What’s More Expensive Than College? Not Going to College

What’s More Expensive Than College? Not Going to College – Derek Thompson – Business – The Atlantic.

This excellent article from The Atlantic highlights the true costs and benefits of attending College.  Here are some highlights from the article:

• Even with College tuition rising at historic rates.  The return on investment for a College education over a lifetime still makes a College degree an essential tool.
• College graduates earn 80% more income than High School drop-outs.  This income gap is higher than ever before.
• $100,000 spent on College at age 18 would yield a higher lifetime return on investment than if that money was spent in the stock market, gold, real estate, Government bonds or even AAA Corporate bonds.
• The average rate of unemployment in 2009 for College graduates was 5.2%; compared to 9.7% for High School graduates.
• Median weekly earnings in 2009 for College graduates were  $1,025; compared to $626 for High School graduates.

For many that struggle with learning and reading challenges, going to College is a faint possibility.  This is because most of them are so frustrated by the time they get to High School that the thought of 4 or 5 more years of school is just terrifying.  Most would rather start working full time and try to find a skill that they can market to other employers.

The sad fact is that students that are struggling in school, lack the cognitive skills necessary to survive and thrive in an independent academic environment such as a University.  So they are faced with two choices:

1) Forget college altogether, play the odds and hope to become the next Mark Zuckerberg.  Or…

2) Invest early on to strengthen those underlying cognitive skills  to become successful in College and have a higher-paying career.

If you suspect your child might have a learning disability, or if he/she is not living up to his potential.  Investing in cognitive training might be the best single thing you can do to secure his future.

14 Learning Apps for Your Tablet or Smartphone

14 Learning Apps for Your Tablet or Smartphone

One thing that my wife Sofia and I always notice at Learning Foundations is that in the few minutes that our kids are waiting in the reception area, they almost ALWAYS ask mom for her phone or Ipad. And there they go, playing away at Angry Birds, Tetris or some other video game.  But what if you could use that time to get your child engaged in games that actually help their brain?

    So we have been playing around with our own Ipad, downloading Apps and testing them to put together a list of helpful learning apps. So after about a month of “research” (it was actually quite fun!) we want to show you which ones will be most helpful for your child. Of course we also want to hear some of your suggestions as well. We know that as responsible parents, you have also done your research and have found apps that have worked for your children. So please share them with us!

Here’s our list of 16 Learning Apps (in no particular order) that can help your child improve his or her learning skills while still having fun!

NOTE - These apps are good tools to reinforce learning, but should are not a substitute for professional learning skills training.  They will neither diagnose nor fix a learning problem.  If your child has been struggling in school, and tutoring hasn’t helped, don’t wait for the school to diagnose a learning disability.  Consult a professional to help find the underlying cause of your child’s learning difficulties.  Most learning challenges can be corrected using targeted and consistent 1-on-1 cognitive training.  

1) Dragon Dictation –  This app is a very good “speech to text” program and works well with students who struggle with handwriting, taking notes or remembering their ideas.  By clicking a button, you speak into the microphone and then turns your speech into text.  Its vocabulary is quite limited at first, but it quickly learns to recognize your voice and is able to correct itself.  Once you stop the recording, you can make any corrections to the text and then export it to your email, Facebook, Twitter or cut and paste it into a word document.

2) Blio Reader - Visually impaired and dyslexic children often miss out on the benefits of the written word because they are unable to read efficiently.  Blio is a great audiobook app that highlights each word as it is being spoken.  The reader can then follow the text word by word while he is getting the auditory reinforcement.  Research shows that children with dyslexia can learn to read using an Orton-Gillingham based program.  This can take up to 3 years.  In the meantime, they can use this program as a tool to keep up with the rest of their class.  Story books and textbooks are purchased individually.

3) Lexico Cognition - I especially liked this app because of how it works to improve spatial relations and logic and reasoning.  A series of pictures with different shapes, objects or people are laid out in a grid pattern.  A voice with text reads a sentences describing a picture.  With your finger, you drag the sentences to the group of shapes it is describing.  As you start matching sentences with pictures, you start uncovering a picture that is laying hidden in the background.  I highly recommend this one for children with Autism or other cognitive difficulties.

4) iWrite Words - Toddlers that are learning their letter and number shapes as well as children with dysgraphia can benefit from this interactive app.  A series of dots outline the shape of each letter and you have to connect the dots by sliding your finger from one point to the other.  The dots are numbered in a sequence to reinforce consistent starting and ending points when forming letters.  If you go the wrong way, or step out of the path, you simply start again.  This program works with both capital and lowercase letters as well as words.

