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.