Recent Blog Posts
The fastest path to success is focused help
We've been helping children overcome learning disabilities for 30 years now and in that time we've learned some wonderful things. One of those things is that what seems to be a problem on the surface might not be the actual problem. And until you identify the actual problem, you might spend a lot of time get tutoring without actually solving the problem. … [...]
Creative Writing Worksheets
I learned something very valuable when I was teaching 3rd grade. . . They feel programmed and trapped by rules. I gathered the kids and told them we were going to do some creative writing. "Worksheets" about grammar and punctuation is all they knew, as I would soon find out. So they were frozen. … [...]
How to Engage Beginning and Struggling Readers
There is a lot of information in this video for you to think about. We thought we'd provide a few links to some of the things we spoke about in the video. To start: The Five Pillars of Reading. These are the fundamental parts of reading. They are worth knowing inside and out. Use them to determine what things you're going to get for your children. Tiger … [...]
How to Find a Tutor
When kids struggle in school, parents want to get help for them. But how to find a tutor who can help their kids and not break the bank can be a problem. Dr. Linda tells you how to find a tutor and what to look out for so you aren't paying too much while your kids still don't get the help they need. Dear Dr. Linda, We have two kids, and we think both of … [...]
SAT or ACT
High school students often have a hard time deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT. Some choose to take both. Others make a decision that's not in their best interest. Dr. Linda Dear Dr. Linda, Our son Cory is getting anxious about whether to take the SAT or ACT. He wants to take only the ACT because the essay isn’t required. He thinks his writing is so … [...]
New SAT in 2016
The SAT that students will take in the spring 2016 will be different. Kids and their parents (even teachers) are concerned. Will it be harder? Will it be a lot different than the SAT we now know? What can students expect? Although we don't know everything about the new test yet, Dr. Linda explains the major differences. Dear Dr. Linda, My daughter is … [...]
Help Your Homeschooler Learn to Read
You'll find lots of programs to help your homeschooler learn to read and write. However, many of these programs aren't fun. Children sit for hours at computers or doing worksheets. Your children need to learn basic skills, and then they need to practice these skills through fun activities. Too many young readers and writers hate to read and write. It … [...]
Help Your Child Get Organized
Find out how to organize all those pieces of paper your kids bring home from school. No more lost assignments or announcements found after the event is over. It's not hard and kids often enjoy it. Dear Dr. Linda: A couple years ago you wrote a column about how to help kids organize all that paper they bring home from school. You explained a system for helping … [...]
Handwriting Boosts Learning
A Mom wants to know why the schools are no longer teaching handwriting. Dr. Linda explains the reasons schools don't promote writing even though recent research shows how important legible writing is. Dear Dr. Linda, I’m disappointed that our son’s school is no longer teaching what we used to call penmanship. Nathan, a 3rd grader, has poor eye-hand … [...]
How to Prevent Teasing
Kids often get teased for having a "funny" last name. Dr. Linda has suggestions for what to do when this happens to your child whose name is unusual. Dear Dr. Linda, Our family name is so unusual that it's often the butt of jokes. We've gotten used to it and laugh about it. Our son Jason, however, is about to enter middle school where bullying, teasing, and … [...]
