Are you sure it is EIW (excellent in writing)? I think you really mean IEW? based on the Level labels. EIW is labeled grade based. I did not have any luck with IEW with my oldest student and never even tried with my second dyslexic student. She did do a level of EIW her senior year and a hodge podge of stuff over the years - a lot of creative writing and journal writing and this year as a Freshman in college, she had a perfect score on her placement tests (very few achieve this score) and has a high A in her English course. I truly never thought she'd struggle but she is doing beautifully. Now, my oldest kiddo, had to take a remedial course at CC but passed through it the first time (apparently there is a high rate of repeats) and then went on to achieve a high B in his English classes (this from the child with dyslexia and a very severe hearing impairment). He shared with me that I had been doing everything to help him but until it was important to him it just didn't matter. Teaching these kids takes the patience of Job most days and whole lot of grace and big does of hope - but they do succeed! I'm actually using a little known program called the Write Foundation for my third dyslexic student and he's doing great. Lots of repetitive learning (reminds me of MathUSee) and that has aided in successful retention. Each one of these learners just never fit in the one size fits all box. There are some days that I sure wish they did because then we, the moms, would know just what to do and be assured success once we reach the end of the road.

If AAS is helping why not work through All About Reading? I'd have been more inclined to work on the reading skills for now until she has spent some time in therapy and you get a clearer picture of what you are dealing with and work through ideas to remediate. I'd let her read through books well below her level to build her confidence and enjoyment back into the activity of reading. Save the hard stuff for reading instruction time. I've had a lot of success with struggling learners with the AAR as it builds reading comprehension in a very small increments so it is not overwhelming for the struggling learner. I've used BJU reading for other kids over the years and they ask every question under the sun about the story that is read that by the time you work through it you never want to read again. I'd also be inclined to work through narration - start small and work up. Ask questions after she is done reading a short chapter and then begin to help fill in the details and she'll eventually get stronger. I've got a hearing impaired, APD/dyslexic college kid and small, short, gradual build up in lessons were key to any retention and confidence.

oops - wrong board

I have no expertise in APD because there is no audiologist around my area that will test for that but I do have a hearing impaired kiddo (who I suspect struggles with APD on top of the hearing loss!) and is dyslexic, too. It is extremely frustrating to deal with and figure out what works for accommodations. At the local CC his MOA clearly states that he can request and receive a printed outline of the lectures from the professor. He then works from that outline filling in the needed info. It gives him something to work from and eliminates some of the distractions of noise around him and the slow processing of what he is hearing. The first year he did record the lectures but never went back and listened to them as he found that no more useful than having listened to it the first time. Another option he is allowed but hasn't used is a note taker. The CC will provide special paper that is given to a note taker and basically it copies their notes as they write and then provided to the student. Now, obviously if you have someone who has no skills in note taking you may get crappy notes but for some it works. The school had the Live scribe pen to loan out but it wasn't available because someone else was using it so I have no idea if this would have made much of a difference. It takes time but my ds has gotten stronger - in his skills and in speaking up for his needs. I agree that it would not be unreasonable to request some sort of print out with regards to the meeting.

Do you have any particular state law requirements in the diploma or the transcript? You don't need to put the curriculum that you used down the book titles. It really comes down your student working at his/her level. I don't denote whether the course was high school level - one publisher over another? I look at the effort required and the time spent. I look at the overall scope of the coursework versus whether a publisher said it was high-school worthy. I've graduated two - both with LDs (one hearing impaired) and I just generalize the transcript (i.e., English 9, 10, etc. World History I, American History I & II). I didn't specify what I used to accomplish those goals because I set the goals in my school and they had to meet those requirements. I know math is a bit trickier, especially if a child has to repeat Algebra I but there are some clever titles you could use based on a scope and sequence of the curriculum you use. My dd actually did Alg I twice so the first year I called it PreAlgebra and then Algebra I the following year. We used different publishers and she covered topics more advanced, even though they were the books said "Algebra I" on the front of them. Her senior year she worked through Algebra II. The bottom line goal was getting her prepared to pass the placement tests successfully at the CC level. Our CC offers practice tests and samples so I knew she was more than prepared and she did extremely well on the placement tests. Same for English. Her goals for the future at to become a teacher so I tailored her high school courses to prepare her for the college level required courses. Frankly, the math she has brought home at the CC level (top rated CC in much of the country) is nothing more than Algebra I on steroids so stressing about early on was not a good use of my time. I also found the same to be true with my older ds (hearing impaired). He placed easily into the higher maths he needed because he had the strong foundation versus the "high level math to put on the transcript." kwim? A lot of these kids who are taking all this advanced math in high school are not passing the placement tests at the college-level - foundation is key. As for science/history - same thing applies. I preferred retention and mastery over writing big long essays with no real understanding of the subject. The one skill that I've adjusted this year with my newest high school student is test-taking skills. This is one area that I'm doing a little more work on to provide more exposure to build up the confidence. Once she gets to the college level you can work with the disability counselor to gather whatever documentation you might need to draft up a memorandum of accommodation so she has the tools available to her to succeed at this level. I wouldn't worry about the materials you use but rather build up her foundation over these years to succeed at the CC level. Transcripts just list a course title and a grade.

