Neuhaus

Info Session

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:16:09 GMT

Info Session
Start Date: 13-Dec-08 10:00 AM
End Time: 13-Dec-08 12:00 PM
Location: Neuhaus Education Center, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Speaker:

Event Details:

A free information presentation on reading difficulties, especially dyslexia; multisenosry, research-based instruction; and the Texas dyslexia legislation is offered at the Center from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on designated Wednesdays and Saturdays. The presentation includes information on resources available at the Center and in the community. Parents, educators, and other professionals can benefit from this presentation.

Neuhaus Education Center

4433 Bissonnet St

Bellaire, Texas United States 77401

Info Session

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:15:21 GMT

Info Session
Start Date: 3-Dec-08 10:00 AM
End Time: 3-Dec-08 12:00 PM
Location: Neuhaus Education Center, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Speaker:

Event Details:

Neuhaus Education Center

4433 Bissonnet St

Bellaire, Texas United States 77401

Info Session

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:13:55 GMT

Info Session
Start Date: 19-Nov-08 10:00 AM
End Time: 19-Nov-08 12:00 PM
Location: Neuhaus Education Center, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Speaker:

Event Details:

Neuhaus Education Center

4433 Bissonnet St

Bellaire, Texas United States 77401

Info Session

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:13:08 GMT

Info Session
Start Date: 8-Nov-08 10:00 AM
End Time: 8-Nov-08 12:00 PM
Location: Neuhaus Education Center, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Speaker:

Event Details:

Neuhaus Education Center

4433 Bissonnet St

Bellaire, Texas United States 77401

Building Organizational and Time Management Skills

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:52:15 GMT

Building Organizational and Time Management Skills
Start Date: 7-Nov-08 9:00 AM
End Time: 7-Nov-08 12:00 PM
Location: Neuhaus Education Center, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Speaker: Evan Weinberger, M.A., founder and head coach, Staying Ahead of the Game!, LLC; Robert Weinberger, Ph.D. – clinical psychologist specializing in adolescents

Event Details:

November 7, 2008

Building Organizational and Time Management Skills

Topic: Strategies for organization and time management for all learners. Presenter: Evan Weinberger, M.A., founder and head coach, Staying Ahead of the Game!, LLC; Robert Weinberger, Ph.D. – clinical psychologist specializing in adolescents

Price: $35 (3 ALTA CEUs available)

Neuhaus Education Center

4433 Bissonnet

Bellaire, Texas 77401

Info Session

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:08:07 GMT

Info Session
Start Date: 5-Nov-08 10:00 AM
End Time: 5-Nov-08 12:00 PM
Location: Neuhaus Education Center, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Speaker:

Event Details:

Neuhaus Education Center

4433 Bissonnet St

Bellaire, Texas United States 77401

Online Class Session

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:34:20 GMT

Online Class Session
Start Date: 5-Nov-08 0:00 AM
End Time: 19-Nov-08 0:00 AM
Speaker:

Event Details:

Within the time period of the two week class session, online classes are available to participants 24 hours a day, any day, from anywhere there is an internet connection.

Registration deadline is two week prior to the session start date to allow for shipping of materials included in the class.

Visit the Distance Learning pages for more information.

Info Session

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:03:06 GMT

Info Session
Start Date: 22-Oct-08 10:00 AM
End Time: 22-Oct-08 12:00 PM
Location: Neuhaus Education Center, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Speaker:

Event Details:

Neuhaus Education Center

4433 Bissonnet St

Bellaire, Texas United States 77401

Literacy, Lexiles, and Lots More

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:47:05 GMT

Literacy, Lexiles, and Lots More
Start Date: 17-Oct-08 9:00 AM
End Time: 17-Oct-08 12:00 PM
Location: Neuhaus Education Center, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Speaker: Erin McTigue, Ph.D., assistant professor, Texas A & M University

Event Details:

October 17, 2008

Literacy, Lexiles, and Lots More

Topic: Challenges of comprehending text – readability, accessibility, and motivation – and how to evaluate text. Presenter: Erin McTigue, Ph.D., assistant professor, Texas A & M University

Price: $35 (3 ALTA CEU and CPE contact hours available)

Neuhaus Education Center

4433 Bissonnet

Bellaire, Texas 77401

Online Class Session

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:32:55 GMT

Online Class Session
Start Date: 15-Oct-08 0:00 AM
End Time: 29-Oct-08 0:00 AM
Speaker:

Event Details:

Within the time period of the two week class session, online classes are available to participants 24 hours a day, any day, from anywhere there is an internet connection.

