Dyslexia

[OceanAnnie]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask. If it's not, mods please move it as you see fit.

I just would like people to share their experiences and recommendations for children with dyslexia. I think my child might have it. The last few years at school have been particularly hard for her (and us). She is in 4th grade, has an IEP but isn't improving very much in reading (she is about 2 and 1/2 years behind in reading speed, difficulty with comprehension) despite help at school and home. She is a bright child and is a great auditory learner.

Anyway, any experiences you can share would be appreciated. The first order is to get her tested asap. I'm looking into programs that I can use at home. The programs are expensive but not as expensive as schools that have special programs for dyslexia.

 

[dansamy]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask. If it's not, mods please move it as you see fit.

I just would like people to share their experiences and recommendations for children with dyslexia. I think my child might have it. The last few years at school have been particularly hard for her (and us). She is in 4th grade, has an IEP but isn't improving very much in reading (she is about 2 and 1/2 years behind in reading speed, difficulty with comprehension) despite help at school and home. She is a bright child and is a great auditory learner.

Anyway, any experiences you can share would be appreciated. The first order is to get her tested asap. I'm looking into programs that I can use at home. The programs are expensive but not as expensive as schools that have special programs for dyslexia.

The Barton system is designed for a parent or private tutor to use at home. The Wilson system is less user friendly. The Well Trained Mind website has a user forum of homeschool moms, many of whom have experience teaching children with learning disabilities or "2e" kids.

 

[OceanAnnie]

The Barton system is designed for a parent or private tutor to use at home. The Wilson system is less user friendly. The Well Trained Mind website has a user forum of homeschool moms, many of whom have experience teaching children with learning disabilities or "2e" kids.

Thank you. I have been reading about The Barton system. I like what I have been reading about it. Thank you for passing on the Well Trained Mind website. I have heard about that approach to home schooling, but I haven't seen their website. I'll definitely look into it!

 

[dansamy]

Thank you. I have been reading about The Barton system. I like what I have been reading about it. Thank you for passing on the Well Trained Mind website. I have heard about that approach to home schooling, but I haven't seen their website. I'll definitely look into it!

We actually went to hear Susan speak at a private school across the bay. She was very informative & helpful. I recommend it if possible.

 

[Neesy228]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask. If it's not, mods please move it as you see fit.

I just would like people to share their experiences and recommendations for children with dyslexia. I think my child might have it. The last few years at school have been particularly hard for her (and us). She is in 4th grade, has an IEP but isn't improving very much in reading (she is about 2 and 1/2 years behind in reading speed, difficulty with comprehension) despite help at school and home. She is a bright child and is a great auditory learner.

Anyway, any experiences you can share would be appreciated. The first order is to get her tested asap. I'm looking into programs that I can use at home. The programs are expensive but not as expensive as schools that have special programs for dyslexia.

I don't know where you are located, but look into tutors that specialize in the Orton-Gillingham method. It's a decades old program that has been proven to work for dyslexics. There are Children's Dyslexia Centers in areas of the country that offer tutoring free of charge using the O-G method. My son went through that program (3 years) and the difference it made was amazing.

You will need to have her tested first, like you said, but a big hug to you...this is a tough road for parent and child. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns that I might be able to help with. We are about 4.5 years post-testing with my son.

 

[OceanAnnie]

We actually went to hear Susan speak at a private school across the bay. She was very informative & helpful. I recommend it if possible.

Her website is a wealth of information! I would love to hear her speak about dyslexia.

I don't know where you are located, but look into tutors that specialize in the Orton-Gillingham method. It's a decades old program that has been proven to work for dyslexics. There are Children's Dyslexia Centers in areas of the country that offer tutoring free of charge using the O-G method. My son went through that program (3 years) and the difference it made was amazing.

You will need to have her tested first, like you said, but a big hug to you...this is a tough road for parent and child. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns that I might be able to help with. We are about 4.5 years post-testing with my son.

How is your son doing now? I hope things are better. Thanks for the hug and I probably will PM you soon. I have to get organized.

Oh, thank you for passing on the information about O-G. I wish there were centers like that in our area.

I asked the school a year ago if she could get tested for dyslexia when they were doing the battery of tests, but was told she didn't have it. That was that. A year (and little improvement) later, I still think she does. Frustrating. I have spent a fortune on every reading comprehension book known to man. It hasn't helped. I know now she needs a more targeted/tested approach specifically for the problem. But yes, testing is foremost.

