Dynaread?

[Incognito]

Anyone familiar with this program for dyslexia?

 

https://www.dynaread.com/index.php?cid=

 

We've been offered a chance to use it if it ends up suiting our needs, but I'm totally unfamiliar and the site and everything I've found seems like a big infomercial.  It says a lot of the right things, I think, but I am wondering what it is really like if you have used it or know someone who has.

 

Thanks.

[geodob]

I just had a look at it.  Where it is basically a 'whole word' program.

Which covers 3,600 words over 18 months.

So that the question is whether you want to take a whole word approach?

 

 

 

 

 

[OneStepAtATime]

I would be very leery of a program that you cannot find a lot of independent reviews for from parents of children with official diagnosis of dyslexia type language issues.

 

And whole word really usually is not a very effective method for teaching reading/spelling to a dyslexic.

 

But I have not used the program, so it may be wonderful.  I know I am not being terribly helpful.  Sorry.

[Lecka]

My thing about any computer reading program, that is for a beginner level, is that they are not multisensory.  Just moving a mouse while something on the screen moves -- that is not multisensory the way touching an actual letter tile with your finger is.  My son really needed multisensory when he was starting out --  things did not start to click without it.  Then he has done well with other multisensory things (underlining patterns helps him).  But it seems that the physical movement is part of it -- not just seeing it done. 

 

My second thing, is if kids are squirmy, it is very hard to get them focused on the computer.  It is a lot easier to use a dry erase board -- they CAN be wiggling, you are not fighting the wiggle battle.  The focusing battle ---- well I am better off to fight that battle with myelf.... it is easier than trying to fight the battle to focus on the computer. 

 

My son's focus was not really ADHD I don't think.  We don't think he has ADHD (have done a questionnaire).  It was more "I am afraid this is going to be hard." or "I know I don't like this."  So -- a battle to focus, but not for general reasons of focus. 

 

Other computer programs are fine for him.  It is only reading.  I tried two computer-based things with him that I thought would be a good fit, thinking he would like computer-based, and that is what I ran into.

 

But -- that was just us.

 

On the program specifically -- I don't know.  But I think it is good to know.

 

 

[Incognito]

I just had a look at it.  Where it is basically a 'whole word' program.

Which covers 3,600 words over 18 months.

So that the question is whether you want to take a whole word approach?

 

We have been doing phonics and I would continue with that, but I was thinking this might be useful in building fluency. 

 

We aren't in the beginning to read stage - my child can read, but has dyslexic habits, if that makes sense.  Substituting words and wild guessing, etc.  This is currently improving, but it's a long slog.  About a year behind in decoding, but a couple years ahead in comprehension. 

 

I was thinking if this would help with building fluency without encouraging bad habits it would be helpful - I feel like I am always hovering telling her what is wrong and correcting her, and she is a perfectionist anyways, but I can't let her go reading it wrong either...  She doesn't get mad or fight me about it, but I know she gets discouraged.  I wondered if a computer doing it might just be nice for a while. 

 

Apparently there is a phonics module built in, but again, I can't see anything of it, so I don't know how extensive it is or what they really are even doing with the words.

[Lecka]

How will the computer do that?  I think it would depend on just how the computer gave feedback.  Maybe she would guess on a computer, too.

 

There is a computer program I have read a description of, where kids read into a microphone and it shows if they have read it correctly (or something).  My impression is that it is the same thing a parent would do, but for kids who are difficult (don't want to be corrected by mom, being corrected by a computer is acceptable) or where they are in a school and the teacher doesn't have time to be one-on-one with every kid.  

 

But what you are wanting is fluency ------ so why not look into fluency?  There are more options to build fluency than just this program.... this program does not appear to be primarily a fluency program.

 

So I think -- if your aim is to add a fluency component, look into fluency programs or practices, and add a block of time when you do focus on fluency.  Maybe by using this program, or maybe by using another program.

