Should I Wait for Their Reading to Get Better on its Own?

“…. Although some children will learn to read in spite of incidental teaching, others never learn unless they are taught in an organized, systematic, efficient way by a knowledgeable teacher using a well-designed instructional approach.” (Moats, 1999)

Dr. Louisa Cook Moats, is Vice President of the International Dyslexia Association.  Dr. Moats specializes in the implementation of school-wide interventions for improving literacy. She directed the NICHD Early Reading Interventions Project in Washington, DC.  She is the author of many books and articles related to reading.

The Best Christmas Gift

Sometimes the best Christmas gifts don't come in a package wrapped in shiny paper with a big red bow.  Sometimes, like this year, they come in the form of a phone call or an email.  We at Langsford like to think that we give the gift of learning to our clients.  But we get back as much or more than we give when we hear things like the following.  It is stories like this that fill our hearts with joy and give meaning to our lives.

The email I received today:

Rhonda- Hello! Glad to hear from you. It was funny that you emailed because just the other week we were looking at Allie's report card (which is all As and Bs) and my mom commented, "We need to send this to Ms. Rhonda at Langsford!"

She's doing great! It's amazing to see how much better the related areas(science/ social studies/math) are just because the reading comprehension is so much better! I truly feel so blessed that we decided to go with Langsford instead of switching her to a specialized school!  Thanks again for all your help! Merry Christmas!!

(By the way, she asked for a Smartboard and a projector for her classroom at home for Christmas!! By the time she gets a real job she'll already have 15 years teaching experience!! Ha!). 

The Magical World of Reading!

BOOKS

Books are magical....they can take us to far away places, and introduce us to wonderous characters.  Through books, make believe takes shape in our mind and anything is possible. 

One of the biggest joys of working at Langsford Center is being able to be a part of bringing this magic to new readers.  

This is Andrew.  He is so excited to be reading!  You can almost see the wonder in his eyes as he experiences new adventures via books.  What is truly amazing is this:

You will never get too old to experience the wonder.  

Follow Andrew's lead 

and let a good book take you on a magical journey!

Assessment Results: Behind the Scenes Action

What happens once your child is tested?

SCORING AND DATA COLLECTION

While many institutions do not second score their evaluations, we do.  Raw scores are checked to insure accuracy and graphs and scores are printed that provide percentile scores, standard scores, and age and grade equivalents.  Our assessment department, while small, documents and records all testing information and collects teacher input and previous evaluations that you may provide.  All pertinent data is collected and put in a folder to be reviewed by our "diagnosis team."

TEAM APPROACH

This team consists of examiners, learning coordinators, and/or directors meeting together to go over all of the data we have collected.  While all of our staff are well-trained and have years of experience, a room full of great minds is going to provide you with more insight into your child than any one individual could. 

ANALYSIS

 An in-depth analysis of your child's test results, background information, previous evaluations, and personal observation comes together and is discussed to determine the precise needs of your child.  In your next meeting with a Langsford representative to go over your child's testing results, you can rest assured that we will be able to explain to you what is going on with your child.

PLAN OF ACTION

Our goal is to provide you relief, for you to walk away understanding your child's learning strengths and weaknesses, and for you to have a clear idea of what your next step should be to help your child perform up to his or her full potential.  We are not satisfied unless we meet or exceed your expectations.

Is It a Reading Disorder or a Developmental Lag?

The three key research conclusions that support seeking reading intervention early are

90 percent of children with reading difficulties will achieve grade level in reading if they receive help 

by the first grade. 

75 percent of children whose help is delayed to age nine or later continue to struggle throughout 

their school careers. 

If help is given in fourth grade, rather than in late kindergarten, it takes four times as long to 

improve the same skills by the same amount. 

  To read a fact filled article with more on this subject, click here.

What to Expect: Day of Assessment

Once you've scheduled an assessment at Langsford Center, an intricate process begins taking place behind the scenes.  All of the pieces of this process are specifically designed to insure that when we meet with you, we will have a clear understanding of your child and his or her specific needs.

When you arrive for the assessment, you will be greeted by someone at the front desk, most likely Jenny who is our office manager and scheduler.  You will then be greeted by the examiner assigned to do the testing.  All of our examiners are highly trained and experienced, and your child's examiner will already have reviewed your concerns and have a battery of pre-selected tests ready to administer.

