For years, Reed has been conducting Independent Evaluations (IEE) through local school districts. An IEE is done at the request of a parent who had their child assessed by their school district, and when they are not in agreement with that evaluation. A school district reviews the request for an IEE and if they are in agreement, they will authorize an IEE. Parents have rights (as noted in the procedural safeguards that the district must provide them) which outlines their rights in disputing an assessment and/or IEP recommendation. Reed has been working in the school setting as a School Psychologist since 2007, and has been contracting with districts doing IEEs since becoming a Licensed Educational Psychologist in 2014. He seeks to advocate for each child and make recommendations for an IEP Team to consider how best to meet the student’s needs. It would be our pleasure to talk with you and answer any questions you may have about an IEE request that you have made, and to figure out if we would be suited for your child’s IEE assessment. Feel free to reach out with any questions!
Resource on Research about Dyslexia, Reading Supports, etc.
The What Works Clearinghouse is a resource that you can use to review the trends in research around dyslexia, as well as interventions. They give a summary of lots of studies/research to help clarify how to help a person who has dyslexia or reading challenges.
It can be daunting to try to figure out for yourself the best resources to trust to help with dyslexia and reading disorders. There is a lot of information out there that does not align to research and neuroscience. Finding resources you can trust is a vital step in helping a person with dyslexia or reading challenges. Feel free to reach out to me for a free 20-minute consultation!
The International Dyslexia Association
There is a lot of interest in the general population about dyslexia. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of misconceptions as well. Here is one resource that may help answer your questions about dyslexia.
International Dyslexia Association gives an excellent definition of this condition. “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”
If you have additional questions about dyslexia and/or reading challenges in general, you can reach out to me for a free 20-minute consultation!
Interview about Dyslexia, Autism, ADHD, etc on the Virtual Couch Podcast
American Board of School Neuro-Psychology
Finding a Licensed Educational Psychologist, with certification (including diplomate status) from the American Board of School Neuro-Psychology is not easy, from what clients tell me. Frankly there are not many of us out there.
Certification through the American Board of School Neuro-Psychology is helpful, particularly in more complex cases. Following a traumatic brain injury, one may seek a pediatric neuro-cognitive assessment (“School Neuro-Psych Eval”), to understand skills and to obtain recommendations tailored to the person’s unique needs.
For more complex needs, like when a client is in need of an assessment to “rule out” or diagnose a few conditions, a “School Neuro-Psych” assessment may be best suited for it. For example, this type of evaluation may be sought to assess a Learning Disorder in reading (such as dyslexia), as well as Autism, and ADHD,
Feel free to reach out with your questions about an assessment. There are likely different options to consider and we would be happy to get you on the right path to find answers for a pathway forward.
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Reading / Dyslexia Assessment
Do you (or does your loved one) have a reading disorder, such as dyslexia? An assessment by a skilled Licensed Educational Psychologist can answer your questions about this.
An evaluation of reading results in clear, actionable recommendations that are based on School Neuro-Psychology. There are proven ways on how to help a person strengthen their reading skills. This is true for dyslexics, as well as for those who seek to improve in their reading skills.
Find answers soon to the questions you have. Schedule a free 20-minute appointment to talk with Reed about an assessment. Learn for yourself whether this is what will help you (or your loved one) make needed gains in reading skills.
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Autism Evaluation
A benefit of getting a comprehensive evaluation, by a skilled Licensed Educational Psychologist, to diagnose or “rule out” Autism, is that you will have a clear understanding of your child’s needs. Rating scales alone do not paint a full picture to figure out which skills are limited. Assessment includes testing (cognition/intelligence, processing, and academics when needed), rating scales, background input based on your observations, as well as observations from testing.
Oftentimes a person may have characteristics of Autism and ADHD, and a psycho-educational assessment can identify which is it. A clear understanding of a client’s needs, as well as obtaining specific recommendations tailored to her/his need, makes assessment an ideal approach to take in order to obtain answers you seek.
In some cases, an assessment may rule out several conditions, such as whether Autism, ADHD, and/or a Learning Disorder (in reading, writing, or math) may be present. For these more complex cases, there are options as to the amount of testing needed, and in some cases, whether a “School Neuro-Psych Assessment” may be recommended. The services page of our website briefly outlines the differences between a traditional “Psycho-Educational Assessment” and a “School Neuro-Psych Evaluation.
