Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.

1. How long should my child work on homework?
2. What if my child gets upset about doing homework?
3. What is a good bed time?
4. What is a good snack for my child to bring to school?
5. What is dyslexia? http://www.interdys.org/servlet/compose?section_id=5&page_id
6. Are there other learning disabilities besides dyslexia? http://www.interdys.or
7. How common are language-based learning disabilities? http://www.interdys.org/s

How long should my child work on homework?

  Second grade students should spend thirty minutes a night on homework with
an additional twenty to thirty minutes of independent reading or being read 
to.
 Third grade students should spend at least forty-five minutes on homework. 
An added twenty or thirty  minutes a night should be spent doing independent 
reading or being read to.

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What if my child gets upset about doing homework?

It is necessary for students to follow through with the responsibility that
they have been given.  The homework given in the Language Based class is
usually an assignment that a student finds "easy" to do.  It is our attempt 
to increase your child's confidence in their knowledge of the information
presented each day. Your child's homework is designed to reinforce concepts
taught in class that day. If doing homework increases anxiety, or appears to
be too difficult for your child, please contact us immediately by writing a
note on the bottom of the homework assignment page and/or email me,
kavanagh.j@marbleheadschools.org, or call school the next morning 781-639-3180.

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What is a good bed time?

Elementary school aged children should get 12 hours of sleep per
night.  Research shows that children who are well rested do much better in 
school.

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What is a good snack for my child to bring to school?

It is best to send your child with fruit or veggies.  Snacks that are high in
salt and sugar-high carbs, tend to tire students.  They have a more difficult
time concentrating in school.

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What is dyslexia? http://www.interdys.org/servlet/compose?section_id=5&page_id

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. 
It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word 
recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties 
typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language 
that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the 
provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may 
include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience 
that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002. This Definition is 
also used by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 
(NICHD).

Studies show that individuals with dyslexia process information in a 
different area of the brain than do non-dyslexics.

Many people who are dyslexic are of average to above average intelligence.
Many famous and successful people are also dyslexic.

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Are there other learning disabilities besides dyslexia? http://www.interdys.or

Dyslexia is one type of learning disability. Others include... 

Dyscalculia - a mathematical disability in which a person has unusual 
difficulty solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.

Dysgraphia - a neurological-based writing disability in which a person finds 
it hard to form letters or write within a defined space. 

 Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive 
Disorder (ADHD) learning disabilities? 

An individual can have more than one learning or behavioral disability. In 
various studies as many as 50% of those diagnosed with a learning or reading 
difference have also been diagnosed with ADHD.

Although disabilities may co-occur, one is not the cause of the other.

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How common are language-based learning disabilities? http://www.interdys.org/s

15-20% of the population have a language-based learning disability.

Of the students with specific learning disabilities receiving special 
education services, 70-80% have deficits in reading.

Dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling 
difficulties.

Dyslexia affects males and females nearly equally, and people from different 
ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds as well.
Please check ldonline.com for more information

Many famous and successful people have dyslexia.

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