GETTING COMFORTABLE

In order to get reliable scores, it is important that your child feel relaxed and comfortable.  The examiner will be sure to make your child feel welcome and reassured that the testing is not going to be a scary or unpleasant experience.  Before going to the testing room, your child will be given a tour of our facility (you can come along if you like!) so that they will know where the restroom and water fountain are, see where other children are working, and get a glimpse of where they will be working.  They will be told that many of the tests are fun and like games, that all we ask is that they do their best, and that they will be given some breaks where they can return to the waiting area for a snack or a few minutes of play with our toys and puzzles.

Getting Started

Once your child goes to the testing room, the examiner will spend a few more minutes further developing rapport.  She will ask your child questions about how he or she feels about reading and school, what tasks are easy or difficult, and what they would like to be easier.  She will explain that most of the subtests administered are constructed in such a way that they may feel easy at the start but later begin to feel hard.  This is because they are designed to find a point of stability for the student and then pinpoint as precisely as possible the point at which the student's skills become unstable.  Your child will likely feel better knowing that they are not supposed to know all of the answers.

Interactive Evaluation

The examiner will be in the room working interactively with your child throughout the evaluation.  In addition to noting your child's responses, she will also be subtly monitoring your child's emotional behavior and responses.  She will take detailed notes that will help the team have an accurate and all-encompassing perception of your child's abilities.  This is done because we know test scores don't always present the whole picture.  For example, a good or adequate test score starts to look a little different if it is noted that the responses were slow and labored in coming.  

Every 40 minutes or so, or as needed, your child will be offered the opportunity to take a short break.  This provides them a brief respite while also allowing the examiner to confer with one or more of the Learning Coordinators or Directors if she feels the testing battery should be adjusted in any way.  

All Done!

At the end of the evaluation, your child will be thanked for his or her hard work and cooperation.  Younger clients are allowed a trip to our "treasure box," where they can pick out an item to take with them.  They are then accompanied back out front and returned to their parents.  Usually parents are surprised to find that their child actually enjoyed the assessment and feel good about the whole experience.   

Well, that's the part of the evaluation you see.  Next comes a lot of behind the scenes work to determine your child's specific strengths and weaknesses and what is needed to address any difficulties they may be having.  Stay tuned for the next installment to see what happens between the time your child is tested and when you meet with a Langsford representative to go over the test results.

Your Initial Call to Langsford: Your First Step Toward Relief

We take our intake process at Langsford very seriously.  We know that the folks who call us are worried and seeking relief.  We want to be that relief or, at the very least, be able to refer you appropriately so that your concerns are addressed.  

In order to get a clear picture of your concerns, we'll start out by asking you a few questions.  Things like, "how old is your child?" and "are you looking for help in reading, spelling or comprehension?"  While all of us can answer your questions, we have a couple of people on staff who specifically take these calls because they have more flexible scheduling and are best prepared for any questions you might have.  If possible, you will be transferred directly to them.  If they are unavailable at the moment, we will take your contact information and a time when it would be good to call you back.  Generally, all intake calls are returned within 24 hours.

Our goal for these calls is not sales related.  We want to determine whether our testing services would provide you the information you need to figure out why your child's learning is not progressing the way you'd expect or like.  If it does not sound like we are the most appropriate next step, we will gladly suggest any other options that might be.  

If you decide that you would like to schedule a test with us, we will ask for some additional background information from you, including previous assessments and a schoolwork sample.  It's important to look closely at all the pieces of your child's learning profile in order to give you the best feedback and recommendations possible.  

Rest assured that you will not get a "sales pitch" when you phone us.  We are educators, not salespeople.  Our belief is that if we do quality work and focus on you and your child as individuals, we will get the clients we need.  We do not have a large marketing/advertising budget.  We get our business from referrals by satisfied clients.  Thank goodness it works that way, as it allows us to do what we really want to do, which is offer help and relief to you and your child.

Mastering the art of spelling

Our son needed help with spelling. Though he did well in school in general, he had long-struggled with knowing how to spell correctly. We had tried various interventions over the years, but at the age of 13 he was still testing in the 10 to 20th percentiles on standardized tests for spelling.

When we presented the idea of another round of intervention to our son, he reacted very negatively. I wasn't exactly sure why he was so unhappy about the prospect--perhaps he felt embarrassed about his struggle or perhaps it was a negative experience in the past with tutoring.

