SandyKC
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Posts posted by SandyKC
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1) Can the Wireless on Kindles be turned off? Or does it differ from one to another?
2) What is the largest screen size? It seemed like some here were getting bigger than 7"--but the largest I see listed is 7". How big in inches of centimeters can letters be enlarged?
3) Which can be used with Audible as well as kindle written text? Which can be used with Whispersync? With Whispersync, can you listen and read at truly the same time, or only toggle back and forth?
4) How do the ones with internal lighting compare to ones that don't have that?
5) If you have used both Kindle and other devices that can use Kindle books, what do you prefer? And why?
6) What is Kindle Unlimited and (assuming almost $10/month is what it costs) is it worth it?
Since a lot of the questions are comparative, and I don't know other versions of the Kindle other than the one we have, I can't speak for anything in regard to different types of Kindles.
That said, I have a Fire.. The wireless can be turned on/off, but you have to have the books you want to read downloaded to your actual Kindle if you want to read them without being online. When I'm going somewhere, I'll decide what I want to read ahead of time and download it while I'm at home.
You do have to watch the screen sizes.. the Fire and Fire HD are SLIGHTLY different sizes--the cases for one won't fit the other (learned that the hard way!).
The Kindle Fire can use Audible as well as Whispersync and text-to-speech. The text-to-speech can be monotonous to listen to, so the Whispersync or Audible is preferable. Yes, you can TRULY read and listen at the same time--that is the "sync."
I like the internal lighting on my Kindle.. I've never had trouble reading it in any light. I like being able to switch the pages from white pages with black text to black pages with white text for reading in the dark! It's not glaring that way. They also have a "sepia" page that is gentle on the eyes.
We read kindle books on our laptop, iPad, and Kindle. I far prefer the Kindle because its weight and size is very much like reading an actual book. The features are easily accessible for turning text to speech on or off, changing the display, etc. I just find it easier to use for the task since it was specifically built primarily for reading.
Kindle Unlimited gives you a certain number of downloads per month, or you can check out books for a period of time. In that sense, it isn't really "unlimited" as in you can't just download and have all the books you want. Be sure to check out the specific terms so you can decide if it's worth it to you. One mom told me it's worth it if you sit down and read through books one-at-a-time, and read several books per month. If you tend to buy books, and like to have them to read later or read over time, it may or may not be worth it depending upon the books you choose while you're on the plan. It'd be an individual decision from person-to-person as to whether it'd be a good investment for you.
Hope that helps!
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I'm back. ;-) Basically, the ACT folks are looking for documentation of your child's disability by a qualified evaluator. They will base their decision more on the evaluation report than anything. If your evaluation report documents recommended accommodations, then your plan can be a really simple page explaining the accommodations your child has received over the past three years. When considering testing accommodations, the considerations are based upon the most recent three years.. There is an assumption your child will have made progress over the past decade and what she needed a decade ago for testing doesn't really matter. What she needs now is critical.
Having an "educational plan" is more important if you don't have a comprehensive evaluation to document accommodations, but truthfully, they seem to put little stock in anything a mom writes. I've known some applicants that had IEPs from earlier years in public school along with a mom's documentation who were turned down for accommodations. I'm not saying the educational plan won't carry any weight, but it doesn't carry a lot of weight. Therefore, I wouldn't spend a lot of time on it. A current, comprehensive evaluation that is less than three years old, and which documents your child's disabilities and needed accommodations is the most viable way to get good accommodations. ;)
As far as formatting goes, you can section by academic task and/or activity. For example:
Reading: Audiobooks, tests read aloud
Writing: Oral answers, dictation software, note taking assistance
Math: Calculator
Testing: Extended time, spell-checker, tests read aloud
Feel free to ask me specific questions.. not that I'll KNOW the answer, but I might. ;-)
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I use Medic Alert.
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HEY Suzanne,
I'm just about to go to a homeschool activity, but saw this and thought I'd drop a line and say I'll be back to respond this afternoon/evening. I HAVE BTDT. What do you have in the way of documentation? Might be able to send that with a brief write-up of what you do at home.. If you have a comprehensive evaluation, you generally don't need much more with the ACT folks. ;-)
Be back soon!
