TM Twice-Exceptional Newsletter 2July/August 2007 For parents, teachers and professionals. Issuee 23 Helping twice-exceptional children reach their potential. Featured in this Issue
Our focus in this issue – coping with the sensory integration issues and sen- sory processing disorders that affect so many twice-exceptional children.
Living with Kids with By Susan Richey, MS, ORT/L Page A pediatric occupational therapist and Sensory Issues mother of three children with sensory issues 3 describes her tips and techniques. Quote Summertime Challeng- By Michele Mitchell Page It is a common mistake 16 tips for making it through the summer 7 es, Tips for SPD Families with your SPD child. to take something exceptional A Profile of Chrysalis By Linda Neumann Page as a defect. A look at an alternative school where much School of the teaching is one-on-one. 11 – Michael Piechowski Do-It-Yourself Test for Q&A with Professor Heather van der Lely Page A short new test that you can use at home to Language Impairment identify language problems in children years 20 before they enter the school system.
Also Inside
From the Publishers...... 2 ! Event Coverage...... 5, 13 Website Profile...... 9
Book Review...... 10
Sylvia Rimm’s Column...... 22
Bob Seney on Books...... 23
Events...... 24 2e From the Publisher Welcome! Welcome to the July 2007 issue of 2e Newsletter. Our focus, as we move toward the middle of summer, is coping with sensory integration issues. Sen- sory integration refers to the way in which the brain organizes and interprets information taken in through our sensory experiences – touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound, as well as movement, body awareness, and the pull of gravity. Sensory integration forms a foundation for learning and behavior. Sensory issues affect a broad range of 2e kids, not just those diagnosed with sensory processing disorder (SPD). Children with Asperger Syndrome, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, bipolar disorder, obsessive/compulsive disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, and other diagnoses can all feel the effects of being over-responsive and under-responsive. This time of year, with kids off their normal schedules and out of their usual routines, can be trying for families with twice-exceptional children who have these sensitivities. In this issue occupational therapist and parent Susan Richey describes life with kids who have sensory issues. Mi- chele Mitchell, also an occupational therapist and parent, offers tips for coping with these issues and the summertime challenges they can pose for families. Also in this issue you’ll find coverage of conference sessions and workshops. There’s more from the 17th Learn- ing & the Brain Conference held in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in April, including a session by Rick Lavoie based on his book It’s So Much Work to Be Your Friend. Plus there’s coverage of “Getting Kids in Synch,” a presentation given by Carol Kranowitz, author of The Out of Synch Child. 2e Newsletter publishers Mark Bade and Linda Neumann will be attending and exhibiting at the SENG conference in Overland Park, Kansas, July 13 through 15. We hope to see some of our readers there. Please stop by our booth to say hi and to see the new series of booklets that we’ll be debuting at the conference – the Spotlight on 2e Series. The first two titles in the series areParenting Your Twice-Exceptional Child and Understanding Your Twice-Exceptional Stu- dent. Additional titles will be coming in the future. Watch our website for more information about these new publications. – Linda Neumann and Mark Bade Glen Ellyn Media July, 2007
2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter is a bi-monthly publication about twice-exceptional children, children who are gifted and who have LDs – learning difficulties that go by many names, including learning disabilities, learning disorders, and just plain learning differences. Our goal is to promote a holistic view of the 2e child – not just the high IQ, or the quirkiness, or the disabilities, but the child as a whole person. Comments and suggestions are always welcome by phone, fax, or e-mail.
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2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Feature: Sensory Issues Living with Kids with Sensory Issues
By Susan Richey, MS, OTR/L could choose to ask politely for something different, or she could fix what she had by taking out the fruit. If you have a child with sensory issues, you can for- The key to success in this situation was first helping get those parenting books and tips featured in the latest my daughter to calm down so that she could process her articles and on T.V. After 12 years of learning how to cope choices. Once she was calm, she was able to choose. She with my own children’s sensory issues, I finally realize that removed the fruit and we all enjoyed the rest of our meal. there’s no magical formula for dealing with their behav- Had I simply disciplined her when she was having a reac- ior. We parents have to live and learn. Trial and error. We tion, the situation would have escalated. There would have can’t expect our sensory-sensitive children to react as the been an unpleasant scene involving me removing her parenting experts predict they will. It all depends on the from the restaurant kicking and screaming. particular day and moment in time, and on their ability to Helping my daughter to calm down, and then discuss- integrate all of the incoming sensory information that sur- ing how to handle this type of situation, gave us both a rounds them. renewed sense of control over what was happening. It also In addition to being a mother of three gifted children prepared us to face similar challenges in the future. Most with sensory issues, I am an occupational therapist. I important of all, we were able to learn from this experi- have studied sensory integration (SI) my entire career, be- ence. ginning in graduate school. Sensory integration is a theory developed by A. Jean Ayres in the 1960’s, which explains Family Parties and Other Disappointing, Frustrating how children can react differently to the same sensory Experiences for Families of Children with SI Issues information in the environment. Some can be overly sen- Think about the unpredictability of parties. Your home sitive to sounds, touch, movement, sights; while, at the is filled with people making lots of noise and taking up same time, others can appear not to notice those same space. There’s the smell different foods and maybe of per- types of sensory input. Furthermore, a child may be overly fume. Then there are the relatives who want to hug your sensitive to some types of sensory input but at the same child. time be under-sensitive to other types. Very, very confus- For children with over sensitivities, this is overload! ing – not only for the child, but for the parents trying to They may react in the only way they can –”fight or flight.” guide their child through life’s unexpected situations. They might have a meltdown, or they might withdraw alto- gether and hide in their room. Dealing with My Own Overly Sensitive Child The key to surviving these gatherings, again, is to Take, for example, a situation I recently faced with my plan ahead. Schedule break times when kids can tend to overly sensitive daughter. We were in a nice restaurant their sensory needs. They might benefit from some heavy with my little “picky eater.” Our waiter was just trying to input (for example, firm hugs or jumping up and down) to please his customer when he added fresh fruit to her calm down their system, or they might need some sensory Rice Krispies. She had a complete meltdown. From the tools to hold onto like squeeze balls or fidgets. Let rela- outside, it looked as if she was being unappreciative and tives know ahead of time that your child does not feel very rude. However, I came to realize that she was having things the way they do. Tell them not to expect a hug or a a reaction to the look of the fruit touching her plain cereal. response right away when they arrive. Also, let your child Just the thought of eating those two textures together was have a “plan of escape” for those times that are over- enough to make her gag. whelming. I figured out how to work through this experience by first helping her to calm down, to reduce the experience The Lessons of Living with Children with Sensory Issues of her overreaction to sensory stimuli. I let her sit on my If I could share with you the most important things I’ve lap, hugged her tightly, gave her a stress ball, and then learned about living with kids who have sensory issues, we took a break. We went to the restroom where we were they would include these: able to talk about what happened. • Always be prepared. Have sensory tools Our discussion focused on how to make a responsible with you at all times. Among these are choice in a situation like the one that just occurred. She gum, sour candy, a stress ball, ear
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Feature: Sensory Issues Living with Kids, continued plugs, lavender lotion or scented oil, and silly putty – all things that can help calm down the nervous system’s response to aversive sensory stimuli. • Assess the environment and anticipate your child’s reaction to it. Plan a “graceful exit” in case of an over- stimulated response – a trip to the restroom, a break outside for fresh air, etc. • When disciplining your child, make sure you are dealing with your child’s ability to make choices. Not all behavior is a matter of choice. Some is the child’s neurological reaction to sensory stimuli. (I have learned by trail and error, the error being reprimanding my kids’ behavior while they were in that “fight or flight” mode. It never worked.) • Remain calm yourself. Use a calming voice and avoid discussing issues until everyone is calm! Parents Susan Richey is a pediatric occupational therapist and a can take a tag-team approach, planning who is going parent of three. Along with one of her children, she has to watch and be ready to provide intervention when developed a website for families raising children with spe- needed. cial sensory needs: www.sensorykidsot.org. 2e
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2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Event Coverage Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder
