Please look at these phonics/reading/spelling options for stuggling teen (dyslexia??)

[BatmansWife]

I apologize that this is going to be long. My son will be turning 15 next month. He has always struggled with reading; which affects every single subject. We have tried countless reading and spelling programs over the years, which probably didn't help the situation (all the jumping from one to another). But, I was desperately trying to find the thing that would click with him. I never had, and don't have, this problem at all with my girls. I'm quite certain my 6 year old will quickly pass him by in reading and spelling.

 

He can read, although he isn't the most fluent reader. He often reads words incorrectly. He only writes in neat print, never cursive. His spelling is the most horrendous spelling you'd ever see. He spells things phonetically, but often gets that wrong too (so he's constantly asking, "how do you spell ___?").

 

His reading struggles have always been a concern to me. But, his spelling is really causing me anxiety (how will he ever fill out a job application.......read/write his drivers exam.....etc????) Last week we were visiting friends and they suggested playing the game Balderdash. I immediately had concern over how my son would be able to join in and play the game. You need to write a fake definition of a word and these are all collected by one of the players who reads all the definitions. My son moved over to sit by me on the couch. Of course, you aren't supposed to look at the other players definitions, but I had to discreetly look at his to see if he needed any help (after all, a person was going to be reading his definition). So, for the first definition, my son wanted to write "a window cleaner". But he wrote, "A wibo clenr". I tried to quietly tell him how to rewrite his words.....finally I had to write it on the back of my paper for him to copy. The very next word, he wanted to write the definition, "a pipe cleaner". He spelled cleaner wrong again! I looked at him and he was looking at his paper & getting a little upset that he couldn't remember how to spell it. He was whispering to himself (not to me....he really didn't want my help) that he 'just spelled it.....how was that again??'

 

I found the website Reading From Scratch about dyslexia (I really found it by googling "spelling rules"). They have several tests, which I haven't gotten to do them all yet. I did dictate the 5 sentences (these are really for writing samples but it shows his spelling). Here's what he wrote:

 

The clam sate on the Botum of the oshen

 

thay rusht in too the cotigin the nike of time

 

wii gotherd in a carkl a rown the camp fire and tolld gost store's

(I wonder if "wii" was his idea of being funny??)

 

Pitsfelld has a populashing of abewt fifte thawsing

 

a cofrins was helld too dey the futhr cores of acshin

 

Oh my Lord!!! Ok.....so he tells me later that it was getting boring and near the end he just didn't really care if he was spelling correctly or not. Writing those sentences took him quite awhile. I read the entire sentence and then had to repeat it word for word. If I read two words together he'd say...."what? Say it again." If I said certain words like "around", "campfire", "sat on" he would ask if it was one word or two.

 

What's hard, too, is that ironically he thinks he doesn't have a problem. He gets insulted if we even insinuate that he is a struggling reader and poor speller. I noticed that sometimes he will mix up his b's and d's. I have often wondered if he has dyslexia. I never knew where to test for that.....we can't afford it anyway.....I don't know how important it is to really have an official diagnosis.

 

Right now he's using SpellWell and that isn't going that great. Sequential Spelling was a total bomb with him. We tried All About Spelling and didn't get very far because we'd still be working on the cards and practicing the sounds (it was taking forever to advance). My husband thinks all he needs to do is read, read, read...and read things that interest him. I think a little more is needed than that....he obviously has a lot of gaps in his phonics. I don't know if he really needs to start another reading program, at least not a program that's for little children or looks babyish. I'm looking for something that can fill in the missing gaps but won't take a huge amount of time (something remedial....for an older struggling student). I think he mostly needs to work on fluency and spelling.

 

I have done a lot of searching here and found several programs I am considering. My researching all of these programs is beginning to take a lot of my time and I'm just wanting to make a decision soon. If you have used any of these programs, please tell me if you liked them or not. If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to offer that.

 

Back on the Right Track Reading Lessons

(This is the one I am strongly leaning towards. The samples look like what he needs)

 

Abecedarian

(I'm quite undecided on this one. I don't really care for the samples & I don't really know why. I like the Right Track samples much better)

 

Fast Track

(Again...I think I'm liking Right Track better)

 

Saxon Phonics Intervention

(I'm not too sure about this, it seems a bit overwhelming/time consuming but reviews say it isn't)

 

Phonics For Reading

 

The Spell of Words

(I liked the samples of how she explains spelling rules)

 

Apples & Pears

 

I even looked at the Rewards program.....but the words really look hard!

