Making OPGTR work with dyslexia?

[hdjCC]

Does anyone use OPGTR with their dyslexic kids? Results? I have been using it over the last year or two- we have woven in HOPs at times and took a break from it. I am really considering AAR, but I don't want to get distracted by the "shiny new ball".  It is not that OPGTR is not working, I just have been hearing such good things about AAR. But it is pricey.  I think with anything we use it is a marathon not a race and there will be times where I wonder if we are getting anywhere.

My son is 9 and he finished his 3rd grade year and he reads on a first-second grade level.  I also have a daughter starting 1st grade this year and thought I could use for her, she does not seem to present with any learning difficulties at this point.

Thank you for your feedback-

[PeterPan]

You'll get lots of advice and opinions. My ds is rising 3rd, dyslexic, with an IEP from the ps, and I can tell you one of the things on my mind is that 3rd grade is when you transition from learning to read to reading to learn. 

 

In other words, the window you had is fast closing and now that 1st/2nd grade reading level and giving it time is really making him behind. Have you had any testing to know where he's actually at? I think data would let you know how well the approach is working. 

 

The irony is that buying level after level of AAR can actually be more expensive than buying Barton, given Barton's high resale value.

 

Just as a total aside you might want to do the Barton pre-testing, which is totally free, and see if there are underlying issues affecting his ability to progress with ANY program. Students | Barton

 

Also, no matter what program you use, you'll want to do RAN/RAS work.

[AHASRADA]

I tried OPGTR with my dyslexic dd in grade 1. She hit a wall with digraphs (th, maybe?) and had to take a break. We ended up using Wilson, and it made all the difference. Any Orton-Gillingham based program should do the trick, the main difference among them being the amount of scriptedness and bells-and-whistles. If you don't want the expense or gazillion pieces of AAR, you could try Preventing Academic Failure. I would definitely settle on a program soon. We started Wilson soon after her 8th birthday and it felt like we caught it just in time.

 

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[Heathermomster]

I would go straight to Barton. ETA: assuming you have the dyslexia diagnosis.

Edited July 15, 2017 by Heathermomster

[caedmyn]

I used some of OPGTR with my DD at 4 YO (when she first learned to read) and again at 6 YO.  In between we did Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and she did a phonics program her K year at school also.  I believe she's mildly dyslexic with stealth dyslexia that didn't become apparent until she got into multi-syllabic words in 2nd grade.  Anyway, even though she's only mildly dyslexic, we still have needed to do parts of Barton became she couldn't seem to get syllable division down.

[kcruther]

OPGTR was one of the five (...six....maybe more if you count components) phonics programs that I used with my two dyslexics. I used each program until it "outpaced" them (only way I can think of to describe it). I wish I had started Barton's much, much earlier. Every other program went too fast (it has taken my boys a year to memorize 20 sight words). You can certainly use it for your NT daughter. I might even do that too, my 3yo old told me recently that she was disappointed I "didn't teach her to read yet"! ;-)

[Ariston]

Another voice of someone who wishes she had gone straight to Barton.  Like everyone else I tried to spend the least amount of money, and do the least intensive program needed.  But I kept having to up the ante, which results in tears, wasted time, and wasted money.  Also agree with the others about the timing.  I don't have experience with dyslexia other than my own child, but we started Barton when he was 9 I think?  And I really wouldn't have wanted to do it any later.  It made such a huge difference to all of his other learning and to his growth and development, being able to read books for enjoyment.

[hepatica]

Same here. Three dyslexic kids and I went through a dozen reading programs before finally trying Barton with the third child. Wish I had just started there to begin with. OPGTR actually worked ok with my middle DD in that she learned to read. But she absolutely cannot spell, even today at age 13. I really think Barton would have made a difference for her as well.