
Howard Margolis
Articles by Howard Margolis
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Grade retention: Will it help?
Retention rarely helps struggling learners, especially those with reading disabilities. I’ll say it…
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 -
Anxiety’s spiking: Here’s how to help our students
COVID-19 has caused untold numbers of America’s students (and family members, teachers, and school…
Friday, February 05, 2021 -
Homework and independent assignments: Avoiding problems, encouraging success
Many struggling learners "hate" homework and in-class assignments that they need to complete by themselves.…
Monday, January 18, 2021 -
Remote instruction: The importance of interest, attention, and memory
Before COVID-19 ravaged the nation, countless struggling learners had a problem. They quickly forgot…
Monday, November 30, 2020 -
Improving in-person and remote instruction: Critical elements
Remote teaching alone cannot easily and fully create and sustain many of the critical elements needed…
Tuesday, November 03, 2020 -
Struggling learners’ difficulties have intensified: Here’s what can help
In this chaotic, volatile, and frightening era of COVID-19, struggling learners’ difficulties have…
Monday, October 19, 2020 -
Increasing motivation: Personalized reinforcers and persuasive comments
In normal times, it's often difficult to teach struggling learners (SLs). Now, with the life-threatening…
Monday, June 22, 2020 -
Avoidable struggles: Willpower stacking and dour expectations
For struggling learners (SLs), success is often difficult. In many cases, their difficulties emanate…
Monday, March 23, 2020 -
Struggling learners: Critical IEP questions and a critical Supreme Court decision
Regardless of their child’s disability, parents worry about getting their child an IEP that meets his…
Monday, March 02, 2020 -
Non-negotiable needs for struggling learners
When teachers and other IEP team members work tirelessly to accelerate struggling learners' (SLs) rates…
Monday, January 27, 2020 -
I think my child has a reading disability. What should I do?
It’s 6 a.m. on the first day of school. It’s time for Julio to wash up, dress, make sure he packed…
Monday, October 07, 2019 -
Parental participation in IEPs
Some parents of children with disabilities readily accept whatever the school’s IEP team members recommend.…
Monday, August 05, 2019 -
Struggling readers have no time to lose: Social-emotional learning
People are social and emotional beings. Some have great social and emotional understanding and skills;…
Monday, July 15, 2019 -
Struggling readers have no time to lose, so let’s do what works
Many teachers of struggling readers (SRs) know what works. They’ve studied the research; spoken to…
Monday, July 08, 2019 -
The needless struggles of struggling readers: Tutoring
For reading instruction to effectively capitalize on struggling readers’ (SRs) abilities to remediate…
Monday, June 10, 2019 -
The needless struggles of struggling readers: Progress monitoring
In my many decades of critiquing special education evaluations, IEPs, and progress reports from various…
Monday, June 03, 2019 -
The needless struggles of struggling readers: Professional preparation and expertise
Once in special education, struggling readers (SRs), such as students with dyslexia or mild-to-moderate…
Thursday, May 23, 2019 -
3 critical conditions for teaching struggling learners that often go missing
For struggling learners (SLs) to have a good chance of mastering the subjects and activities with which…
Monday, May 06, 2019 -
Are Lexile reading-level scores flawed?
The progress of many struggling readers is undermined by slavish adherence to Lexile reading-level scores.…
Monday, April 22, 2019 -
He struggles with reading. How can ‘EARSS’ help him?
Like all children, struggling readers learn best when they attend classes in which they feel physically…
Monday, February 11, 2019 -
He struggles with reading. He fights it. How can his teachers help him?
Unfortunately, many children with reading disabilities feel hopeless and helpless about learning to read.…
Monday, January 21, 2019 -
Assaults on Medicaid: Threats to America’s most vulnerable children
Throughout America, the 2018 election may prove to be a momentous turning point for parents and supporters…
Monday, September 10, 2018 -
My child doesn’t get enough sleep: Dangers and remedies
Many special and general education students of all ages and achievement levels don’t get enough sleep.…
Monday, August 13, 2018 -
A danger sign for parents and schools: Poor sleepers
In his 2017 book, "Why We Sleep," Dr. Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the…
Monday, May 14, 2018 -
Using instructionally-relevant questions to develop evaluations and IEPs
Many schools have traditionally limited their special education evaluations to brief observations, informal…
Monday, April 30, 2018 -
Summer programs for struggling learners: The parents’ role
Over the summer, many parents of struggling learners will strive relentlessly to teach their children…
Monday, April 09, 2018 -
ESY programs: The summer slide, eligibility and instruction
It's anxiety time. Summer is around the corner, and the crunch of Individualized Education Plan (IEP)…
Monday, March 19, 2018 -
To strengthen IEPs, stop blaming, start solving
When parents, students and school personnel disagree about the specifics of individualized education…
Monday, March 12, 2018 -
Poor sleep: A powerful — but often ignored — culprit in learning
It blocks learning, causes memory difficulties, depletes energy, incites anxiety, evokes arguments and…
Monday, February 19, 2018 -
A guide to observing your child’s instruction
As your child begins the second part of his (or her) academic year, you shudder with anxiety and anger…
Monday, January 29, 2018 -
My child struggles with reading. Can music therapy help?