 

Well, thank you if you made it to the end of this long post. I am not very open to tell people about this problem. It makes me feel like I've been such a failure with him. But, I know in reality that can't be true because my girls are doing very well.

 

[Lovedtodeath]

Hi. I am not experienced, but you may want to check these out:

 

Orton-Gillingham language tune-up kit.

 

And Elizabeth B's resources:

 

My remedial students: my free online phonics lessons + Webster's Speller

 

Joint Phonics Blog w/ Don Potter.

[Cynful]

My son just turned 13 is almost exactly like your son. He's getting better though. We've tried so many different things over the years. I'd highly suggest either Barton (very expensive though good resell value) or Saxon Phonics Intervention. We didn't do Barton, but we did do Saxon. It wasn't great; it didn't cure, but it did help. If he doesn't have his phonics down, then I wouldn't start Rewards yet. We are currently using ABCeDarian and I actually think its helping (more than I expected anyway). The more he works and the more he reads, the better he is getting at both reading and spelling.

 

I really hope you find what works for you. I'm sure some other of the great ladies here will have some ideas too.

[sbgrace]

He does sound dyslexic to me. Without a doubt I would narrow my choices to an Orton-Gillingham method for him. I'd pick Barton if you can swing it financially. It's expensive (very) but as far as I can tell people get most of the cost back in re-sell. I'd think his future depends on remediating it. I think Recipe for Reading is a book that talks about the OG method but something planned out for you (and for older kids) like Barton would be my choice for him in your situation.

 

I posted my dyslexia concerns for my son on the special needs board and found a lot of help there. Also, Susan Barton will talk with you about your son (phone or email) for free. She did that for me.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[LizzyBee]

Because of his age, I would do everything possible to buy Barton Reading and Spelling. You only have to buy the modules one at a time, so that spreads the cost over 2-4 years. The total cost is $2900 for all 10 modules.

 

Some advantages of Barton over other OG programs are that the training is included on DVDs with each module, the program is scripted and very easy to use, and Susan Barton will personally talk on the phone with you or answer your emails.

 

Regardless of which program you choose, do the student screening test at http://www.bartonreading.com. This will let you know whether your son has the pre-reading skills he needs to succeed with any program. If he can't pass the test, the website has suggestions for remediation before starting Barton (or another OG program).

 

Susan Barton's other website is http://www.dys-add.com. It is a wealth of information with several hours of video that you can watch for free.

[BatmansWife]

My son just turned 13 is almost exactly like your son. He's getting better though. We've tried so many different things over the years. I'd highly suggest either Barton (very expensive though good resell value) or Saxon Phonics Intervention. We didn't do Barton, but we did do Saxon. It wasn't great; it didn't cure, but it did help. If he doesn't have his phonics down, then I wouldn't start Rewards yet. We are currently using ABCeDarian and I actually think its helping (more than I expected anyway). The more he works and the more he reads, the better he is getting at both reading and spelling.

 

I really hope you find what works for you. I'm sure some other of the great ladies here will have some ideas too.

 

Cynthia,

Thanks for commenting. So, you would recommend Saxon Phonics Intervention over Abecedarian?? Any more info on either of these would be great. When I look at pics of Saxon Phonics Intervention, I get a little overwhelmed. Is it a lot of work?? I've only gotten to find a few reviews.....several thought it was great, one thought it was boring. Did you complete the Phonics Intervention? I can't seem to find any samples of this so I don't really know what it's like.

[lisabees]

First, hugs to you. :grouphug: It is very heartbreaking. My almost 14 year old had great dyslexic struggles and has overcome much of them. I'd love to share what worked well for us; I hope some of it can help your son.

 

First, read all you can from Elizabeth B and Don Potter's sites.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/Phonics%20Lsns/phonicslsnslinks.html

 

http://www.donpotter.net/education_pages/blend_phonics.html

 

Elizabeth is a board member and will hopefully chime in. :D She was a great help to us.