By Linda C. Neumann • Avoiding ordinary touch and movement • Seeking excessive touch and movement On May 10, 2007, an organization in the suburbs of • Having difficulty making one’s body cooperate. Chicago, the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Learning Disabilities Children who have SPD often have associated prob- Association, hosted a talk by Carol Stock Kranowitz. The lems as well, such as: speaker is author of The Out-of-Sync Child and editor-in- • Sleep irregularities chief of S.I. Focus. [See the review on the following page.] • Problems with digestion and elimination In her talk aimed at parents and educators, Kranowitz • Picky eating drew on her 25 years of experience as a music, move- • Allergies and food intolerances ment, and drama teacher. Her focus was recognizing and • Sensitivity to environmental toxins coping with sensory processing disorder (SPD), which she • Ear infections defined as the “inability of the central nervous system to • High anxiety and emotional insecurity. process and respond to ordinary sensory experiences ef- Also, these children are more likely to have diagnoses ficiently and ‘appropriately.’” To help the audience under- such as Asperger Syndrome, bi-polar disorder, central au- stand this explanation, she gave an overview of the body’s ditory processing disorder, AD/HD, dyslexia, or other types senses. of learning disabilities. Kranowitz pointed out that the Our sensory experiences, she explained, come from characteristics of these disorders can overlap with those both our environmental (external) senses and our body- of SPD, making it hard to distinguish one from another. centered (hidden) senses. The environmental senses are “We need to be good observers of kids,” said Kranow- those familiar to everyone: seeing, hearing, smell, taste, itz. She stated that what we consider problem behaviors and touch. The body-centered senses include: in children can become explainable when looked at in • Vestibular sense, which is located in the inner ear and terms of sensory needs. affects balance and movement. Through this sense, In the event that problems with sensory processing Kranowitz explained, the brain receives information appear, parents and educators can try various strategies about our movement through space and about where to address them. Among the techniques she discussed our head is in relation to the surface of the earth. are getting kids moving. Kranowitz is an advocate for • Proprioceptive sense, which sends information to the plenty of vigorous outdoor play. She urged giving children brain from muscles, joints, and bones concerning the opportunities to engage in the kinds of “heavy-work activi- positioning of the body. According to Kranowitz, this ties” that she said all children like: pushing, pulling, lifting, sense provides us with an unconscious awareness and carrying. of where our body parts are and what they are doing For fidgety kids, Kranowitz suggested stretching ac- when we are in motion. tivities. Give them stretching bands or inner tubes from a According to Kranowitz, sensory processing is a devel- bicycle. Even pantyhose will work. They need movements opmental necessity because our senses are “hooks” for that involve their joints. learning. A child with SPD will have difficulty building the For under-responsive kids, those who are sluggish physical, language, cognitive, and social/emotional skills and inattentive, she recommended deep-pressure touch, needed to be successful in school. The disorder, she ex- such as rolling, hugging, and squeezing the child. Also ef- plained, may affect a single sense, several senses, or all fective is helping the child to be upside down. of the senses. Kranowitz cautioned never to force children to do Kranowitz explained that problems with the senses what makes them uncomfortable. Their sensory process- can be genetic or they can be environmental, caused for ing difficulties can make them very cautious, negative, example by prenatal circumstances, by premature birth or and defiant. We need to find another way to “bring them birth trauma, by adverse circumstances after birth, or by to the table” – to help them become “active agents,” she other causes that have not yet been identified. How can explained. we tell when a child has sensory processing difficulties? Sometimes children with sensory processing issues The hallmarks of sensory processing disorder, according need more help than parents and educa- to Kranowitz, are one or more of these: tors can provide. According to Kranowitz,
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Event Coverage that’s when occupational therapy can be very beneficial. An occupational therapist can work with a child to improve Other Sources of Information on Sensory Processing the following: Disorder • Self-regulation and adaptive responses (avoiding “meltdowns”) Carol Kranowitz provided her own website (www. • Attention out-of-sync-child.com) as a source for more informa- • Social participation and communication tion about SPD, plus these: • Sensori-motor abilities and motor coordination • www.SPDnetwork.org • Self-esteem. • www.SensoryResources.com Kranowitz explained that sometimes a child with SPD • www.SIfocus.com requires other types of therapy, as well. Examples are • www.devdelay.org psychotherapy and speech/language, vision, auditory, and nutritional therapy. Among her other recommendations for Also see the February 2005 issue of 2e Newslet- helping children with SPD are identifying it early through ter, which focuses on sensory integration. 2e the use of developmental screening tools, and focusing on the child’s abilities, not disabilities. 2e
Resource Review: S.I. Focus Magazine The quarterly publication S.I. Focus describes itself as “the international magazine dedicated to improving sen- sory integration.” The founder, publisher, and managing editor is Kathleen E. Morris, a pediatric speech patholo- gist who established the Pediatric Network Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides education on sensory integration and supports its research. The editor-in-chief of the magazine is Carol Stock Kranowitz, author of The Out-of-Sync Child. Articles in this attractive magazine are well writ- ten in an informative, non-technical style. Some are first-person accounts of raising or treating those who have sensory processing disorder (SPD). Others provide greater understanding of senso- ry integration, SPD, and occupational therapy. Features that appear periodically in the publication include book reviews and “Ask James Williams,” a column in which a young adult with autism answers ques- tions about it. Titles of articles that have ap- peared in several past issues include: “Sensory Processing Across the Ages,” “Homework Helpers,” “Organized Chaos,” and a review of the book Including SI for Parents – Sensory Integration Strategies at Home and School. Subscription information is available at the magazine’s website: www.sifocus.com. 2e
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Feature: Sensory Issues Summertime Challenges, Tips for SPD Families
By Michele Mitchell Unfortunately, everything just seems to hit SPD kids harder, faster, deeper, and most definitely seems to last This article first appeared in the August 03, 2006, issue longer. So, we often find ourselves revising our plans of The SPD Companion (Issue #006) and is used here as the anxiety and “overwhelmingness” sets in. It truly with permission. becomes a race between “This is fun!” and “This is too much!” Summer sure can be tough on us, as well as our SPD We as parents will do whatever it takes to help our (sensory processing disorder) kids. Routines and sched- SPD children, and the understanding and validation we ules change, structure can be hard to come by, and vaca- give them is definitely worth it! Just because many of their tions (although exciting) can challenge our kids physically, difficulties are less obvious and less understood by oth- emotionally, and neurologically. Plus, our “free time” as ers, it doesn’t mean we can’t help them the best way we parents can be sucked dry; and the extra free time for our know how. Trial and error, listening, caring, experiencing, kids can leave them under-stimulated and longing for pro- accommodating, and a great OT program will help you un- ductive, fun activities. derstand what your child needs! In this article, I’d like to introduce you to the challeng- My bet is that my daughter and I are not the only ones es my dear daughter faces in the summer and give you who have difficulty with the many challenges summertime some tips at the end about how you can help your children brings. We are still learning, and every year brings dif- get through their summer. ferent challenges; but somehow we do it, and in the big Summer brings many challenges for my daughter. She picture we do have a great summer together. I hope the does not do well with transitions and new environments; following tips will help you have one, too! transitions are hard, even at 11 years old. To make mat- ters worse, for six to eight weeks every summer (as well Summertime Tips to Help Your SPD Family as other times during the year), I take her away from every 1. Make a schedule/calendar of activities you have routine and comfort of home she has to spend time with planned in pictures and/or words for your children. me because her dad and I are separated. The inner tur- 2. On vacation, plan for some down time every day when moil she experiences is difficult. She wants so much to be everyone can regroup, rest, or relax away from major with me, but she quickly becomes homesick for her usual stimulation. space, dog, dad, and all the structure and routines she is 3. Think about what overwhelms your child and minimize used to. exposure to it, if possible. If it must happen, have a So, the first few nights of transition are always tough, specific plan for what you will do if you see your child and she often verbalizes how hard it is for her to go back becoming overloaded/overaroused. and forth between me and her dad. Each time she does, it 4. If you will spend long hours in moving vehicles and adds to her anxiety, which rears its ugly head as stomach your child tends to get motion sickness, ask your pedi- aches. atrician if you can give your child Bonine. It has fewer Compounding this is my difference in personality from side effects than Dramamine. her and her dad. I like spontaneity – “going” and “doing.” 5. Try to keep your children as physically active as pos- But each time we go and do, it becomes another transi- sible throughout the summer. Swimming is the num- tion that takes her further from her routines and comfort ber-one pick for calming, deep-pressure, heavy-work zone. Overnights are especially difficult to adjust to; and, activity. Swim, swim, swim! so it seems, each place we go the emotions run high, and 6. Schedule a babysitter one to two times per week so the stomach aches increase. (Our sensitive SPD kids tend that you don’t neglect your own needs. to do best with rituals and routines, which help to ensure 7. Try to keep your child’s bedtime routines and sleeping control over their sensory environment and lessen their and waking schedules the same as during the school anxiety). year. (Don’t fluctuate by more than one hour!)