 

I did this with my son -- it fit our situation to do lots of supported reading (sitting with him and helping him) and repeated reading ---- I also pre-read many books to him, this helped him a huge amount.  Or he could re-read a book I had read together with him more than once, and had pre-read to him.  Hard to find books he liked that much -- but he would like some really funny ones fortunately.  Lots of picture books. 

 

I did the following:  looked up "fluency" on readingrockets.org, read the preface to some books about fluency on Amazon that had free previews, looked a ton at one minute reader (and in some ways reproduced aspects of this program at home -- but I do not time! my son had anxiety from timed math facts and I am not going there), looked at Great Leaps (this is a fluency program that gets good reviews in books and stuff), and decided what fluency practices I would do during our fluency time.  I also have a Wiley Blevins book about Intermediate Phonics and he has ideas for fluency. 

 

My son needed "noticing punctuation, reading with expression" help as well as "recognizing words automatically" help.  He needed both.  Honestly he probably needed the first kind of help more, though. 

 

But if, frex, the program is going to have her read lists of words, or something like that, then I think you could add that at home.  And if she is doing that, and there is not a headset ------ to me, it is too easy to pick a choice, pick the closest choice.  B/c -- how are you going to know she isn't guessing with the computer, or fudging a little, etc, those things kids do. 

 

Maybe there is another way besides the headset thing ----- I do not know.  But I would be very concerned about that.  I would like to know the mechanism of the computer program.  If it is like -- click on the answer...... well that might not be appropriate for a child who can get the right answer but might not necessarily read the word correctly ----- it is not the exact same skill.  For a lot of kids getting the right answer can mean they read the word great, but I would not trust it for my son.

 

My son also does a lot higher on written comprehension passages.... it is pretty common I think.  I am glad he does, but I don't think that is his "real reading level."  He has several real reading levels, they all matter to me.  I also want him to read aloud with expression!  I am pretty sure -- he needed specific work on that, I think he is someone where that does not just happen.... although surely it would happen at some point, maybe.  I am glad we worked on it, though.  It did take time. 

 

I mean, though, if that is a goal ---- look at something to exactly meet that goal.  Something that is parallel to that goal may not get to that goal.  And I think there are goals within fluency... there is word recognition, there is speed, there is expression, there is punctuation, there is "knowing to pause around prepositional phrases," there are a lot of goals.  I think sure, some kids pick up some goals by having other goals addressed and having carryover.  But I think that is leaving things to chance, possibly.  But I think there are recommended orders for what skills to have in place, too, but I do not know them or don't remember now. 

[Lecka]

I googled it is Scientific Learning Reading Assistant 

 

It is the one with the voice recognition. 

 

I have never used it, I just think it is a cool idea.

 

Edit:  I have done decoding with my son, and I have done fluency with my son.  He needed fluency.  I think it is normal and fine to have a fluency program or some way you are working on fluency, not just doing decoding.  There are a lot of options, though.  It is kind-of a nice change from decoding, to be honest!

 

Especially if you are using some programs (as I have done) that focus more on "decoding" or more on "fluency," as compared to some programs that are more focused on including them together in the design of the program.  Like -- Barton says on the website, it includes fluency.  I have used programs that specify -- it is decoding, you will need a separate program for fluency. 

[Guest hansdekkers]

Dear Discussion colleagues:

 

Thank you for discussing Dynaread. I happen to be the one who started it and I much appreciate the different perspectives. Allow me to share a few important points.

 

Any remediation is as effective as its application. It goes without saying that multi-modal or multi-sensory (whichever term you're used to) phonics instruction is the preferred method of intervention. Research indicates that four out of five sub-types of dyslexia share a phonological decoding deficit core. Most struggling readers struggle with sounding out words. A neurological reality, which you can make visible using fMRI/EEG.

 

The most recent body of cognitive neuroscience has revealed two very important discoveries.

