StudySkills.com by SOAR Study Skills

For the last two weeks, I have been writing about a 9 year-old boy named Will who is struggling with reading. I prepared a short video explaining some basic, yet very important information about the biology of the brain. I am sending this video to Will because I believe it will give him hope and build his confidence. As a wise friend told me last year, when I was smack in the middle of trying to find help for my son, “Once you identify the problem, 50% of it is solved!” So true!

I hope this small snippet gives Will, and other students who struggle like Will, a better understanding of what their dynamic brains are capable of! Please, please, please share this with anyone you know who may be struggling with a learning disability.

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In last week’s article, I wrote about Cori, a heart-broken mother who is watching her bright son, Will, struggle with reading. She is out of options and feeling very hopeless.

Today, I am going to share some general recommendations that will help Will “catch up” and read on grade-level within the next 12-18 months. The following information may sound a little overwhelming at first, but I will pull it all together in a simple and manageable plan at the end.

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Last weekend, I was visiting a ski area in northern Michigan for a few days and met Cori.  She was working the front desk and checked me in as I arrived.  We were chatting as the paperwork was processing and Cori asked what I do for a living.  I told her about my work with study skills as I casually turned to grab something behind me.  She replied with great interest and, while my back was momentarily turned, she explained, “My son is illiterate.”

“My Son Is Illiterate.”

I stopped dead in my tracks.  In her four words, I could sense all of the worry and anxiety from which I am just emerging. I shared some of my stories in this newsletter last spring, explaining that my son was diagnosed with dyslexia, ADHD, and anxiety.  From the point we determined we needed help, it took over a year to get the proper resources aligned.

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Today’s article begins with a quiz:

What cognitive process is the greatest predictor of success in school?

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I know this everyone has their minds on “turkey,” but I only received one response to Creative Ideas Needed for Orphans in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The idea comes from Laura H. (not to be confused with the Laura who is working with the orphanage in Sierra Leone): (more…)