I wanted to see if anyone in the metro Atlanta area is interested in forming classes led by a Specialist for educating children with language based learning disabilties?

Well, we're just ending 7th grade now. It has been a hard year since we tried traditional (private) school this year which did not work... so we're back to homeschooling. I am thinking about starting a homeschool group for kids like mine who struggle so much they need specialists! Anyway, I have learned that mixed expressive receptive language disorder does not go away, and that deficit oriented speech therapy does not help a child like mine, and that she really needs her curriculum to be rich and engaging and specialists to bring the text alive so that she can make connections. I would love some suggestions on curriculum that is easy to understand. Any help?

I talked to Bob Boyd, who was very helpful. In my case, he was very helpful in making me realize *I* didn't want to go to all of that work, so I don't know much more about the process. What did he say to convince you of that? What did you do instead?

Thanks so much! I did PM her, but have not heard back yet. hopefully soon!

Does anyone know what you have to do to become an accreditor of homeschool classes? I know the steps to take; I just don't know what all it entails. Any ideas, particularly in GA?

I use Notgrass World History and love it. Here's why...I am not a history buff and neither is my ds. So the short chapters are easy to read. It provides a good discussion tool for us because there are some inferential questions in there - it is not all factual. It's quite an interesting read as far as I am concerned and best of all it was approved by my accreditor - the history part - not the literature part. For me, it works and works well. He is "getting" history whereas before it was just a bunch of facts. That's my two cents.

I wish I could be of more help, but I did want to say that my ds who has language processing problems is also a literal thinker. I think it has to do with the language but I also think there is a brain glitch in there. We spent the past year at the local Speech School and he grew tremendously in that one year. He is now reading at grade level with some assistance. He still needs help with writing but I think that only comes with practice. The SLP-Reading Specialist who worked with him there noticed that he was a concrete thinker and could not tranfer skills which requires an abstract thinker. I was always frustrated with the lack of transference from all those hours of SLP, etc. that never translated into better school performance. Anyway, from the little research I have done, there is no training to help a concrete thinker become an abstract thinker. It only comes with age, if then. I also noticed improvements with my ds but I think a lot of it has to do with age. I share your sentiment of not knowing what his future beholds but my concerns are mainly due to social skills. Language has definitely played a part in his social groups - he is not on grade level relating to people and still plays down in age. Like I said, I am not much help other than to say I can empathize. I will tell you also that it is very important to find the right person. We had our kids evaluated in NC and it was worth the drive. They talk to the children and let them know where their strengths and weaknesses are. But we're in GA and it wasn't that long of a trip. These people recommended the local Speech School and I wished I had listened sooner. It was the best thing I ever did!

Congrats! It feels good, doesn't it? Just the validation you needed that you're doing the right thing!

YES!

I felt the exact same way you did. We spent so much trying to get her the help she needed. We have been in speech therapy since she was 5, switched over to a cheaper Learning Specialist, then back to Speech Therapy - all with no real gains. Then the Learning Specialist started a program at our small Classical Christian School and worked with 4-5 kids once a week along with a full-time teacher. Dd went to this for two hours everyday for math and reading. At the beginning of the year and at the end of the year they did tests. The results were remarkable. She gained almost two years in that one year, and I think the difference was because of two things - the focus on reading (they used V/V techniques) and the one-on-one time she was given. She did not do well in her other subjects but I did not push it either. I was so concerned that she get up to speed on English and Math. Well, we decided to bring her home for one-on-one homeschooling. Poor thing, I put her through so much trying to find the one that fit her. I finally did. She spent from October to now in the local Speech School working one-on-one with a reading specialist and worked one-on one with a math tutor and then I filled in the rest. She did so well and improved another two year growth. I am convinced that public school will never be able to provide the services that our children need. I was not willing to even consider it. The one-on-one went very well and the emphasis on reading went well. I don't know if any of that helped any, but I know it's frustrating not knowing what will work for your child and to not see the growth that you want. She still tests out with having MERLD. That won't go away. I think the best thing the speech school taught her were the strategies. I could not have taught her that. I would someday like to go back to school so I can help other kids like her get the help they so desperately need.

