Date published: 8/7/23

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Dr. Levy appeared on this Bodacity podcast with Jannette Anderson to discuss how to build academic skills and self-esteem for students who struggle in school.

Children with learning challenges often have many gifts. Those with dyslexia may be brilliant artists. Individuals with ADHD may be incredible visionaries who go on to be successful leaders or business owners later in life. Getting through school, however, for these students, can be a challenge. You can help your child with learning challenges excel in school with the strategies detailed below.

Take action!

If you notice your child is struggling with a skill or set of skills, such as reading, writing, or math, or is having trouble staying focused, don’t wait to take action! Many parents don’t learn about their child’s struggles in school until parent-teacher conferences or sometimes even the end of the school year. If you notice your child is having difficulty in school, set up a time to meet with their teacher to discuss what you are seeing at home. Perhaps there are some techniques the teacher can use to further help your child, such as sitting them in the front row or checking in with them periodically to make sure they understood the directions for an assignment. If your child continues to struggle, you may want to seek a formal evaluation to see if there are any learning or attentional challenges. Special education tutoring to address their unique needs may also be beneficial.

Seek services

You as a parent should always be your child’s best advocate! Try to seek services to help your child thrive in school. Once an evaluation is completed and it is determined that your child has a disability, either an IEP or 504 plan is typically created detailing the services and accommodations your child should receive. Services may include speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or special education tutoring, depending on your child’s challenges. Accommodations may include preferential seating, extra time on tests, a scribe, modified tests, and many others. Always keep tabs on how your child is doing; certain accommodations may work at a given time but they may need to be tweaked as your child progresses through school. 

Try special education tutoring if necessary 

If your child continues to struggle academically despite receiving support in school, you may want to consider specialized tutoring outside of school. Children with dyslexia, for instance, typically benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring to build their reading skills. If this approach is not offered at your child’s school, you may need to seek this help
outside of school. Children with writing, math, or executive functioning challenges may need similar research-based tutoring or executive functioning coaching outside of school. Learn more about how tutoring can help your child at Importance of Tutoring to Help Kids Struggling with Reading, Math, Allow Them to Catch Up with Their Classmates.

Many students with learning challenges struggle in school. However, with the right support, you can help your child thrive academically. 

Learn more at Learning disorders: Know the signs, how to help – Mayo Clinic.

The post Dr. Levy on the Bodacity Podcast with Jannette Anderson: How Parents Can Advocate for their Special Needs Child appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Your Child and Autism
Many parents have that ‘a-ha’ moment when they realize their child may have a more profound challenge than previously expectant. Unlike your friend’s kid at the same age- your child has trouble maintaining friendships, struggles to communicate, or demonstrates repetitive body movements. Perhaps they have difficulty relating to the world around them and seems inflexible with their thoughts and behaviors. If you notice these characteristics, don’t ignore them. While your child could be delayed, it may be wise to seek a professional opinion and check if your child may be on the autism spectrum.

Learn the Milestones
Many children with autism show developmental delays early on and don’t meet typical milestones. For instance, by 6-9 months, most babies can sit up without support, babble sounds, and respond to their name. By 9-12 months, babies typically grab objects and toys, crawl, and stand independently. Most children can walk independently between ages 1-3, climb stairs, jump, stack objects, speak in short sentences, and follow basic directions. Between ages 3-5, children can typically toss a ball overhand, get dressed independently, and draw a full person with all features. Children ages 6-12 generally have developed strong friendships with peers and are usually independent in completing their school work. If you notice delays or regression in any of these milestones and your instincts tell you something is off, your child may be at risk for autism.

Identifying Autism
If you think your child has autism, take action. The sooner you identify and address autism, the better it will be for your family. Speak to your child’s doctor; he or she may inquire as to whether all developmental milestones have been met and may recommend an autism screening. This screening typically consists of a series of yes or no questions regarding symptoms. If your doctor suspects that your child may have autism, your child may need to have a full diagnostic evaluation by an ASD specialist. Typically, the evaluator will observe your child, ask you as the parent a series of questions, fill out questionnaires, and administer a series of tests to your child. These factors will allow the evaluator to identify whether or not your child may have autism so you can take appropriate action for a concrete diagnosis.

Your Child Receives an ASD Diagnosis — Next Step
First off, don’t panic. There are many resources and a great deal of support available for children with autism, and your child is certainly not alone! However, the earlier you intervene and seek your child’s services, the more gains you will see. Once you receive the diagnosis, which typically includes a full report, read it thoroughly and review the evaluator or doctor’s recommendations. Reach out to your child’s school to let them know about the diagnosis and inquire about creating an IEP (Individualized Education Program) to map out the services your child will receive based on their needs. These services may include special education classroom placement, speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, physical therapy, social skills groups, etc. Also, learn what you can do at home to help your child, such as creating a set structure and routine and rewarding good behavior. The more you can work as a team with your child’s doctors, educators, and therapists, this will help provide consistent support to your child.

