Show #75- Dr Steve Graham- The Development of Writing

When over two-thirds of children can’t write well enough to keep up with the demands in the classroom, you have to wonder what is going on with writing instruction in the Nation’s classrooms. Handwriting, and the minimal instruction given in schools is only one part of the picture- getting an idea, transforming it into words, and then transcribing those words for others to see- are all involved. Add issues with grammar and syntax, and you begin to understand writing is to reading as calculus is to math- it requires you to bring all parts of the literacy puzzle into play, all at once, like an orchestra.

If you want to understand why a child may struggle in writing, and how to figure out which part of the puzzle may be causing them problems, this two-part interview is for you.

Dr. Steve Graham is a professor and the Currey Ingram chair in special education at Vanderbilt University. He's done extensive research into the development of writing in children and writing instruction. His interests goes beyond just handwriting and into the cognitive processes that go into transforming ideas into words and then into written text. He is the editor of Exceptional Children, and has cowritten many books, including the Handbook of Writing Research, Handbook of Learning Disabilities, Writing Better, and Making the Writing Process Work. He received a career research award from the Council for exceptional Children and Special Education Research Interest Group in the American Educational Research Association.

His wife, Dr, Karen Harris, is just as impressive, serving as editor of the Journal of Educational Psychology, and President of the Division of Research for the Council for Exceptional Children.

Dr. Graham was recently quoted in an article in Newsweek, discussing the importance of handwriting in the learning process, and he was kind enough to spend an hour with me, discussing all aspects of the writing process, as kids develop during the school years. Anyone who has a child who has struggled with any aspect of writing shouldn’t miss this two-part interview, covering the three major stages of the writing process, how to give appropriate feedback to kids learning how to write, and how handwriting has both reader and writer affects, impacting how a child is perceived and how his work is judged and graded by others.

Click here to listen to Show #75- The Development of Writing with Steve Graham, Part I

Audio Holiday Card- Merry Christmas, Happy Haunnakah, Happy New Year!

This year, as last, I have put together an audio christmas card to thank you, the listeners to the LD Podcast, to the Guests, and to the many friends of the show that all keep me energized to keep this project going week after week.

Special thank you to:

Our guests:

Tom Brown, Dale Brown, from LD Online, Anne Ford, Dr. Perri Klass, Dr. Steve Graham, Sally smith, who passed away on December 1st; Ben Mitchell, Rick LaVoie, Dr. Bob Brooks, Alan Zametkin, Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, Nina Straightman

Friends and Podcasters:

Paige & Gretchen from Mommycast and the Mommycast and Friends Channel, that I am so proud to be a part of; Andrea Ross and Mark Blevis from the Just One More Book podcast; Denis Gray, from 101 Use for Baby Wipes; Erin & Kristen from Manic Mommies; Dr. Mike Patrick from Pediacast;

Podcampers and New Media Folk:

Chris Penn, CC Chapman, Chris Brogan, Megin and Stu over at the GNM Parents blog, Linda Mills, John Havens, Jen Yuan who made me do National Blog Posting Month this year; Howard Greenstein, Eric Skiff, Lynnette Young, Kathryn Jones, Kathy King, Vivian Vasquez, Tammy and Wendy from Podtalk Divas, Bob Goyetche and his wife Kat, who do almost too many podcasts to mention; Michelle Wolverton, Bill Rowland, Adam Plante, Rand, Drew Olanoff, Steve Lubetkin, Alan Chaess, Alex Hillman, Annie from GPTMC, Deni and Lisa Marshall, from Podcamp Philly.

Podsafe artists include:
Uncle Seth
Geoff Smith
Matthew Ebel
Joel Kopieschke
The Alice Project
Gary Sundbad
Craig Cardif
Adreinne Pierce
The Hipcola
The Hot Rods
The New Autonomous Folk Singers
The Candy Butchers with Mike Viola

click here to listen to Audio Christmas card, and Happy Holidays to Everyone!

Sally Smith Interviews

I am republishing the Sally Smith Interviews in our feed, to help celebrate the life and work of Sally Smith, who died December 1, 2007. We'll miss her terribly. She founded the Lab School in response to the needs of her younger son, and built the field of educating kids with Learning Disabilities as a result. Sally's insights into learning, children and education changed the world for kids with learning difficulties, and it was a true privilege to sit down and talk with her last spring.

Click here to get Sally Smith Part I
Click here to download Sally Smith, Part II

Part II of Interview with Ben Mitchell, Landmark College

This week, the community lost one of its true treasures, Sally L. Smith, Founder of the Lab School, and professor at American University. I was lucky enough to sit down and interview Sally last spring for the podcast. I will be republishing the shows with Sally in the podcast feed, to celebrate her life and work. Thank you to Vivian Vasquez from the CLIP Podcast and American University for introducing me to Sally, and for letting me [articipate in a small way in Sally's memorial.

In this week's show, we finish our talk with Ben Mitchell, Director of Admissions from Landmark College. We discuss changing college curriculum to decrease attrition in all schools; The use oif Assistive technology in the classroom, Summer Programs at Landmark College, and their most famous graduate, Russell Cosby, brother of Bill Cosby.

Russell Cosby attended Landmark College as an adult, to work on his reading problems caused by dyslexia, as geatured in the film, Ennis's Gift, available through the Ennis Cosby Foundation. This film let me see what going to school was like for people with learning disabilities, and see how it affected people as they grew up- it was one of the most moving documentaries I have ever seen, and I urge you all to check it out.


Links discussed in the show:
Landmark College
Inspiration/Kidspiration Software
Diane King and the Kildonan School
101 Uses for Baby Wipes
Just One More Book
Mommycast- Don't miss their great Holiday Contest!!!!!
Mommycast and Friends
Financial Aid Podcast

Click here to download Show #73 Ben Mitchell, Landmark College