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Feature: Sensory Issues Summertime Challenges, continued
8. Keep your kids hydrated and give them extra sensory kiddo pick out relaxing music or a book on tape at the input by drinking with straws or out of sports bottles. store that’s likely to help him/her fall asleep. Make homemade Italian ice from juice or sugar-free 15. Give children chores and responsibilities for which Kool-Aid, and have plenty of sugar-free popsicles and/ they can earn money to save up for a special treat or or freeze pops around. reward at the end of each week or at the end of sum- 9. Go bowling. This is a great heavy-work activity and it’s mer. (They could even earn time with Mom or Dad, air conditioned! (Also, don’t forget to shoot some pool, doing a special activity one on one.) a great way to work on fine-motor skills and eye/hand 16. And, one more suggestion for those who have a tram- coordination.) poline: Have your kids jump their little legs off! Then 10. When spending nights away from home, bring those get out the shaving cream (or funny foam) and have weighted blankets! (Weight has a calming effect.) the kids use it to draw or write on the trampoline and/ 11. If you can afford it, get your children into summer or their bodies. (They can even practice math prob- camps geared to their particular talents, skills, and lems. Kids will want to do math if they get to do it this interests. way!) When they’re done, hose off both the kids and 12. Allow those picky eaters to choose a favorite restau- the trampoline. rant while on vacation. When the other children or par- ents pick the place, make a rule that your picky eater Get the Picture? must try at least one bite of something new; then re- I could certainly go on and on, but I think you get the ward the effort, even if your child didn’t like it. You can basics: also ask the waiter for a sample for your child to taste • Slow, gradual introductions, in sync with their sensory before ordering. Try asking for modifications or sub- needs stitutions, or put together a meal using side dishes or • Plenty of physical activity appetizers. (We have also asked for things that were • Preparing for and expecting some difficulties not specifically on the menu, and the restaurant had • Keeping all of the senses in mind them). • Minimizing over-arousal 13. Think about your child’s specific sensory needs and • Keeping your kids stimulated as much as possible. plan activities and trips to meet those needs. Encour- Also, get them involved in planning trips and activities, age children to try an activity that may cause anxiety and give them lots of bear hugs! or overarousal, but never force them. Try to stay cool the rest of the summer, and don’t 14. When planning a new experience, prepare your child forget to get that school shopping done early so as not to as much as possible ahead of time. For example, if stress out yourself or your children! And, one week before your child’s new to camping, start a week ahead to school starts, get them on that school schedule! set up the tent in the child’s room, first to play in, then to sleep in with you, and then to sleep in without you. Michele Mitchell is an occupational therapist and a moth- Provide a flashlight along with your child’s favorite er of a daughter with sensory processing disorder. She bedtime animals, blankets, etc. Gradually incorporate has spent years researching and learning about the disor- all of the camping experiences within the safe, famil- der and now focuses her efforts on helping SPD families. iar home setting, eventually doing a few dry runs in She maintains a website The Sensory Processing Disorder the backyard. Build a small fire and make s’mores if Resource Center, which provides education, support, and you want! resources (www.sensory-processing-disorder.com); and Another example? If you know your child will have she is an SPD Parent SHARE Host, helping communities to fall asleep differently at someone else’s house, do worldwide understand SPD and the treatments that are it at home first. For, example, maybe your child usu- available. To learn more about what Hosts do and if there ally falls asleep in his/her own bed with the TV on. At is one in your neighborhood, visit someone else’s house, the kids will be sleeping on the www.spdparentshare.com. 2e floor or couch, without the TV. Have your child try it at home. Use a CD player or headphones and have your
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Website Profile The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center
On the homepage of her website Mi- chele Mitchell states that her passion is “working with and educating professionals and families about Sensory Processing Disorders.” To that end, she has created a website packed with information. Visitors will find explanations and checklists to help them understand and identify SPD. They’ll find tips and strate- gies for parenting kids with sensory is- sues as well as information about getting professional help for SPD. Also on the website are areas devoted to parent and teacher resources, sensory integration equipment and products, and a guide for parents of children recently diagnosed with SPD. Mitchell’s website is also home to a blog and a free “e-zine” to which website www.sensory-processing-disorder.com visitors can subscribe called The SPD Companion. The e-zine archives are avail- able for browsing. In addition to offering these features and articles, Mitchell shares her personal story as the parent of a child with SPD. 2e
2e Newsletter Makes EdNews
In June, EdNews published an interview with 2e Newsletter publishers Linda C. Neumann and J. Mark Bade. The interview appeared in Senior Columnist Mi- chael F. Shaughnessy’s regular feature. We discussed: 1. What got us interested in 2e kids 2. Our recent survey research, and how kids who are twice exceptional are being left behind 3. Whether we adequately identify kids who have more than one exceptionality 4. The impact of recent books on “dual diagnosis,” par- ticularly among gifted kids 5. How parents cope with the fact that their kids are not always getting the most appropriate education 6. What teachers can do to help these students in the classroom, given the fact that few programs exist for 2e children. Go to EdNews.org to read the interview (and if you disagree with any of our opinions, please let us know). 2e
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Book Review tions she feels….LaTanya reacts dramatically because Sensational Kids she is frightened….The trouble with LaTanya’s system Book by Lucy Jane Miller, Ph.D., OTR is that it cannot filter sensations in a way (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2006) that would allow her to come up with an Reviewed by Linda C. Neumann appropriate response…. For this profile and for some others in The name Lucy Jane Miller chose for the book, Miller provides a detailed chart her book, Sensational Kids, refers to a that presents questions to ask in order group of children whose behavior can be to help identify what triggers the child’s puzzling, annoying, or even alarming to extreme or undesirable reactions; goals those around them. These are kids whose to set to help modify the reactions; and sensory abilities are impaired by a neuro- strategies to follow at home, at school, and logical disorder that affects at least one in in the community in order to achieve those twenty children. Sensory Processing Disor- goals. der, or SPD, is the name Miller uses for the The book is divided into three parts. disorder, although other names, such as The first covers the basics of SPD, includ- sensory integration disorder or dysfunction ing information on assessment, diagnosis, of sensory integration, are also in use. and treatment. Arriving at a diagnosis of SPD often isn’t easy, in part Part 2 consists of profiles describing life with “sensa- because the disorder can look different in different chil- tional kids.” This section ends with a chapter on what the dren. Furthermore, many professionals both in the medi- future holds for these children. In it, Miller asserts that cal/mental health fields and in education are unfamiliar “Sensational children can and do grow into sensationally with it or skeptical of its existence. happy and successful adults. With planning and support For these reasons Miller, trained both as an occupa- along the way, your child can be one of them.” tional therapist and a research scientist, has written this In the third part of the book, Beyond the Basics, Miller book. She hopes to validate the concerns of those parents discusses what brain research has to say about SPD, who feel that something is just not right with their children the causes and