Recommended curriculum for possible dyslexic 7 yo?

[TABmom]

I've been following the thread about curricula for a dyslexic 11 year old, but my situation is not as dire. My dd is going into 2nd grade. I've looked into having her evaluated and it is crazy expensive. The lady I talked to though said she shows a lot of classic symptoms. However, it's not like she can't read at all. She's just behind. We have been using LoE Foundations and it's taken us 2 years to get through A and B. As I consider how we should move forward, I'm considering if we should stick with Foundations or not? If not, what should we switch to? Any advice on how to help a young dyslexic would be much appreciated.

[PeterPan]

Students | Barton

 

I would start with the student screening for Barton. There could be some deficits that would hold her back from succeeding in ANY curriculum, which the test will show you. It's free. When you get that info, report back. 

 

As far as testing, are you in the US? You have the federal right to evals through the ps. They might be horrible or might be great, depending on the school. Since the ADA now says to diagnose before 1st grade, it's actually high time. The OLD standard was 3rd grade. They can run a CTOPP, achievement, IQ, look for discrepancy, ADHD, OT, etc., all free. 

 

The other way to get testing done is through a free org (Scottish Rite, etc.) or through a tutor or SLP that happens to have the CTOPP. I got the CTOPP and DAR done by a local reading tutor for $75. That's NOT a diagnosis, and frankly you'd really like full evals and a diagnosis. The paper trail will help you later. But it's a start. Also dyslexia schools will sometimes have referral suggestions.

 

As far as what curriculum, everyone has their opinions. I use Barton with my ds. It gets the job done, is fully scripted, and has small enough steps that it takes nothing for granted and busts through the things that aren't working. The LOE author was trained by Sanseri of SWR. SWR is a Spalding spinoff, and WRTR and SWR are both, therefore, streamlined versions of OG meant for the mainstream market. A lot of the things popular now (AAS, SWR, LOE, etc.) are in that place of being more thorough versions of a streamlined approach to OG. So foundationally they're solid, yes, but you get these kids who need MORE, more detail, more helps, more teeny tiny steps. 

 

Barton has incredibly good resale value. You basically can't go wrong with it. But sure, use what calls to you. I had used a bunch of other things with my dd (not dyslexic) over the years, so by the time I came to my ds I could very quickly see WHY those programs, although all really good!!, weren't going to get him there. He just needed smaller steps and much more detailed instruction. 

 

I would definitely not be bashful about being assertive and getting this intervention going. It's time. :)

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Edited July 21, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[TABmom]

I am in the US. I had contacted a group that does reading interventions/tutoring, but my preschooler actually does speech through the public schools and they have been good to work with- I'll check into that when school starts back up. I will have her take the Barton screening- she's at her grandparents right now and I'm trying to get some planning accomplished while they are gone!

[Jenn in CA]

If she's moving slowly, and maybe "mildly dyslexic" (is there such thing?) it would not at all be overkill to use Barton. It has been so so good for my very dyslexic dd and also my not-dyslexic daughter who has needed extra support.

[hepatica]

Two of my dyslexic kids could not read at all at age 7. My middle child, however, seemed to be learning to read ok. She progressed slowly but steadily in reading.  I thought I had dodged the bullet with her. But, today, at age 13 her dyslexia clearly shows up in written expression (especially spelling and handwriting) and in reading dense non-fiction texts. I really wish I had used Barton with her from the beginning. My DS9 started Barton at age 7 and it has made a world of difference for him.

 

I understand about the cost of evaluations. We had to get them this year for the older kids because they need them for accommodations on standardized tests, so we went ahead and had my DS evaluated as well (once we had paid for two evaluations we had met our deductible, and insurance covered the rest). It is useful to understand their strengths as well as their deficits. But, we had already moved ahead with Barton because I recognized that my son was very much like his oldest sister, so, the evaluation didn't change what we were doing (you can get a lot of Barton levels for the cost of an evaluation). We will have to repeat the evaluation when he is older because the College Board wants them done within a 5 year window. 

[Pen]

I've been following the thread about curricula for a dyslexic 11 year old, but my situation is not as dire. My dd is going into 2nd grade. I've looked into having her evaluated and it is crazy expensive. The lady I talked to though said she shows a lot of classic symptoms. However, it's not like she can't read at all. She's just behind. We have been using LoE Foundations and it's taken us 2 years to get through A and B. As I consider how we should move forward, I'm considering if we should stick with Foundations or not? If not, what should we switch to? Any advice on how to help a young dyslexic would be much appreciated.