Registration deadline is two week prior to the session start date to allow for shipping of materials included in the class.

Visit the Distance Learning pages for more information.

Now Accepting Applications for the Coordinator of Individual Giving Position

noemail@neuhaus.org — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Neuhaus Education Center

Job Description

Job Title: Coordinator of Individual Giving

Department: Development

Report to: Director of Development

Job Status: Full-time, Exempt, 37.5 hours/week, M-F

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Duties and Responsibilities:

Responsible for assisting the Director of Development in achieving Neuhaus Education Center fundraising goals and in defining and pursuing new areas of funding growth. Works with the Director on: individual donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and recognition; the coordination of Development Committee; individual campaign planning and implementation; conducting individual solicitations; and stewardship/benefit fulfillment.

Major Responsibilities:

Responsible for donor identification cultivation, solicitation, and recognition with a focus on individuals.
Responsible for the Reading Circle, and other membership groups such as Friends of Neuhaus.
Enlist involvement of Neuhaus key staff and volunteers in solicitation of prospects.
Create and provide stewardship opportunities for individual donors.
Work with Special Events Coordinator on events for responsible areas.
Work with Development Assistant to maintain records of donor contacts and information.
Responsible for the yearly updates of all donor walls and fundraising part of the Annual Report.
Assist with donor acknowledgment in Neuhaus NEWS and event signage.
Perform prospect research on individuals to evaluate potential donors.
Provide tours for donors/prospects/media, as needed.
Assist with other fundraising projects, as assigned.
Occasional evening or weekend events attendance required.

Qualifications and Skills:

Minimum of three years experience in non-profit fundraising.
Must have completed a Bachelor’s degree.
Proven track record of successfully raising $300,000 or more annually.
Significant knowledge and competence in Raiser Edge software.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an attention to detail.
Ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and goals.
Ability to conduct group presentations and individual solicitations.
Work well in a team environment.

2-Jul-08 8:00 AM

What the professionals say...

noemail@neuhaus.org — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Sharon McMichael, M.Ed., is a Reading Teacher and Dyslexia Specialist at Hudson Bend Middle School, Lake Travis Independent School District.

Dear Friends at Neuhaus,

Hello from your old friend in Austin. I teach Reading Enrichment and Reading Dyslexia. I have the classes divided into RE-1, RE-2, RD-1, and RD-2 for first year and second year. First year completes BLS Book 1 and part of Book 2, and second year starts over at the beginning of Book 2 to complete it and come really, really close to completing Book 3 or does complete it. And, I throw in Kerri Glover’s Vocab. and my own reading comprehension. So, let’s look at the kids’ gains this year.

My 6th graders had an average score of 63.14 on last year’s TAKS Reading test. On this year’s 2008 Reading test, my 6th graders had an average score of 84.318. So, that’s an 21.81 avg. pt. increase. Wow-wee!

	2007 TAKS Reading Test average score	2008 TAKS Reading Test average score

6th grade	63.14	84.318
	21.81 avg. pt. increase

7th grade	55.875	82.667
	26.795 avg. pt. increase

8th grade	58.42	80.23
	21.81 avg. pt. increase

And, more fun with numbers.

24% of the 6th graders in Reading Enrichment made COMMENDED!
15% of the 6th graders in Reading Enrichment missed COMMENDED by one question.
19% of the 6th graders in Reading Enrichment missed COMMENDED by two questions.
That’s for a total of 58% of the 6th graders in Reading Enrichment who either got COMMENDED or came really, really close.

And, I had only one student who failed the TAKS Reading test (a 7th grader).

Thank you for making me the teacher that I am today.

30-May-08 7:00 AM

Coming Soon...the ReadingTeachersNetwork!

noemail@neuhaus.org — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:00:00 GMT

The ReadingTeachersNetwork -or “RTN” - is the online source for renewal, creativity and reading instruction for all reading teachers and administrators. RTN has been designed to provide the research-based resources reading teachers need, and to be a meeting place where educators can connect and communicate.

“RTN is much more than just online classes and teaching resources. It is a place where reading teachers can go to connect, network, brainstorm, and share success stories and best practices. Neuhaus wants to help all teachers feel refreshed, renewed and supported. That’s what RTN is all about,” said Russanne Kelley, NEC president and CEO.