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Congratulations on the accommodations! We preferred the ACT way of doing things too. It worked WELL for my DS.. Hope it works as well for yours! :D
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COOL, Geodob! I'd love to learn more about the studies.. Do you have anything published online? Very interesting because my son started with MANY reversals, upside down letters (particularly mixing u and n), and mirror writing (see sample) -- He had vision therapy, we used handwriting without tears, and orton-gillingham teaching. He had both ocular motor issues and true dyslexia (lack of phonemic awareness, working memory deficits, and slow processing speed).
For
kristin0713-- It's hard when you're starting out and so MANY people have the misconception that "dyslexia" is a vision issue.. I explain in my book all about how people's loose use of the definition of dyslexia to describe all kinds of reading problems leads to confusion.
The diagnosable learning disability called dyslexia is neurological in origin and involves cognitive processes. Overcoming true dyslexia requires specialized teaching and programs.
Visual perception problems can cause difficulty with reading TOO, but they are treated in an entirely different way. Often perception problems stem from ocular motor deficits and/or scotopic sensitivity.
You might find an article I wrote about the differences helpful:
Hope that helps! :DHi Kristin0713,
I wonder if you would be interested in participating in a study?
For just over 4 years, I've involved with an international team. Doing study and research into what we have termed as 'Print Inversion'. Also conducting trials in schools in the US and the UK.
Though one difference, is that these children also generally write letters upside down, as well as reversed.
Where you don't mention any upside down problem.
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It's a chicken and egg kind of question to me... I've known of plenty of kids who had anxiety because they had significant learning disabilities that weren't being dealt with in a functional way, in which case it'd seem wise to have the neuropsych eval first. However, as many others have said, having anxiety can affect the testing, but you may not be able to "fix" the anxiety without having the testing to know what needs working on.
If it were me, I'd probably talk to the neuropsych about what kinds of steps or measures he can put in place to help with the anxiety first... Maybe an initial, just meeting each other session. Then maybe shorter testing sessions with encouraging discussions with your child. The goal would be to have the testing outcome be as valid as possible by reducing anxiety.
If at all possible, I wouldn't really consider one before the other, but proceed with both.. Get the evaluation scheduled, make an appointment with a counselor, and just get started. Either way--if you did one "first" you'd probably need the other anyway, so a delay just delays your ability to fully help your child.
Hugs! It's difficult to balance things and costly to pursue answers, but our kids are sooooo worth it!
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I'm going to just post real quickly to this message--for all-- I see I need to spend some time with this thread and replies, but I have to leave for a meeting shortly, and won't get back to this until this evening--probably until supper time! If you "like" this, I'll get a notification and it will remind me to come back here and check later. ;-)
I'm going to read through the rest of the replies here so I'll have them in mind when driving.. Then I can post good answers when I get back home. ;)
:D Off to the races shortly!
THANKS, all... I just posted my reply to OhElizabeth .. so if you're interested, it's there. ;-)
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SandyKC, thanks, you've expanded my perspective on what makes programs work! What is your take on the drilling of chunks like "fr", "ble", etc. ? Recommend, don't recommend? Also, is there a resource you can suggest for us to find these multisensory suggestions? Are they in the tm for some of these curricula or is there a website or booklet you've found? Are they in that Gillingham Manual you linked to me earlier?
Do the students find it *confusing* to go through frequency rules to spell? Wouldn't it be easier to use visualization? Freed discusses this and suggests that dyslexics should be right-brain dominant (I know, that stupid phrase) and therefore VSL and have that visualization ability to tap into. But if they have visual processing issues, their visual memory wouldn't be STRONG enough to make that effective. Or maybe you *blended* visualization and rules with your student? Do you put stock in it?