I am so excited. We just spent the past six months at the local Speech School where dd received 1.5 hours twice a week therapy with a reading specialist/SLP. She recently took the Stanford Achievement Test and scored 2 grade levels higher than last year on reading. She is practically on grade level. Huge gains! The year before she spent time with VV in a private school setting (not at the clinic) and gained almost two years then. I am so proud of her. It's been a LOT of money, but it has been worth it! This was the most improvement I have seen since we started language therapy when she was 5 (now 13). It just goes to show that you have to have the right therapist. It make all the difference in the world. Homeschooling has been the right decision for her also in that she is less strained and drained. We're able to target her needs exactly. I was just so excited I had to share.:001_smile:

My daughter has MERLD. We took her to Success in Mind in NC and they diagnosed her with it. Their recommendations were intensive language therapy, moving to the front of the class, significant classroom modifications, etc. They did indicate that although she has this, she can still perform very well with the modifications. She also has an attention problem, but the real question is which one is the cart and which is the horse. I am a believer in her case that the attention is the cart and the language issues are the horse. I don't have any good recommendations at this point. We have been in speech/language therapy now for years and we have been working with a Learning Specialist. All this helped some and probably more than if we had done nothing. One thing I can say for sure is that a typical classroom does NOT work for MERLD. To understand it more, it is like speaking English in France...you pick up some words but not all of them. And that makes it hard to process. She does well working one on one or in a small group setting. I took her out of private school and am homeschooling her now. It's still a struggle but she DEFINITELY works better one on one. I know I didn't help much!

My son has a sentence to identify the parts of speech. "Stop Talking." I know You is the subject. I think Stop is the verb, but what is talking?

We looked into both books. We chose Abeka for two reasons. I did not like the fact that Apologia did not go into the human aspect of Biology. Abeka does. The second reason is that Abeka does the labs online. You do not have to do the labs yourself unless you want to. I did not want to. My ds is not scientific minded so this was a great way to get the full academic credit without messing up a dissection! Biology was never my strong suit, so I also like that ABeka Accredited offered the video. We'll see soon if I made the right decision, but that's my two cents worth!:)

Thanks! It looks like a great program, but our accreditation process requires testing. It's great that it does. I can use it then! I agree with the CPA about Quickbooks. I also think they need to be proficient in excel. Does anyone know of a course in Excel that would have tests with it also? (Probably impossible!)

My ds is 9th grade. I appreciate your feedback. It has been helpful. I just wished ABA published their SAT scores. That would be a good test on how effective their Math/English programs are.

My children have language issues and have used language therapy. The SLP does it. I have also had a learning specialist do it. There is a company called Liguisystem that has several workbooks you could do on your own if you know the particular areas that need to be worked on. I had to cut out the SLP so I will be using these workbooks.

Did it come with tests?

In my quest for getting an accredited transcript, I have come full circle on possibly using Abeka Academy. Does anyone have experience using them for everything? How were the SAT scores? Was the math program good enough? Thanks, anyone!

Just a recommendation for Success in Mind, based in Durham, NC. It was worth the trip for us to know what exactly is going on with our kiddos. It's expensive, but it was worth it to us. Our kids finally made sense to us after the results. They also take the time to explain it to you and to your child. I can't say enough good things about this organization. (I don't know if I am allowed to use their name or not, but as a mom with two kids with LDs, you pass along what you can when you know it works.) This place explained to my children their strengths and weaknesses and made my kids feel great about themselves. They are warm and friendly and truly understanding. They CARE. They also gave me a game plan to use at the school and home, especially now since both of them will be at the same place!

I live in the metro Atlanta area - northwest Atlanta. The places I am talking to let you pick your curriculum but they also let you know if it is one that matches HOPE/GA DOE standards. MFW 9th grade does not. 10th grade does, but 9th grade does not. Do you have a high schooler yet?

I am so depressed. I am planning on homeschooling my rising 9th grader in high school next year and I plan to get an accredited transcript. I have been to two places now and they both are recommending curriculum that is either BJU or Alpha Omega or Abeka. I did not want to go with any of these. I found out that MFW does not qualify for 9th grade. Are there any other options?!? I am so bummed!

That was very helpful. I am thinking I should take the easy route out and do the umbrella then. I thought it might be cheaper on my own, but it doesn't sounds like it. I found an umbrella that is not so picky on things. Thanks for your words of wisdom!

Is the complete package like the Week 10 information in their sampler? It just doesn't seem complete.

I don't know anything from personal experience but I have heard that TT is not grade-level.