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Accommodations for School, Tests, Licensing Exams, etc.
One reason to obtain a comprehensive assessment by a Licensed Educational Psychologist is to determine whether you or your loved-one has a learning-related disability affecting learning, in order to seek accommodations for tests and school-work.
There are different types of disabilities that we assess for, which may result in a recommendation for accommodations. These learning related conditions include Autism, ADHD (aka “ADD”), a Specific Learning Disorder in reading, writing, or mathematics (such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia),
Types of Accommodations may include supports like additional time to take tests, alternate location for test taking (with less distractions), additional time to complete assignments, receiving a copy of the class notes, etc.
Whether a client is young and in school, or in college, or beyond, accommodations can be helpful to “level the playing field. Just as a person with poor vision may require glasses to see correctly, someone with Dyslexia, ADHD, or Autism may need accommodations in order to demonstrate that they know the content on tests. This can help in school, college, taking an exam to get licensed in a profession, etc. Feel free to reach out with your questions about a comprehensive assessment, and to get the help you need!
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READING Comprehension Strategies
The following ideas may be helpful for your child, to improve in reading comprehension. Adults also may benefit from using ideas in this post, to enhance their reading skills as well.
READING; Comprehension
· Your child may learn to improve her/his reading comprehension using the “start-stop method”. Using this strategy, she/he would be asked to read a passage for thirty seconds and then asked to tell what she/he read. If your child does not recall much of what was read, she/he should be encouraged to read it again, for thirty seconds. After the timer goes off she/he would be asked to summarize the passage. This should be continued until she/he can successfully summarize the passage. Once your child has mastery of that passage, she/he would be encouraged to try another passage using the same technique. After repeated practice, she/he may improve in reading comprehension and ability to summarize it. When your child is able to accurately summarize what was read for 45 seconds, the timer can be increased to one minute. Repeat the process regularly and monitor her/his progress. This approach can be done for a few minutes a day, and this may be done just before a 20-minute session of reading a book of her/his preference.
· As your child becomes increasingly proficient in accurately reading words (i.e. decode), fluency becomes helpful for comprehension. Ways to support your child’s reading comprehension include fluency training, vocabulary instruction, and practice actively reading. Techniques that enhance active reading comprehension include prediction, summarization, visualization, clarification, critical thinking, making inferences, and drawing conclusions. These strategies can be taught to your child in order to help her/him learn ways to enhance her/his reading comprehension.
· Your child may need encouragement to take an active approach to reading for learning. This approach may include discussing the subject matter prior to reading, pre-reading end-of-chapter questions and boldfaced headings, and pausing at the end of each sentence (or paragraph) to summarize or paraphrase the information.
· Ask your child comprehension questions before reading a passage/chapter/book. The intent is to help her/him recognize pertinent information to be looking for and assist in her/his attention.
· Learning to read aloud while using natural vocal inflections and pauses at the right places can have an influence on a person’s comprehension of what is read. This may be pursued, especially, If your child’s reading tends to be a bit monotonous. By working on this skill she/he may better be able to understand and remember what she/he reads.
· If your child has challenges with her/his recall of what was read, she/he may benefit from having practice drills recalling what she/he had just read after each page. A few minutes a day of practice in this may aid in learning to pay attention and truly absorb the material in the text.
Consider whether your child may benefit from a program that is geared toward students with comprehension. One example of a program that addresses this area is “SOAR to Success.”
READING COMPREHENSION; Strategies for School
· The National Reading Panel determined that the specific strategies are evidence based: using graphic organizers, using cooperative groups, generating questions, answering questions, identifying story structure, summarization, and the individual monitoring her/his own comprehension. They should be taught to your child using modeling, guided practice, and then independent practice.
· Your child may increase her/his reading comprehension through a step-by-step approach such as Reciprocal teaching. This may include an activity that guides the students to become the teacher in small group reading sessions. Teachers show the students how to guide group discussions by generating questions, summarizing, clarifying, and predicting. The students then have the opportunity to lead similar discussions.
