IEP season is here and many of us are getting ready to attend our (first) IEP meetings. If you’re a parent of a dyslexic student, you may be curious about what to expect. In this episode, I break down the IEP agenda process and share what to expect before and during an IEP meeting.

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program — a personalized learning plan for a child with a qualifying disability. The IEP outlines present levels, goals, services, and accommodations a child will receive in a given calendar year. The IEP agenda typically looks like this:

Before the IEP Meeting:

Take this time to collect relevant information and data, and start to draft out your Parent Statement. Every school is different about receiving the Parent Statement. Some may ask for it before the meeting, others wait until you’re at the IEP meeting. 

Day of the IEP Meeting:
When you arrive on the day of the meeting, you’ll be escorted to a conference room, office, or empty classroom. Everyone will introduce themselves: Your child’s case manager, their General Education Teacher, their Special Education Teacher, any other significant faculty members, and you. An attendance sheet is passed around to confirm you attended the meeting. 

School Evaluation:
The school team members review your child’s present levels of performance obtained through classwork, assessments, and observations. A child is reevaluated every three years. If your meeting falls on a triennial year, present levels will also be obtained through formal evaluations from a school psychologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Behavior Interventionist, and/or Occupational Therapist. 

Goals:

After this, you’ll share parent input regarding observations, concerns, and goals for your child’s education. The data collected during assessments and observation drives everything else. The goals should relate to the data gathered during the assessments and present levels. Goals should be achievable within one calendar year. 

Accommodations:

Once everyone agrees on the set goals, it’s time to determine which services and accommodations can support your child in reaching their goals. This includes the frequency of services and accommodations and who is responsible for the set services and accommodations. 

IEP Draft:
During this process, the IEP is drafted and updated in front of you so that you can see changes made in real-time. Take your time and thoroughly read through the draft before signing anything. You do not need to sign the IEP during the draft meeting. You can review and research the draft and call a follow-up meeting.  

Finalize IEP:

Lastly, if everyone agrees, all members of the IEP team — including parents — will sign the IEP. If you feel that the IEP is not serving your child, you can call an IEP meeting and ask for changes to be made. You do not have to wait until your annual IEP meeting. 

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Are audiobooks and immersion readers just a new way to cheat? The short answer is no. In this episode, I share information on audiobooks and immersion readers, and the positive impact they can have on reading difficulties for dyslexic students. 

Research shows that using audiobooks and immersion readers (also called ear readers) can only help increase your child’s reading skills. Reading difficulties can lead to anxiety, specifically for students with dyslexia. Audiobooks can alleviate this anxiety by providing an alternative way of accessing information and contributing to the development of vocabulary and pronunciation. Since students with dyslexia may struggle with reading and decoding unfamiliar words and phrases, hearing words can be particularly beneficial. 

Audiobooks can also help develop background knowledge and support grade-level content. A dyslexic spends so much trying to decode words in a sentence they often can't fully comprehend what they read, but audiobooks bypass this challenge. They also allow dyslexic students to stay on track with their peers and fully participate in class. Our goal is to teach students how to learn on their own, not to regurgitate information. 

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I recently had a parent contact me who was confused about RtI Tier 2 language used in a meeting. (And rightfully so!) It’s not uncommon to feel like your head is spinning after an education meeting where different acronyms are thrown around. This is what I refer to as “edu speak.” In this episode, I detail the three tiers of RtI and explain how dyslexia intervention fits into the process. 

RtI stands for Response to Intervention. It is the first step toward receiving Special Education services in reading, and should only last 8–12 weeks. The RtI framework consists of three tiers divided like a triangle:

Tier 1: The bottom part of the triangle is Tier 1 general education, where students can work in small groups. Work is given at students’ skill level, though not necessarily individualized. Their progress is monitored and tracked.

Tier 2: Tier 2 students receive small group interventions for individualized and special teaching, but still take part in Tier 1 lessons and tasks. Students can move back to Tier 1 or into Tier 3 depending on their progress. 

Tier 3: is synonymous with Special Education (though not a replacement). Tier 3 students take part in small group instruction, individual instruction, or both. Tier 3 students spend most of the day with Tier 1 students, but spend portions of it in a resource or Special Education room. 

Universal screening scores can help identify those who need strategic or intensive support. Based on these scores, a dyslexic student may be moved into Tier 2 small group work, or Tier 3 — this is where reading intervention programs show up. While RtI cannot be used to excuse, delay, or deny Special Education services, it is a tool to support the process. 