 

[dansamy]

Her website is a wealth of information! I would love to hear her speak about dyslexia.

How is your son doing now? I hope things are better. Thanks for the hug and I probably will PM you soon. I have to get organized.

Oh, thank you for passing on the information about O-G. I wish there were centers like that in our area.

I asked the school a year ago if she could get tested for dyslexia when they were doing the battery of tests, but was told she didn't have it. That was that. A year (and little improvement) later, I still think she does. Frustrating. I have spent a fortune on every reading comprehension book known to man. It hasn't helped. I know now she needs a more targeted/tested approach specifically for the problem. But yes, testing is foremost.

One good thing about the Barton system is that you don't have to test or have a diagnosis. It's a solid language arts tutoring system for all struggling readers/spellers. It is an O-G based system built & designed from the ground up to enable a concerned parent to tutor their own child.

 

[OceanAnnie]

One good thing about the Barton system is that you don't have to test or have a diagnosis. It's a solid language arts tutoring system for all struggling readers/spellers. It is an O-G based system built & designed from the ground up to enable a concerned parent to tutor their own child.

I think that's a good thing about the Barton system too. I really like that it is O-G based. It's heartening to read the success with the program. Even on the off chance my child doesn't have dyslexia, I would still use the program for her. She needs the help.

While reading the parent's experiences with dyslexia I found many times I could relate. Sometimes I thought to myself, I could have written the same thing! I'm glad the section is there. For so long, we've felt like we were in the twilight zone with this.

Thank you again for mentioning, The Well Trained Mind forum. I started reading the forum and came across, The Logic of English. It had good reviews too. I have already bought it just to have something with school ending. I do plan to get the Barton system as well.

 

[dansamy]

Sometimes, you can find Barton on ebay.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Sometimes, you can find Barton on ebay.

I did see some on e-bay. I have read where people sell theirs once they are done. Are there areas that require writing on it?

 

[jsanders4174]

My son is 9 and was diagnosed with dyslexia a little over 2 years ago. We were homeschooling him and could not understand why he couldn't catch on to reading or why he knew what an A was on one page, but by the next page, had no idea what it was. We took him to the Dyslexia Institute to have him tested. Once he was diagnosed, he began the tutoring program at the Dyslexia Institute, which uses OG. It was an expensive program, but we were seeing success. We also put him into public school around the same time. The school told us that they couldn't recognize it as Dyslexia, as that was a "medical" diagnosis. They had to call it a "Language based Learning Disability"...whatever After about a year of tutoring at the Dyslexia Institute, we were able to get him into the Children's Dyslexia Institute, which is run and funded by the Masonic Temple. It is a free program, if your child has an actual diagnosis of dyslexia. He went from not knowing his alphabet completely to reading everything under the sun. He took the 3rd grade IRead this year. Since he has an IEP, he didn't necessarily have to pass to go on to 4th grade, but we were hopeful. Not only did he pass, but he got a 100% on 2 sections and a 96% on the 3rd section! The OG method has changed his life and we are so thankful for the tutors he has had the last 2 years. He still has challenges to face, such as math, learning to tie his shoes, and learning to ride a bike. I did not realize that the last two were related to dyslexia until recently. It was a light bulb moment for me. But, I know with the help he is receiving, that he will continue to be successful. Good luck to you!

 

[dansamy]

I'm not using Barton (yet). I'm still shopping for a good used price.

I gave up on tying shoes.... We buy velcro.

 

[OceanAnnie]