READING COMPREHENSION; Resources
• Literacy Apps Vocabulary from Reading Rockets http://www.readingrockets.org/literacyapps/vocabulary
• www.readworks.org. This is an excellent resource on reading comprehension (free).
• Determine questions to think about prior to reading (e.g. what is the main purpose, what are 3 key points, why is the information important)
• Create a chart while reading to provide a concrete visual representation of information in order to assist with inferences, conclusions, predictions, and comparisons:
• http://maryannreilly.blogspot.com/2015/01/creating-anchor-comprehension-charts-in.html, http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/inquiry_chart)
• Graphic organizers: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=2983,
• Use tools to simplify text when reading: http://www.booksthatgrow.com, http://rewordify.com
• Consider using a Kindle (with Storia or Merriam Webster app) for reading, as text can be enlarged, limiting the amount of visual detail on a page, and audio output can be combined with the text or can click on a word to hear the pronunciation and/or meaning.
• Help recognize when words can have more than one meaning and teach her how to decipher the intended meaning based on the surrounding context meanings (https://freelanguagestuff.com/multiple-meaning-words/)
• www.linguisystems.com: Spotlight on Reading Comprehension, No-Glamour Reading Comprehension
If you have been using strategies and interventions (such as the ones noted above), and skills are not improving, consider reading out for an assessment. As a Licensed Educational Psychologist, and experience in the field since 2007, I am able to assess and answer your questions through assessment. Feel free to reach out with any questions, or check out the services page of this website to learn about a psycho-educational assessment, or “school neuro-psych” assessment.
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Autism Supports
Are you looking for resources to help you understand how to help a loved-one who has Autism? If so, here are some websites that might help you in this endeavor.
Autism Websites
• Video for Kids and Families. ASD, for parents and caregivers: Amazing Things Happen https://youtu.be/7JdCY-cdgkI
• For Research Information/Interventions: National Autism Center - http://www.nationalautismcenter.org
• For Research Information/Interventions: National Professional Development Center on ASD
• Educating parents and professionals about Autism. First Signs.org
• For Elementary children: A great way to help a student with autism to communicate feelings is to use different pictures for the child to identify `his/her feelings with. Discover how to get a student with autism to start communicating with help from a special needs teacher in this video on autism. (01:29) http://www.watchknowlearn.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=20964&CategoryID=6125
• A website with several positive interventions for ASD. https://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/about-npdc
• California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN). http://www.captain.ca.gov/ This website comes from the California Diagnostic Center. They include multiagency collaborations in their support of “evidenced based practices” (EBP). The focus is to provide information about EBP and interventions for Autism.
Are you unsure of whether you or a loved one has Autism? A comprehensive assessment, by a skilled Licensed Educational Psychologist, can answer that question, and identify a pathway forward with specific recommendations that are tailored to your unique needs. Knowledge is power, and it can be refreshing for a parent or child to know of their learning profile and strengths, as well as how to help with things that are challenging. For some individuals, a diagnosis will result in an individual qualifying for supports at school (such as accommodations, modifications, etc.). Feel free to reach out with any questions, and possibly get started on a comprehensive assessment!
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Summer Reading Plan Suggestion: 20 Minutes A Day
As a Licensed Educational Psychologist, I am able to diagnose or “rule out” a Specific Learning Disorder in reading, writing and/or math. Also, I am able to let you know whether you have dyslexia, and if so, which subtype. A psych report contains this information, plus recommendations to help with skill buiding (such as type of interventions for your unique needs), based on a combination of research, evidence-based strategies, principles of neuroscience, and many years of experience in this field. Feel free to reach out with any questions!
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Dyslexia is a type of Specific Learning Disability in Reading
There are a lot of misconceptions of what dyslexia is and what it is not. If you do a search online, you are likely to get confused by the various conflicting information you would find. This post aims to clarify a few basic points. There are different forms of dyslexia, related to the types of challenges in foundational reading skills (such as phonology and/or orthography). While it is true that dyslexia has different subtypes, and it is helpful to know which form of it that a person has, since that can help guide interventions, yet there is more to the story.
