The Coffee Klatch Special Needs Radio

An Internationally Recognized Expert in Dyslexia Ms. Barton is a frequent and popular speaker at conferences focusing on Dyslexia, Reading Instruction, Early Intervention and RTI, and Adult Literacy issues. Susan is also an instructor ofPhonemic Awareness andMultisensory Teaching Techniquesthrough the University of California, of Learning Disabilities at West Valley College, and of the graduate-level courses Screening for Dyslexia,Tutoring People with Dyslexia, and Understanding Dyslexia and ADHD through the University of San Diego Dyslexia is the most common reason a bright child will struggle with spelling, writing, or reading. But it affects many other areas as well. Children with dyslexia also have difficulty: Memorizing their address, the alphabet, or their multiplication tablesLearning to tie their shoesWriting some letters or numbers backwards past the end of first gradeLearning to tell time on a clock with handsTelling left from right. Confusing letter pairs such as b-d, b-p,p-q, or g-jSaying sounds in the right order in multi-syllable words such as animal, spaghetti, hamburger, consonantHandwriting: their letters don’t sit on the line,  there may be odd spacing between their words,  tall letters are sometimes written as short ones, tails don’t always hang below the line,  sentences often don’t start with capital letters, and  punctuation is often left out.

Host Dr Richard Selznick author of School Struggles, Dyslexia Screening and The Shut Down Learner  At the Dyslexia Training Institute their mission is to provide education about dyslexia, interventions for dyslexia (Orton-Gillingham) as well as how to navigate the educational system by understanding Special Education Law. Their courses were created for parents, caregivers, teachers, educational professionals and anyone interested in the topic. They believe information about dyslexia should not be limited by geography and we have created an online space where everyone hasaccess to this information. 

The best discoveries are often found completely by accident. It seems that may be happening again for Autism. Dr Theoharis Theoharides (Dr. Theo) from Tufts University, has come across a breakthrough in Autism. Several years ago when Dr Theoharides was researching a completely different disease called Mastocytosis, he noticed an extremely high co- occurrence of Autism in these people. Through a simple survey it was found that 10% of people with Mastocytosis also had an ASD diagnosis. That raised a big red flag to Dr. Theo since having that big of an increase of having a disease within a certain population ( 1 in 10 for Mastocytosys) compared to the regular population (1 in a 100) points to a direct connection. This compelled Dr. Theo to do testing of autistic children and lead to the discovery that autistic children had activated Mast cells. Activated mast cells cause many of the same symptoms found in autistic children. Listen as we discuss how mast cells can affect behavior, language, stress and neurological symptoms. 

Dyslexia Screening: Essential Concepts for Schools & Parents - Dr. Richard Selnick Dyslexia Screening: Essential Concepts for Schools & Parents presents an overview of the ‘nuts and bolts’ of what goes into a dyslexia screening program for schools. Helpful for parents too this guide presents material in clear, ‘down-to-earth’ terms. "Dyslexia Screening: Essential Concepts for Schools & Parents is a perfect compendium that enables educators to take a proactive stance in the early identification and remediation of dyslexia." - Steven G. Feifer, D.Ed., ABSNP – 2009 National School Psychologist of the Year "Dyslexia Screening:  Essential Concepts for Schools & Parents really helped our district get a handle on dyslexia – what it is, how to detect it and what to do about it, especially as we needed to implement the new state law.” - Patricia Moulton, M.S.W. Special Education Coordinator, Brooklawn School District "I wanted to let you how much I enjoyed your book. I especially appreciated that you point out the qualitative observations that should take place during assessment that can be so incredibly crucial. For example, using marks to show that a student took a long time to decode a word, even if they decoded it correctly. Your book will be a great resource for teachers/districts who are so reluctant or so nervous to identify struggling students." - Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D.  Dyslexia Training Institute  

Protecting your loved ones from airborne viruses and flu is important. Flu kills and causes countless icky, phlegmy miserable sick days in bed. We offer a better, technically-advanced stylish solution: A designer Scough with built in protection from the harsh germ and pollution-filled world. Results: You stay healthy and look pretty hot, if you don’t mind us saying. (But hot in the metaphorical, sexy sense, not because you have a fever.)