WOW! Ya'll are talking through it all fabulously! :-D I hardly feel like I need to respond at all! HA HA! :DOkay, so I'll start by answering these specific questions, since you asked directly. Then I'll see if there is anything else I feel I need to answer, but it sincerely looks like most bases are covered quite well.What is your take on the drilling of chunks like "fr", "ble", etc. ? Recommend, don't recommend?Drilling chunks--specifically blends like "fr" isn't required. That is the /f/ with the /r/, so each component retains its original sound and the combination includes the pronunciation of each letter. For "ble," that is slightly different because it has the 'e' on it, but that will be covered under the rules for "open syllables." IN most cases, the blends and syllable chunks don't need to be covered.However, there are some syllables that are specifically covered. For example, "-tion," "-sion," "-cion," "-tious," etc. they all are covered as chunks.So, personal opinion on recommend versus not--There is so much to drill on as it is, I didn't drill on any of the blends like "fr" or "bl," but I did drill on -tion and -tious.Also, is there a resource you can suggest for us to find these multisensory suggestions? Are they in the tm for some of these curricula or is there a website or booklet you've found? Are they in that Gillingham Manual you linked to me earlier?Hmmmmm... The Gillingham Manual isn't the best resource for multisensory suggestions. It is primarily finger-tracing, tactile-based in it's suggestions and the Orton Fellow that taught our class had a much broader list of suggestions. It wasn't a written list, but many ideas she gave us. We were challenged to come up with our own ideas of multisensory activities.Give me a day or two and I'll see if I can write out everything I know of, have used, etc., and then I can post that list for the benefit of everyone.Do the students find it *confusing* to go through frequency rules to spell?Students haven't seemed to be confused by going through the frequency rules. Those are taught later in the cycle when the child has mastered the primary phoneme association for a particular letter(s). Then when the second sound-letter association is taught, the child is also taught which is most-least common.For example, the sound of "aw" and "au" : awe, awful, crawl, law, auto, August, etc. "aw" is the most common representation of the sound /aw/.Wouldn't it be easier to use visualization? -- yes and no.. For the most common words, YES.. however, you can't possibly teach a child every single word in the language through one-on-one visualization teaching. Therefore, when the child has learned the most common words, it is important for the child to know the frequency rules for writing words he's never seen before. He may be wrong sometimes, but he's more frequently going to be right if he knows the frequency rules. ;)Freed discusses this and suggests that dyslexics should be right-brain dominant (I know, that stupid phrase) and therefore VSL and have that visualization ability to tap into. But if they have visual processing issues, their visual memory wouldn't be STRONG enough to make that effective. Or maybe you *blended* visualization and rules with your student? Do you put stock in it?I think this part relates back to your child's primary learning style as your chosen means of teaching your child. If a child has visual processing issues, it's highly likely he isn't going to be a visual learner, so teaching him through his strongest learning pathway is the best option, but if the teaching is trule "multisensory," it will include a blended approach.If the child is a kinesthetic learner, he can jump on a mini trampoline while reciting a rule repeatedly while looking at a rule card or visualizing. If he's tactile he can trace or write the rule in a textured media, which will include the visualization component.What you wouldn't want to do is rely solely on visualization just because that is an effective avenue for most kids. If your child has visual processing issues, then making another avenue the primary method will help your child learn better. ;)Going to re-read through the thread and see if there is anything I can add to the conversation. -
SandyKC, thanks, you've expanded my perspective on what makes programs work! What is your take on the drilling of chunks like "fr", "ble", etc. ? Recommend, don't recommend? Also, is there a resource you can suggest for us to find these multisensory suggestions? Are they in the tm for some of these curricula or is there a website or booklet you've found? Are they in that Gillingham Manual you linked to me earlier?
Do the students find it *confusing* to go through frequency rules to spell? Wouldn't it be easier to use visualization? Freed discusses this and suggests that dyslexics should be right-brain dominant (I know, that stupid phrase) and therefore VSL and have that visualization ability to tap into. But if they have visual processing issues, their visual memory wouldn't be STRONG enough to make that effective. Or maybe you *blended* visualization and rules with your student? Do you put stock in it?
I'm going to just post real quickly to this message--for all-- I see I need to spend some time with this thread and replies, but I have to leave for a meeting shortly, and won't get back to this until this evening--probably until supper time! If you "like" this, I'll get a notification and it will remind me to come back here and check later. ;-)
I'm going to read through the rest of the replies here so I'll have them in mind when driving.. Then I can post good answers when I get back home. ;)
:D Off to the races shortly!