As a mom to a hearing impaired kiddo - question with regards to the ballet class -- is your daughter front and center and able to see the teacher? or is she off to the side placed behind another student? Is she placed where she can keep her eyes on the teacher's face? Is the ballet teacher's voice high pitched? If she is unable to see the teacher's face she may not be able to truly hear what is being said. Kids with hearing issues learn very early on to compensate and find ways to accommodate their issues. She may have already figured out compensating her hearing by watching faces (mouth movements). My ds could always hear me so I never suspected a thing but when others began to take notice - well, that was key. Our children learn our voices since before they're born so for the most part they are able to recognize it - even if it isn't as loud as they'd prefer. I'd get a really thorough audiology screening and be absolutely sure there is no hearing loss. My ds was always spaced out, a few seconds behind everyone else (I never noticed until years later when we watched the home videos) and now we know why but he struggled until he was 15! Long story - well visits and the most common "raise your hand when you hear the beep" never picked up on it over the years (still not sure why).

Is this only happening in the Spanish class? and she is fine in the other ones? That is odd if just the one class. My ds was diagnosed late with a severe hearing loss and wears hearing aides and there are things the school does provide to accommodate them but they wouldn't be applicable in this case. Kids do wonders with compensating without people noticing the loss and struggle. I recently watched old home videos and was amazed at what I saw in them - talk about a light bulb moment. I hope the audiologist can see her quickly and figure out if anything is going on that is out of the ordinary.

You could work through some of the placement tests on the AAR website and see where she fits more comfortably. I've actually used AAR level 3 as a review for my older kiddo last year. I didn't have him to the reading from the book but the stories are so nice, because he is much older, but he benefited from the review of the skills taught. I have a dyslexic kiddo that has issues with memory and frankly learning all the rules from AAS was a bust! He just can't retain it. Instead he spent a lot of time working on just reading books off of tape and then as he got stronger on his own. I've found that some kids, no matter what you do, just can't retain all those rules - it is just too much to process. After exhausting all the other options out there within my financial capabilities, I switched to Math U See's new program Spelling U See and boy has that made a big change. We are seeing extremely positive results. I would have to call this program the one you turn to with absolutely nothing else worked. It is not a learn to read program but since I'd done that for years with him we needed to move on. Just a few rambling thoughts.

Did you go to the American school in Kenya? My sister graduated from there and I worked at the Embassy.

Sounds like a good plan Dawn. This way you'll have plenty of time to gather any documentation or make appointments to get any required paperwork prepped in advance. Our CC required documentation of disability be current within the past 18 months (or maybe it was a year). I went just before the counselor appointment and had everything updated so there were no questions asked and no issues. P.S. Love your Avie! Are you from Kenya? I lived there many moons ago (early 80s).

I was just visiting the AOP website (not a favorite of mine) but noticed that the SOS option allows the text to be read to you - will have to check this out in the morning with my student to see if this might be a possibility for just one course.

I'm really struggling with what to do for my ds (9th, severe dyslexic/dysgraphic/memory issues) for science (and history!!). You would think that after graduating two other kids with similar issues (and one is hearing impaired) I'd have figured out that magic formula but for some reason I'm really struggling with what to do for his science. The one thing that I didn't do with my olders was some gradual exposure to textbooks and text book tests and so I think this particular child will need more than just a one year class his senior year to get the skills down for that type of learning. He takes a while to warm up to different ways of doing things - routine and schedules are key for him along with repetitive type learning. Long story in a short version - I need at least one subject that he could work through much of it on his own and seriously considering the Apologia General or Physical Science books using the MP3 option so it is read to him along with the newer notebook option. I'm not hung up on the "that is not high school level" issues because if I did a high school level textbook it would be a major of waste of time and effort. I prefer retention rather than frustration. His future goals are not stem-related but rather future General of the Army related. I don't have rules in my state - I set the course work for graduation. I also see that they have a lecture DVD but I'd almost rather just find videos that enhance the subject and save the lecture/note taking skills for 11th and 12th grade when he'll be so much stronger skill-wise. Any feedback?