 

My son was reading at a 3.5 grade level in the summer. We used REWARDS Intermediate and then Secondary with great success - he jumped by 2 grade levels. It will work with the multi-syllabic words and fluency. It does touch on vocab and comprehension.

 

If your son can read well enough, Intermediate should be fine. If not, start with ABeCeDarian C and D. The important thing is consistency.

 

Along with doing REWARDS, I reviewed phonograms daily and had him read Don Potter's Blend Phonics Reader with a notched card (using the notched card for only a week or two). I also used nonsense words. My ds needed to retrain his brain to actually read the words, instead of making them up or skipping over them. It may seem like it's just reading a list of words, but it truly helps!

 

Another program I really liked was Reading Horizons. http://www.readinghorizons.com/community/workshop/promotional.aspx. I only used the free 30 day workshop and it was a great supplement. If I needed more, I would have paid for it. Get on their email list; they always have sales.

 

For spelling, I use Megawords and Spelling Through Morphographs (I liked it better than Apples and Pears). His spelling has improved greatly. I bought STM on ebay - it has really been wonderful for him. More than Megawords. It uses a multi-pronged approach, which is what he needs. Oh - we also do copywork and dictation every day (this will help with handwriting as well). Whatever spelling program you use, make sure you also have him spell the words out loud, as well as naming the words that YOU spell out loud. Very important to teaching him sequential order.

 

We struggled with writing, until recently. We used IEW, but we both needed more handholding and I just didn't see any difference in his writing. Write Shop has been awesome. It is so explicit and incremental and gives him the exact tools needed to craft great sentences. More importantly, it gave me the direction with which to guide him through the process. Some have a problem with the Teacher's Manual, but I really haven't found it to be a problem at all. I LOVE this program.

 

I also use Killgallon's Sentence Composing for Elementary School. http://www.amazon.com/Sentence-Composing-Elementary-School-Sentences/dp/0325002231/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273101285&sr=8-3 This may be a great place to start for writing; I have seen a HUGE difference in ds's sentence structuring since doing this book - and it's easy and not time-consuming. I originally bought the middle school book, but it was too difficult for him.

 

We also love WWE. We've gone through WWE2 and we're now on WWE3.

 

Make sure to surround your son with wonderful language. Read to him every day. Have him listen to audiobooks. Have him watch documentaries to improve his vocabulary. Look into MCT LA (Michael Clay Thompson). Don't make him read while trying to remediate him. Give his brain a chance to soak it all in!

 

Back on the Right Track looks great. I was very close to using that, but didn't need it after all. REWARDS has vocab and fluency and comprehension built into each lesson. It seems that Back on the Right Track has it as a separate chapter, later on in the program.

 

I have Phonics for Reading. From the samples, I like Back on the Right Track better.

 

AbeCeDarian works quickly. You'll know whether it's the right fit or not. You could do Level C (should only take a few weeks), then REWARDS.

 

REWARDS covers a lot of angles which are important - phonograms, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension. This is still my favorite! I got Intermediate.

 

I got a lot of free materials from http://www.societyforqualityeducation.org/index.php/stairwaytoreading

 

I am not familiar with Barton or Wilson or Spalding enough to comment. I do know that my son's reading improved after only a few months. I felt that Barton moved too slowly, but your son may need that!

 

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Oh - ds is reading on a 7th grade level now! He now calls himself a good reader!

Spelling is a harder fix, but it can be improved with persistence. Best wishes to you! :grouphug:

Edited May 6, 2010 by lisabees

[BatmansWife]

I'd pick Barton if you can swing it financially. It's expensive (very) but as far as I can tell people get most of the cost back in re-sell. I'd think his future depends on remediating it.

 

 

Thanks for your suggestions. It's impossible for us to swing it financially. We wouldn't even be able to buy one level. There's got to be something else that will work that doesn't cost so much. :sad:

[BatmansWife]

Yep, looks like dyslexic spelling to me. My ds was diagnosed last fall as dyslexic in spelling, though he managed to squeak by on the reading / writing portion of the test. So there are plenty of dyslexics who *can* read, albeit slowly.

