Most children with disabilities need remediation. Remediation is intensive, structured educational training or tutoring, usually conducted one-on-one or in very small groups.

When children receive remediation, symptoms of their disability become less severe. Children with dyslexia learn to read, write, and do arithmetic. Children with autism learn to communicate. Remediation is hard work but it's worth it. 

You, Your Child, and 'Special' Education: A Guide to Making the System Work by Barbara Coyne Cutler
"Must read for parents of "special" children. "I read this book when my husband and I battled our school district for services for our autistic son. I recommend it to the parents." 

"It not only tells you what schools can and can't do, it tells you how to get and hold their attention and gives samples of letters, etc. We learned to have a 3rd party witness at meetings with school representatives from this book."

Educating Children with Autism by National Academy Press

Children with autism have difficulty interacting with other people, communicating ideas and feelings, and imagining what other people think or feel. Although education is the main form of treatment, many educators are poorly equipped to deal with these children. This book focuses on effective educational practices, programs, and strategies.

In Educating Children with Autism, you learn:
· How children's specific diagnoses should affect educational assessment and planning
· How to support the families of children with autism
· Features of effective instructional and comprehensive programs and strategies
· How to better prepare teachers, school staffs, professionals, and parents to educate children with autism.

Pete has used this book as an exhibit in autism cases.

The author of Reality Therapy argues that we can save our schools only by retooling the way we teach. "Effective teaching may be the hardest job there is." 

"We need to squeeze all blame, all coercion and all criticism out of people-related business. Not until we realize that schools are in a people business will we ever be able to make meaningful changes." 

This book should be required reading by every school administrator, teacher, board member and university faculty involved in the training of teachers. Information about The Quality School. 

Reading & Writing

Straight Talk About Reading: How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years by Susan Hall, Louisa Moats, and Reid Lyon. 

"Children's needs shouldn't take a back seat to adult professional egos." 

"Best practices" in education, as in other fields, should not only be reasonable but mandatory." 

"Parents must know, understand and advocate for 'good instruction'. Teaches parents about reading research -- a 'reader friendly' way to get acquainted with proven research based methods of reading instruction." Read reviews of Straight Talk About Reading

Because parents and children lose valuable years waiting for school systems to test for reading disability, Hall and Moats offer a program for getting parents involved in their children's reading lives. This book provides a four-step plan for identifying and resolving deficiencies, and advice for those whose kids received poor instruction during the early years.

This thorough, well-written book ties theory to classroom practice, transcribing the process of learning how to read - from speech to print! Working through the exercises will enable you to recognize, understand, and solve problems that children encounter when learning to read and write.

Dr. Margaret Kay, Pennsylvania Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist gives high marks to Dyslexia: Theory & Practice of Remedial Instruction.

How to Reach and Teach ADD/ADHD Children: Practical Techniques, Strategies, & Interventions for Helping Children With Attention Problems and Hyperactivity by Sandra F. Rief. 

Includes management techniques that promote on-task behavior and language arts, & multisensory instruction strategies to maintain attention and keep students involved. Read reviews of How to Reach & Teach ADD/ADHD Children.

Teaching the Tiger: Educating Students With Attention Deficit Disorders, Tourette Syndrome or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder by Marilyn P. Dornbush and Sheryl K. Pruitt 

"The best practical reference book for educators who work with students with Tourette Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, and/or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder." 

"It's definitely not just for the special educator - counselors, social workers, school psychologists, classroom teachers, and paraprofessionals will find it a useful resource." Learn more about Teaching the Tiger

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Memory

Many kids with LD/ADD problems have poor memories. Nothing anyone can do about it - right? Wrong! 

Being born with a poor memory doesn't mean having to live with a poor memory forever. It means that you need to learn techniques to improve your memory - and practice these techniques until they are automatic. 

Harry Lorayne describes a simple system to strengthen poor memories. This system is based on visualization. His system works because most people who have poor memories learn and remember when things are presented visually. Here are three good books by Harry Lorayne. Try one - just one! 

The Memory Book by Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas. 

How to Develop a Superpower Memory: More Money, Higher Grades, More Friends by Harry Lorayne. 

Harry Lorayne's Page-A-Minute Memory Book