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