prevalence of the disorder, and therapy. and to educate professionals who work with these kids. In addition, she addresses the connection between SPD The book reflects her more than 30 years of helping and and attention deficit disorder, along with other disorders. studying children with sensory processing issues. The author also provides useful appendices that contain Among the strengths of this book is the easy-to-un- resources for parents as well as information on finding derstand style in which it’s written. Another is the many professionals to evaluate a child and provide therapy. She children’s profiles and parents’ accounts that the author even includes a sample letter that parents can use to help has included, which provide a clear picture of the various others understand their “sensational” child. types of sensory processing difficulties that children can While Miller has addressed the book primarily to par- have. Miller details what a typical day in the life of several ents, it would also be an excellent source of authoritative children with SPD is like, both for them and for their fami- information for others who work with and care for these lies. Incorporated into these accounts are Miller’s explana- children. Miller is considered by many to be the leading tions of the children’s challenging behaviors. For instance, expert in the world today on SPD. She has worked with Dr. in the following brief excerpt of one profile Miller describes A. Jean Ayres, a pioneer in the study of how the brain pro- LaTanya, a kindergartner who is “over-responsive”: cesses sensory information; she established the Sensory In the next bedroom, seven-year-old Trey has Processing Treatment and Research (STAR) Center at the slammed his door shut and is playing a lively drum roll Children’s Hospital of Denver, and she started and directs on the back of it. The thumps bring LaTanya’s sleep to the KID Foundation, which provides support to children an abrupt end. Her eyes fly open and her hands jerk with SPD and their families. to cover her ears. A wail of terror follows. … LaTanya has a Sensory Modulation Disorder For more information on Lucy Jane Miller, see this article (SMD), which makes it hard for her to match the in- from the February 2005 issue of 2e Newsletter:” A Con- tensity of her response to the intensity of the sensa- versation with Lucy Jane Miller.” 2e
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 10 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e School Profile A Profile of Chrysalis School By Linda C. Neumann grouped based on their interests and learning styles as well as on their social maturity and abilities. Group instruc- At 2e Newsletter, we hear the stories of many twice-ex- tion, which tends to be hands-on and project oriented, ceptional children and their families. One parent told us is often used to teach classes such as humanities, sci- that finding Chrysalis School changed her child’s life. We ence, art, and drama in the lower grades and college prep wanted to know more. courses in high school. Chrysalis students spend a considerable amount of Chrysalis is a private school in Woodinville, Washing- time outside of the classroom. Schedules are flexible, de- ton, a suburb of Seattle. Director Karen L. Fogle founded signed to meet the needs of the individual student. A typi- the school 24 years ago as an alternative to public school cal student comes to school only about two to three days for her own twice-exceptional children. She believed she per week. They spend the rest of their time in a variety of could do a much better job of teaching them herself. After ways. According to Colleen Holder, some students use that starting with her own children, she then began teaching time for homework or independent study. Others spend it their friends. Today, the school has about 300 students in pursuing their interests, such as doing community service grades K through 12. or developing talents. Still others, according to Holder, At the heart of Chrysalis School is the individualized need time to heal from past school experiences. A number personalized curriculum. It’s a personal learning plan of students come to Chrysalis with depression and anxi- developed for each student. According to Colleen Holder, ety, she explained, and “they spend their time off doing Director of Admissions at the school, each student has what makes them feel mentally and emotionally better.” one of these learning plans developed to meet his or her For some students that may be spending a good deal of individual needs, learning style, and interests. Holder ex- time sleeping. plained that developing the plan takes some time because The Chrysalis student body is diverse. The school teachers have to get to know the child. Once completed, considers itself to be a school for gifted children although the plan is presented to the parents who, according to there are no academic testing requirements for admis- Holder, are usually delighted with it. sion. The admissions process involves parent and child An important part of the plan is matching students interviews. with teachers. Much of the instruction at Chrysalis is done Around one-third of the school’s students are involved one on one, with the teacher functioning more like a men- in the arts or sports, drawn to the school because its flex- tor. Equally important is determining when group classes ible schedule allows them time to train or practice and are appropriate for a student. Groups tend to be small, compete. Two Chrysalis students have earned medals in perhaps 8 to 12 students, and multi-age. Students are the Olympics.
A Statement from the Chrysalis Website
I strongly believe that if students could do their as- lationship issues with parents or peers, maybe they don’t signments they would and if they are not there is a rea- feel well, and maybe they are just not interested. All of son. these are good reasons for not completing an assignment. If they don’t it’s because they can’t. Maybe they can’t All of these are areas to be explored so that the next time structure their time well, maybe they are missing impor- they will be less tired, less distracted, or more interested. tant skills necessary to complete the task, maybe they are – Karen L. Fogle, Founder and Director just tired, maybe they don’t have strong enough compre- hension skills, maybe they are constantly distracted by re-
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 11 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e School Profile A Profile, continued
About half of the school’s students have learning Coming Soon from challenges such as attention deficit disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and dyslexia. These students tend to spend 2e Newsletter! more time at school, doing their homework where teach- ers are available to give them the help and support they need. Those who need support socially can find it in the social skills classes that the school offers. These students may start off taking all one-on-one classes; then, as they gain social confidence, they can be integrated into the academic group classes. Chrysalis has no psychologists or therapists on staff. However, it does have teachers trained in special educa- tion who, according to Holder, try to “stay in tune with what’s going on with the student emotionally.” Chrysalis teachers have high expectations for their students. “We teach to mastery,” says Colleen Holder. “We don’t expect any students to fail. They only fail if they want to.” Holder explained that there’s no grading on the curve at the school because “that sets the expectation that some will fail. If the student’s not achieving, there’s something wrong and we need to identify what that is and do something about it.”
More information on Chrysalis School is available at its website: www.chrysalis-school.com. 2e Parenting your Twice-Exceptional Child Sensory Integration: See Issue 9 and Understanding your Issue 9 of 2e Newsletter from February, 2005, contained several articles on sensory integration, Twice-Exceptional Student including: • The Basics of Sensory Integration • A Conversation with Lucy Jane Miller The first two booklets in the • A Review of The Sensory-Sensitive Child Spotlight on 2e Series. • Insurance, Doctors, and SI Information and resources to help parents Subscribers may find all of the content from that understand, support, and raise a 2e child. issue – as from all issues – in the subscriber-only area of the 2e Newsletter website. This issue is also Information and resources to help teachers available for purchase in either PDF or printed for- identify and teach 2e students. mat. See page 24 for ordering information. Watch our website or your e-mail in-box for more details.
