LD Resources

Sanford Shapiro looks at The Crossroads School
© 2006 Sanford Shapiro

As I traveled through this historic area of Pennsylvania, I was impressed with the variety of private independent schools that cater to the needs of atypical learners. My hope is that more schools are developed that can be ‘special schools’ because they appeal to a rich and diverse set of learning profiles; that “special” education is for everyone. This would be the universal design for education.

Until then however, we need more schools like the Crossroads School in Paoli, PA. It’s been around since 1977 (it actually began in 1971 but refocused in 1977 on dyslexia) and is very much set up for students in grades K-8, who fall in the category of having a language-based learning disability. In fact, though it might be wonderful to have a mythical school that is so rich in content delivery style that it helps all learners, no matter what the learning profile, it’s a testament to Crossroads that they are very focused and specific about who they teach. They really don’t pretend to be set up for students with classic Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities for example. The central focus of this school is for bright dyslexic children to improve their specific areas of language processing weaknesses while engendering self-esteem and positive feelings of self-regard.

As language development is the focus, Crossroads distinguishes itself in a similar manner as The Atlanta Speech School in that it has approximately five faculty who are Speech and Language specialists. In addition to adding to the general faculty knowledge base, these teachers instruct Crossroads designed language training classes called “Speaking and Listening” and “Talking and Listening.” They are strategy-based classes that include active listening, social language, memory and comprehension as the focus of curriculum. They use direct teaching and are definitely geared to help students become more aware of their own thinking skills and patterns (meta-cognition).

Crossroads also has a prescriptive kindergarten, which also uses a speech language specialist to assist the group development. The emphasis is for youngsters who are at-risk for reading failure. In general the school language arts program has morphed from what used to be solely Alphabetic-Phonics to include Wilson Reading and Project Read. Three or four faculty are trained in a diagnostic-prescriptive approach, which is also good sound evidence-based approach.

Crossroads seems pretty dedicated to other parts of helping students become more engaged and self-aware, self-advocating learners. Two examples of how they try is through using Mel Levine’s “The Mind That is Mine” emphasized upper elementary grades, and The Mentor Program, which is essentially their in-house tutorial program for their kids who need some extra support. Art, music and sports (interscholastic for middle schoolers) are very evident all around the school.

Related at this site: The Crossroads School