In a scholastic milieu where the odds were stacked against him from even before his early diagnosis of dyslexia and ADHD (in 5th grade), David has faced a new Goliath so often, so calmly, and with such inevitable success, it’s no wonder he has taken his place as a true leader on the front lines of the learning rights movement. David, like so many of the kids on whose behalf he serves today, struggled through much of his pre-college education, feeling marginalized by his education as a whole. Although his parents and teachers frequently reassured him that college was in the cards, he would have found that message more actionable, and useful, if it had come from a peer, a person with a learning difference (LD) who had finished college. With that in mind, David co-founded Eye to Eye in 1998 while a student at Brown University. Eye to Eye is the only national mentoring movement that is empowering young people with LD by giving them a mentor who shares that experience.

"Top 10 tips for developing a fully appropriate IEP or Section 504 plan" 504- What Parents Need to Know Dennis C. McAndrews, Esquire, has worked for over thirty  years in the public and private sectors in several roles in the fields of estate planning and disability law. He is the founder and managing partner of McAndrews Law Offices, P.C., an eighteen-attorney law firm with offices in Berwyn, Scranton, Wyomissing, Wilmington Delaware, and Washington D.C., which regularly represents individuals and their families in a variety of areas, including estate planning/administration, special education matters, special needs trusts, elder law, abuse of vulnerable persons, guardianships, right-to-treatment cases, and injury cases.  He frequently acts as a consultant to other public and private attorneys with regard to estate planning/administration, disability and special education issues.  The firm also consults with higher education agencies and corporate entities regarding policies designed to protect consumers, employees and stakeholders.

Teen Sexuality, ADD, and The Spectrum Guest: Wes Crenshaw, author I Always Want to Be Where I’m Not: Successful Living with ADD and ADHD and coauthor of the forthcoming Consent-Based Sex Education: Parenting Teens in an Internet Age. Dr. Wes Crenshaw says that a key point of adolescence is to organize one’s sexuality. For kids with ADD and those on the higher functioning autism spectrum, that can present unique challenges. If parents have a tough time dealing with sexuality in a typical teen, they may find themselves totally unprepared for what ADD and Asperger’s teens go through. That can include anything from impulsive sexual acting out to asexuality to fluidity in gender and sexual identity, and a lot more. Dr. Wes Crenshaw is Board Certified in Couples and Family Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.  Dr. Wes is also coauthor of the forthcoming book Consent-Based Sex Education: Parenting Teens in an Internet Age. 

Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D. is the co-founder of the Dyslexia Training Institute. She received her doctorate in literacy with a specialization in reading and dyslexia from San Diego State University and the University of San Diego. She is a certified special education advocate assisting parents and children through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 Plan process. Kelli is trained in Structured Word Inquiry, Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood-Bell, RAVE-O and Wilson Reading Programs. Kelli is the Past-President of the San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. She co-created and produced “Dyslexia for a Day: A Simulation of Dyslexia,” is a frequent speaker at conferences, and is currently writing “Dyslexia: Decoding the System.   Tracy Block-Zaretsky is the co-founder of the Dyslexia Training Institute. She is a certified Special Education Advocate assisting parents and children through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 Plan process. She has been a trainer for the past 15 years training teachers, adult literacy staff, and professional and volunteer tutors. She is the past-President of the San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. Tracy is trained in Structured Word Inquiry, the Orton-Gillingham approach, Wilson Reading System,and  Lindamood-Bell programs, Read Naturally and a variety of reading and writing assessment tests. Tracy has presented at numerous conferences on learning disabilities, phonics, reading and writing instruction, as well as provided professional development for K-12 teachers.She co-created and produced “Dyslexia for a Day: A Simulation of Dyslexia,” is a frequent speaker at conferences    

Dr. Hallowell is considered to be one of the foremost experts on the topic of ADHD. He is the co-author, with Dr. John Ratey, of Driven to Distraction and Answers to Distraction, which have sold more than a million copies. In 2005, Drs. Hallowell and Ratey released their much-awaited third book on ADHD, Delivered From Distractio. “Delivered” provides updated information on the treatment of ADHD and more on adult ADHD. He has authored 18 books and is a highly recognized speaker around the world. His books and lectures focus on various psychological, family and social topics and offer groundbreaking advice on ADHD, raising happy children, marriage, how to help your employees shine and staying connected in this “crazy busy” world. He has appeared on CNN as well as on Dr. Oz,Oprah, Good Morning America, 60 Minutes and other shows. In this series with the founding partners of Understood.org, we bring you one of the most exciting, informative and interactive resources ever put together for parents and educators of children with ADHD and learning disabilities.  