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 12 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Learning & the Brain Conference
The 17th Learning & the Brain Conference (http://www. edupr.com) took place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, April 28 through 30. This annual event provides an opportunity for neuroscientists, educators, clinicians, and parents to share information about the latest developments in brain research and how it can be applied to learning and behav-
ior. In this issue we feature coverage of several presenta-
tions from the conference. 2e
What’s Happening Inside the Brain Illustration: National Institutes of Health Presenter: Lise Eliot, Ph.D., author and Assistant Professor, Depart- ment of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School. This excerpt is from Eliot’s presentation (covered in the May issue) “What’s Going On in There? Nature, Nurture, and Early Brain Development.”
The human brain contains about 100 billion cells, a number reached by the time a fetus is five to six months old. This diagram shows that each brain cell, or neuron, is shaped like a tree, with two branching ends. At one end is a root system known as the dendrites, which receives information from thousands of other neurons. At the other end, on the output side, is the axon, which branches out to send information to hundreds or thousands of other neurons. The connections between brain cells are called syn- apses, and there are some quadrillion in a child’s brain, each with the potential to be altered by the child’s experi- ences. Synapses can be gained or lost, or strengthened or weakened as a result of their own electrical activity. The number of synapses in a child’s brain grows most dramatically after birth. Between roughly 2 and 10 years of age, a child’s brain contains about 50 percent more synapses than an adult’s. By overproducing synapses, the brain creates an opportunity to select the most useful or active connections and prune out those that are inactive. 2e
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 13 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Event Coverage Research-based Strategies to Ignite Student Memory Presenter: Judy Willis M.D., Ed.M., middle school math Dopamine teacher, author, consultant, and neurologist The brain is a pleasure-seeking organ, Willis explained; and dopamine, a chemical produced in the Judy Willis believes that there’s a way to turn on the brain, is a pleasure stimulator. When an individual has a brain’s learning centers – by creating RAD lessons. RAD pleasurable experience, or even anticipates a pleasurable stands for: Reticular activating system, Affective filter, experience, the brain releases dopamine. The chemical and Dopamine. In her session Willis defined each and ex- stimulates the brain’s frontal lobe, increasing focus and plained the role they play in her approach to teaching. enhancing executive functions. If teachers can make a learning activity fun, not only will students look forward to Reticular Activating System it the next time, but their brains will release dopamine in The reticular activating system is one of the primary anticipation. filtering systems in the brain. It alerts the brain to changes in the environment and primes the brain to RAD Strategies interact with new experiences and information. We can Willis provided a list of strategies for creating RAD think of it as the “key” for “turning on the brain.” lessons, which included: Among the strategies Willis recommends for getting • Connect with past knowledge (i.e., personal information through the reticular activating system are: experience or real-world associations). novelty, surprise, teachable moments, and multi-sensory • Help students to value the information by giving it lessons. She stressed that physical activity is also very personal or emotional meaning. important. Learners of all ages should move every 15 • Personalize the information using current events minutes. or student interests, talents, and learning styles. In her own classroom Willis uses visual puzzles and (For example, “What does our town’s debates over optical illusions to alert her students’ reticular activating building a new skateboard park have in common with system. She posts these things in the classroom so that the causes of the American Revolution?”) her students will see them when they arrive. • Make use of multi-sensory learning. That way, students can access and recall information with Affective Filter multiple cues. Teachers set the emotional climate in their • Enhance executive processing by helping students classrooms, Willis stated; and a stressful climate shuts develop the skills of making associations and down learning. She explained that stress triggers an reasoning. Use metaphors, graphic organizers, affective filter in the part of the brain called the amygdala. predictions, judgment, pair-share, and open-ended This filter puts the body’s autonomic (fight or flight) system questions. on alert and prevents students from processing, learning, • Use open-ended discussion strategies such as: and storing new information. Successful teachers, she − Inviting multiple students to voice opinions observed, are those who find ways to lower the affective without judging filter by making sure that students feel safe in the − Accepting more than one answer. classroom – safe to take chances and ask questions and • Avoid brain burnout. Take breaks, which Willis safe from being wrong or being teased. refers to as “syn-naps” (a play on the word synapse, For example, Willis explained that as she teaches, the point in brain cells at which nerve-to-nerve she frequently checks for understanding. She avoids communication occurs). the common practice of calling on individual students at random, which may be stressful for those who don’t For more information on Judy Willis’ teaching strategies, have the correct answer or who don’t like to be called on visit her website: www.RADteach.com. Portions of her in class. Instead, she provides each student with a small book, Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learn- whiteboard and marker. She directs her questions to the ing: Insights from a Neurologist and Classroom Teacher, class as a whole and asks students to write their response are available for download. 2e on the whiteboard and then hold it up. She nods or shakes her head to give them feedback. 2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 14 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Event Coverage It’s So Much Work to Be your Friend: Helping Children with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success
Presenter: Rick Lavoie, M.A., M.Ed., author, former teacher and social isolation. This became apparent through research administrator, and learning disabilities consultant that involved observing students at schools for children with learning disabilities. In that setting, their academics “It’s tough being a parent of a special needs kid, and improved but not their social skills. What we need to un- even tougher if you have a special needs kid with social derstand, Lavoie stated, is that “LD is a life, language, and problems,” said Rick Lavoie at the start of the session learning problem.” based on his book and DVD by the same name. “That’s According to Lavoie, learning problems that create dif- something we [in education] are not real good at yet. ficulties for kids in the classroom create major problems We’re good with the kids and with the teachers, but not for them outside of school. A child with no friends will have yet with the parents.” a short-term negative response: loneliness and depres- He went on to explain that we don’t train special edu- sion. The real problem, however, is long-term – not having cation teachers to deal with people in crisis, and that’s that laboratory in which to learn social skills. The family, what parents of special needs kids often are. It’s impor- he explained, doesn’t make up for the lack of friends tant to remember, he said, that people in crisis can re- because some things can only be learned from other spond in very strange and often inappropriate ways. Crisis children. training teaches the importance of taking their behavior seriously but not personally. This lesson is an important The Need for Social Skills Training one for teachers to learn because, Lavoie stated, “parents Lavoie raised the question, Why teach social skills? in crisis need us to be their allies, not another obstacle.” His answer is that lack of these skills disrupts the whole family. All environments are social, he observed, and The Lack of Social Skills in Kids social skills are an important factor in adult success and According to Lavoie, some kids with learning dis- happiness. Furthermore, kids can avoid their academic abilities (LDs) have a degree of social competence that’s problems when dealing with friends; but without instruc- equal to their peers or even superior. Many others, how- tion, compensating for their social incompetence is impos- ever, have considerable deficits in their social skills. These sible. children tend to share certain characteristics. Many have Lavoie addressed the need to dispel some miscon- language processing deficits and severe or complex learn- ceptions. One is that kids learn good social skills from be- ing disorders. They often have difficulty with impulse con- ing around others who have them. If that worked, he said, trol. they’d learn from others in their family who have good “These kids are a difficult social package,” Lavoie social skills. said. “They have problems following a social contract – The other misconception is that social skills training which is the unwritten and unspoken social expectations is not the teacher’s job. It is, he stressed, because kids or duties that one has with others in social environments. can’t learn when they’re busy obsessing about their lack These kids come across as rude because they don’t un- of friends at school. However, he explained, teaching so- derstand this.” As a result, he noted, they can develop a cial skills is too big a job for teachers and too big a job for negative reputation with their peers. “A reputation is flex- parents. They must work at it together. ible and situational with adults,” said Lavoie, “but perma- Lavoie identified the individual social skills that need nent and pervasive with kids.” to be addressed: Childhood friendship is a social skills laboratory, • Timing and staging. Kids might have trouble under- Lavoie observed. It’s how children learn to share, take standing that a relationship is a process, he stated, turns, be a gracious winner and loser, etc. Learning dis- not a product. They need to learn that relationships abilities can have a major impact on social skills. It was need time to develop and grow. assumed that LDs cause school failure, which then results • Observing. Kids might not realize that they can learn in isolation. Actually, Lavoie explained, it’s LDs that cause by watching how others behave.