5) Find the Letters - This app helps develop fine motor and visual tracking skills for reading.  A series of 3 or 4 letters are laid out in a grid pattern with a corresponding color assigned to each letter.  You first tap on a color and slide your finger across the grid, finding all of the letters that correspond to that color.    Once letters are colored in, you can see the picture that has been formed.

6) Sight Words by Photo Touch - Sight words are difficult to learn for many kids, especially those with dyslexia.  This app provides a nice, visual way for them to memorize their sight words by using their visual memory.  The voice in the program will say a word and then present “cards” with different options for how to spell that word.  When you choose the correct word card, the voice will give positive reinforcement before saying the next word.  When you get three consecutive correct words, the number of possible word choices increases.

7) Idea Sketch - Most of my dyslexic students have great ideas and a great imagination, but struggle getting them on paper in an organized manner.  This app allows you to create bubbles with individual ideas and group them by different shapes and colors.  Each idea can be linked with another by dragging your finger from one shape to the other.  The entire drawboard can be later turned into an outline to turn your series of scattered ideas into an organized story, essay or presentation.

8) myHomework - This app is really designed for older kids as a way to keep track of their homework assignments, tests and projects.  This interactive agenda lets you create classes and add new assignments to along with their due dates.  The assignments are grouped into “Upcoming Homework”, “Complete Homework” and “Late Homework”.  Whenever your child completes an assignment, she can just slide it from the Upcoming category to completed.  And it will never let you forget about your Late Homework, as it will stay in that category until it is completed.  If your child is younger, you could use it as a visual incentive for them to move things from upcoming to the completed category.

9) Khan Academy - This series of interactive videos is great for anyone who needs a review of Math and Science concepts.  If you were not very good at math to begin with, and your child needs help, simply search for the concept that he is having trouble with.  There are video tutorials for everything from addition and subtraction to algebra, statistics and calculus.  Look for the Singapore Math section under Test Prep as an easier way to understand Math.

10) Times Warp - Learning your Times tables can be a daunting task, especially when your child is being timed on her tests.  This little app styled as a video game is a fun way to improve your child’s speed in solving multiplication problems.  A space character of your choice flies through outer space and is presented with a multiplication problem on the screen, along with blocks with 6 possible answers. By moving the tablet from side to side, the character must move towards the correct answer in order to get points.  Even my students that hate math have enjoyed playing this game.

11) Elevated Math - This is a fun series of videos that your child can watch in the car on the way to school.  Animated characters explain a variety of math concepts through real-life scenarios in which the concept can be used.  Students that struggle with concepts like percentages, ratios, measurements, geometry, etc. can benefit from these concrete examples.  You can buy each lesson individually and replay them as much as you like.

12) OhNo!Fractions -  For children that struggle with the concept of fractions (we see plenty of them) this is a helpful tool for understanding relative quantity.  There are two fractions opposite each other on the screen and they have to determine if one is greater or less than the other.  For each answer, they have to prove each answer by filling up a series of blocks that represent each fraction.

13) Ruby Repeat -  A nice and simple app for memory and sequencing, Ruby Repeat shows a large octagon with shapes around it.  Shapes light up in a particular sequence and you have to repeat that sequence by touching those shapes.  Each level adds an extra shape that is lit up in the sequence.  For the more difficult option, you can chose a multicolored shape which adds an extra distraction.

14) Wordventure! - If you played Mad Libs as a kid and had as much fun as I did, then you will have a blast with this one.  The basic concept is the same.  First you ask for nouns, adjective, adverbs, verbs, etc. and then those fill in the blanks of a pre-written story.  Without knowing it, your kids will learn about grammar and sentence formation.  You get the added bonus of improving your child’s vocabulary (with the occasional reference to boogers, aliens and other gooey stuff).

Although these apps are a great tool to reinforce your child’s learning process, like most technology, these are still only tools.  They will not fix a learning problem.  If your child has been struggling in school, and tutoring hasn’t helped, don’t wait for the school to diagnose a learning disability.  Most learning challenges can be corrected using targeted and consistent 1-on-1 cognitive training.

To learn more about why your smart child is struggling in school, you can attend one of our FREE Parent Information Seminars.  These are held every Tuesday Night at 7:30 PM at Learning Foundations.  Seating is limited, so please call (210) 495-2626 to RSVP.

How to Get Started on Homework

How to Get Started on Homework

PROBLEM – How do I get started with EACH assignment???

Some students struggle to get started because they are unsure about what to do. They often fail to read or understand instructions. Some really need to be shown as well as reading or hearing the instructions.