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Earobics and Hearbuilders are both supposed to be good for helping with auditory processing. FastForWord as well but that would be done through a SLP rather than something you could purchase to use at home.
The director at the Scottish Rite Clinic where I'm trying to get my little one in for treatment said that they often start kids in the Interactive Metronome before moving on to FFW. I'm not all that familiar with IM but I've heard there are low/no cost apps if you wanted to try it.
Gemm Learning offers a "Supported" Fast ForWord that you can use at home.. I'd highly recommend that. FFW is an excellent program. Earobics and Hearbuilder are great TOO.
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Hmmm... It's difficult when an older child doesn't WANT to try meds. The main advantage of trying meds during the senior year is to get the meds stablized and set so that when he goes to college, he'd be set. Obviously you know that, and I wish I had good tips for you on how to CONVINCE your DS to give it a try.. The only thing that comes to mind is finding research that shows the differences between the success of kids whose ADHD is medicated versus not.. It's important for you to be aware that college kids who are medicated are more academically successful, but also more prone to have abuses of their meds.. It's kind of a double-edged sword, which we discussed at length with our DS. I think if your DS is reluctant, he's more likely to be on the academically successful end of the spectrum if he does choose to take medication.
Something about meds that you may not know--they have to get a new script each month... We didn't know that since my DS wasn't on meds for all of his early years. The monthly script helps monitor consumption to hopefully avoid the abuse aspect of the meds.
One thing I ca recommend, since your DS has been accepted at his choice college is to call the college and find out what the "intake" process is. Ask also how long it takes for a student to be seen by the prescribing campus doctor and what the turnaround is for getting on medication if your DS decides to try that route. That way you KNOW what needs to be done if your DS suddenly decides he might need to be able to focus better.
When we talked to my DS' college, they said they frequently have students that THINK they can do without the needed support for disabilities, then end up in "Crisis" mode. The kids come looking for help and unless the college has a heads-up, the turnaround can take longer. Our college was well-aware of the need to be ready for crisis intervention and well-equipped to help the kids. We had the crisis number on hand just in case ANYthing became an issue.
So, if your son isn't willing to set up for accommodations and/or meds before-hand, having everything ready to go should he run into difficulty is at least a way to prepare. It may not be the most comforting approach, but at least if you know the procedures, who to call, etc., then the ball can get rolling ASAP if needed.
For the pre-planning, ready-for-anything approach, I would highly advise getting the updated testing ahead of time (if you haven't already) even if your DS objects..You can tell him you don't even have to do ANYthing with it, but it needs to already be done. That way, if he suddenly feels like he needs help, then you have the report ready to fax and can get him help within a week's time. The eval can be part of your contingency plan should things not go as smoothly as your DS perceives they will.
At college, the director of my DS' college's Student Disabilities Resource Center flat out told my son that if he used his accommodations, college would be much easier and more manageable. The students that don't use accommodations struggle more, and our disabilities director was EXCELLENT about helping DS NOT feel ashamed or self-conscious about his RIGHT to use accommodations.
Have you been to that college's disabilities support center? It might be helpful to go talk to them.. depending upon how supportive their center is. We knew we had a good one because we visited the disabilities support center at EVERY college we visited so DS would know what he'd be dealing with.. Some colleges got scratched of the list immediately because of how RUDE their staff was to DS!!! Others were very welcoming and helpful, which I think also helped DS feel better about using accommodations at his college. ;)
They had some research going on that showed students using their accommodations had higher GPAs, but I just spent several minutes searching and can't find it. I was thinking maybe if you had your DS look at the research regarding students who use accommodations versus those who don't, it might help him at least be willing to apply for them in case he needs them.