 

Hi Shari,

I had no idea you can be dyslexic in spelling and not reading/writing. Thanks for that info.

[PeterPan]

AprilMay, I'm going to say this as nicely as possible. You may have to contradict your dh a bit on this one. Dyslexia often has a genetic component, and it may be you're hitting too close to home. In other words, he blows it off because he survived it. Thing is, your ds is NOT surviving it. I don't know what state you live in, but in our state none of what you're describing would be acceptable. We have yearly portfolio reviews or testing required. In other words, you really have to get serious about this.

 

Next, the AAS going slowly does NOT mean it was the wrong program. What it does mean is you've found a weak spot. You're in wishful thinking and lala land if you think you're going to find one magic program that, in a short time frame, radically changes this. By all means go look at Barton. Even Barton is a long-term thing. There are NO quick fixes, and changing curricula won't change that.

 

Now the other thing is that you're looking at this too narrowly. You need to go to http://www.littlegiantsteps.com , click to go to their resources section, and read EVERY SINGLE ARTICLE they have. Just read them all. It won't cost you a penny, but you'll learn a ton. You'll learn how to test his auditory and visual processing. You'll learn about the developmental steps he should have gone through to create good bilateral brain function and probably didn't. You'll learn how to test for mixed dominances. And more importantly, you'll learn what you can DO about these things and why they're affecting his ability to read and learn the phonics.

 

Next thing to do, again FREE, is to go to http://www.eyecanlearn.com and do the eye exercises there. See if he has difficulty with any of those things. Turns out my dd had issues with fine focusing, convergence, etc. I finally gave her the "pirate test" this evening, where you cover one eye and have them write, then cover the other eye and have them write. Finally you let them write with both eyes together. My dd can't cross her eyes, literally just CAN'T. No wonder she gets headaches with schoolwork, lol.

 

Then you can go to http://www.covd.org and look for developmental optometrists in your area. That's what we're getting ready to start is vision therapy. Absolutely go read on the Special Needs board. Sometimes it's not just a curriculum change but therapy you need. When you get the eyes working together better, they can process the information better, long and short of it. Some therapists actually go into the processing stuff Little Giant Steps talks about (digit spans, crawling, etc.).

 

You don't need an expensive diagnosis of dyslexia to pursue any of those things. The vision therapy places I called had price scaling and all sorts of things to bring it in reach for people. One place cuts their price by almost 50% when your income is below a certain bracket! So keep researching and reading and see what you can do for him. My dd isn't nearly as severe as your ds, but I feel for you. (My dd reads well. It comes out in other ways.)

[BatmansWife]

Because of his age, I would do everything possible to buy Barton Reading and Spelling. You only have to buy the modules one at a time, so that spreads the cost over 2-4 years. The total cost is $2900 for all 10 modules.

 

Some advantages of Barton over other OG programs are that the training is included on DVDs with each module, the program is scripted and very easy to use, and Susan Barton will personally talk on the phone with you or answer your emails.

 

Regardless of which program you choose, do the student screening test at www.bartonreading.com. This will let you know whether your son has the pre-reading skills he needs to succeed with any program. If he can't pass the test, the website has suggestions for remediation before starting Barton (or another OG program).

 

Susan Barton's other website is www.dys-add.com. It is a wealth of information with several hours of video that you can watch for free.

 

Thank you Elizabeth. I am very discouraged that Barton is so expensive. My husband hasn't worked in almost 6 months.....the total cost of Barton is more than we even have to our name! Goodness, there has to be something that will work......I'm really hoping for under $100. I can't seem to find the screening test in that link. Can you check and see if there's a more specific link right to the test?? Thank you! I'll have to watch some of those free videos.

[lisabees]

AprilMay, I'm going to say this as nicely as possible. You may have to contradict your dh a bit on this one. Dyslexia often has a genetic component, and it may be you're hitting too close to home. In other words, he blows it off because he survived it. Thing is, your ds is NOT surviving it. I don't know what state you live in, but in our state none of what you're describing would be acceptable. We have yearly portfolio reviews or testing required. In other words, you really have to get serious about this.

