For many, the notion of an individual being both gifted and learning disabled is a paradox that is not easily comprehended. These children and adults do exist however, and the identification and teaching of such individuals is a great and immediate challenge to those of us who are evaluators and educators. While the field of gifted/LD is one of potential controversy, research has shown us that these two conditions can, and do, exist simultaneously. Children...
Assessing gifted children is not like assessing any other type of child. I am often asked whether or not it matters if a psychologist or specialist who routinely evaluates children necessarily needs to have a working understanding of the complexities of gifted children, and each time I say, “Yes!” Unlike other populations of children, the test performances of gifted children on measures of cognitive abilities vary tremendously. Without getting too complicated, let me list some...
Dyslexia is a language-based reading disorder for which the primary characteristic is poor reading fluency (see Overcoming Dyslexia, by Dr. Sally Shaywitz, Yale Child Study Center). In younger children learning to read may be slow and difficult. Handwriting, spelling, and fluent recall of math facts may also be problematic. In preschool and kindergarten children, the difficulty may be seen with rhyming, articulating words, especially multi-syllable words, naming letters, and colors, and there is often a...
Having a gifted child is a bewildering experience for a parent. Children differ, their stories differ. But you probably knew when he/she is young that you have an interesting and bright (if often difficult) child. The real problems usually start when the child hits the school system. Even then you can manage reasonably well until middle school, was our experience and that of others we know. It’s often in middle school or ninth grade when...
Kingfisher Learning offers independent evaluations when parents disagree with the outcomes of special education testing. Before you agree or disagree with your child’s special education evaluation, know your rights. If you do not agree with the outcome, you may request an independent evaluation. For more information, read the attached PDF....