My DS had a loooong list of accommodations and didn't use them all, but there were some that were critical to his success.. like extended time for all exams. They had awesome sound-proof, visually bland rooms for extended time testing that were perfect for kids with ADHD issues. DS always went to the test center to take his exams so he could take his time and think. He had other accommodations he could use at-will if he needed them, and that is a distinct advantage of going through the intake process at the college up front.. The student can use the accommodations when he needs them, but doesn't have to use them. At least if your DS would be willing to go through intake, he would have the ability to use accommodations. ;-)
I know this is stressful for you.. to know and see how accommodations can help and that meds might too, but have your DS resisting that. It's HARD! It's hard for the kids to accept who they are when they just want to be like everyone else, and it's hard for the momma's who want to see their cowboys succeed in the big rodeo! :D HUGS!
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I'm late to this thread, but received an invitation to comment (thank you, inviter--you know who you are ;-) ). I have completed O-G training and O-G is just a method. There is no "pure" O-G program, so to speak because the method does not dictate multisensory aspects of the teaching, nor does it dictate the specific hierarchy of teaching the phonemes, rules, etc.
The main differences from program to program have to do with the way in which the creator approached the progress through the sounds and the multisensory nature of their program--- some start with vowels because they're "critical," some start with single-sound phonemes because they're easier. Like the sound of /b/ is only one sound. No matter what, "b" always makes the /b/.
One person wondered earlier why the program she used worked for one of her kids and not the other... The difference usually stems from the multisensory nature of the program. For example, Wilson.. It uses a lot of air writing, which isn't exactly visual.. Not as much as writing with a finger in fingerpaint. It's kinesthetic, but maybe not as kinesthetic-tactile as writing huge letters on a traditional chalkboard. Whether or not a program works well for any individual child is sometimes rooted in how well the teaching methods in the program work with the specific child's learning style.
In other words--a child whose primary learning style is visual needs a program that is highly visual, often colorful program.
A child who is highly tactile, needs a lot of textured teaching materials (velvet, carpet, sand tables, sand paper, etc.)
A child who is highly kinesthetic needs LARGE movements.. (writing with a big toe in carpet, writing body-sized letters on a wallboard, etc.)
Some programs are more paper oriented.. and those programs are easier for visual kids, although, I have always preferred the tactile materials for highly visual AND tactile simultaneously.
Some programs are "light-weight" O-G, IMHO. They don't incorporate a LOT of multisensory work.. they have more flashcards and paper-based materials.
SWR-- HATED IT!! Even though I am O-G trained, for some reason, I found SWR difficult to work with in regard to precisely where my guys needed to be.
WRTR-- We used several elements of this program, particularly the phoneme teaching sequence. Yes, it is heavily "rules based," but that is part of the O-G methodology--kids who are taught the rules to the point of automatic recall do better with self-correction of spelling when it comes to writing refinement. Kids who haven't been drilled in the rules to the point of mastery, often can't recall the rules when they need them.
We didn't use LOE.. We used The Language Toolkit (Link takes you to CBD) as the main "drill and practice" portion of our program with the frequency rules. Frequency rules are, for example, if you have the sound of /s/ -- is that an "s," a "ce," "sc" (as in scene)? The frequency rules helps the child know which it is MOST likely to be, which helps with spelling.
Any O-G program that is truly O-G is going to teach each and every phoneme explicitly, and directly to the child. The instruction will include multisensory teaching, using seeing, hearing, feeling and moving simultaneously (saying the sound aloud as you write it on some material). All of the rules will be taught, how to divide syllables, blending, etc., and everything will be taught to the point of mastery, which is CRITICAL.
My guess is the professional who said not to use WRTR and SWR probably didn't think those programs would be viable for someone who is not trained. They are not "scripted" programs.. They don't tell you what to say, what to do when, or when to move to the next item. Some of them don't even really emphasize the multi-sensory nature of the instruction--which is required. If the child could learn from ordinary print-based teaching, he probably would have already!! The Multisensory instruction is the avenue into the child's learning pathways.
That said, Barton is excellent for moms because it is well-scripted. SPIRE Reading is a choice that a lot of teachers LOVE because it is similarly scripted, as is All About Reading. The scripted programs are more step-by-step, do this, then this, then this types of programs that spell out each and every phoneme and rule to teach. SWR and WRTR are more what I consider "directive" programs.. They'll say, "Teach these phonemes next," and will provide rules governing the phonemes, but they don't necessarily spell out exactly what to say, do, how to pronounce the phonemes, etc.