(1) That the brain seems to retain plasticity longer than thought in the past. Which is a big hurray...

(2) That the brain is incredible specific in its tasking (A great badminton player does not automatically make for a great tennis player). And this means that training/exercising needs to be as close to the real thing as possible.

 

A fact of life today is that most children are diagnosed far too late, or not at all. Our average age on Dyslexia Tests we receive is around 9.7 years of age. That tells you how long people (teachers/parents) wait in hope that the child will pick it up in reading at some point (the maturational perspective on reading education, for which -- in terms of neurology -- there is no scientific evidence to support it).

 

When we combine all of the above, the argument would be to put this near-10 year old child who has struggled in reading for many years, on intensive multi-modal phonics. The most recommended method for this is Orton Gillingham based remediation. This requires 3 to 4 hours of one on one remediation per week. Which school has funds and expertise for that to offer this to nearly 10% of their students? How many parents can afford this in terms of tutoring? How many tutors are there? 

And when we switch to the child... do you expect the child to be willing and motivated to sit down and exercise for long long weeks and months before it finally translates into an ability to read fluently in meaningful passages at par with their verbal intelligence?

 

For sure it happens, and it for sure is the ideal approach, but in reality we will be leaving a good 80+% of children with dyslexia behind us: Unable to receive the remediation they need; unable to afford it; unable to motivate themselves without proper return on investment.

 

These are sad realities. But the realities are even more sad... Research shows 60% of our juvenile detention center inmates show low literacy or illiteracy; 83% of street children in Toronto show the same; And a shocking 89% of adolescent suicides show language deficiencies congruent with dyslexia. 

 

We owe it to all these children in need to walk in REALITY. 

 

Is your child 5 and struggles? Test them (simple and fast; don't wait for two years on a waiting list) and then place them in Orton Gillingham remediation.

Is your child between 5 and 7? Do the same but be sure to hurry up.

Is your child 7 to 8 and still well motivated? Do the same, discuss it and try it for three months, see where it brings you.

Is your child older? With our Dynaread program we get them reading meaningful texts at par with their verbal intelligence, right from the first lesson. We train words using neuroscience tricks you cannot do with flashcards. Your child enjoys the reward on their efforts of being able to read. This -- in turn -- gives you the opportunity to keep on working on their reading, including phonics. We remediate reading through reading and enjoy beautiful results. And yes, we do phonics as well, as yes it most certainly is also multi-modal. But it is different. The child is finally experiencing that they CAN read, which -- emotionally -- makes a huge difference with the inner conviction that they CAN NOT learn to read.

 

Does this make Dynaread a fix-it-all? Of course not. But we are bringing older struggling readers successfully from illiteracy to literacy. There is a world of difference between entering adolescence illiterate or extremely low literate, to entering it functionally literate. I see dyslexia test results of nine year old, or eleven year olds that honestly literally bring me to tears (no emotional manipulation intended).

 

Reading remediation of older struggling readers is tough work. Dynaread is not a magic want. With us they need to persevere as well, and work with the program every day. But... at least they're reading and experience reading, which gives us the emotional credit to continue remediating them. 

 

The old African saying applies in the field of Reading Remediation: It takes a village to raise a child. In this context I invariable say: TOGETHER, we can make a difference! We need early testing, we need to raise school awareness of dyslexia, we need to train more teachers on effective multi-modal phonics remediation, and we also need teams and programs like us at Dynaread. And we need parents who understand their child and will encourage them, and friends who can relate and advocate for them. We also need strong science. 

 

But most of all we need to care... And all of you do that, otherwise you were not on this forum.

 

Hope this helps understand Dynaread a bit. All of Dynaread started with compassion for just one child. Nine years of age. Illiterate, Intelligent, and on a dead end road... . Please remember: Remediation is only as good as its application. 

 

Feel free to contact me. hdekkers@dynaread.com . I welcome discussion and input 100%.

 

Hans Dekkers