RTN supplements Neuhaus Education Center’s professional development classes any time; any place a teacher has access to an Internet connection. This innovative reading teacher resource provides classroom support materials and information, freeing up valuable planning time. RTN includes classroom instructional videos, Webinars, online classes, professional assistance, lesson plans, activities, resources, research, articles, and a networking community of teaching professionals who are committed to their students' reading success.

The ReadingTeachersNetwork is in the final planning stages and scheduled to launch sometime this summer. A very special “thank you” goes to all of our generous donors who have helped make the RTN vision into a reality.

If you would like to be notified when RTN goes live, please email Tami Benton at tbenton@neuhaus.org. To donate, click on the “make a donation” box on our home page.

(search phrase: reading, reading teacher, reading teacher network, teacher network)

22-Apr-08 10:00 AM

Adult Literacy Education Classes - Fall 2008

noemail@neuhaus.org — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Neuhaus Education Center’s Adult Literacy classes are designed for adults who want to improve their reading, spelling, and composition skills. The Center’s Multisensory Reading and Spelling program delivers a balanced approach to reading, teaching both decoding and comprehension skills.

The curriculum is based on the Orton-Gillingham philosophy and current phonological awareness research.

The fall semester begins August 28, 2008 and ends December 18, 2008. Classes meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Advanced screening is required for appropriate class placement. Contact Mary North, adult class coordinator, at mnorth@neuhaus.org or 713.664.7676.

Screening – $25.00
Tuition – $200.00

2-Apr-08 11:00 AM

Intervention Study with Developing Metacognitive Skills

noemail@neuhaus.org — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Preliminary data from an intervention study conducted by Neuhaus Education Center with third-grade students suggest that the addition of metacognitive strategies to daily comprehension lessons boosted students’ comprehension and spelling by 20% and vocabulary by 40% on standardized and criterion reference measures. In the study, 130 third-graders in two schools were given 30-minute comprehension lessons daily over a five-week period. The students in one school received metacognitive strategies that the students in the other school did not receive. Metacognitive strategies help students to “think about their thinking” before, while, and after they read. Metacognitive strategies included in the study were the use of vocabulary word webs, the identification of the elements of expository (informational) text, and the creation of a summary paragraph.

In the first school, students were given expository passages of approximately 300 words to read. The passages were from a commercially published comprehension program. Before reading the passages, the teacher set a purpose for reading and activated background knowledge. The students discussed new vocabulary words and copied the words, their definitions, and sentences that illustrated the meanings of the words from the board. After reading the passages, students answered questions that were generated by the teacher. Students answered half the questions orally and half the questions in written form. The final activity was for students to read and answer six questions that were specifically designed by the publisher to accompany each of the passages.

In the second school, the students read the same passages and were taught metacognitive strategies. Before reading the passages, the teacher set a purpose for reading and activated background knowledge. The students discussed the same vocabulary words. Rather than copy the definitions, students discussed the origins and meanings of the words, generated synonyms, antonyms, and other words related to the new vocabulary words, and recorded the information on vocabulary webs. As students read, they were encouraged to think about the elements of expository text. After reading the passages, students were asked to identify the subject, main idea, supporting ideas, and details, and they were asked to generate a summary paragraph that contained 1/3 the number of words of the original passages. The students then orally answered the same teacher-generated questions and read and answered the six questions that accompanied the passages.

The Center continues with follow-up and data collection to determine the long-term effects of the intervention. The strategies used in the intervention study are part of the new course Developing Metacognitive Skills.

For more information about Neuhaus Education Center's researches,
view our Research Guide (PDF).

7-Mar-08 11:00 AM

Language Enrichment Teacher Preparation and Practice Predicts Third Grade Reading Comprehension

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:30:00 GMT

Reading Psychology, 26:401- 432, 2005 Copyright 2005 Taylor & Francis Inc. ISSN: 0270-2711 print / 1521-0685 online

Suzanne H. Carreker Neuhaus Education Center, Houston, Texas, USA Paul R. Swank University of Texas - Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA Lynn Tillman-Dowdy University of Houston - Clear Lake, Houston, Texas, USA Graham F. Neuhaus University of Houston - Downtown, Houston, Texas, USA Mary Jo Monfils Mary Lou Montemayor Paul Johnson Brownsville Independent School District, Brownsville, Texas, USA