The Language Toolkit I used above is very "cryptic". It assumes the user has had O-G training and doesn't really need much explanation. The 32 page manual is pretty much a listing of what to teach with very little in the way of instruction about HOW to teach it.
A LOT of ground was covered in this conversation before I got here, and my read-through was not detailed, so let me know if there are specific questions still dangling in the air that I might help with. I may or may not know the answer, but I'm certainly willing to answer what I can. ;-)
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Audiobooks, memory songs, and Math are the easiest subjects to do in the car. We also have great success with spelling practice and copywork.
We did our carschooling primarily using these tools too. Using audiobooks was our mainstay. We also completed math problems and our Megawords books while commuting. We talked about learning items too.
Like the OP, we spent a LOT of time in the car going to and from esteem-building passionate pursuits. We had bookbags our guys could pack with their books on the days we were on the go. We had lapboards in our van that went everywhere we went.
When one child was doing an activity, I could work with the other one. We drilled with cards for our phonemes or math facts. We sat side-by-side and worked on any lesson that was book-based.
As my guys got older and did more of their work on a computer, we installed the learning programs on our "learning laptop," which we took with us too. With the lapboard in the car, my son(s) could work on the computer too. We had headphones so the computer lesson wouldn't distract everyone in the car. Doing computer work requires the programs be installed on the computer, or the computer has to have satellite Internet access. Whenever I had a choice for the type of computer program to buy, I opted for one that actually installed on the computer, so we could take our learning to go. ;-)
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They should provide you data tables of all of the sub-test and composite scores. I'd give them a call and ask if they could please send you copies of the data tables. They may, as professionals, think you (a parent) have no need for the sub-tests, but they can be revealing and--since you paid for the test, you have a right to all of the data. Did they provide you with a full report with interpretation of the results, or is it a minimal report with a diagnosis?
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Saw this article earlier.. Thought some of you might enjoy the read... especially point #3 about GRAMMAR!! I know it's a different ballgame for kids with dyslexia and grammar, but yeah... I've told plenty of parents, don't even worry about teaching parts of speech and diagramming sentences. It has no practical application for kids with LDs and is just extra torture! :O (YEP. I said that)
The article: http://educationbythenumbers.org/content/3-lessons-science-teach-writing_2194/
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Have you run him through something like Hands on Equations or the Khan Academy videos? Or both?
Hands on Equations = GREAT CHOICE!
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I'm curious as to whether anyone else has experience this. Dd is 20. She has always had trouble with directionality. As she is having to type more and more for college papers, she is noticing a strange phenomenon: her brain is messing up the signal to her hands and she is typing the correct finger, but on the wrong hand. I'm guessing it is because her typing speed is increasing and she is truly learning to type by rote/not thinking about it so much. For example, when she needs a "k", she will type a "d". Or, a "u" will come out an "r". When she was first dxed with dyslexia, the tester wanted us to go for some brain imaging to see what was going on up there. I declined, but this latest thing has me quite curious as to how her pathways are crossing!
OH OH OH>>>> RAISES HAND! My DS and I were just talking about crossed-wires in the brain this morning. Ours is a little different.. When talking, the intent is to say ONE word and out comes an entirely different word!! Like we were talking about voting. When talking, out came "when we go bowl" ???? WHAAAATTT??
It wasn't that there was even a subliminal thought of bowling, it was just that the wrong word came out when the word in mind was indeed "vote". We had a great, curious discussion about brain processes and how wiring is different for different people. I bet, if we could see everyone's neurology, we'd be astounded by the differences in everyone's brains. I contend our brains are as varied as our looks!! They have the same "general" characteristics, but they function differently. ;-)
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LOL! I remember being at points where I wanted to alternately cry and scream.. MANY times I wanted to go out on my deck and scream at the top of my lungs!!
I want to say up front, I'm sharing what comes next "just in case".. You may very WELL have the perfect matching program for your DS, but I've consulted with lots of parents that haven't really given "matching" much thought before. So if you're already aware and have a program that matches your DS' learning style well, please feel free to totally ignore my post! ;-)
So what comes to mind for me: Does the curriculum you are using for math suit your DS' learning style?