My son is 9 and was diagnosed with dyslexia a little over 2 years ago. We were homeschooling him and could not understand why he couldn't catch on to reading or why he knew what an A was on one page, but by the next page, had no idea what it was. We took him to the Dyslexia Institute to have him tested. Once he was diagnosed, he began the tutoring program at the Dyslexia Institute, which uses OG. It was an expensive program, but we were seeing success. We also put him into public school around the same time. The school told us that they couldn't recognize it as Dyslexia, as that was a "medical" diagnosis. They had to call it a "Language based Learning Disability"...whatever After about a year of tutoring at the Dyslexia Institute, we were able to get him into the Children's Dyslexia Institute, which is run and funded by the Masonic Temple. It is a free program, if your child has an actual diagnosis of dyslexia. He went from not knowing his alphabet completely to reading everything under the sun. He took the 3rd grade IRead this year. Since he has an IEP, he didn't necessarily have to pass to go on to 4th grade, but we were hopeful. Not only did he pass, but he got a 100% on 2 sections and a 96% on the 3rd section! The OG method has changed his life and we are so thankful for the tutors he has had the last 2 years. He still has challenges to face, such as math, learning to tie his shoes, and learning to ride a bike. I did not realize that the last two were related to dyslexia until recently. It was a light bulb moment for me. But, I know with the help he is receiving, that he will continue to be successful. Good luck to you!

Glad to hear the O-G program worked! Thank you for the good wishes. I feel better knowing I'm on the right track to helping her now.

I'm not using Barton (yet). I'm still shopping for a good used price.

I have up on tying shoes.... We buy velcro.

If you find more than one, let me know. I'll do the same for you.

 

[Neesy228]

Her website is a wealth of information! I would love to hear her speak about dyslexia.



How is your son doing now? I hope things are better. Thanks for the hug and I probably will PM you soon. I have to get organized.

Oh, thank you for passing on the information about O-G. I wish there were centers like that in our area.

I asked the school a year ago if she could get tested for dyslexia when they were doing the battery of tests, but was told she didn't have it. That was that. A year (and little improvement) later, I still think she does. Frustrating. I have spent a fortune on every reading comprehension book known to man. It hasn't helped. I know now she needs a more targeted/tested approach specifically for the problem. But yes, testing is foremost.

He's doing much better. There is nothing that will be a "cure all"...just so you realize that....but these kids are amazingly smart in their areas of interest. It's just all in how you package it to them! We've opted to homeschool him just because it was such a stressful situation for him to be in a regular classroom and struggle so much. He just finished the 3rd Harry Potter book, which is over 400 pages. (and he understood it!!)

I fought the school for over a year to have him tested. You really have to be the "squeaky wheel" in order to get anything done with most school districts, so don't be afraid to be a pain in the a** They don't usually test (here) until at least the end of 3rd grade. I had my son tested at the end of 1st because I demanded. Repeatedly. You really have to be your child's advocate when it comes to this...

My son is 9 and was diagnosed with dyslexia a little over 2 years ago. We were homeschooling him and could not understand why he couldn't catch on to reading or why he knew what an A was on one page, but by the next page, had no idea what it was. We took him to the Dyslexia Institute to have him tested. Once he was diagnosed, he began the tutoring program at the Dyslexia Institute, which uses OG. It was an expensive program, but we were seeing success. We also put him into public school around the same time. The school told us that they couldn't recognize it as Dyslexia, as that was a "medical" diagnosis. They had to call it a "Language based Learning Disability"...whatever After about a year of tutoring at the Dyslexia Institute, we were able to get him into the Children's Dyslexia Institute, which is run and funded by the Masonic Temple. It is a free program, if your child has an actual diagnosis of dyslexia. He went from not knowing his alphabet completely to reading everything under the sun. He took the 3rd grade IRead this year. Since he has an IEP, he didn't necessarily have to pass to go on to 4th grade, but we were hopeful. Not only did he pass, but he got a 100% on 2 sections and a 96% on the 3rd section! The OG method has changed his life and we are so thankful for the tutors he has had the last 2 years. He still has challenges to face, such as math, learning to tie his shoes, and learning to ride a bike. I did not realize that the last two were related to dyslexia until recently. It was a light bulb moment for me. But, I know with the help he is receiving, that he will continue to be successful. Good luck to you!

(bolding mine)
We were labeled with a "specific learning disability" in our district and they wouldn't name it. It's largely because they don't want to have to create a separate program to help these kids. It was the main reason why we pulled our DS out of school.

This is the program we've been through too. They've changed their name over the past couple of years to try to disassociate themselves from the masonic temple organization in an effort to gain more funding...it's all semantics. They're wonderful. I have formed lifetime bonds with some of the people there who helped my DS. Where are you in the country? You may have something very similar if not this program near you.

I strongly encourage you to be an advocate for your DD. You are her best chance at being successful.

