Hey Teacher, My Child Can't Read! Get Answers about Learning Disabilities Here...
Ranked #1,676 in Family, #49,552 overall
1. Is your child having trouble in school because he or she can't read, write or spell as well as classmates?
3. Have you attended a school conference to discuss your child's "progress"?
4. Have you attended more than one of these meetings?
5. Are you on a first name basis (yet) with the teacher, principal, assistant principal, school nurse, after school tutor, school district psychologist and other professionals because you have had so many conversations with them?
6. Do you get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach that there may not be an answer?
You are not alone...
The mission of this Squidoo lens is to give parents hope that their child can have a chance to excel in school and show the world just how intelligent they really are. That's all we ever wanted for Hannah.
Details About Our Daughter's Learning Disability
Auditory Processing Disorder
To us, Hannah did not appear to be dyslexic, hyperactive or autistic. But, those were the possibilities presented to us by many people in the medical and academic worlds.
The reality was that Hannah was not failing any of her subjects in K or 1st grades despite the fact that she could not pass a simple 5 word spelling test, write legibly or read.
Hannah appeared to be a typical 1st grader to most people. But Hannah is anything but typical...she has a learning disability called "auditory processing disorder" aka "central auditory processing disorder". About 5% of all school age children suffer with this disability.
It took two years (through Kindergarten and 1st grade) for us to get to the point that our daughter was placed with the reading specialist that she needed.
It's an amazing story with a happy ending just 5 years later...
You can hear Hannah tell her own story and find out what you can do to get your child the help they need by scrolling down to the Podcast recording box below.
My Blog: http://HeyTeacherMyChildCantRead.com
The Blog Is now online....more info for you
Be sure and click on one of the links below to check it out....Thanks.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byClick the Box below to hear Hannah's story and Learn more.
Listen on your computer or download the podcast...
A 30 minute recording of Dean Geyer and his daughter Hannah talking about how she overcame her learning disability. With the help of a reading specialist, she was able to catch up with the reading abilities of her classmates and become an honor student in 5 years. She will be entering the 8th grade in 2008 and will be in "mainstream classes" for the first time. This is the introduction to a series of interviews with experts to help parents find help for their kids.
Check Out This Book about Learning Disabilties...
Learning Disabilities and Life Stories
Amazon Price: $49.14 (as of 07/10/2009)
List Price: $54.60
Used Price: $33.00
This book is a compilation of 13 tales of triumph over various learning disabilities. An inspirational read that will give you a new perspective on people with challenges. Get it!!! Read it!!! Share it!!!
Release Date: 12/31/1969
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Usually ships in 24 hours
Good Books About Reading Problems...
How the Brain Learns to Read
Amazon Price: $35.05 (as of 07/10/2009)
Reading Problems: Assessment and Teaching Strategies
Amazon Price: $92.80 (as of 07/10/2009)
Informal Tests for Diagnosing Specific Reading Problems
Amazon Price: $26.95 (as of 07/10/2009)
Got a question for Hannah?
Hi,
The lens is furnished in a good way and it can help many parents about their children facing problems. A big 5 stars for your lens.
Check out my the janitorialseek blog
Posted September 25, 2008
Dean_Geyer wrote...
To Shawn and anyone else who needs to contact me: please send an email to freechocolate@comcast.net with Attn: Dean in the subject line. I will get back to you very quickly.
PS...Shawn, I will gladly give you access to the complete interview.
Posted September 17, 2008
Shawn wrote
Hi Dean. Thanks for this information. It's a breath of fresh air because we believe our 1st grader has APD as well and didn't have any real answers until now. I listened to the replay of the call but it only played the first 15 minutes. Is there any way to hear the rest of the call. We would really like to know what steps to take, etc. Thanks.
Posted September 08, 2008
aj2008 wrote...
Hi Dean - I came across this lens entirely by accident while trawling through the Squidoo Directory. We have a lot in common as my daughter has APD as well.
All the best to you and Hannah and I hope she is getting the support she needs from her school.
Posted September 05, 2008
cleansweeping wrote...
As a teacher, I am so glad you helped your daughter as much as you did. No one person has all of the answers! Thanks for sharing your story on this lens! (www.squidoo.com/stlouisfamilyfun)
Posted July 19, 2008
Reading Specialist Gives Parents Advice Online
Listen and Ask Questions on Wednesday May 28 at 7 pm (EST)
You can listen for free on your computer or dial in
I will have more specific info available here soon.
Until then be sure and listen to my conversation with my daughter Hannah which is below.
Handout and Notes for the Reading Specialist Call
Click the Link to get your info for the call
Get Your Cheatsheet for the Call Here
Got a Question for Dean?
Evelyn_Saenz wrote...
Hi Dean,
You certainly know how to advocate for your child. What an inspiring lens! 5 stars and favored!
The Purple Gallinules just flew over to check out your lens. For such a great lens we're sending you a virtual Fairy Tale Wolf to celebrate Hannah's new reading abilities. We can hardly wait to read the rest of your lenses.
Posted May 12, 2008
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Benefits of Bedtime Reading
James Randerson, science correspondent for Guardian
Like most families, we had a tradition of reading at least one book to our children before bed. Some people might argue that for a child with a learning disability that this would be a waste of time. I personally feel that while bedtime reading did nothing to help Hannah with her learning disability(which we weren't even aware of until she was 6), it did inspire and motivate her to want to read.
Benefits of Bedtime Reading by James Randerson
Reading to young children stimulates their development and gives them a head start when they reach school, according to researchers who have reviewed studies on the effects of reading. Apart from helping their reading, sharing a bedtime story with a child promotes their motor skills, through learning to turn the pages, and their memory. It also improves their emotional and social development.
"You can imagine if someone technologically came up with a widget that would stimulate all aspects of a two-year-old's development, everyone would want to buy it," said Professor Barry Zuckerman, of the department of paediatrics at Boston University school of medicine, who led the study.
Studies show that children who are read to from an earlier age have better language development and tend to have better language scores later in life. Getting children to grip pages with their thumb and forefinger improves their motor skills.
Most important, though, said Zuckerman, is that reading aloud is a period of shared attention and emotion between parent and child. This reinforces reading as a pleasurable activity.
"Children ultimately learn to love books because they are sharing it with someone they love," he said. The research is published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2008