Many children with autism are kind, loving, high-achieving individuals who have countless gifts. With the right support, your child can succeed academically and thrive in life.

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder of EBL Coaching, a tutoring program that specializes in one-on-one home and on-site instruction for students in grades preK-12 in NYC, NJ, and Westchester. She is also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a study skills workbooks series emphasizing test taking, note taking, reading comprehension, writing, and executive functioning strategies, and the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook series. These books are currently used at schools nationwide. Dr. Levy studied at Brown University and later received her Masters Degree in Special Education and her Doctorate Degree in Education. She has spoken nationwide on research-based methods for teaching students with and without learning disabilities. Dr. Levy is currently the Director of EBL Coaching’s learning centers.

The post Your Child and Autism: Steps to Take If You Think Your Child is Autistic appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Have you noticed your child struggling in school? Perhaps they are having a hard time learning to read, can’t grasp multi-step math problems, or are having difficulty staying focused in class. Their self-esteem is plummeting as schoolwork becomes increasingly challenging, and their struggles seem insurmountable. Your child may have special needs and, if so, the sooner you can identify these needs and address them, the better it will be for their overall confidence and academic performance. So what can you do?

For starters, if you see your child struggling, talk to their doctor ‎and teacher. Discuss milestones they may or may not have met and determine if their teacher notices the same challenges you see at home. If you feel these struggles are getting worse or think they may benefit from additional accommodations at school, you might consider having them tested. This testing can be done for free either through your state’s early intervention program (if your child is under age three) or through your child’s school district. The evaluation and specific tests administered may range, but evaluators will typically test your child’s IQ and will likely also test language, motor, behavior, and achievement skills.

Psst…Winter isn’t over, here are Perfect Snow Day Activities for Kids in NYC

IEP or 504 plan
Depending on the evaluation results and your child’s needs, your child may qualify for either an IEP or a 504 plan. An IEP details your child’s specific goals and a plan for what your school will do to help meet those goals, including specific services, like speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and academic support. A 504 plan helps provide accommodations for support within the classroom, such as additional time on tests, an aide in the classroom, preferential seating, and/or modified homework. Typically students who have a less severe disability (like anxiety, ADHD, etc.) and not a diagnosed learning disability will receive a 504. Students who need more services, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, special education teacher support services, etc., would receive an IEP.

Know Your Rights
Federal law indicates that every child is entitled to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. Three specific federal laws apply to children with special needs, including the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Ace, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These laws’ specifics can vary by state, so it’s important for you to understand the procedures and criteria specific to your state.

IDEA‎ stipulates that a child’s issues must fall into one of 13 categories to be eligible for special education services. Section 504 mandates that schools cannot discriminate again students who have disabilities and are required to provide appropriate accommodations to them. Students covered under Section 504 usually have less severe disabilities or do not fall into one of the categories stipulated under IDEA. The ADA indicates that children with special needs cannot be discriminated against and must be provided appropriate services and programs suitable to their needs. If your school district refuses to provide appropriate services to your child, you may initiate a due process hearing to challenge their decision.

Focus on Your Child’s Strengths
It is easy to go into a bit of negative space when dealing with your child’s educational support. Remember to focus on your child’s strengths; they may struggle with reading and writing but may excel with math computation. Or maybe your child is incredibly social, empathetic, and ‎kind. Perhaps they are a beautiful artist, a great storyteller, or a whiz at building Legos. Praise your child for small accomplishments, like sitting next to a friend at lunch who seemed sad, drawing a beautiful flower, or creating an elaborate Lego tower. As you help your child academically with areas where they may struggle, continue to build their self-esteem, and explain that no one is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas we need to work on improving. Your special needs child can still have dreams and aspirations that can be achieved with support and guidance.

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder of EBL Coaching, a tutoring program that specializes in one-on-one home and on-site instruction for students in grades PreK-12 in NYC, NJ, and Westchester. She is also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a study skills workbooks series emphasizing test-taking, note-taking, reading comprehension, writing, and executive functioning strategies, and the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook series.

The post Is Your Child Missing Milestones? When the Next Step is an IEP appeared first on EBL Coaching.

In an ideal world, your child would love all aspects of school,‎ where they can develop a zest for learning and excel both academically and socially. Yet, if you notice your child is struggling to keep up, loses focus in class, or expresses a hatred for school, there may be something deeper going on. In some instances, it can be helpful to have an evaluation done on your child and possibly seek an IEP (Individualized Education Program).