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 15 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Event Coverage It’s So Much Work, continued • Social memory and social prediction. Kids need to re- think that these kids are strange without knowing why. flect on how their behavior was taken by others in the For example, Lavoie explained, the kids might move past and predict how it might be interpreted in future their head instead of just their eyes, or they might sit situations. with their mouth hanging open. • Affective matching. Kids need to be able to match Just talking about these skills, however, is not enough. the social affect of other people in their environment It’s important to give these kids social skills homework (e.g., the feelings and emotions that other people and to hold social skills autopsies. The autopsy is a prob- demonstrate). Lavoie explained that LD kids tend to lem-solving technique used to help a child see the cause/ be out of synch with other people because they are effect relationship between his or her social behavior and unable to read others’ affect. the reactions of others. It’s usually done one-on-one and • Ability to read nonverbal language. LD kids may have conducted in a supportive, structured, and constructive difficulty correctly interpreting body language and so- way. cial cues. • Zero order skills. These are skills, also called soft neu- To learn about Rick Lavoie’s books and DVDs or to read rological signs, that are only noticed when they’re not articles and other information, visit his website: there. The absence of these skills can make people www.ricklavoie.com. 2e
It Could be Del.icio.us – Give It a Try! Those of you who have read July’s e-mail briefing may posted; at its best, we’ll all build a collaborative resource skip this article. based on many eyes and brains, a resource that will ben- We have joined del.icio.us under the user name efit everyone in the 2e community. “2eNewsletter.” The site allows users to save links to fa- Del.icio.us is hard to explain in words. But we think it vorite articles and share them with others. We’ve begun has potential for the 2e community, and we urge you to saving links to articles we think will be of interest to 2e check it out today. 2e Newsletter subscribers and to briefing readers. You can see what it looks like in the accompanying screen capture – for the username 2eNewsletter it lists the articles we’ve saved from our browser. Anyone can see what we’ve saved as long as we designate it public – which we have. Del.icio.us also allows users to build networks, ag- gregating the favorites of all of the users in the network. You can see other users who have linked to articles you’ve saved, and explore their bookmarks to find articles of in- terest to you. And we can build a network of subscribers and others where everyone can see the shared, collective 2e article resources. We encourage you to either: 1) visit http://del.icio. us/2eNewsletter to see the articles we’ve saved; 2) join del.icio.us yourself and link to 2eNewsletter there, in effect sharing your favorite articles with others in the del.icio.us 2eNewsletter network. (Let us know when you join and we’ll add you to our del.icio.us network.) We’re still learning about the features of the site, but to us it seems like a great way to share resources among readers of the newsletter. At the minimum, this will be a way for readers to see what 2e Newsletter has found and 2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 16 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Event Coverage Becoming a Wiz at Brain-based Teaching: Improving Memory and Learning
Presenter: Marilee Sprenger, M.A., Adjunct Professor, Aurora ers are useful to students – they provide patterns. University, IL, former middle school teacher, speaker, and author • Emotions are a primary catalyst for memory. “We can’t separate emotion and cognition,” said Sprenger. She “The more we know about the brain, the better we’ll explained that emotions can either help us learn or understand our students’ memories – they all work dif- inhibit learning. The brain is programmed to respond ferently. We all use different memory strategies, and we first to emotional information. Positive emotion causes need to teach our students effective strategies.” With a part of the brain, the amygdala, to send a message this statement Marilee Sprenger began her presentation throughout brain saying, “This is good stuff; we need based on her book of the same name. She explained that, to remember it.” She pointed out that stress, however, thanks to advances in brain research, the theoretical base has the opposite effect. It inhibits learning. for the teaching profession is changing and teachers need • That which affects the body also affects the brain. Nu- to be critical consumers of the research in order to make trition and sleep, for example, have direct effects on informed decisions in the classroom. the brain. Research has shown that students’ scores Sprenger worked to dispel myths about the brain and go up when they have a healthy breakfast every day. to emphasize some “amazing facts.” One of the myths she That meal is especially important because the brain addressed was that we use only 10 percent of our brain. is unable to store energy. In terms of sleep, students Anyone using only 10 percent, she stated, would not be need 9 to 10 hours per night, depending on their age. functioning. Another myth is that there are windows of op- What they learn during the day is encoded in memory portunity for learning that shut. This is true only in certain at night, primarily during the last two hours of sleep. circumstances, such as in the acquisition of vision and • The brain searches for meaning. If it can’t find it, it perhaps language. Otherwise, she explained, the window drops the information. Three questions that we uncon- doesn’t slam shut; there are still ways to learn, although it may be more difficult. Among the “amazing facts” Sprenger shared with her audience were these: • The brain is the only organ that sculpts itself through What Makes Learning Stick? experience (a characteristic referred to as the brain’s plasticity). Neurons (brain cells) that aren’t used are Marilee Sprenger asked audience members to rank pruned away, most noticeably at two times during hu- teaching strategies in order of their effectiveness. Try man development: during the terrible 2’s (which actu- your hand here by ranking these strategies from 1 to 7, ally spans the years of 1 to 4) and adolescence. The with 1 being the most effective at helping students retain characteristics of these two age groups are the same, information. Then look at the next page to see how well she noted (i.e., emotional, risk taking, problems with you did. impulse control). • The brain contains mirror neurons, cells that fire not Rank Teaching Strategy only when we perform an action, but also when we Lecture see the same action performed by someone else. “That’s why modeling is so important,” Sprenger stat- Practice by doing ed. “Students are absorbing everything we do, and Teaching others it gets wired in the brain after it’s observed several Discussion group times.” Audio/visual • The brain learns and remembers patterns. Once we learn a pattern, she explained, it helps give meaning Demonstration to new information. For that reason, graphic organiz- Reading
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 17 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Event Coverage Becoming a Wiz, continued What Makes Learning Stick?