Abstract (taken from www.ingentaconnect.com):
First and second grade public school teachers were trained through interactive video-conferencing to implement Language Enrichment, an Orton-Gillingham-based literacy instruction. The effectiveness of the linguistically informed training was demonstrated by documenting the longitudinal third grade reading comprehension achievement of their students. Student achievement was measured on the state-mandated achievement test, Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) showed that students whose teachers were trained in Language Enrichment instruction had higher third grade reading comprehension achievement than students whose teachers were not trained. Additionally, a significant effect of the length of Language Enrichment teaching experience of the second grade teacher on third grade reading comprehension was found. Earlier occurring second grade teacher training was associated with higher reading scores than later training. Based on these findings it is suggested that teachers who have content-rich knowledge known to support literacy acquisition can provide reading instruction that results in a level of reading comprehension that is significantly higher than that resulting from teachers who do not have a well-developed domain of knowledge concerning the reading process. This study also indicates that teacher competence was enhanced through practice because student reading achievement of the more-experienced Language Enrichment teachers was higher than that of the less-experienced Language Enrichment teachers.

Visit your local library to view a copy of the full article in Reading Psychology.

7-Mar-08 10:30 AM

Dyslexia: Beyond the Myth

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:00:00 GMT

by Suzanne Carreker, past president, The Houston Branch of The International Dyslexia Association
director of teacher development, Neuhaus Education Center

(This article is reprinted with permission from The Houston Branch of The International Dyslexia Association.)

As many as one in five students have dyslexia. Undiagnosed or without special instruction, dyslexia can lead to frustration, school failure, and low self-esteem. The common myths about dyslexia are that dyslexics read backwards and reverse words and letters. While these characteristics may be part of the problem with some individuals, they are NOT the most common or important attributes.

Dyslexia is not a disease! The word dyslexia comes from the Greek language and means poor language. Individuals with dyslexia have trouble with reading, writing, spelling, and/or math although they have the ability and have had the opportunities to learn. Individuals with dyslexia can learn; they just learn in a different way. Often these individuals, who have talented and productive minds, are said to have a language learning difference.

Does My Child Have Dyslexia?
Individuals with dyslexia usually have some of the following characteristics:

				*Difficulty with oral language*
				Late in learning to talk Difficulty in pronouncing words Difficulty acquiring vocabulary or using age-appropriate grammar Difficulty following directions Confusion with before/after, right/left, etc. Difficulty learning the alphabet, nursery rhymes, or songs Difficulty understanding concepts and relationships Difficulty with word retrieval or naming problems

				*Difficulty with reading*
				Difficulty learning to read Difficulty identifying or generating rhyming words or counting syllables in words (Phonological Awareness) Difficulty with hearing and manipulating sounds in words (Phonemic Awareness) Difficulty distinguishing different sounds in words (Auditory Discrimination) Difficulty in learning the sounds of letters Difficulty remembering names and/or the order of letters when reading Reverses letters or the order of letters when reading Misreads or omits common little words "Stumbles" through longer words Poor reading comprehension during oral or silent reading Slow, laborious oral reading

				*Difficulty with written language*
				Trouble putting ideas on paper Many spelling mistakes May do well on weekly spelling tests, but there are many spelling mistakes in daily work Difficulty in proofreading

Does my child have other related learning disorders?

				*Difficulty with handwriting (Dysgraphia)*
				Unsure of right or left handedness Poor or slow handwriting Messy and unorganized papers Difficulty copying Poor fine motor skills

				*Difficulty with math (Dyscalculia)*
				Difficulty counting accurately May reverse numbers Difficulty memorizing math facts Difficulty copying math problems and organizing written work Many calculation errors Difficulty retaining math vocabulary and/or concepts

				*Difficulty with attention (ADD/ADHD)*
				Inattention Attention varies, based on interest level Distractibility Impulsiveness Over-activity

				*Difficulty with motor skills (Dyspraxia)*
				Difficulty planning and coordinating body movements Difficulty coordinating muscles to produce sounds

				*Difficulty with organization*
				Loses papers Poor sense of time Forgets homework Messy desk Overwhelmed by too much input Works slowly Things are "out of sight out of mind"

				*Other*
				Difficulty naming colors, objects, and letters (rapid naming) Memory problems Needs to see or hear concepts many times in order to learn them Distracted by visual stimuli Downward trend in achievement test scores or school performance Work in school is inconsistent Teacher says, "If only she would try harder," or "He's lazy." Relatives may have similar problems

Everyone probably can check one or two of these characteristics. That does not mean that everyone has dyslexia. A person with dyslexia usually has several of these characteristics, which persist over time and interfere with his or her learning. If your child is having difficulties learning to read and you have noted several of these characteristics in your child, he or she may need to be evaluated for dyslexia and/or a related disorder.

7-Mar-08 10:00 AM