MERLD World

IEPs

Cheryl Hosmer — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:46:17 +0000

IEPs are Individualized Education Programs that your school should have set in place for your child. If you don’t have one and need to learn about what IEPs are and what your role is within them, check out this informative link:

http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/iep.index.htm

Also, I ran across a blog that I think is excellent. Have a look.

http://writermotherwifeme.blogspot.com/2007/03/saving-world-1-stand-up-for-what-i.html

Hoping all is well in your MERLD World! Take care…Cie

Reading IS Fundamental

Cheryl Hosmer — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:49:34 +0000

Kids with MERLD have difficulty comprehending the written word. They are too busy trying to figure out (decode) what a word is than they are reading to comprehend a sentence or passage.

Specific reading components:

Phonemic awareness: recognizing that sounds create words
Phonics: the relationship between letters and sounds
Reading fluency: read text accurately and quickly
Vocabulary development: learning word meaning and pronunciation
Reading comprehension strategies: strategies to understand. remember and communicate what is read.

What can you do as a parent to help your child’s reading comprehension?

Read everyday with your child
Point to words as you read

You want to help your child associate that the word being said is the word that your child is seeing.

Ask questions and make visually oriented comments as you read, taking care to make reading fun and interesting. If you have read about Christopher Columbus, you might say: “That Christopher Columbus (point to his picture if available) was quite the explorer. What kinds of things do you like to explore, Cody?” Be age appropriate.

Remember that if your child can’t read, your child can’t learn to live a quality life in the real world on his own.

Resource Rooms

Cheryl Hosmer — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:25:11 +0000

The number one problem facing the education of children with MERLD is lack of a resource room. Private and parochial schools often do not have the funding for such rooms. How do teachers compensate? What about public schools already strapped due to poor financial management or have had funds reduced that can’t even provide basic classroom supplies or textbooks? How do you approach your child’s educators about making sure that your child gets the necessary educational support he or she requires?

iPad Apps

Cheryl Hosmer — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:42:21 +0000

These iPad applications aren’t MERLD specific, but you can use them to address unique issues within the realm of your own child’s educational needs.

Apraxia Specific Apps

Apraxia Picture Sound Cards
MouthWorks
SpeechStickers

Good For Apraxia But Not Apraxia Specific

Blow Bubbles and Balloons
Blow Champ
Clouds
Pronunciation Power- Free
SmallTalk Phonemes- Free
SmallTalk Consonant Blends- Free
SmallTalk Oral Motor Exercises- Free
Smart Oral Motor

Auditory Processing

Fun With Directions HD Lite- Free
Picture the Sentence HD
Speech EZ Apraxia Programs Apps New apps coming soon: Auditory Figure Ground and Auditory Word Discrimination

Martin Luther King Jr Day

Cheryl Hosmer — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:46:08 +0000

Here are some quick facts to explain Martin Luther King Jr Day to your child.

Martin Luther King Jr Quick Facts

Discipline and MERLD

Cheryl Hosmer — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:45:44 +0000

When part of or everything you hear seems foreign or scrambled, it can be frightening. Imagine yourself in a foreign country and trying to communicate using another language. It’s frustrating, it can be disconcerting and scary. People of all ages with MERLD live with this every day. One of the toughest parts of parenting is communicating with your children in the best of circumstances. Often, people with MERLD, especially children, hone in on one thing–a toy, a person, an interest, a situation. They like routine and knowing what to expect.

Like every child, children with MERLD need boundaries. They need routine. They need consequences when they do something wrong, explained so that they understand the reasons why. One of the fears and complaints that I get most from parents is about how to discipline their child. The answer is simple. Just like you would with any other child with one exception. You need to make sure to explain specifically what the discipline is all about, what the consequences are if your child doesn’t do what you ask.

Some kids with MERLD, especially severe MERLD, do well using laminated cards. Create one (and you can find these online) depicting what you need your child to do. For instance, make your bed in the mornings. Show your child the card, them demonstrate, then show the child the card again. Talk normally. Get down to eye level with your child. Children with milder forms of MERLD may simply need reminders and star charts for jobs well done.

Every person with MERLD is unique because their brains are unique, their emotions and family life are unique. Don’t be afraid to play around to see what works for you. And as always, find the blessings in your MERLD World!

Coming home to MERLD World

Cheryl Hosmer — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:42:37 +0000

Hi everyone! Well, I spent the last six months experimenting with other hosts for MERLD World and after much contemplation have decided to roost here for good. So I am opening this blog back up to comments and posts. You will also find us on Facebook. I sure hope that all of you will continue to follow MERLD World. Thank you so much for hanging in there with me as we begin an exciting and hopefully educational and helpful 2012.

FINAL MERLD World Move Everyone! It’s done!

Cheryl Hosmer — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 03:10:46 +0000

Hi everyone…bless you all for hanging in there with me! I am notifying every subscriber to my MERLD World blog that I can now be found on FB. Just do a search for MERLD World. I will be updating it daily. It’s just so much easier than trying to do everything in the blog. I just can’t seem to get to it like I can Facebook! Hope to see you there. I am getting a lot of good information and hope that I can get lots of discussions and tips out there!

We’re Moving!

Cheryl Hosmer — Tue, 17 May 2011 22:40:39 +0000

Hi everyone, MERLD World will move to http://merldworld.blogspot.com/ on June 15, 2011. I hope that you will subscribe on the new site. I will be contacting current subscribers as a reminder. The new site will have many more features and will feature all age groups with MERLD. We will have information on both public and private schools for your children and talk to teens and young adults recently diagnosed with MERLD. Please join us June 15. This site will remain online until then, but no new posts will be added. Thank you all for your overwhelming support. Cie

Thanks for your months of patience!

Cheryl Hosmer — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:04:00 +0000

Thank you for bearing with me these past few months while I get MERLD World sorted out to be the best reference that I can get you regarding living with MERLD. Check back February 1, 2011, to see the newly revised site. In the meantime, continue to enjoy the blessings in your MERLD World!