The day came to go to the Langsford Center for our first meeting with his tutor. I still remember sitting in the waiting room together observing others who were in and out and being concerned about what our son was feeling. He seemed to be the oldest one there at that moment--another potential hit to his teenage ego. I wondered how he would react to his first session.

To my delight, he came out of his first session smiling and never once complained about attending his twice-a-week sessions. He looked forward to them!

The secret to Langsford success for our son was the combination of rapid skills building by having intensive training in spelling and high quality tutors whom Phil enjoyed. Langsford has truly mastered the art and the science of their work.

I am happy to report that our son received straight As for the second semester of his Freshman year! (Only one B on the first semester). His academic confidence is on an upward trajectory, and we give Langsford credit for doing their part to help him with his spelling.

-Written by Phil's mother

Puns for Fun!

Looking to brighten someone's day?

Words put together the right way are a sure way to a smile.

Some Puns to Ponder......

1) Time flies like an arrow.  Fruit flies like a banana.

2) A backward poet writes inverse.

3) I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger.  Then it hit me.

4) Two silk worms had a race.  They ended in a tie.

5) Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway.  One hat said to the other: "You stay here; I'll go on a head."

6) Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

Have a great day!

Getting Ready for the new School Year

Time for the new school year!

New pencils?  Check.

New backpack? Check.

Improved reading skills?  Check! Check!

This is Jayden.

Jayden worked very hard this summer to improve his reading in preparation for this school year.  He definitely deserved a celebration!  We miss him already.....

Lolli's Lovely Letter to Langsford

Where Is Everyone??

Not to worry--these books and backpacks and toys have only been abandoned momentarily!  Come the next Langsford break there will be children crouched around this table laughing, playing, and talking.  It's amazing how much fun and connectedness kids can have amongst themselves in 5 minutes!  We grown-ups should take a lesson!

Langsford Center Celebrations

Tucker's Birthday!

At Langsford Center, we believe that life should be a celebration.  We celebrate both large and small accomplishments of both our clients and our staff, as well as birthdays, anniversaries, and new babies.  Usually our celebrations  include Oreo cookies.  But sometimes, there just has to be a birthday cake with all the trimmings to properly mark a special day.  Wouldn't you agree?

We Miss You, Carolyn

As I pause to remember a dear coworker, Carolyn, who passed from this earth on this day last year, I am reminded of the words of the great Roman philosopher Seneca who observed that "things hard to bear are sweet to remember."  

Losing Carolyn was a painful blow to all who knew and loved her, and how could anyone not love her?  Despite being more gravely ill than most of us realized, Carolyn was always smiling and upbeat, going about her life without squandering a moment.  

She was my Secret Santa one year and each special surprise I got was funnier than the last.  She didn't know me well personally, but managed to make me unique little gifts reflecting incredible insight into who I am as a person and what I take most delight in.

Carolyn was deeply invested in our clients and wanted everyone she worked with to know the joy of reading.  This gift of giving continues each day at Langsford, as instructors pull out hand-drawn "game boards" that Carolyn lovingly made so that the kids she taught would have reading and spelling games to play with favorites like Sponge Bob, or puppies, or robots to entice them to practice their new skills.  

In our staff room you will find a canvas of bright green, a backdrop for a painting of sunflowers she'd planned on doing for us.  In some ways it's proven to be better by not being finished.  I think each of us who looks at it are pulled into the variations of green and led down a road of memories of Carolyn that seem to take form and shape from the clouds of color.  

While losing her was hard to bear, Carolyn's spirit lives on within the walls of Langsford  and the hearts of us all.  

In loving memory of Carolyn Oakley

12/02/1958  --  04/26/2010

Practice Deficit

There are times in one's life when a little help is needed

Some kids don't read as much as others.  There can be a variety of reasons why:

They may have inefficient skills and have to work harder than others to decode. 

Who wants to do something that is difficult for them? 

 

If their decoding skills are inefficient, they may be working so hard at decoding the words that they miss the meaning.  

Who wants to read much when they aren't getting anything out of it?

Some readers are slow processors and cannot read the same amount as good readers can in a given time period.  

Who wants to read if it takes forever?  And even if I do read, I can't seem to read as much as everyone else!

Any of these common problems can lead to what has been termed a "practice deficit."  What this means is, a reader who is not reading a lot may have seen any given word maybe 100 times in print, whereas a good reader who likes to read may have seen the same word 1000 times! 