It's simple: If children don't understand what they read, they will never embrace reading. And that limits what they can learn while in school. This fact frightens parents, worries teachers, and ultimately hurts children. 7 Keys to Comprehension is the result of cutting-edge research. It gives parents and teachers—those who aren't already using this valuable program—practical, thoughtful advice about the seven simple thinking strategies that proficient readers use: • Connecting reading to their background knowledge • Creating sensory images • Asking questions • Drawing inferences • Determining what's important • Synthesizing ideas • Solving problems Easily understood, easily applied, and proven successful, this essential educational tool helps parents and teachers to turn reading into a fun and rewarding adventure. An internationally-known speaker and workshop leader, Susan Zimmermann is coauthor of the educational bestsellers Mosaic of Thought, Second Edition (2007) and 7 Keys to Comprehension (with Chryse Hutchins, 2003). 

John Rosemond is a family psychologist who has both directed mental health programs and been in full-time private practice working with families and children. Since 1990, he has devoted his time to speaking and writing. John's weekly syndicated parenting column now appears in some 250 newspapers. Along the way, he's also managed to write eleven bestselling books on parenting and the family. As if that wasn't enough, he is one of the busiest and most popular speakers in his field, giving over 200 talks a year to parent and professional groups nationwide. He and his wife of 39 years, Willie, have two grown children and six well-behaved grandchildren.

Irlen Syndrome (also referred to at times as Meares-Irlen Syndrome, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, and Visual Stress) is a problem with the brain’s ability to process visual information. This problem tends to run in families and is not currently identified by other standardized educational or medical tests. This largely unknown and undiagnosed disorder affects approximately 15% of the general population, 50% of individuals with reading and learning difficulties, 30% of individuals with ADHD and autism, and a significant portion of individuals with brain injury, chronic headaches, and migraines.  SIgns of Irlen Syndrome include light sensitivity (bright lights, sunlight, fluorescent lights); headaches or migraines; difficulty or discomfort when reading or doing other visually intensive activities; eye strain; or the print or environment looks different than it should.   Helen Irlen, MA, BCPC, LMFT is a pioneer and global leader in the area of visual processing problems and internationally recognized educator, researcher, and scholar. Ms. Irlen has been in the field of education for over 40 years. Her background includes School Psychologist, Licensed Child and Family Therapist, Educational Therapist, Board Certified Professional Counselor, founder and Director of the Adult Learning Disabilities Program at California State University/Long Beach. She is founder and Executive Director of the Irlen Institute, which has over 174 affiliated Irlen Centers worldwide, and over 7,000 educators have been trained to become certified Irlen screeners. Her method for treating visual processing deficits is used in 54 countries. She is the author of Reading By The Colors and The Irlen Revolution: A Guide to Changing Your Perception and Your Life; How a Simple Method Can Change the Lives of Children and Adults with LD, AD/HD, TBI, Dyslexia, Autism, Headaches, Medical Conditions, and Much More.

Processing speed isn’t a one-dimensional concept. It’s not just about how fast received, or how fast we write or how fast we can process what we’ve heard. It’s really a combination of all those factors. In fact, processing speed deficits can be observed in visual processing, verbal processing and motor speed. Problems in one or more of these areas can manifest and problems with academic fluency and general difficulties….In every day life there is a cost to processing everything more slowly. My interview with Dr. Braaten will take place over two sessions. Within the first, she will discuss some of the more common variables with processing speed weaknesses and in the second, she will discuss different aspects of how parents and teachers can approach children with processing speed weaknesses. Part 2, Dr. Braaten and Dr. Selznick discuss ways to help children who show processing speed problems.  Dr. Braaten presents many down-to-earth ideas about these children.  She will also highlight her model of the “Three A’s of Processing Speed.”

Processing speed isn’t a one-dimensional concept. It’s not just about how fast received, or how fast we write or how fast we can process what we’ve heard. It’s really a combination of all those factors. In fact, processing speed deficits can be observed in visual processing, verbal processing and motor speed. Problems in one or more of these areas can manifest and problems with academic fluency and general difficulties….In every day life there is a cost to processing everything more slowly. My interview with Dr. Braaten will take place over two sessions. Within the first, she will discuss some of the more common variables with processing speed weaknesses and in the second, she will discuss different aspects of how parents and teachers can approach children with processing speed weaknesses. Part I Dr. Ellen Braaten author of “Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up” discusses many of the signs and symptoms of children with “processing speed” or sluggish cognitive tempo.  Dr. Braaten highlights the many factors that can affect processing speed and what to watch for at home and in the classroom