sciously ask ourselves when presented with informa- (Answers) tion are: Here are the rankings for the question on the previ- − Do I need this information? ous page. − Do I want it? − Have I been successful with this type of learning Rank Teaching Strategy Percent of Informa- before? tion Retained • The brain learns through multiple memory systems. 1. Teaching others 90% Memory is the only evidence we have of learning; that’s why it’s important to address it. 2. Practice by doing 75% Sprenger concluded her talk by discussing different 3. Discussion group 50% types of memory and brain-based strategies for helping students remember. 4. Demonstration 30% 5. Audio/visual 20% See the table on the bottom of the page for more infor- 6. Reading 10% mation about improving learning. 2e 7. Lecture 5%
A note from Marilee Sprenger: These rankings do not im- ply “don’t lecture” or “don’t have students read.” Instead, they mean that you need to use other strategies as well. Have students discuss content, then use a graphic orga- nizer, and so forth. 2e
Type of Memory Description Strategies for Activating this Type of Memory Semantic Comes in through the senses and is Use repetition: summarizing, graphic organizers, mind triggered by associations and com- mapping, timelines, peer teaching, mnemonic devices, parisons; is short term and requires and practice tests. that we do something with the in- formation in order to make learning permanent Episodic Is location oriented and activated by Make use of field trips, bulletin boards, colored paper, associations with unique events and seating charts. (Note: For some students, moving them places in the classroom can disrupt their memories of what they learned.) Emotional Is very powerful and activated by Use for teaching information pertinent to values. feelings and empathy; requires feel- ings of attachment Automatic Conditioned response; triggered by Put things to music; use rhyme. specific stimulus
Strategies for Activating Different Types of Memory
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 18 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e
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2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 19 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e R e s o u r c e s A Do-It-Yourself Test for Language Impairment and Dyslexia
Anyone who does some read- culturally, and economically to the individual and to soci- ing on dyslexia is likely to notice ety at large. a common theme in the books and articles – the importance of Q: Is the GAPS test seen as a way to catch dyslexia early early detection and intervention. or more of a way to spot language problems in general, Sooner is much better than later whether or not they are dyslexia? when it comes to helping a child A: Both! More precisely, GAPS does two things. One is overcome dyslexia or other lan- van der Lely identify problems in the sound system (phonology) that, if guage impairments. Now, thanks weak or impaired, will put a child at risk for dyslexia, even to the work of Professor Heather van der Lely and the before he or she has started to learn to read and write. speech therapy and psychology professionals who worked Second, and importantly, it screens for problems in gram- with her, a ten-minute test can identify language problems mar – both syntax and morphology. These are the rules for in children years before they enter the school system. combining words in sentences, and the rules underlying The test, developed in England over a period of 16 building words from parts of words – for example, building years, is the Grammar and Phonology Screening Test jumped from the word jump. (GAPS). Designed for children between the ages of 3 ½ and 6 ½, it takes a simple, child-friendly approach to as- From the standardization of GAPS, we’ve found that of sessing a child’s knowledge in two areas: those children who are impaired or have weaknesses, • The grammatical rules that govern how to create about one third have problems with phonology only; sentences about one third with grammar only; and about one third • The rules underlying how to add sounds together to cor- with both. We also know that there is a lot of overlap with rectly make words. language impairments and dyslexia. Many children with These language skills are crucial to success in school language impairment are dyslexic and vice versa, but of because they are the foundation of understanding and us- course, not all. ing language appropriately and learning to read and write. Along with giving parents important information about Q: Do the results of the test indicate what follow-up ac- their child’s language development, the GAPS test offers tions should be taken, or is it more an indication that the another benefit. It lets parents conduct the testing them- child should be watched for future language problems? selves, right in their own home. The test was designed so A: The results give very clear guidelines. Basically, if a that both professionals and non-professionals can admin- child falls below the 10th percentile on one or both of the ister it. sub-tests (grammar and/or phonology), the recommenda- tion is to seek further specialized assessment and help Q & A with Professor Heather van der Lely from a speech and language pathologist. If the score is 10 Following is an e-mail interview that 2e Newsletter con- to 15 percent, the recommendation is for watchful waiting, ducted with Professor van der Lely about the test she with a re-test in 6 months. If a child scores above 15 per- developed. cent, fine. There are no problems.
Q: What got you interested in this area of research? Q: What would lead someone to get the test and adminis- A: I worked as a speech and language therapist, and I ter it to a pre-school child? spoke to many parents who couldn’t get anyone to take A: My real aim is for all children to be screened so that seriously that their child had a language problem. Also, none are missed who could be helped. However, factors parents were often told that their child was too young to that might lead someone to get the test are: be tested. The result was children simply not being identi- • A family history of either dyslexia or language impair- fied with either SLI (specific language impairment) or dys- ments lexia until they were sometimes 8, 9, or 10 years old, or • A child whose language development seems to be lag- even teenagers. The effect of children not reaching their ging behind other areas of development potential from not being identified is a huge cost: socially,
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 20 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e R e s o u r c e s A Do-It-Yourself Test, continued
• Parental concern. Sometimes it’s as good to reassure Taking the GAPS Test someone that there’s not a problem as to alert them to the fact that a referral to a specialist is indicated. Child-friendly drawings are designed to make taking the GAPS test a fun experience Q: Are non-professionals such as parents at a disadvan- rather than an ordeal. This little blue alien tage in interpreting the results of the test? named Bik can only understand children, so A: No. The test was very carefully designed and standard- those taking the test give their responses to ized so that non-professionals and professionals alike Bik. could interpret the results. This is not to say that profes- During the test, the child is asked to sionals would not be able, of course, to perhaps make complete language-based tasks related to a picture more interpretation of the results that could be useful for book. The tasks involve therapy or for helping the child in other ways. repeating statements or questions that the test Q: How many children do you estimate have been tested? giver says. Here’s an ex- A: We tested over 700 children in the standardization. ample: Who did the cat Since its launch, perhaps 3,000 or more children have wash? been tested; it’s hard to say exactly. Some pre-school A child with language impairment might repeat this groups are screening all their children, while others are question as: Who the cat wash someone? or Who the perhaps picking out a few children that they think might cat washed? 2e have a problem.
Q: Is there a chance that people will rely too heavily on What Is SLI? this quick and simple test and not get the more in-depth SLI stands for specific language disorder, a lan- testing that they might need for their child? guage problem that may affect as many as 8 percent of A: I don’t think so because we clearly advise people to children. Those who have it have difficulty understand- seek more help if their child falls in the bottom 10 per- ing words and using them in sentences. These children cent. What we all hope for is to avoid not identifying chil- often sound immature when they speak because of dren early. Many children are not identified until they are the difficulties they have with grammar. Other names in school, and then they go unnoticed until they start fail- for SLI are: developmental language disorder, language ing or having difficulties. delay, or developmental dysphasia. A child with SLI displays normal social skills, intelli- The problem is that a child who lacks the basic core lan- gence, and hearing. Motor skills appear normal as well. guage abilities – which is what GAPS tests – cannot even Speech, however, is delayed; and by the age of three, access the educational system! So, of course, that child is these children have difficulty being understood. In bound to fail at school and suffer thereafter. school the disorder contributes to learning and reading disabilities and causes a child’s academic performance Q: Is the test available in the US? to suffer. A: For the moment, we have not launched GAPS in the US. This information was drawn from these websites: However, it is available from our website: www.dldcn.com. • http://merrill.ku.edu/IntheKnow/sciencearticles/ The cost of the parental version is £50 (UK sterling) and SLIfacts.html the professional version is £65. There’s a small fee for ad- • http://www.helpforkidspeech.org/articles/detail. ditional test forms, plus postage and handling are extra. cfm?ID=548 Using PayPal is an option for overseas buyers. 2e • http://web.gc.cuny.edu/Speechandhearing/labs/ dnl/sli.htm Check them for additional information on SLI. 2e
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 21 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Dear Dr. Sylvia Daughter Is Chronologically 12, Emotionally 8
My daughter is give up the illusion. What While PDD children often Dr. Sylvia 12 and has Per- would happen if we told miss common social cues, Rimm is Q vasive Develop- her the truth before she parents can help these chil- a child ment Disorder (PDD) and was mentally ready to cope dren tune into their world psycholo- Attention Deficit Disorder with it? by sensitizing them to ex- gist and (AD/HD). She’s highly intel- Can the stress of trying pected behaviors to which clinical ligent, but her emotional to be normal really trigger they might not ordinarily be professor level is equivalent to that mental illness in a child responsive. at Case University School of of an 8-year-old. She’s with PDD? My maternal Gradually heightening Medicine, author, newspa- mainstreamed in school grandmother, my mother, her sensitivities will not per and magazine colum- and has an aide for part of and I have bipolar disorder, be pushing your daughter. nist, and radio/TV per- the school day. and I’m worried that the A counselor can help you sonality. You can visit her How can I tell when stress of PDD might trig- to teach her appropri- website at www.sylviarimm. it’s best to let her grow ger the same thing in my ate social skills. Learning com. For a free newsletter up at her own rate and daughter. these basic social skills is about developing social when it’s best to force likely to put her under less, skills, or about growing growing up? When should A 12-year-old who rather than more, stress. up too fast, send a large the social/emotional age has PDD is never- Although it’s possible that self-addressed, stamped your family’s genetic history envelope to P.O. Box 32, trump the chronological A theless ready to age/intelligence level, and learn about Santa Claus of bipolar disorder will af- Watertown, WI, 53094, or vice versa? For example, and the Easter Bunny. fect your daughter as well, go to www.sylviarimm.com. she still believes in the Eas- Indeed, it may aggravate it’s unlikely to be caused for more information. 2e ter Bunny and Santa Claus, her emotional handicap to or exacerbated by your which causes her difficul- keep such simple truths continuing to work toward ties with her middle-school from her. It would also be helping her understand her peers. Yet, she doesn’t difficult for peers to relate social environment. seem mentally ready to to a peer who is so naive.