 

 

In the 11YO thread I had mentioned High Noon and Language! But I don't recommend those for a 7yo.

 

In addition to the typical suggestions for dyslexia you have already seen, including Barton, for a 7yo, consider Modern Curriculum Press readers and other materials  (I think it is called MCP--and is available from ordinary sellers such as Amazon) which have more mainstreamed materials as with LoE, but which are very phonics based, progress gradually, have large comfortable print, colored pictures, and so on.

 

I don't know what A and B of LoE means as to what child can read. But it may be that going slowly with what you have is actually fine.

[TABmom]

Well, I gave her the Barton student screening and she did not do well. On the first section, she counted syllables instead of words even after a couple of explanations. The second section she did ok- she missed one the first time, but did correct when given the chance. The 3rd section- repeating the sounds and pulling down a square to correspond, she missed about half- though she usually got them right after a repeat- you are only supposed to repeat 6 times and she needed repeats more than that.

 

So....what do you do if they don't pass the student screening?

[TABmom]

Well, I found on the website that they need to do the Lips thing. I'm pretty sure it's not sound discrimination, it's memory.

[PeterPan]

Well it's good that you gave it to her! The test is looking at really basic phonological processing and working memory. So if it seems to you like it's looking at multiple things, it is. They're skills necessary for her to do well in *any* program. The two programs Barton recommends are LIPS (Gander Publishing) and Foundations in Sound. FIS is newer and fully scripted, like Barton. If she has no significant speech problems, you're probably going to find FIS easier to you, simply because it's open and go. I used LIPS with my ds, who has significant speech problems and really needed the LIPS faces. Both programs are expensive, and both will have reasonable resale value. There might not be as many used copies of FIS, because it's newer. LIPS is also hard to find used (try ebay) because people buy it and keep to tutor, etc.

 

It definitely sounds like it's going to be a good move for you to get into some materials that are more dyslexia-specific! :)

[PeterPan]

If you think it's *only* working memory, you can work on working memory. However many kids with ADHD and no dyslexia will have working memory deficits and pass that test just fine. A dc newly 5 should be able to pass that test. It really sounds like she has significant deficits. 

 

I personally would do LIPS or FIS and be done with it. There's no harm in a good foundation, and it will make sliding into Barton easy. If you want good progress, build a good foundation.

 

If you want to add more working memory work, sure, knock yourself out! I did sessions for working memory and RAN/RAS (rapid naming) with my ds every day when we first started LIPS/Barton. It's definitely good. The working memory you need to do Barton is going to be pretty intense. They're going to have to say it, motor plan, move their hands, hold their thoughts, move tiles. Doing LIPS or FIS really sets them up for that. Doing digit spans, kinesthetic working memory, etc., while good, really isn't going to be quite the same. That's why I'm saying doing the preparatory program will make it seamless, painless. You'll be glad you did it. :)

[PeterPan]

I'm saying the tile methodology of FIS/LIPS will be the SAME as what you need for Barton. That's why it's excellent prep. And the tiles are going to make visual some things that it sounds like she's struggling with right now. 

[PeterPan]

Home | Foundation in Sounds

[Pen]

Well, I gave her the Barton student screening and she did not do well. On the first section, she counted syllables instead of words even after a couple of explanations. The second section she did ok- she missed one the first time, but did correct when given the chance. The 3rd section- repeating the sounds and pulling down a square to correspond, she missed about half- though she usually got them right after a repeat- you are only supposed to repeat 6 times and she needed repeats more than that.

 

So....what do you do if they don't pass the student screening?

 

 

If you work with something else for a year or so, then also consider High Noon. It does not depend on this sort of thing. But it is geared to kids older than 7, I think.

[TABmom]

I'm glad you guys are saying I can do the LIPS or FIS at home- the website sounded like you needed to be certified. I'll research those programs. She was in speech for a few months a year or so ago, but they said she was on track now. (I guess I thought her ability to hear the differences between sounds had improved) She was repeating the sounds just fine, but then she'd move the tiles down and forget what order they were in.

Edited July 23, 2017 by TABmom

[PeterPan]

FIS is fully scripted. LIPS has a manual with some scripting, but it's oriented toward therapists, someone who is willing to take the time to learn a methodology and customize it. It's really just whichever you prefer. My ds has verbal apraxia, so having the mouth pictures that showed what it looked like and being able to hold up a mirror and make the sounds and manipulate the pictures of the production was really essential with him.