The International Dyslexia Association states: “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”
There are other forms of reading challenges that do not fit within the realm of dyslexia. A person can have a Specific Learning Disorder in reading, and yet she/he may not be dyslexia itself. For example, someone may have a Specific Learning Disorder in reading, affecting their ability to comprehend what they read. The way to know for sure whether a person has dyslexia, a Specific Learning Disorder in reading, and/or some other condition (such as ADHD) is to get a comprehensive assessment by an experienced Licensed Educational Psychologist. At the end of a psych report there will be recommendations tailored to the individual’s unique learning profile. Feel free to call with any questions!
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Dyslexia; Differential Diagnosis
Are you seeking to learn whether you may have dyslexia? Perhaps you have scoured the internet, maybe taken some free online tests, and are curious about the validity of what you have learned. An assessment by a skilled Licensed Educational Psychologist can provide you with the answers to the questions you seek about dyslexia and/or related reading challenges. After an assessment you will have valuable insights into your learning profile, as well as obtain clear recommendations on how to build skills in reading. Reed can answer your questions about interventions, and help you to become empowered as you embark on a journey of discovery, in the world of reading and learning.
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Reading Intervention Suggestions
Reading Intervention Ideas: When providing instruction in building skills related to reading, consider the findings from the National Reading Panel (2000): (a) emphasize and teach to mastery only one or two phonological (i.e. sound manipulation) skills at a time, (b) provide letters when teaching how to manipulate the sound within words (i.e. phonemic manipulation tasks), and (c) provide instruction in small groups (or one-on-one).
If your child has been receiving interventions for over 6-8 weeks, and is not responding to them, consider reaching out for a free consultation. I would be happy to answer you questions about reading disorders, dyslexia, etc. so you can get your child going in a positive direction.
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What is High Functioning Autism?
There can be some similarities between having High Functioning Autism as compared to having another condition, like ADHD, for example. For both conditions, there can be difficulties with paying attention, with executive functions (i.e. skills like initiating, organizing, and planning), with rigid thought patterns, with sensory issues, etc. Autistic-like characteristics oftentimes include any combination of those challenges, but they tend to also include some form of social impairment as well. If you suspect that you, or a loved one has Autism, or ADHD, or another learning-related challenge, feel free to reach out with any questions you may have. From our conversation you can obtain guidance and perspective to help guide your next steps to finding clear answers and recommendations.
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A Book about Autism, for Individuals who have Autism
Do you, or someone you know, have Autism? Are you seeking to gain a better understanding of how having Autism tends to present, with some of the various challenges, and insights on how to work on skills? A book that was recommended by a very intelligent from of mine who has Autism is “Uniquely Human; A Different Way of Seeing Autism” by Barry M Prizant, PhD.
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Taking charge of ADHD
Are you looking for a book that can guide you to know resources, supports, and ideas to help you navigate the world of ADHD (ADD)? If so, consider checking out “Taking Charge of ADHD; The complete authoritative guide for parents” by Russell A. Barkley. It gives ideas on how to advocate for your child, as well as how to obtain any needed support as a parent trying to patiently help your loved one.
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ADHD Informational Video
Andrew Huberman (Neurobiologist) explains some of the neuroscience that goes into paying attention, ADHD / ADD in this video. He discusses some of the brain networks and their interplay with neurotransmitters like dopamine (neuromodulators, etc.). This video is particularly relevant for anyone looking to understand attention, and ways to try to improve (both behavioral approaches and insights a psychiatrist would likely be considering with medication). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFL6qRIJZ_Y&t=5434s
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Podcast about Reading Curriculum
How do we help children (or adults) who struggle with reading? An assessment by a skilled Licensed Educational Psychologist can shed light on what is going on with their reading, and what to do about it. Additionally, whether someone has dyslexia, a reading disorder, or she/he is just slow to to develop reading skills, there are lots of approaches and curriculum out there that claim to be science-based. Some approaches are better than others. If you are interested in learning about some of the pitfalls many well-meaning parents, schools, and districts, have fallen to over the years, in selecting some of the wrong curriculum, there is an interesting podcast called “Sold a Story.” If you listen to it, you will have a better idea of the types of curriculum and interventions which tend to be more effective at helping a struggling reader, and which approaches to avoid. This podcast was featured in a journal article in the California Association of School Psychologists (CASP). Currently there are 10 episodes in the podcast, and they are guaranteed to keep you interested/shocked.
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