Dyslexia News & Notes Blog

Michigan student overcomes dyslexia

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 23:20:27 +0000

The same kid who others suggested should be held back in school is now soaring high as he studies astrophysics at MSU. Oh, and in his spare time, he also taught himself German…at night…in addition to his advanced calculus, astronomy and physics classes.

Learning diversity: Moving way beyond dyslexia

admin — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:00:35 +0000

When we think about dyslexia, we typically think about a disability. We focus on difficulties in learning to read and write. But there’s plenty of evidence that suggests we should think about a whole lot more than that — and in fact change the way we think…

Here’s a fresh perspective of what dyslexic children ARE capable of, based on their sea of strengths. Also learn how one school in Massachusetts, which recognizes the incredible ABILITIES of dyslexic students, has created an innovative educational setting that allows dyslexic students to shine in their strengths. Here’s the article in full…

Academic Awareness: Understanding Learning Disabilities

admin — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:18:02 +0000

When you hear the term “high-incident disability” in regard to learning disabilities, it simply means that it occurs more frequently in the population than other disabilities.

Some parents link learning disability with dyslexia, but that is only one type, one that is often overused by armchair psychologists.

And dyslexia is not just when letters and numbers are reversed and read incorrectly.

Governor of Connecticut overcame “dyslexic label”

admin — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:09:30 +0000

Moments after taking his oath of office, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy mused about the tough road that lies ahead for Connecticut and offered some details about his own life — being “different” — because he had learning disabilities and how his parents never let him believe this might limit his future success.

Advice for learning disabled who want to attend college – chicagotribune.com

admin — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 04:24:44 +0000

Most of the 3 percent or so of teens who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities struggle so much in high school that they give up on hopes of college…but there is hope. Read for more info.

Advice for learning disabled who want to attend college – chicagotribune.com.

Homeschoolers: Beware of Bad Advice

admin — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 01:31:15 +0000

When I was homeschooling my young children, I read all about reading. I read how some children don’t learn to read until age 8, 9, or 10 and that this is normal – just evidence of a child who is a “late developer” or one who isn’t ready for early formal education. I read a lot of articles comparing reading to walking. You know, parents don’t fret if their children learn to walk at 13 months vs. 11 months, children don’t fit a one-size-fits-all development pattern, “better late than early”, etc. All of that sounded pretty reasonable and gave me hope that my struggling reader would just wake up one day when he was “ready” and grab a novel off the shelf.

The problem with all this kind of advice is that it’s dangerous. While I’m not saying there may not be an occasional child that fits the above description, I believe far more 7 & 8 year-old (or older) children who are otherwise bright but who struggle with reading after being exposed to solid, phonics-based reading instruction suffer from dyslexia. In fact, research shows that up to 20% of the population may suffer from some form of this condition (whether mild, moderate or severe). And the problem with waiting for the magic “ah-hah!” moment to happen is that it’s literally the worst thing you can do!

As homeschoolers, we have a tendency to think we don’t need the experts. We know our children better than anyone and we are naturally equipped to teach and provide them with everything they need. But no parent can just naturally employ an Orton-Gillingham type of methodology in teaching their dyslexic children without being trained or educated in this approach. I thought I knew a lot about teaching, phonics, and how to teach reading, but Orton-Gillingham instruction is different. And this is the type of direct, explicit, multi-sensory instruction that dyslexic children need to make the necessary connections in their brains for reading fluency.

I urge any parent of a child who struggles with reading to educate yourself. Read the information on this site and others like it. Get your child tested. Take action. Become thoroughly educated about dyslexia and Orton-Gillingham instruction, or find an outside tutor who is. Homeschooling is a wonderful choice; it doesn’t mean we never need outside help. God bless you as your raise your precious children!