Can music therapy help? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but often it’s well worth a try. Emotions affect…
Monday, November 27, 2017 -
Response generalization difficulties: A powerful barrier to learning
Many struggling learners suffer from difficulties with response generalization, difficulties that can…
Monday, September 25, 2017 -
Allington’s 6 T’s of exemplary reading instruction
Simply put, there’s no perfect method or commercial program for teaching struggling readers how to…
Monday, August 14, 2017 -
Solving the problem of student motivation
To achieve excellence, most students must be highly motivated to achieve. Unfortunately, many students…
Monday, July 17, 2017 -
How the AHCA will affect those with pre‑existing conditions
On May 4, Republicans in the House of Representatives repealed the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare)…
Tuesday, June 13, 2017 -
Improving your child’s reading evaluation: A strategy for parents
As a parent, you felt Warren's frustration. You heard his anxiety. You saw his last ounce of confidence…
Friday, May 26, 2017 -
Anxiety skyrockets as IEP season arrives
For many parents, anxiety is skyrocketing. They fear the worst. It's IEP season. Past experiences…
Monday, May 01, 2017 -
My child struggles with learning. How can I help her at home?
This question — "My child struggles with learning. How can I help her at home?" — plagues many parents.…
Monday, April 24, 2017 -
The promise and burden of the Supreme Court ruling on disabilities
Throughout the country, parents of children with disabilities and advocates are celebrating the Supreme…
Monday, March 27, 2017 -
My 4th grader hates reading — What’s wrong with him?
"Joey, my 10-year-old son, struggles with reading. That's understandable. But why does he hate it?…
Friday, December 09, 2016 -
Failure, retention and graduation denied
Several years ago, The New York Times published an essay by Chicago high school teacher Will Okun.…
Friday, November 18, 2016 -
The key to motivating struggling learners
Should teachers recommend the promotion of struggling learners to the next grade if they've worked hard…
Monday, November 07, 2016 -
Stimulus generalization: Often critical, often ignored
This is bad, and it's far too common: Struggling learners fail to generalize what they've learned in…
Monday, October 24, 2016 -
What’s the best reading program for my struggling child?
Parents often ask me, "What's the best reading program for my child? He struggles with reading. It's…
Monday, October 03, 2016 -
Is your student having homework struggles? There’s one solution
Here's a phone call that closely resembles countless calls I've received, "My son struggles at least…
Monday, August 01, 2016 -
Critical factors in helping struggling learners to remember
If you teach special education or have a child in need of remedial or special help, you may soon start…
Monday, June 20, 2016 -
Strengthening the memory of struggling learners: Starting points
No doubt about it. Most struggling learners have a strong propensity to forget, no matter how many times…
Monday, June 13, 2016 -
Is progress monitoring a waste of time?
Do teachers and tutors quickly and accurately know whether their struggling learners are sufficiently…
Monday, May 23, 2016 -
The missing ingredient: Helping struggling learners to remember
Struggling learners often suffer from a widespread problem that dramatically affects their learning:…
Monday, March 14, 2016 -
Struggling readers: Missing ingredients for success
"Mom, I can't do it. I won't do it," Amir sobbed. "I'm dumb, I'm stupid, I'm confused. John told the…
Tuesday, February 16, 2016 -
Excessive stress: 6 strategies for helping struggling learners
Excessive stress — unjustified, overwhelming and relentless demands adults thrust upon children…
Tuesday, January 19, 2016 -
The key to making independent educational evaluations work
You're happy. You sent your child's IEP team a brief request for an independent educational evaluation…
Monday, October 12, 2015 -
How can you get students with LD to change their behavior and habits?
Many parents of children with educational disabilities know their children need to rid themselves…
Monday, September 14, 2015 -
A song of loneliness, empathy and action
For at least 100 times over the past several days, I’ve listened to Vivian Green’s rendition of…
Monday, July 27, 2015 -
How the BRRRRR strategy can help you chill out at IEP meetings
If your child will soon have a new Individualized Education Program (IEP), you have to ensure it meets…
Monday, July 06, 2015 -
18 ways to advocate for your child with learning disabilities
With summer vacation here, scores of IEPs are in disrepair. And many parents feel bewildered. They know…
Monday, June 08, 2015 -
My child struggles with writing: Why typical evaluations don’t do the job
Typical writing evaluations are often inadequate. Knowing this may help you convince school or private…
Monday, May 04, 2015 -
My child struggles with writing: How can we discover the cause?
Parents of struggling writers worry about their children's struggle. They see their children's tears.…
Monday, April 20, 2015 -
How can I prepare my child for the upcoming IEP meeting?
Parents often ask me how to prepare for IEP meetings. One way is to send your child's case manager…
Monday, March 16, 2015 -
How can we increase the value of a student’s evaluation?
An evaluation is only as effective as the questions it aims to answer. And often, evaluators fail to…
Monday, February 16, 2015 -
Tanya always forgets. What’s wrong with her?
On Friday, Tanya's teacher sighed sorrowfully, "Tanya forgot all six sight words she knew on Monday.…
Monday, February 02, 2015 -
Learning disabilities: An easy way to avoid homework’s pitfalls
Homework creates anxiety, frustration and failure for untold numbers of children with learning disabilities.…
Monday, January 12, 2015
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