MY DISNEYLAND REPORT + HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE CARD
New Disneyland Report! I’m happy to report that we survived another 12 hours at “The Happiest Place On Earth” on Saturday, and today Jonathan remembers it as Happy. Fortunately. [...]
By Natalie Hale
Posted IT’S OKAY TO TAKE A BREAK from TEACHING
Sometimes it’s just all too much. That goes for both kids and parents. It’s wisdom to teach our kids to read if no one else is doing a good job of it, and… It’s also [...]
By Natalie Hale
Posted READING @ BEDTIME IS FOR SNUGGLES, NOT STRUGGLES
Bedtime “Read-Alouds” are for love, language, and letting go of the day’s cares. That’s it. Nothing more: no teaching, no testing, no struggling to master a skill. [...]
By Natalie Hale
Posted Teaching Reading? WORK YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB
As parents of kids/teens/adults with Down syndrome, there are many areas in which we continue to give support through the years, because it’s needed. But Guess What? If you launch your child as [...]
By Natalie Hale
In Down Syndrome Parenting, Down Syndrome Reading, Early Reading, Education, Reading Resources, Teaching Down syndrome
Posted DOWN SYNDROME and THE 11th COMMANDMENT
They Shalt Not… This tidbit was buried in last week’s blog on classroom reading woes, so I decided to pull it out and let it stand on its own. We all know about our offspring’s [...]
By Natalie Hale
In Down Syndrome Parenting, Down Syndrome Reading, Early Reading, Education, Inclusion, Older Emergent Readers, Reading in the classroom
Posted WHAT CAN YOU DO WHEN THE CLASSROOM READING LEVEL DOESN’T MATCH YOUR CHILD’S?
Classroom Woes One mom recently wrote me about her teenage daughter, whose special ed teacher, though a good egg, is teaching reading materials not only ‘way above the teen’s head, [...]
By Natalie Hale
In Down syndrome and Autism, Down Syndrome Parenting, Down Syndrome Reading, Early Reading, Fast Flash, Sight Word Reading, Teaching Down syndrome
Posted WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR CHILD IS STUCK AT PHONICS?
Two Scenarios This problem can go either way: either the child with Down syndrome is having a difficult time with learning phonics, or the child has learned letters and letter sounds but is stuck [...]
Happiness-For-All Secret: MAKE YOUR CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME WORK!
Down Syndrome Parenting 101 Lately as I travel around the country giving reading workshops, I am increasingly asked to also do a session on my book, “Down Syndrome Parenting 101.” I [...]
By Natalie Hale
In Down syndrome and Autism, Down Syndrome Parenting, Down Syndrome Reading, Dual Diagnosis, Early Reading, Education, Fast Flash, Teaching Down syndrome
Posted FAST FLASH PROBLEMS: HE WON’T FOCUS!!!
What’s a Mother To Do? Okay, you’re all too young to remember that iconic commercial which ends in “What’s a mother to do?” But really, what’s a [...]
DOWN SYNDROME and the YELLOW RAINCOAT
The Yellow Raincoat Theory I believe in the Yellow Raincoat Theory. It’s my belief based on observation, understanding, and experience. Years ago on rainy days (think early “Dick and Jane” [...]