Those were the cards that I had seen Jaybee - thank you for posting the link!!! Awesome. My youngest, 11, is a visual spatial learner and he'll have those cards memorized the first time he sees them but I thought it might help my dyslexic older kiddo, too, without all the drudgery of writing; I'll save that skill for another subject! :-)

I understand the memory issues very well. I gave up the count on how many happy Friday's we celebrated because my ds had finally understood and mastered a math skill and then on Monday it was as though it fell out of his head while he slept! I used TT math for him at one point but there was no connections being made in retention but boy, when I switched to MUS and he had time to really just practice the skill each day and we could either move on ahead or stay in the chapter - that was key for him. I've had no more lapses in memory from day to day or Friday to Monday. Of course, I found the same issues with grammar retention until I used 2 years of FLL and now, entering 9th, he still remembers it all. Small bites of learning with lots of practice without adding in other skills (which is why I think some dyslexics struggle with a spiral - we think the small bites of practicing of other problems is great but sometimes they need less switching of different types of problems to master).

My dyslexics did extremely well with retention using Math U See - it has the manipulatives if you need them but they don't over power the program. I've also found that spiral programs were a disaster because their brains didn't have enough time to make the connections before moving on to the next bit of information. I have wished many times over that I had started with MUS sooner but you live and learn.

I'm not sure that I'd be adding in the Vocab from Classical Roots - I've used this with my older two and it was a bomb! What I did see where these visual cards (500 in a set) that helped with vocab by creating a visual connection to the words but for the life of me I can't remember the author. I'm going to pick up for my Freshman who has severe dyslexia/low memory. Short lessons are so key in helping these kids gain success. I know they have to be able to do more as they approach the college scene but slow and steady....

Does he have a pretty good grasp of grammar at this point? If the answer is yes that I'd change the focus of practicing grammar that is out of context and put it back into actual writing. Last year I had an EPS workbook that had the child edit 5 sentences per day and it practiced all kinds of skills - grammar, punctuation, etc. I was shocked that it worked so well when the year end testing came and he scored a perfect score (never happened before). This year I'm going to use IEW's Fix It and that might be a great option. Now, I will say that I spent two years doing the FLL early levels (yes, he was 12 when we started) but it cemented into his brain and he still remembers the rules but if I had spent one second more diagramming anything we would have had a serious breakdown. I think I'm going to try Junior Analytical Grammar with my youngest because it also has a DVD (the AG has one, too) to get the basics covered and then just work on reviewing the grammar/punctuation, etc. over the years versus heavy duty grammar lessons year after year after year. My dd took her college placement tests (she's dyslexic) and she scored a perfect score on her English tests and the work required for the placement tests was editing sentences. I had her use a Prufrock press book her senior year which had her editing a sentence each day. I just can't see going back to the drill of a program like R&S or even EG (I've used this for my oldest and he never retained other than blocking out prep. phrases. You might just try things from a different angle - those kids with short working memory do so much better with quick lessons each day.

There are samples on the homeschoolbuyers coop website.

The nature book looks great! One thing that I did with my two youngest and it created a orinthologist out of one of them is bought the book Burgess book about birds and we read through a chapter each day and I had picked up a bird coloring book and colored in the bird of the day. We then checked out the cornell bird website to listen and learn where the birds lived, etc. There is a Burgess animal book that you might also add in. It's really a sweet book although you'd need to read it (unless it could be read aloud through the kindle maybe?). The Burgess books are little gems and a short add in to a nature study. I forgot all about the one on my shelf about the seashore that I had planned for the summer. Oops! Maybe next year?

Thought of another idea but you'd have to wait until you got home - the people that make Science Shepherd;s Biology and Life Science has a brand new science curriculum for the elementary crowd. They have made a series of video segments that you access online and then work through a short worksheet. There are some hands-on stuff but not required and not overwhelming that you need a big giant kit that comes in the mail with all the parts included. They also have two workbook levels available depending on the child's skill-level. Great option for dyslexics!!!!!!

I believe that the Young Explorers Apologia books now have (at least some do?) an audio component so your dd could listen to them (download on an ipod or something?). You can also purchase the note book that goes along with the book which is probably a bit easier to navigate than a lap book and supplies?