If he's a hands-on learner and it's an auditory program (or any other mismatch) there could be unnecessary difficulty or tension due to the program.
We had to ditch a program or two (or three or four or more) along the way before I really started to pay attention to how well the individual program fit with my son's learning styles. Better matches did equal less contention over lessons...
And it was difficult for me because some of the program choices were NOT ones I would have preferred. One in particular, turned out to be a great choice for my son, but I never would have gone there if I hadn't been solely focused on what worked best for my DS.
I just wanted to share that thought in case it helps reduce the scream or cry dilemma.
In ANY case, HUGS!! BTDT!!
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The institute for multisensory education (?) is having a comprehensive course in my area in 1-2 months. I decided to use Barton because I wanted to be comprehensive and do a thorough job, plus I felt like I could use the video support. If you had options would you take a course even if you are using Barton? I was thinking that if Barton becomes a poor fit for whatever reason at least I'd have a way to make something else work better. One of my concerns with a lot of programs were recommendations to go through training first which I didn't want to commit to for a specific program. But the multisensory institute seems generic in OG training. Thoughts?
The Orton-Gillingham training I completed really helped me UNDERSTAND how to teach my son better so he could learn more effectively. Since OG is a methodology for teaching, you can apply the teaching methods to other subjects too. It can help in any area where facts need to be remembers. If you have the time, the money, and a course nearby, I do think the courses are well worth the time of any mom whose child has significant LDs (not just dyslexia) ;-).
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CONGRATULATIONS!! WOOHOOO!!!! Don't let they naysayers get you down. I SERIOUSLY doubt your DS would have learned this a long time ago if he was in the Brick and mortar school. Chances are much HIGHER that he would still be functioning at a low level, especially since Barton was the ticket to his success. YOU ROCK for hanging in their with your DS, working with him, and believing in him. Sounds like you're on the road to success!!
Little known fact: I had family members that actually thought my son was "just not trying to get attention." Ummmm.. NO. Kids just don't think like that and no kid could consistently "fake" dyslexia to get attention. People just don't GET IT!! (Or they chose not to get it because they don't want to admit there are learning disabilities in the family.)
FWIW, my son finished his Orton-G program first, then we really focused on his handwriting, followed by composition skills. As it so happens, I was working on our writing samples webpage today.. everyone might find it interesting in regard to the level of progress that can be made to overcome dyslexia and dysgraphia. ;-)
IN any case, keep your chin held high and move onward! :-D
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:lol: Me either. I'm just going with the flow of the conversation, TBH.
Well, and updating for anyone else reading this thread that is wondering what I was wondering: How can my child possibly retain ANYTHING with a story yacking away in his ears while he works on whatever other academic endeavor he is working on? ("Think outside the box, think outside the box, my child does not fit in a box, think outside the box" she keeps trying to remember to whisper to herself :laugh: ).
Talking about chocolate milk because people were saying their kids didn't like coffee or soda. Chocolate has caffeine in it too, and kids tend to like it a lot better. It has a lower dose than coffee too, which can be "enough" for littler kids. This caffeine table might help people find ways to give their kids' brains that morning jumpstart without as big of a hit as coffee-- http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm - How about some, "Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans"?? LOL! ;)
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Thanks Sandy- your encouragement is awesome! Yeah, you're reading my past like a book. All there ever was screaming. I pray to God to give me the right words everyday, it's hard when the past roll models weren't good - and now we only can deal with what have with the little resources that we've gleaned. I made the phone call! I have an appointment on Wednesday! So much to do, I have to get a pupillary distance reading and frames. And fill out several questionnaires.