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December is traditionally known as a month of joy and celebration — ‘tis the season! Join me as I open the doors to my WHY and celebrate the launch of two courses to support the Untangling Literacy community: Discovering Dyslexia and Untangling Dyslexia. 

My dad, a dyslexic and driving force and inspiration for Literacy Untangled, always asks me how I can help more people. So, I’ve come up with two solutions to the questions I am asked the most: “Could my child be dyslexic?” And, “How do I get my child identified with dyslexia and manage the IEP process?”

Solution #1: Discovering Dyslexia is a five-day exploration for parents who know their child is struggling to read, but aren't sure if dyslexia is the cause or not. Each day, we will look at a different aspect of the reading process. I will also provide you with action steps and signs that point to dyslexic behavior. 

Solution #2: Untangling Dyslexia is a nine-week course and will cover everything from identification to IEP. This is specifically for parents who are confident their child has dyslexia, but are overwhelmed with information and don’t know where to begin.

Registration for Discovering Dyslexia goes live on December 17. Registration for Untangling Dyslexia goes live on January 1. I have poured all of my heart and knowledge into these programs and I honestly believe they are the solutions you’re looking for. 

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Continuing with our series on dyslexia myths, I’m debunking the top five things that people get wrong about dyslexia. Contrary to popular belief, people with dyslexia don’t simply confuse numbers and letters. More than 80% of individuals with dyslexia struggle with organization, planning, prioritizing, punctuality, and staying focused. Even so, having dyslexia does not indicate someone’s ability to be successful or thrive in the right working environment.

There are so many harmful misconceptions about neurocognitive disorders, so tune in to learn more about separating fact from fiction when it comes to dyslexia.

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If you are unsure about what to believe about dyslexia and are looking for factual information, this episode is for you. 

In honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month, this is the first part in a two-part series debunking the top 10 dyslexia myths. In this episode, we cover dyslexia myth #10–6. I provide facts, action steps, and situational examples in response to the first five dyslexia myths. Let’s get started.  

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If you’ve tried to get your child tested for dyslexia, but ran into barriers because they don’t attend public school, this episode is for you. 

Child Find is a resource that’s part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). It requires each state to develop a statewide system for identifying, locating, and evaluating all children from birth to 21 years old who are in need of special education and related services. In this episode, I explore how Child Find works and who it serves. I also share tips about the application process and how long you can expect it to take. 

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Even though I don’t believe in (most) homework assignments, it’s a staple in traditional school systems that isn't going away anytime soon. However, there are strategies to make it less overwhelming for students and parents.  

Expanding on step 6 of my “8 Steps for Starting the School Year on the Right Foot” guide, this episode is all about how to create an effective homework routine for students with learning differences. I share what to keep in mind when setting up a child’s dedicated workspace and creating parameters around their schedule. I also break down the ‘10 Minute Rule’ that most schools use as a guideline when assigning homework, and how to use that framework to adjust your child’s IEP if necessary. 

Helping your child devise a plan of attack and implementing a monitoring system requires a lot of parental involvement, but it’s important to lay the foundation of good homework habits before gradually shifting the responsibility to the student. Above all, your support and encouragement is the key to transforming your child’s homework routine. 

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Many students with dyslexia experience an added layer of anxiety as they anticipate the start of a new school year. Between different routines, coursework, and teachers, it’s common for dyslexic students to feel overwhelmed when the summer starts to wind down. Because of that, I’ve created an eight step plan to set students and parents up for success during the new school year.

In this episode, I explore eight tools that help students build their confidence and self-advocacy skills. I share ways to collaborate on goal-setting and building effective habits that help students address any challenges they may have experienced in previous years. Plus, I highlight my top tip for all parents who are preparing for a new school year – it’s simple, but very effective! 

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Traveling with a dyslexic child has its own unique set of challenges. You may have found it difficult to navigate these challenges and find ways to create an easier future travel experience. In this episode, I’m sharing some of the challenges that may arise, like managing public transportation, timetables, time management, and organizational skills. I’m also providing tips to help set your child up for success, both about where they’re traveling to, and why they’re traveling to a specific place.  

I explain how dyslexia can create challenges within travel, including misreading signage, hard to read information, and time blindness. There are a lot of steps involved with travel of any kind — which is why lots and lots of planning is key. I provide strategies and tips to help navigate potential problems, including why a backup plan is especially important for when things can (and do) go wrong. Join me as I unpack the sneaky ways dyslexia can impact travel plans, plus tips and solutions to make travel an easier, smoother experience. 

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