My ds is a sophomore at the local CC. It is a high-rated CC and offers transfer contracts to all the colleges in the state (VA). He is hearing impaired, dyslexic, and has processing issues due to the hearing impairment. Our experience at the CC has been outstanding and really key to his success that first year in college. We had to provide current documentation and our audiologist provided a list of key accommodations that needed to be in place and the disability counselor took care of the rest. She typed up a NOA and provided enough copies for my ds to hand out to each professor. She also suggested that he set up a meeting prior to the semester starting with each professor to hand the NOA and just have a general meet and greet. We did this the first semester and the professors were extremely receptive and appreciative and encouraged my ds to talk with them for help above and beyond what was written on the NOA. The counselor tracked down a special transmitter that my ds was able to use in one class where the professor wasn't as loud as the others. The choice for the CC over a 4 year out of the starting gate was truly key in getting him adjusted to the lecture hall/lecture experience. We did some courses online for note taking/lecture skills but there wasn't the noise and distractions of other students in the home setting so he was able to compensate gradually. We also found that the first semester, if not the second, too, were very tiring because the brain has to work so much harder with all the stimulation and new surroundings and a big college campus might have been very overwhelming. We've begun searching for his next step. His counselor has shared that many of the big colleges just don't do very much for students with disabilities, despite what is written on the campus website. She shared that he'd probably find it more accommodating at a smaller college with smaller classes. Under ADA the schools have to provide accommodations but they don't necessarily do a great job so her thoughts were it would be easier to navigate in the smaller setting. When we looked at the cost of sending him to a school with a dorm experience at the cost was over $30,000 and the local CC to get those 2 year undergrad credits out of the way for under $6,000 it made more sense. After experiencing that first year with him and it requiring quite a bit of my time helping guide him through the adjustment, we would have most likely spent $30,000 for him to flunk out because he was overwhelmed and exhausted by the changes. Baby steps have been key...the accommodations were great but slow and steady adjustments were even more key.

I was on the Right Start math website and they now (maybe they always did) offer a separate 10 week program for learning fractions. The description states that the student learns adding, subtracting, multiplying and division of fractions all in this short time frame. I have MUS fractions level (Gamma I think?) but with my VSL/RB kiddo the thought of spending the entire year on fractions alone might not be a great fit - I need mastery but then move on another skill (decimals perhaps). Would this work for fractions? Is there another option? My ds does well with MUS but needs more variety on the subject content so trying to vary the skills learned throughout the week.

We've been using this program and love it! I am not a reviewer nor did I receive a free copy to try it on for size. I've used many other programs over the years and used to love AAS but what I found was that my two youngest were totally overwhelmed with remembering all the rules. Yes, eventually you get to the level in AAS that has dictation but the sentences are short. We were drudging through that curriculum and my visual spatial/right brained perfectionist was really having trouble working through lists and getting discouraged when the word he wrote was wrong. He is VSL/RB and he needs to only see words two or three times (if that) and it is in his brain for good so the constant review with AAS was not a good fit for him. I really wanted to give SUS for my ds that is severely dyslexic and dysgraphic with memory issues because he really had issues remembering all the spelling issues. We finally have a product that both are enjoying and working hard on mastering. The colored pencils and marking the selection is excellent for interacting with the written word. Each day is not a long drawn out lesson. The copy work is cut down to manageable chunks for retention. They love no rule day (4th day of the program) where they can draw and write their own story or they can write their own version of the lesson or write what might follow the poem, etc. My kids have gotten so creative on no rule day that it has been so much fun to see what they come up with -- so far a lot of military stories. I've found that they have begun to take great care doing these lessons but it is transferring to other subjects. The other programs (and I've used the gamut with 4 kids) just didn't connect for them. Some kids don't need all those rules clouding up the brain. They need to picture it in their minds and then write it down and this program essentially teaches them to do this. I know when I'm writing something and I forget how to spell something I try spelling it out on paper and altering the spelling as I see it. If you want a program with hand-holding, lists of words and rules to master each week then this is not the program for you. It is short and sweet and gets the job done but it is not necessarily a method in which most adults are familiar with because most of us grew up with spelling books, weekly tests and lots of write this word in a sentence type program.

Since this is your first year of homeschooling - take it slow. You'll need time to figure out your way of teaching and truly how your children learn. Age appropriate hands-on learning right now is probably a given - most kids fit that learning style at this stage of their lives so things may change over the next year or so and you all settle in to a new way of life. If you like the Charlotte Mason style check out Heart of Dakota. You don't have to do all their suggestions but it would be a strong framework for the year for you to follow - open and go until you find your feet and decide what works for you (i.e., winging it, making it up as you go along, or needing something scripted). I think that may be the draw towards the Paths option. Two more ideas would be signing up for Amanda Bennett's unit studies - she offers specials each week at that are $5 a piece. Easy to download, follow along day by day (although I end up taking way more than a day for the day's assignments) and they are full visual links, cooking, maps - some copy work (which would not be the end of the world if you don't do). You could purchase a few units and work through them and see how you do - small financial commitment. Story of the World is great, too. The activity book has maps and project ideas so you could easy do that a few times a week and it is easy to combine the kids together. And finally, give Beautiful Feet a look as they have a gentle early American program that might be a great fit for your first year. As for science, I'm a new fan of Nancy Larson science. It is expensive but it is complete. It includes all ways of learning and it was very engaging. This is one program that if I had an opportunity for do-overs in life I would have used this sooner and the cost would have been less than all the failed attempts at everything else I bought in the early elementary years!!! She also provides book lists for the library for those who want more but probably pretty easy to come up with some on your own based on the subject at the library. Just take it slow and steady - it'll all come together.