possible tutoring option for dyslexic child

[caedmyn]

Someone I know who is certified in Wilson and formerly taught at a school for dyslexic kids (and also homeschooled her own dyslexic kids) is going to do a small-group dyslexia tutoring class for 7-10 YOs starting in January.  Limit of 4 kids, 1 hour, twice a week.  The price is low enough that I think DH would actually agree to it.  She says it will be OG based, also incorporating games, sight words, and fluency building.  I'm torn...it would definitely be easier on me than trying to tutor Barton with my 8 YO while trying to manage younger children at the same time.  But maybe it wouldn't be as effective since she would be tutoring a few kids at once.  FWIW we're spending 20-30 minutes, 4x/week on Barton.

[OneStepAtATime]

No way to know for sure if it will be a good idea or not.  

 

I know with DD it would not have been as effective.  She needs one on one, limited distractions, lessons that occur daily (even sometimes on Saturdays) and the lessons need to be short.  

 

DS?  Maybe.  He is very social and tends to do better in groups.  Just two days a week for an hour each seems very low, though.  Even with one on one tutoring, twice a week, for an hour each, that can sometimes not be enough without homework going home for reinforcement.  And sometimes kids don't do well with longer lessons.  

 

But you are really frustrated with Barton, you are not happy having to tutor with Barton, you find it fiddly and annoying, you have other kids that need you, your son is having trouble focusing and you haven't even reached Level 4 yet.  I can almost guarantee you are going to hate Level 4.  

 

You aren't that far into Barton.  You might finish Level 2 (did you mention in the other thread that you had already ordered Level 3?) then move him into the Wilson small group tutoring and see how he does.  See if she would be willing to send some things home you could do twice a week for reinforcement.  It might work o.k. that way.  If it doesn't end up working out, you could return to Barton later on.  Just review Level 2 and move into Level 3 of Barton when he seems ready.  I wouldn't normally recommend all the potential bouncing around but for your particular situation trying the other in January may be the better option.

 

I don't know how to compare the specifics of pacing, etc. with Wilson and Barton, though.  I don't know if completing Barton Level 2 then starting Wilson would be confusing or not.  I assume they use different terms, too.  Maybe someone more familiar with the specifics of Wilson can weigh in.

Edited November 30, 2016 by OneStepAtATime

[geodob]

That is an interesting question, about the difference between tutoring dyslexic kids one to one, and a small group of up to 4 ?

 

Where one particular thing that I think of ?  Is that each child, would observe other children, having a very similar difficulty to their's.

The age spread, from 7 to 10 years, is also interesting?

Where the 10 year old might look back at the difficulties that the 7 year old is having?

Also the 7 year old, can observe the difficulties that the 10 year old is having, and maybe think of their future?

 

Though what I really wonder about, is the value for a child, to feel that they are not alone with their Dyslexia?

That they are part of an extended group of Dyslexics.

Where they can observe  other children, who share their struggles.

Also observe the Tutor helping them.

 

As opposed to 'one to one tutoring', where a child feels alone with their Dyslexia?

With an adult sitting next to them, trying to help them with what they are told is called Dyslexia. 

But children still feel alone with their Dyslexia.

 

So that aside from the small group tutoring, helping them to address their Dyslexia?

I would highlight the opportunity to feel part of a group of children, that share living with Dyslexia.

 

So that the idea of bringing 4 children from the ages of 7 to 10, with Dyslexia together?

Really opens up a whole new opportunity.

[Heathermomster]

IDK, you should try it first and see how it goes.

 

My DS was tutored one on one and the sessions were intense. For one semester, DS tutored alongside another child, and son tells me that it was OK.

 

When DS took an IEW writing class with an O-G certified IEW tutor and three other dyslexics, the class was a party waiting to happen. The teacher had to rein in the boys a number of times because the subject was very difficult. One boy with ADHD did not do well.

Edited December 1, 2016 by Heathermomster

[displace]

I would have concerns on how she will deal with all different level abilities at he same time. If she's teaching them all on the same level then I'd be okay with it if they truly were on the same level. Or, if she has a round robin approach to teaching, student 1 is doing phonics A and student B phonics X or whatever. If there was a good plan in place and assigned work for the other three days, I'd do it. But you'll have to do work at least 2-3 other days too, assigned from the tutor or independently.

