question he often has a hard time finding the words. Theo is tested and found out to have dyslexia. He starts a program to help with his dyslexia and he receives accommodations for the use of a tape recorder and someone to help him organize and review his notes. Both Theo and his parents are happy to find out that he has dyslexia. A lot of my parents are relieved to finally find out that there is something that is causing the problem and that now there may be a way to help.
While the episode was good in showing you can have a learning disability and be successful, I did not like how they made it seem so easy to solve the problem. Beside Bill Cosby telling Rudy that it takes Theo five hours longer to study they made it look like Theo just takes a few classes for the dyslexia and uses his accommodations and he will start getting B+’s and everyone is happy. I think this is unfair to the students who struggle with dyslexia. Most of my students with dyslexia who have graduated in the last ten years have gone on to be successful but they all had to go about it differently than most students. They often start at a junior college or take longer than 4 years. They must work hard and learn to be strong advocates for themselves to be successful.
The Bill Cosby show. Theo’s Gift, 6th season. Retrieved on April 30, 2011 from http://www.you/ tube.com/watch?v=cwssN6ShJjg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUOYvzTilp8&feature=related
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