| 5 Steps to Improve Standardized Test Scores' | | | | prior challenges and to help them succeed. Two |
| Success | | | | excellent books on the subject are Jeffrey Freed's |
| Standardized reading tests are a major challenge for | | | | "Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World" and Dr. |
| many students, especially for those with Dyslexia or | | | | Linda Silverman's "Upside Down Brilliance" that |
| Learning Disabilities. The math tests are very difficult | | | | describes gifted children who learn differently. |
| for students with reading comprehension issues | | | | 3- If your child skips words or lines when reading, has |
| because the questions are either ambiguous and or | | | | trouble copying off the board or get headaches when |
| very wordy. | | | | reading, have their eyes checked by a Developmental |
| For the child, the threats include: | | | | Optometrist - go to to find one near you. There are |
| · They will be retained | | | | two routes for improvementa. Vision therapy done at |
| · Being excluded from more enjoyable | | | | the optometrist's officeb. Exercises you can do at |
| activities to get the second or even third dose of | | | | home |
| reading and math help | | | | 4- Address the attention issue. Some people prefer |
| · Frequent testing that tends to reaffirm | | | | medication; our bias is to use systems that address it |
| their issues | | | | naturally. We encourage natural solutions to both avoid |
| Parents are often frustrated that progress is minimal, | | | | the side effects and the challenges when the drug |
| despite a major investment of time, money and time. | | | | wears off - understand that an hour of physical |
| This article is designed to help parents understand that | | | | exercise a day can be an enormous benefit. We also |
| learning differences, vision and attention issues could all | | | | use the Interactive Metronome Â(R), Brain Gym |
| be playing a role. | | | | Â(R) and Centering Exercises to help the student. |
| Reading comprehension, attention, vision, and test | | | | 5- Make sure your child gets the accommodations and |
| taking issues can all be major contributors to your | | | | test taking support they need. To get an |
| child's success. Below we have outlined 5-steps that | | | | accommodation at a public school for high stakes |
| parents can take to help their child succeed on | | | | tests, it must be part of a formal plan done in |
| high-stakes tests and beyond with a holistic approach: | | | | conjunction with the school - based on your child's |
| 1- Have a school or outside professional assess your | | | | disability. For students with Attention Deficit Disorder, |
| child for reading, attention and vision issues. Over 75% | | | | you can get the needed accommodations if your |
| of our students have two of the three issues and over | | | | physician assesses the child and determines the |
| 40% have all three. | | | | ADHD significantly impacts their academic |
| 2- If your child has reading comprehension issues they | | | | performance. Students with a combination of learning, |
| may be a visual-experiential learner (i.e. excellent | | | | attention and vision issues benefit from extra time and |
| memory for places they have been and movies they | | | | a quiet place to take the test. |
| have seen and learn best when they see and | | | | Extra time is very helpful for students who learn |
| experience information). We call them: | | | | differently |
| GOLD Students ™ Gifted Operating | | | | You also want to consider having your child tested by |
| with a Learning Difference | | | | someone who understands the way the test is written |
| When parents view their child as gifted and learning | | | | and who can teach the test taking strategies that |
| differently, it opens up a whole new way to explain | | | | work for them. |