Desperately Seeking Dyslexia Solutions...

I went to an educational talk years ago about learning disabilities. The very sweet lady who gave the talk relayed that we all have what she referred to as our "ten to twenty percent" to deal with. By that she meant that while most of us may be able to function in the world, we all have some challenge. A dear friend of ours has a partial hearing loss, and she is newly learning to deal this challenge. Others deal with depression, physical ailments, speech impediments, old age... everyone has something!!

My son's is moderate to severe dyslexia. All About Spelling has been a Godsend. But I am hoping for an extra push. I have looked in to Susan Barton's materials, but it is tough to swallow spending hundreds of dollars ($250-$700 per level) when I think we have actually covered a great deal of the material through AAS. I am not sure it is the best use of our resources (it may be). More reading and grammar is included. It is a complete language arts program.

I have ordered a few books on my kindle- Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz and Dyslexia for Dummies by Traci Wood. They look hopeful.

I have also contacted a homeschool consultant who specializes in this area, so if that turns out to be a goldmine of information, I'll share that too!!

Please share if you know of any wonderful resources.


Comments

  1. UnknownApril 13, 2012 at 6:15 PM

    I wish I could offer you some advice, but dyslexia isn't something I know anything about. Having a son with some unique learning needs, it can be hard to find just that right curriculum, but I'm sure you will! Hang in there!

    And yes, Chee (hen) comes in and relaxes with us. Sometimes she even falls asleep! LOL She also knows where the dog's water and food dishes are for a snack. She'll even peck at the front door for treats or to visit. Spoiled hen! LOL

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  2. UnknownApril 14, 2012 at 7:22 AM

    Funny, I was just reading an article in HSLDA about struggling readers. Here are a couple of websites that they recommended, I haven't looked at them myself, but I will!
    www.TheStrugglingReader.com
    www.DianneCraft.com
    www.readingrockets.org
    www.allkindsofminds.org

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  3. JessicaApril 14, 2012 at 8:39 AM

    I also have a son in the same situation. He is receiving tutoring in the Alphabet Phonics program and it is truly wonderful - if you can find an orton-gillingham based program in your area it is what I would recommend. If your dyslexic son works well with you I would recommend Saxon phonics intervention. They sell a homeschool kit and it can be covered over a one or two year period. This is a much more affordable option that is based on proven methods that can be paced with your child's needs. Saxon is another orton-gillingham based program with great methods for helping dyslexic children learn and understand phonics. A terrific book I would recommend reading is "The Dyslexic Advantage" (Eide). I'm shopping for a different spelling and LA program for next year as well (my son will be 4th grade) so please share what you discover!

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