BIG HUG! It'll get better... It will! ;-) Hope the glasses work miracles for you! It is ALWAYS great when that is the whole sum of a child's problem because it is such a quick fix. ;-)
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Heathermomster- I thought my child was just "a 3rd grade boy" so I would not have been teaching him explicit multisensory tasks because I don't know that he had or has any deficits to begin with. I thought his timing issues was just a difference between boys and girls, defiance cause he just doesn't want to do something so he plods along hoping that I would put writing or related subjects off, and girls at this age are generally faster learners. I posted in this board, because I was hoping someone would help me discern, yes/no this is a problem yes/no I need testing for him, or I need parental guidance myself , cause I need to change something or he needs to change something in our environment. I burnout easily because I teach my kids and I also teach in the evenings because I am a piano teacher. Seeing all the ps kids do way better then my kids with simple listening tasks is disheartening.
First of all, HUG! It's hard... BUT there are also answers and solutions once you start asking questions and seeking answers. I'll tell you.. You are at the beginning of a GREAT place! :-D
MOST Kids want to learn... even the ones that seem to avoid learning. Who ever wanted to be "bad" at school? It's doubtful your son is putting things off out of hope that you'll put off related tasks. It may be an avoidance behavior, but it's different than purposefully being defiant or putting things off. You have to be careful not to read motives into a child's actions too unless you know for sure why he dawdles. I've known lots of parents to assume purposeful defiance, but it's usually avoidance or ADHD when a child has learning disabilities. Defiance doesn't come in until a child's actual learning needs have been ignored so long that the child doesn't want to try even one more time--usually in the teen years.
Many, many times avoidance issues indicate underlying learning issues. From all you've said, there are several possibilities that came to my mind--a slow neurological processing speed, executive function disorder that affects planning, sequencing, awareness of time, etc, ADHD, or other issues. Each of the learning disabilities I just mentioned are pervasive--they affect every area of learning.
A child who has neurological processes that cause slow work cannot be order, shamed, or yelled into working better or faster. Yelling at a child only serves to make the child feel shamed, hated, worthless, lower his self esteem, etc.
The key to getting to your better place of working with your son and finding your patience is developing a complete understanding of the real reasons your DS is having difficulty with his schoolwork. There are several steps you can take to make learning better or easier, but the first thing I would recommend is an evaluation to determine if your child has a neurological issue that you need to address or work around.
After that, better teaching includes figuring out your son's learning style and teaching him the way HE learns, not using "standard" books and workbooks. Some kids don't learn well that way. You can also make his lessons easier to complete by using programs that let him respond through multiple choice, or listen to lessons rather than read everything.
As you figure out how your child learns, what his issues are, and encouragingly work with him, he's likely to start trying harder to do well. As long as his spirit is discouraged, it will be difficult for him to feel inspired to do well.
I say with the utmost of understanding of where you are coming from. I had the personal demon of getting the screaming mee mees (as we've come to call them), but the realization of how harmful it was to my son got me to a point of vowing to give myself a timeout before I ever screamed again. Luckily I made changes early enough that my boys don't even remember my screaming days.
I was raised being screamed at, so it was what I knew, but I also knew how it made me feel. You can overcome the lack of patience and screaming by stopping yourself and going to meditate in your bedroom or cry in the bathroom. I even went as far as apologizing to my guys whenever I behaved like I would NOT want them to behave towards me. I didn't want to model bad behavior to them or they'd grow up screaming at my grandkids! (When we get to that point ;) ).
It's hard. I know it is. Brings back not so good memories for me. Hope you find the strength to travel this road to the better place I have found myself in. HUS!
identifying 2e or other issues...ps or homeschool?
in The Learning Challenges Board
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That is so awesome!! I absolutely love hearing that a lot of a child's behaviors clear up when homeschooling starts. It took a couple of years for my son to gain back some of his self confidence. He was never quite as bubbly and outgoing as he was when we sent him off to public school, but I was just thankful to see him become happy again. Homeschooling truly can be transformational!
When we started homeschooling, we planned to homeschool for just a couple of years. We had planned to put our boys back into public school once my son could read. By time we got to that point, NONE of us had any interest in going back to the public school model. We loved homeschooling SO MUCH! :-D So, I ended up homeschooling right on through to high school graduation. It was awesome.. not always easy, but awesome.
THANK YOU for sharing your news!! It will be an encouragement to others who are going through the same sorts of things with their learning abled kids. ;-)
HUGS!