 

[OceanAnnie]

He's doing much better. There is nothing that will be a "cure all"...just so you realize that....but these kids are amazingly smart in their areas of interest. It's just all in how you package it to them! We've opted to homeschool him just because it was such a stressful situation for him to be in a regular classroom and struggle so much. He just finished the 3rd Harry Potter book, which is over 400 pages. (and he understood it!!)

I fought the school for over a year to have him tested. You really have to be the "squeaky wheel" in order to get anything done with most school districts, so don't be afraid to be a pain in the a** They don't usually test (here) until at least the end of 3rd grade. I had my son tested at the end of 1st because I demanded. Repeatedly. You really have to be your child's advocate when it comes to this...



(bolding mine)
We were labeled with a "specific learning disability" in our district and they wouldn't name it. It's largely because they don't want to have to create a separate program to help these kids. It was the main reason why we pulled our DS out of school.

This is the program we've been through too. They've changed their name over the past couple of years to try to disassociate themselves from the masonic temple organization in an effort to gain more funding...it's all semantics. They're wonderful. I have formed lifetime bonds with some of the people there who helped my DS. Where are you in the country? You may have something very similar if not this program near you.

I strongly encourage you to be an advocate for your DD. You are her best chance at being successful.

I'm glad your son is doing better! I have read there isn't a cure, but if I can help my child develop strategies to help her understand and organize information I would be thrilled.

That is so awesome that your son is reading and understanding the Harry Potter series! I would be over the moon with that.

The last two years have been particularly hard for our DD for a number of reasons. The school the kids attend has a reputation for being very good. But I have found that is true if your child doesn't have special needs. It's a whole nother ball game then. It's not a bad school. They just use the one size fits all approach to our DD's problem and it hasn't helped very much. Her grades aren't bad overall, but I can see from her reports, papers, and working with her that the skill development isn't there. She is falling behind. I have been an advocate but I wasn't sure of what the problem was and I deferred to the school for answers. Over time I could see the help she was receiving wasn't really working and it was frustrating for her and us. It's disappointing that they don't see that she needs a different kind of help. They were reluctant to change the IEP to incorporate strategies that would help her. That bothered me a lot.

Our state has Scottish Rite Temples, they do test but there is no program for our state tutoring through the Children's Learning Centers for Dyslexia. I did see where the tutoring programs are located, we aren't listed. I have scoured websites looking for others. I'll pm you later.

I am hoping our insurance will cover the testing. I have some calls to make to find out.

I am researching home schooling programs now. What curriculum do you use? I think need one that is geared towards children with dyslexia.

 

[Neesy228]

I'm glad your son is doing better! I have read there isn't a cure, but if I can help my child develop strategies to help her understand and organize information I would be thrilled.

That is so awesome that your son is reading and understanding the Harry Potter series! I would be over the moon with that.

The last two years have been particularly hard for our DD for a number of reasons. The school the kids attend has a reputation for being very good. But I have found that is true if your child doesn't have special needs. It's a whole nother ball game then. It's not a bad school. They just use the one size fits all approach to our DD's problem and it hasn't helped very much. Her grades aren't bad overall, but I can see from her reports, papers, and working with her that the skill development isn't there. She is falling behind. I have been an advocate but I wasn't sure of what the problem was and I deferred to the school for answers. Over time I could see the help she was receiving wasn't really working and it was frustrating for her and us. It's disappointing that they don't see that she needs a different kind of help. They were reluctant to change the IEP to incorporate strategies that would help her. That bothered me a lot.

Our state has Scottish Rite Temples, they do test but there is no program for our state tutoring through the Children's Learning Centers for Dyslexia. I did see where the tutoring programs are located, we aren't listed. I have scoured websites looking for others. I'll pm you later.

I am hoping our insurance will cover the testing. I have some calls to make to find out.

I am researching home schooling programs now. What curriculum do you use? I think need one that is geared towards children with dyslexia.

Our school is the exact same way. It's excellent for my younger two, but an utter failure for my oldest. I have tried hard not to be angry over it. I realize that much of it is funding related (No Child Left Behind) nonsense, but I went to several individual teachers for help and they all turned a deaf ear. That hurt me very much....

The school district should pay for all testing associated with diagnosing her. Push for that immediately.