 This practice deficit means that the first reader will be less automatic and skilled at identifying those words when he or she encounters them in text, and will also be less likely to know the proper spelling of those same words.

This is one of the reasons why it is so critical to seek early intervention for decoding or fluency issues.  Every month that one waits, the practice deficit is growing.    If you are concerned that a reader in your household may have any of these problems, an evaluation with us could give you clarity and a plan of action to make reading easier for your child.

A Last Day Letter to Langsford From Max

What I Learned at Langsford

Langsford is a place that helps people with spelling, reading, handwriting, and comprehension.  Something they do to help people is by doing the “board in the air” which helps you be able to see letters in your mind.  The most helpful thing Langsford taught me was the board in the air, even though I didn’t like it.  The thing I liked most at Langsford was learning about schwa.  If a syllable schwas, it usually does it before or after the accent.  Knowing about schwa is important because it can help you get your best guess in reading or spelling.  I came to Langsford to be a better speller and I think I improved a lot since I came here.  I will never forget coming here.

                                             Max

Wondering What to do With Your Gifted Child?

Do you have a gifted child whom you want to keep challenged?  Do you ever wish that you had more support in raising your gifted child?  The Center for Gifted Studies may be the answer you're looking for!

"Located on the Western Kentucky University campus in Bowling Green, Kentucky, The Center for Gifted Studies has been serving children who are gifted and talented, their educators, and their parents for thirty years.  The Center provides exciting educational opportunities for gifted young people, rigorous professional development for teachers, and support for parents of gifted young people. Under the direction of Dr. Julia Roberts, The Center has become one of the preeminent advocates for gifted education in the United States."

Click here to get to their website and learn more about the fascinating services they offer.

Top of the mornin' to you, lads and ladies!"

Today at Eric's school, he and his classmates came dressed to reflect their favorite holidays.  Since Eric likes Saint Patrick's Day, and in honor of his being part Irish, he went to school (and later came to Langsford) dressed in St. Paddy's attire befitting a proud lad of the Emerald Isle.  

Best wishes to you wee laddie, and the luck of the Irish to ya!

Two Friends Celebrating

Garret (red) and Caulin (green) became fast friends while attending sessions at Langsford!   They both came at the end of a school day, starting and ending close to the same time. Caulin and Garret ended up having their last day celebrations on the same day and at the same time too. 

The guys were surprised and delighted to find their families had brought  a  big cookie treat to congratulate them for all their hard work.  (Needless to say, the Langsford staff was also quite happy about the big cookie.)

P.S.

Rumor has it Garret and Caulin were spending time hanging out outside of Langsford, too.

A Peek into our Email

Nothing makes our day better than when we hear from a parent that they are pleased with our services and that their child is doing well.

Here's a peek at an excerpt from a recent email we received:

Katie had a great time at her "last day" at Langsford yesterday!  She loved the little party you had for her-thank you.  And we will be reading the Fancy Nancy book you gave her....

Thanks for everything!  I have such a little reader on my hands!  I never though I'd be at this place right now when we started at Langsford last October, so I am so thankful to you all!

Best,

Katie's Mom

Beware of the Developmental Lag Excuse!

The National Institutes of Health state that 95 percent of poor readers 

can be brought up to grade level 

if they receive effective help early.  

The reality is, time is of the essence when it comes to addressing reading issues.  Yet parents are often told not to worry, that Johnny or Suzy is just suffering a developmental lag and all will come together at some point in the future.  Research indicates this is usually not the case.  If you think your child is having difficulties with reading, act now!

The three key research conclusions that support seeking help early are:

• 90 percent of children with reading difficulties will achieve grade level in reading if they receive help by the first grade.
• 75 percent of children whose help is delayed to age nine or later continue to struggle throughout their school careers.
• If help is given in fourth grade, rather than in late kindergarten, it takes four times as long to improve the same skills by the same amount.

Click here to read the article providing this information.

Lasting success

"Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today.

Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime."

Tutoring and homework help are like giving a student a fish. They get the student through today, but tomorrow, the same problems remain.

At Langsford, our testing figures out precisely where the underlying problem is, and then we strengthen the student's skills in that specific area. We teach our students to fish. We give our students the skills they need for long-lasting success.

We call this "The Langsford Difference."

On this blog, we frequently feature former students who have contacted us to let us know how well they are doing and how thankful they are. We thought it might be helpful to collect in one place some of the older students' stories of long-lasting success. Read and be inspired. And congratulations to them all!