How Do I Know if My Child is Struggling in School?

• Your child takes a tremendous amount of time to complete homework. While homework policies tend to vary from school to school, the general guideline is ten minutes per grade for night. For instance, your first grader should spend ten minutes on homework per night, your second grader should take twenty minutes, and so on. If you notice your first grader is taking over an hour to complete her homework, that may suggest a problem.

• Listen to your child’s teacher, as he or she spends a significant amount of time engaging with your child‎ and observing their performance. If the teacher indicates that your child is struggling with an academic skill or set of skills, or your child receives poor grades, you may want to consider exploring these potential challenges with an evaluation.

• Your child, who was previously well-behaved in school, begins to misbehave. This may be a coping mechanism to divert attention away from the learning challenges.‎ Rather than vocalizing any issues, they may misbehave instead.

• Your child may have trouble sleeping at night, complain of stomach aches, or lose his appetite as a result of struggles in school that they may not be articulating. He may also suddenly begin to say they hate school or is miserable in class. Any of these actions may be masking a deeper issue.

What Happens Next?
You as the parent must give permission to have an evaluation done of your child, which is typically completed by a school psychologist who determines, based on the evaluation, if your child is eligible for special education services. If so, an IEP meeting is held and an IEP document is created.

What is an IEP?
An IEP is a document that defines the educational program for a special education student and details all of the related services that a child should receive.

Once an evaluation is complete, you as the parent will take part in an IEP team meeting‎, which typically includes the parent, special education teacher, general education teacher, school psychologist, specialists such as occupational therapists and/or speech-language therapists, and others involved in creating the plan. Services that your child needs will be discussed and mapped out in the IEP, including but not limited to speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS), and so on.

IEP meetings will take place every year to assess your child’s progress and to create a new IEP for the following year. Re-evaluations are done every three years to assess whether or not your child is in need of continued special education services.

If you notice that your child is struggling, don’t wait; there are many services and resources that are available to help your child feel confident and successful socially, emotionally, and academically.

The post When an IEP is the Next Step for Your Child and What to Expect appeared first on EBL Coaching.

How can you decide if a specialized school is right for your child? Dr. Emily Levy shares the pros and cons of signing up.

Your fourth grade daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia and is struggling to read. Your son with ADHD constantly loses his belongings and has difficulty staying focused. Perhaps you have child with a writing disorder, math disorder, or language challenges who is having trouble mastering basic skills. If any of these scenarios describes your child and she is struggling to stay afloat academically, it may be time to explore a specialized school. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of switching your child to this type of school.

Pros
There’s no doubt that switching your child to a specialized school will provide him with a great deal of support. He may be in a smaller classroom size with a teacher (or more than one teacher) who is highly trained and qualified as a special educator. If he needs accommodations, like preferential seating, untimed tests, or notes printed for him, he will naturally receive them in this type of setting. Additionally, many students with special education needs often spend a great deal of time outside of school receiving speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or the like. In many specialized settings, this support is built into the student’s day, allowing for much more free time outside of school and the chance to be a kid!

Socially, some special education students may feel isolated in a maintream school. They might find that they are “different” and can’t relate to the other kids in their class. As a result, poor self esteem, anxiety, and other mental health issues may arise. In a specialized setting, however, students will be with others like themselves, forming a nice camaraderie and bond with one another.

For kids with severe special needs, being in a specialized school may help strengthen their academics, help them socially, and make them feel better about themselves overall.

Cons
While specialized schools are great environments for some students, for others they may not be the best fit. Socially, while some students enjoy being a controlled environment with students just like themselves, others find it a bit too cohesive, and may enjoy being around other kids with different strengths and weaknesses. Some students thrive on this type of diversity.

Being in a specialized school, especially for a long period of time, can often lead to challenges transitioning to a mainstream school down the road. Some specialized schools, for instance, may lower their standards to accommodate the academic levels of the student body. Students may get used to these standards and expectations, which can be vastly different from those ‎in a mainstream environment, and thus struggle academically when they switch to a non-specialized school.

Specialized schools can also be very expensive and cost-prohibitive to many families. While some government funding may be available, not all students may qualify for this type of funding and not all schools will accept it.

What to Do
The choice between keeping your child in a mainstream environment with special services or transitioning her into a specialized school can be a tough one. If you find that she is able to achieve success and feel self-confident in a mainstream school with services that are helpful but not overwhelming, that may be the best choice—especially for the time being. If, however, you find that the amount of tutoring, therapy, and other services outside of school begins to consume her life, leaving little room for “fun” and extracurricular activities, it may be time to explore a specialized school. Ultimately, you know your child best. Assessing the pros and cons of each option, and observing your child’s success or struggles, will help you come to this important decision.

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