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2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 22 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e Bob Seney on Books Hattie Big Sky
Looking for a good book to take her own to Montana. to the beach, the lake, or on vaca- The homestead is not quite tion? Try my favorite book from this what she expected; but with deter- year’s Newbery Awards: Hattie Big mination, courage, and the help of Sky by Kirby Larson (2006, Dela- her closest neighbors, the Muel- corte Press). lers, Hattie begins to “prove up” her First, a confession. Hattie was claim. She finds a new family in the the first of the Newbery books that Muellers and much of the plot re- I purchased and it was the last that volves around their growing love for I read. I didn’t like the title and I each other and the racial prejudice didn’t like the book jacket. (I know, that they experience because of “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”) World War I and Karl Mueller’s Ger- But once I finally picked it up, I liter- man background. ally couldn’t put it down. If I didn’t Many intertwined sub-plots are read it in one sitting, then it was no woven throughout the novel – a more than two. young cattleman who resents the What a fun and exciting book homesteaders as he tries to extend this is! Hattie Big Sky is historical his cattle ranch land, the “mystery” fiction based on the true adventures and joy found in the large trunk of Larson’s great-grandmother when that her uncle left to Hattie, and, of she homesteaded as a single female course, the hardship of living on an in eastern Montana. So the Hattie Brooks of the novel untamed prairie. All in all, I found is based on the real Hattie Wright. The time setting also Hattie Big Sky to be a great reading experience, well writ- makes this novel much more than a “pioneer” story. Set ten, and well constructed. I think it will easily hold the during World War I, the prejudice against folks of German interest of any reader, even those with reading problems. heritage is a major element in the story. At any rate, it would be a great family book to read aloud Sixteen-year-old Hattie Brooks was quite young when she was orphaned. Her father, a coal minor, died of black Professor Emeritus Bob Seney is lung disease when she was very young. Her mother died recently retired from teaching in the when Hattie was five, some say of a broken heart. Hattie Masters of Gifted Studies Program was shifted from family member to family member, some- at Mississippi University for Women. times a positive experience and sometimes not. What At conferences, he often presents a Hattie longed for most was “a place to belong,” a major session titled “What’s New in Young theme of the book, not just for Hattie, but for other char- Adult Literature.” Bob serves on the acters as well. NAGC Board of Directors. Reach him Hattie believes that maybe her fortune is changing at [email protected]. 2e when she receives a notice that her Uncle Chester has died and left her his small estate. Included is a home- For Your Summer Reading Pleasure… stead claim, which has not yet been “proved.” If Hattie can complete the homesteading requirements in three years, As I’ve said in past columns, the Newbery Award- the 120 acres will be hers. So off goes young Hattie, all on winning books are a great resource to help you find highly appropriate books for your child. The Newbery For a list of books reviewed or mentioned in past Awards are the “Academy Awards” for children’s lit- issues of 2e Newsletter, go to the books section of our erature. To find current and past award winners, visit website: www.2enewsletter.com/books.htm. www.ala.org. 2e
2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 23 www.2eNewsletter.com 2e E v e n t s July 13-15, 2007, Annual Conference of SENG Back Issues of 2e (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted), Kansas City/Overland Park, Missouri. For educators, parents and Newsletter Are Available grandparents, mental health professionals, and gifted October 2003 (#1): Understanding 2e children children/young adults/adults. Information at December 2003 (#2): Public policy and 2e kids www.sengifted.org. February 2004 (#3): Homework and 2e kids April 2004 (#4): AD/HD in gifted children July 29-August 3, 2007, 11th Annual Edufest, Boise June 2004 (#5): 2e Advocacy and the Montgomery State University, Boise, Idaho. For educators of gifted County Public School System and talented children, but includes a parents’ day and an August 2004 (#6): Assessment and evaluation administrator’s institute. Information at www.edufest.org. October 2004 (#7): Providing support for twice-excep- August 5-10, 2007, 17th Biennial World Conference, tional students in the classroom Warwick, England. By the World Council for Gifted and December 2004 (#8): A look at output, the work that twice-exceptional students produce – or fail to produce Talented Children. For educators, parents, and clinicians. February 2005 (#9): Viewing learning and behavior More information at www.worldgifted2007.com. problems through the lens of neuroscience
October 31-November 3, 2007, 58th Annual April 2005 (#10): Parenting 2e children International Dyslexia Association Conference, Dallas, June 2005 (#11): Autism spectrum disorders Texas. Information at www.interdys.org. August 2005 (#12): Teaching 2e students November 2005 (#13): Dyslexia as the second “e” November 7-10, 2007. 19th Annual Conference on January 2006 (#14): Schooling alternatives AD/HD, Crystal City, Virginia. By CHADD (Children and March 2006 (#15): Different learning styles Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). May 2006 (#16): Identifying 2e kids Information at www.CHADD.org. July 2006 (#17): Older 2e kids November 7-11, 2007, NAGC 54th Annual Convention, September 2006 (#18): Writing and organization Minneapolis, Minnesota. For educators, other issues professionals, and parents. Information at www.nagc.org. November 2006 (#19): Central auditory processing disorder For state association conferences relating to giftedness, January 2007 (#20): The Emotional side of 2e children see www.hoagiesgifted.org/conferences.htm on Hoagies’ March 2007 (#21): “Other” exceptionalities – TS, CP website. May/June 2007 (#22): 2e Down Under – Australia, NZ Electronic (PDF) back issues are $7.00 ($3.00 for sub- additional conferences on learning differences For , see scribers). Print back issues are $8.50 including US www.sped.cec.org/pd/meet.html on the website of CEC. 2e shipping ($5.00 for subscribers). Bulk discounts are available. A complete set of all back issues is $90 for print, $50 for PDF.
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2e Newsletter • July/August 2007 24 www.2eNewsletter.com