We want students to be as independent as possible on homework, but getting them started and reassuring them that they are on the right track can alleviate a lot of wasted time. 

SOLUTION - Use The “Getting Started Questions” 

Here are 5 questions to ask your child to answer at the beginning of each assignment:

1. What should I do first? (Put my name on the paper)
2. What do the directions say?
3. Is there an example I can look at?
4. In this assignment, are there questions I will need to answer after reading something? If so, where are those questions? Read the questions before reading the section (paragraph, chapter, etc.).
5. Do I need to ask for help?

Are there other questions that should be asked at the beginning of every assignment?

• Write all the questions on a card that your child will use every time he does homework.
• Now “walk your child through” each question. Direct your child through using the questions on several assignments.
• Finally, have him try to use them independently.

Once you have gotten your child in the habit of using the card at the start of each and every assignment, homework becomes much faster to get into and to finish…which means more time for fun! 

For more helpful tips and articles written by educational experts, visit www.LearningFoundations.us/Resources

National Reading Crisis: Time for Action

It is more important than ever to focus on literacy in programs in our schools.  We cannot afford to stay behind.

Alphabet Soup: An Intro to Special Ed

Alphabet Soup: An Intro to Special Ed

Special Ed…IEP…ARD…FAPE…LRE – Parents come to us dizzy and intimidated when they begin to navigate the uncharted territory of special education.  Travelers in a foreign land, they feel they are the only ones who don’t speak the native language.

If you have a child who is being considered for special services, you may have already begun to hear any number of acronyms and confusing terms. 

Below is a brief glossary of commonly used terms and a few pointers for navigating the special education system.

Special Education – Special instruction that is designed to meet the unique, specific needs of a child with a disability.  This includes students with speech problems, learning disabilities, autism and in many cases dyslexia and ADHD.

ARD (Admission, Review and Dismissal) – A committee meeting of experts knowledgeable to your child, your child’s disability, and appropriate educational interventions.  YOU, as the foremost expert on your child, are a vital and equal member of that committee.  After your child has been identified as a candidate for special education services, the committee meets to determine whether a disability exists and develops an IEP (see below).  An ARD is held when a student enters a special program and is reviewed annually.

IEP (Individualized Education Program) - A legal document which details the ways that the school will serve your child’s special needs.  It includes measureable goals and objectives and a timeline for meeting them.  As a parent, you play an important role in the design of your child’s IEP and all decisions MUST have your approval.

FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) - Ensures that all students receive special education and related services as described in an IEP.

LRE (Least Restrictive Environment) - Students with disabilities are educated with nondisabled students to the maximum extent possible.   For most students, this will mean that they spend most of the day in the classroom and go to a resource room for a few hours a week.  This could also mean that they receive special assistance exclusively in the regular classroom.

Helpful Tips

Be prepared - Before the ARD meeting, write down any questions or requests and bring them with you.  Be ready to sign many forms.

Don’t go alone - If both parents cannot attend, bring a friend who has gone through that process.  There are also professional advocates in San Antonio that will attend your child’s ARD meetings and give you guidance in getting the best help for your child.

Don’t feel rushed - These meetings are routine for the school personnel, who may forget that they are not routine for you.  Take your time, ask questions, take notes. If necessary, ask that another meeting be held before final decisions are made.

Don’t be intimidated – Remember: you are the foremost expert on your child and have a say in all decisions regarding your child’s education.  If your child has a learning disability, it is their right to receive a quality education that meets their needs.  As your child’s advocate, you and only you can make these changes happen.

For more information: Click HERE for access to the NEISD handbook to special education services and the ARD process, or visit WrightsLaw to read about your child’s rights regarding his education.

To find out how we can help your family overcome the struggle with learning difficulties, give us a call at (210) 495-2626, or

JOIN US and other parents at our Parent Information Meetings on Tuesday nights at 7:30 pm.  This is an opportunity to ask questions and explore possibilities about how to best help your bright but struggling child.

The Damaging Myth of Normalcy

Normalcy Myth – Smart Kids with LD « Smart Kids With LD.

By Jonathan Mooney

By the time I was in second grade I thought I was stupid and crazy. Why? Because that’s what I was taught. Those are not thoughts I would have come to on my own. Think about it. We all know some awesome little nutty red-headed kid who was completely happy until he went off to school. Two years into it he’s lost 10 pounds, has developed some strange phobias, a tic or two, and is even talking about suicide!

“Bad” Seeds

How does that happen? It’s the result of a fundamental paradigm shift. In preschool and kindergarten the approach is self-directed, project-based learning. Children move from here to there, and for the most part they decide what they want to do.