Dyslexic kids work best with tactile, kinesthetic learning. They need to have as many senses involved as they can in order to process and properly store the information they're learning. Repetition is key. If you're working with letters and letter sounds, you have to have your daughter say the letter while tracing the letter with her fingertips...over and over....

These kids are so smart and that makes it even more frustrating for them. And dyslexia affects so many more things than you'll realize at first. My DS struggles with math because he can't seem to memorize all of the multiplication tables - even after 3 years of constant work. That's dyslexia. Memory recall is hard for them in all areas, not just letter sounds/recognition. DS struggles to read road signs (I ask him to read them out loud as I drive.) fast enough to know where we need to go, which will be an issue when he learns to drive. He's gonna get lost A LOT! I have him dictate a lot of his writing work to me, because if he types it himself, he "dumbs down" what he wants to say so that he can spell the words. Etc etc etc....I could go on and on...

I use a lot of technology with him. iPad apps, videos are great. We used math-u-see with decent success over the years...and I've continued to work with him using O-G methods I learned from the people at the Learning Center. I haven't used any specifically designed homeschool curriculum because I haven't found any that suit my needs...

Maybe you can look for a private tutor trained in one of the programs for dyslexics. I would tend to suggest that you not try to tutor her in this area yourself. It's very very hard work for them and frustration sets in quickly. My son would have just told me that he wasn't working anymore, whereas with a "stranger" he wasn't comfortable admitting defeat, so he pushed thru!

Sorry so lengthy!

 

[OceanAnnie]

Our school is the exact same way. It's excellent for my younger two, but an utter failure for my oldest. I have tried hard not to be angry over it. I realize that much of it is funding related (No Child Left Behind) nonsense, but I went to several individual teachers for help and they all turned a deaf ear. That hurt me very much....

The school district should pay for all testing associated with diagnosing her. Push for that immediately.

Dyslexic kids work best with tactile, kinesthetic learning. They need to have as many senses involved as they can in order to process and properly store the information they're learning. Repetition is key. If you're working with letters and letter sounds, you have to have your daughter say the letter while tracing the letter with her fingertips...over and over....

These kids are so smart and that makes it even more frustrating for them. And dyslexia affects so many more things than you'll realize at first. My DS struggles with math because he can't seem to memorize all of the multiplication tables - even after 3 years of constant work. That's dyslexia. Memory recall is hard for them in all areas, not just letter sounds/recognition. DS struggles to read road signs (I ask him to read them out loud as I drive.) fast enough to know where we need to go, which will be an issue when he learns to drive. He's gonna get lost A LOT! I have him dictate a lot of his writing work to me, because if he types it himself, he "dumbs down" what he wants to say so that he can spell the words. Etc etc etc....I could go on and on...

I use a lot of technology with him. iPad apps, videos are great. We used math-u-see with decent success over the years...and I've continued to work with him using O-G methods I learned from the people at the Learning Center. I haven't used any specifically designed homeschool curriculum because I haven't found any that suit my needs...

Maybe you can look for a private tutor trained in one of the programs for dyslexics. I would tend to suggest that you not try to tutor her in this area yourself. It's very very hard work for them and frustration sets in quickly. My son would have just told me that he wasn't working anymore, whereas with a "stranger" he wasn't comfortable admitting defeat, so he pushed thru!

Sorry so lengthy!

I'm starting to see that. I recall areas that we would revisit and it's making sense to me now.

I don't think our school district would pay for our daughter getting tested. The school psychologist didn't think she had dyslexia at all. I asked a year ago for him to test her and he nixed it. I'm sure he hasn't changed his mind, and he made it clear he didn't think I knew what I was talking about. So I don't think I would change his mind after that. So that is working against me. If on the off chance they did (without the school psychologist on board), they probably wouldn't do it until the next school year and that's too long to wait for us. Our insurance will cover the testing, so we are going to go that route.

I have been angry and disappointed with the school. But I'm moving on and getting on positive footing now.

I haven't downloaded it yet, but there is a free dictation app for the I-pad that sounds pretty neat. It's dragon dictation, I believe. Your son might like it. I'm going to try it with my daughter.

I'm also reading about Learning Ally. My daughter is an auditory (and visual) learner, so Learning Ally would probably be a great resource for her.

I have so much to learn. Luckily I do have a little time over the summer to ramp up.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me. Thanks to all those that posted. It has helped me a lot.