Reading programs with vision issues?

[FairProspects]

For those of you with dc who have done vision therapy/had tracking issues, what program worked best for teaching your child to read?

 

Ds and I are both completely frustrated with reading. He is a fantastic auditory learner and knows his phonograms, with very high phonemic awareness, but due to his eye issues reading & blending are super hard for him and he hates anything related to reading (although he is starting to spell words for fun lately). We have tried Sensational Strategies mentioned in the other thread, and it worked somewhat, but because ds is so young and it was really for older kids he couldn't do any of the dictation/writing and he couldn't really get the full benefit of the program.

 

For those who have BTDT, how do you decide how much to push and how much to back off? In some ways, I want to just let him work on vision therapy for now and not work on reading (because I know how hard it is for him), but I also know it will probably take him a really long time to read and he will need lots of help, so I'm not sure in his case it would be best to let it go. Does that make any sense? I just wish it wasn't so hard for him and I don't know how best to help him!

[AngieW in Texas]

My dd had visual efficiency skills that she needed vision therapy for. She also has visual perception issues (primarily with visual memory, sequencing, and closure) and dyseidetic dyslexia.

 

My dd is also a fantastics auditory learner and had good phonemic awareness. As long as the input was auditory, she was fine.

 

What worked for her was

I See Sam readers with Headsprout

Funnix level 2 with Phonics for Reading 2

Phonics for Reading 3

lots of work with nonsense words

timed repeated readings with DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency passages

Rewards Reading

 

My dd has been reading at grade level for about 1.5 years.

 

Here's a link to a description of dyseidetic dyslexia. My dd had every symptom even after VT.

http://dyslexia.learninginfo.org/dyseidetic.htm

[Rod Everson]

I'm assuming your son is the five-year-old and that he's still in vision therapy. For several years I've had a private reading practice where I've worked with over 100 kids who've gone through vision therapy. What I would suggest, especially if he's only 5, is wait until the vision skills are in place and then worry more about the reading. The vision therapist and the OD should be able to tell you when he's able to deal comfortably with print.

 

I would give this same advice if your son was 8 or 9. Get the vision needs addressed and then tackle the reading. As for the reading program, most phonics programs will probably work once he can handle the visual demands, though some are no doubt better than others.

 

Rod Everson

OnTrack Reading

[Dobela]

I'm assuming your son is the five-year-old and that he's still in vision therapy. For several years I've had a private reading practice where I've worked with over 100 kids who've gone through vision therapy. What I would suggest, especially if he's only 5, is wait until the vision skills are in place and then worry more about the reading. The vision therapist and the OD should be able to tell you when he's able to deal comfortably with print.

 

I would give this same advice if your son was 8 or 9. Get the vision needs addressed and then tackle the reading. As for the reading program, most phonics programs will probably work once he can handle the visual demands, though some are no doubt better than others.

 

Rod Everson

OnTrack Reading

I completely agree. Let vision therapy dso its magic first. Then start back on reading. At the age of 5 some reading progress is due to brain development. Until the brain reaches a certain level of development, those reading skills don't happen for kids who don't have vision problems either. It may be that he is just not ready yet. I would put it up and try again every month or so for a while.

 

My son has had great success with Scottish Rite combined with VT so far. But he is older and we waited before starting something this rigerous.

[MariannNOVA]

Let the vision therapy do its job - it takes time. We were beginning to see results with DS, and the therapy became cost-prohibitive ($150./week) - every week. I purchased the handbook from this website:www.kidzvision.com and we are being faithful with it and his progress continues.

 

Accentuate the positives that you mention: 'He is a fantastic auditory learner and knows his phonograms, with very high phonemic awareness' and be patient with the therapy.

 

:001_smile:

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[siloam]

I agree with the rest, just drop reading it for now.

 

Heather