In first grade, they’re introduced to their desk and that’s when the problems start. Suddenly, it’s “Jon, you sit there. I’ll tell you what you can do with your body. I’ll tell you when you can get up. I’ll tell you what you’re going to learn.”

Experts call it socializing kids. But does anyone honestly believe it benefits society to make a seven-year-old beg to use the bathroom?

For me, this is where crazy began. The classroom became one giant hierarchy with gold stars and behavior charts to show everyone who were the “good” kids and who were the “bad” ones.  The bad kids, of course, were the ones that didn’t follow the rules.

A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

I was a bad kid because I tapped my foot. And then I started tapping both feet; next I began drumming my fingers.

In reality, a handful of kids in every classroom in America do the same thing. Eventually the teacher says, “What is your problem?” That happens to be one of the most damaging statements you can make to a child. The child naturally concludes he has a problem or is broken in some way. That’s the beginning of the self-fulfilling prophecy where kids with ADHD come to believe they’re sick or diseased.

Ironically, science tells us otherwise. We now know that kids who tap their feet are not doing so because they’re bad, or trying to be irritating, or because they’re on their way to a life of crime. They’re doing it because it accesses a physical motor memory that facilitates focusing. It’s what that child needs to do in order to learn.

No-Win Situation

When the teacher yells, “Focus!” it stops the tapping—but it also stops the learning. The child starts staring out the window and misses the lesson. Now he gets yelled at for that too. The teacher angrily repeats the “f” word: “focus, focus, focus!” And now the child is in a no-win situation: he gets yelled at for shaking his leg, which he needs to do to focus, and he gets yelled at for being inattentive when his way of learning is thwarted.

The cycle continues: “Focus!” When he focuses by shaking his leg, he becomes the “bad” kid or the problem child and is sent someplace different with all the other deviant kids.

The lesson that child has learned has nothing to do with math or science. Instead, he’s learned that he has no place in the classroom when he is being himself. He can either stop being who he is or he can get the hell out of the room.

That’s how crazy and stupid starts. It has nothing to do with learning disabilities or brain pathology. It has everything to do with the myth of normalcy.

Do your children a favor and let them in on the real craziness. Let them know they’re not crazy, stupid, broken, or bad. Make sure they understand the institution is at fault, not them.

Jonathan Mooney finally learned to read at the age of 12. His first book, the award-winning Learning Outside the Lines, was published in 2000, the year he graduated from Brown University. He is the co-founder and Director Emeritus of Project Eye-to-Eye, a mentoring program for students with LD, continues to write and speak widely on the subject of learning disabilities, and accepted the 2009 Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities Community Service Award.

Experience Dyslexia First Hand

Experience Dyslexia First Hand

Nearly 20% of American children have some degree of dyslexia. Most students, however, go undiagnosed. They are often labeled as lazy or just plain stupid. Research shows that dyslexia and IQ are unrelated, but why is reading still so hard for them?

Dyslexia is a language processing problem that cause children and adults to struggle with decoding.  This means that matching the sound a letter makes with its symbol is very difficult.  Whereas most people would be able to identify the individual sounds in a word like “bat”  as /b/ /a/ /t/, someone with dyslexia might say identify them as /pa//t/ or /b//at/.

PBS created a “Dyslexia Simulator” to demonstrate what it looks and feels like to struggle with this reading difficulty.  Take a few moments to learn this phoneme translation key, and then read the passage below, substituting the original letter sounds with what is on the translation key.

q = /d/ or /t/           p = /b/

             z = /m/          b = /p/

                                                        ys = /er/         /a/ as in apple = /e/ as in eddie

We pegin our qrib eq a faziliar blace, a poqy like yours enq zine.  Iq conqains a hunqraq qrillion calls qheq work qogaqhys py qasign.  Enq wiqhin each one of qhese zany calls, each one qheq hes QNA, Qhe QNA coqe is axecqly qhe saze, a zess-broquceq rasuze. So qhe coqe in each call is iqanqical, a razarkaple puq veliq claiz.  Qhis zeans qheq qhe calls are nearly alike, puq noq axecqly qhe saze.  Qake, for insqence, qhe calls of qhe inqasqines; qheq qhey’re viqal is cysqainly blain.  Now qhink apouq qhe way you woulq qhink if qhose calls wyse qhe calls in your prain.

Do you still think they are dumb, or not trying hard enough?  Did you get frustrated and give up?  Can you imagine if it was like that EVERY DAY?

CLICK HERE to read the actual text.

If you live in San Antonio and think your child might be dyslexic, call us at (210) 495-2626 right away and RSVP for a Parent Information Night.