My Child Learns Differently
Knowledge is power. The book empowers parents to advocate for the individualized education for which their student qualifies and deserves. Breaking through the fog (procedures), barriers (acronyms), and roadblocks (delay tactics), this book clearly explains rights, procedures, and processes to obtain interventions and services for student success.
In twenty concise and comprehensive chapters, parents are guided through the special education process. It begins with a first hunch a child learns differently, to reading a psycho-educational report, understanding an IEP document, working with teachers, requesting additional resources, high school completion, and transition to university or career.
Topics include: parental rights, appeal process, autism, dyslexia, learning disabilities, processing deficits, executive functioning, ADHD, emotional disturbance, interventions to instruction, behavior support plans, functional behavioral analysis, independent educational evaluation at no cost, measurable educational goals, connecting goals to services, understanding least restrictive environment, and why the “squeaky wheel” gets the grease.
Available at Amazon.com for $21.95 (hard copy) and $6.95 (Kindle edition)
About the Author: Jerry L. Turner, MA, MEd, PhD, is a private pilot, Marine combat veteran, adjunct college professor, licensed educational psychologist, and Director of Special Education in southern California. For over ten years he has mentored school psychologist interns through their state-mandated 1,200 hours of in-service training. He is a former member of the board of directors of the California Association of School Psychologists. As a middle and high school teacher, counselor, and academic dean, his perspective on education is well-rounded. His graduate education includes a post-doctoral certificate in autism and behavior modification.
Dr. Turner has assisted dozens of parents in obtaining the special education services their students deserve. He received a research grant to study strengths-based interventions, shifting the focus from “strengthening weaknesses” to “building on strengths.” Like his book, So You Are a School Psychologist, this book has real world, practical suggestions that can be immediately implemented.
E-mail: drjerryturner@gmail.com
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Students Who Learn Differently
Chapter 2 What Is A 504 Plan?
Chapter 3 What Special Education Is and Is Not
Chapter 4 Beginning the Qualification Process
Chapter 5 Assessments, Surveys, and Other Information in Psycho-Educational Reports
Chapter 6 How to Read A Psycho-Educational Report
Chapter 7 Thirteen Qualifying Categories
Chapter 8 IEP Meetings
Chapter 9 How to Read an IEP
Chapter 10 Parental Rights
Chapter 11 Implementing the IEP
Chapter 12 What to Expect from Teachers
Chapter 13 Special Education Across the Grades
Chapter 14 Requesting Additional or Different Support
Chapter 15 Behavior Issues
Chapter 16 Social/Emotional Issues
Chapter 17 Requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation
Chapter 18 Appeal Process (Mediation and Fair Hearing)
Chapter 19 Tracking Student Performance (Three-Year Audit)
Chapter 20 Inconsistencies from School to School
Appendix: Special Education Acronyms