Rachel

THEN: family was told she wouldn't go to college

2009: Outstanding Student of the Year,

duPont Manual High School

Max qualified for the

Duke Talent Identification Program

in Critical Reading

and 3-year winner of the

Oldham County Young Authors Competition

Max update:

Youngest playwright ever in

Actor Theatre's Humana Festival

of New American Plays (Ten-Minute Plays)

& now a 4-year winner of the

Oldham County Young Authors Competition

D.J.

THEN: in 6th grade, read at 1st grade level

NOW: student at Bellarmine University

Danny

THEN: 7th grade special education student

NOW: straight A student at Wittenberg University

Michael

THEN: worked with Langsford 8 years ago

NOW: reading award from

Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth.

Maggie

THEN: came to Langsford ten years ago

NOW: Governor's Scholar

From www.weteachreading.com:

Feb. 11, 2009 --- Thanks again for your contribution to my child's success story! At each grading period of my daughter's school career, my thoughts go to Langsford... She was able to achieve a 4.14 GPA this quarter in her Freshman year... For a child who wasn't really reading until 3rd grade, this is a success story! She is reaching her potential and it is a joy to watch!"

--- Lynn J., Parent & Public School Educator

Nov. 13, 2008 --- "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about the great outcome [my son] has had from his time there. It has changed his life in so many ways. He is turning 17 Saturday and he is inviting about 11 kids over for a "Risk" tournament. Several new friends are on the list from school. It has helped him academically as well. He got all A's this quarter and is so confident now. ... Hope the word [about Langsford] continues to get out."

--- Marilyn

* * *

The first step in helping your child is figuring out precisely where the problems are occurring in the reading process. Learn more about getting a map to help you and your child: Langsford Assessments

We will do all we can to help your child.

Dyslexia

Dys------trouble lexia------words

Dyslexia=trouble with words

Langsford Learning Acceleration Centers recently had the honor of participating in a teleconference with dyslexia expert, Tim Conway. Tim Conway is director of the Morris Center in Gainesville, FL, (which evaluates and treats language-based learning difficulties) and an investigator at the Brain Rehabilitation Center, also in Gainesville.

Some important facts about dyslexia:

Dyslexia is neurobiological in origin. (In other words, it is genetic and tends to run in families.)

Dyslexia is a lifelong diagnosis, although one's environment may alter its course. (Meaning that intervention can, in some cases, significantly diminish the effects of dyslexia.) Click here to read about what kind of remedial plan Langsford offers.

The core deficit of dyslexia is an instability in the phonological component of language. (In other words, the primary symptom of dyslexia is difficulty with distinguishing and manipulating the individual sounds in words.)

Research shows that regular and intense multi-sensory work to develop a brain process can result in strengthened neural pathways that are observable on a brain scan. (Put another way, "what fires together, wires together." Linking visual, auditory, and articulatory processes can result in improvement in how one's brain processes input.) Click here for more about brain rewiring.

Lastly, having dyslexia does not mean that one won't be successful in life. (John Kennedy, Thomas Edison, Leonardo DaVinci, Cher, Harrison Ford, Whoopi Goldberg, and Steven Spielberg all have dyslexia!)

Staff Spotlight On Tony

Tony Pursley

Where were you born and how long have you lived in Louisville?

Born in Cincinnati and grew up in Goshen, OH and later Independence, KY. I’ve lived in Louisville for 5 years.

My school/work background is:

Bachelor’s in Music Ed Cumberland College; Master of Divinity at Southern Baptist Seminary. Minister of Music at Hebron Church and now at Victory Memorial Baptist Church.

When I was a child, when I grew up I wanted to be…

An air force fighter pilot & NASA astronaut. Then a traveling Christian singer.

People say I…

Am a multi-talented person.

In my free time, I…

Read books, write songs & hymns, walk in the woods at Cherokee Park.

One of my favorite books of all time would be….

The Bible of course! And The Lord of the Rings and the Great Gatsby.

I once won an award for…

Most team spirit on my high school football team.

I love and I hate…

I love studying and writing and I hate studying and writing.

New York Times list of 100 Notable Books of 2010

Winter is here and the holidays have passed.  Many of us find ourselves with extra time and not feeling particularly enthused about going anywhere that requires leaving the house and braving the elements.  So why not while away a snowy afternoon with a good book?

Click here to see the New York Time's list of 100 Notable Books of 2010.