[Storygirl]

It will depend upon the teacher. DD11 had one on one tutoring last school year twice a week for an hour with an OG teacher. This year she is enrolled in a private dyslexia school with a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 2. She is getting her OG during school hours. Her tutor from last year used to work at the dyslexia school and said that DD no longer needs tutoring, because she is getting the needed help in class.

 

So a good OG teacher with experience at a dyslexia school theoretically can handle differentiating instruction with a small group of students. It may not be as efficient as one on one tutoring, but it may be preferable to what you can manage at home.

 

I would ask her if you could use Barton on the off days. Or something like Lexia (computer program). Or if she will assign homework.

 

I think in your position I would try it. You have many children to care for, and having someone on your team helping with the dyslexia piece may relieve some of your burden.

[PeterPan]

How much time will you spend in transportation?  It sounds like a fun *supplement* but I wouldn't drop your Barton.  I would do your Barton the other 3 days and have your 4th day be fluency drills on Sunday to transition back into Monday.  So the tutor sessions would increase what you're getting done, not replace.

[OneStepAtATime]

That is an interesting question, about the difference between tutoring dyslexic kids one to one, and a small group of up to 4 ?

 

Where one particular thing that I think of ? Is that each child, would observe other children, having a very similar difficulty to their's.

The age spread, from 7 to 10 years, is also interesting?

Where the 10 year old might look back at the difficulties that the 7 year old is having?

Also the 7 year old, can observe the difficulties that the 10 year old is having, and maybe think of their future?

 

Though what I really wonder about, is the value for a child, to feel that they are not alone with their Dyslexia?

That they are part of an extended group of Dyslexics.

Where they can observe other children, who share their struggles.

Also observe the Tutor helping them.

 

As opposed to 'one to one tutoring', where a child feels alone with their Dyslexia?

With an adult sitting next to them, trying to help them with what they are told is called Dyslexia.

But children still feel alone with their Dyslexia.

 

So that aside from the small group tutoring, helping them to address their Dyslexia?

I would highlight the opportunity to feel part of a group of children, that share living with Dyslexia.

 

So that the idea of bringing 4 children from the ages of 7 to 10, with Dyslexia together?

Really opens up a whole new opportunity.

Maybe. But dyslexia is a pretty broad diagnosis. My kids are both dyslexic but they function Waaay differently and have vastly different strengths and weaknesses within the same material. I found that teaching them together could easily make one or the other feel bad because one would be flying through in a particular area while the other was stumbling, and vice versa. And they were already self conscious. One on one meant they didn't have to be embarrassed if they made lots of mistakes or struggled to understand the instructions.

 

On the flip side of that coin DS really missed being with kids and might have done better in a small group setting without his sister, just other kids.

[caedmyn]

I think he will end up with plenty of other dyslexic kids in his own home to not feel alone with, given that DD appears to be mildly dyslexic and I'm thinking my 6 YO is dyslexic too as he just does not remember words no matter how many times he reads them, and my 3.5 YO has speech issues so he's probably going to be dyslexic too...  He doesn't realize that reading comes easily to most kids though, because he doesn't see kids other than his 3-years-older-sister read so he's not comparing himself to anyone else.

 

It would be 30 mins round trip.  I wouldn't want to add it onto Barton though...that would just increase my workload/stress and not make anything easier.  I'll have to think about it some more.  

 

I mentioned that he's quite ADHD and she said she was used to dealing with ADHD kids and she wasn't concerned.  It didn't sound like she would give much homework though, so maybe it is more intended for kids whose parents have no idea how to help them read better.  It's supposed to be for 2nd-3rd graders...not sure why she picked 7-10 for the age range, seems like 7-9 would be about right for that.

 

We finished Barton level 2 yesterday.  Maybe I will take a look at level 3 and see how the first couple of lessons go in that before deciding.

[PeterPan]

At the rate you're going, you might as well just get through Barton 4 and then decide.  Like seriously, you're making such good progress with Barton that the tutoring class is going to be a regression.  I would just keep going with Barton.

[Chanley]

It is strongly discouraged to do another program WITH Barton because it can be very confusing for the student. I would not do both simultaneously. You are not going to see HUGE improvements in Barton until somewhere in Level 4. Although every kid is different, there is usually a jump around that level. Right now, you are laying the groundwork. 

 

I would not opt for a program with 4 kids at once because each child struggles differently. One on one is best IMO because you can go at the pace that the individual child needs.