 

I do agree with this. OP, you might want to get testing done through the school district. Write a letter of request and they'll do it for free. ;)

[Matryoshka]

Thank you Elizabeth. I am very discouraged that Barton is so expensive. My husband hasn't worked in almost 6 months.....the total cost of Barton is more than we even have to our name! Goodness, there has to be something that will work......I'm really hoping for under $100. I can't seem to find the screening test in that link. Can you check and see if there's a more specific link right to the test?? Thank you! I'll have to watch some of those free videos.

 

Reading Reflex is a $16 book that uses the same method (phonographix) as ABeCeDarian, but without workbooks - you use tiles and a white board. It was written as a remediation program for dyslexics, although I used it to teach my kids to read from the get-go. What it really helped me with was learning how to teach reading. You might want to just check it out of the library and read it - it might help you gather your thoughts even if you choose another program.

[BatmansWife]

Lisa,

Wow....thank you so much for all of this information. I'm going to copy this. You sure use a lot of different things with your son. I'm actually glad to hear that he is doing better without having used Barton. The samples of Rewards looked so hard. Is the first book really as difficult as the samples show?? What is WWE? That is something I didn't mention.....his writing. Basically he does extremely little writing. I haven't done a whole lot with him in grammar yet either.......I kind of figured he needed to be able to decently read before doing that. I may have more questions for you after I have more time to read you post, look at the websites, and let it all sink in. Thank you again!!

[lisabees]

Lisa,

Wow....thank you so much for all of this information. I'm going to copy this. You sure use a lot of different things with your son. I'm actually glad to hear that he is doing better without having used Barton. The samples of Rewards looked so hard. Is the first book really as difficult as the samples show?? What is WWE? That is something I didn't mention.....his writing. Basically he does extremely little writing. I haven't done a whole lot with him in grammar yet either.......I kind of figured he needed to be able to decently read before doing that. I may have more questions for you after I have more time to read you post, look at the websites, and let it all sink in. Thank you again!!

 

You are so welcome. It's because of the ladies on this board that my son is doing so well. I am happy to pass on my experience.

 

WWE is Susan Wise Bauer's Writing With Ease (she runs this board). It really helps ds with summarizing, copywork, dictation etc.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Writer-Level-Workbook-Writing/dp/1933339292/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273105307&sr=8-3-spell

 

Yes, I have used a lot with my son. But, he is the only one I am homeschooling, so I have the luxury of time. And you're right about the writing. That came after learning to read and being immersed in language.

 

Oh - they now have a free trial for Reading Horizons. Try it!

 

http://www.readinghorizons.com/solutions/free-trial.aspx

 

You will do this! You might shed some tears and turn gray along the way, though! LOL!

Edited May 6, 2010 by lisabees

[sbgrace]

AprilMay,

I'm really sorry you can't do Barton (we can't do it financially right now either, I get it..I feel especially bad for you given his age).

 

What I planned was to get the book ($25) Recipe for Reading and try to create my own program. I'm trying some other stuff first because my son is young and I've still got questions about what I'm dealing with (side note: I've learned a lot about dyslexia and I'm certain you'd be told he's dyslexia by Susan Barton...she'll talk to you without you buying her program/she did for me). It is written for young dyslexia but I would assume (I've not read the book) the OG principals are the same no matter the age. This site has tons of wonderful information for you.

http://www.dys-add.com/

 

There is a yahoo group for dyslexia and I know someone there posted about Recipe for Reading which is how I found out about it. It would be the cheapest route but most work for sure. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeartofReading/?yguid=200541244 They might have some suggestions for you outside of that as well. All About Spelling for instance is going to be mentioned on the front page of the group.

 

Dyslexia isn't the same as visual tracking etc. issues (I don't think the other poster was saying that...just for clarification) and since he's reading I don't think you'd find major issues in that area. I'd want to address what you know is major given his age ASAP and that's the dyslexia stuff. I'm pro vision therapy when it's needed by the way. My kiddo did have tracking/conversion issues and we did do vision therapy. However, that is $$$ as well and time and that stuff had/has nothing to do with the dyslexia component nor will it address it. Therefore, I wouldn't throw my money or time in that direction in your place without very good evidence it's my primary issue. In this case the dyslexia stuff is your primary issue.

Edited May 6, 2010 by sbgrace

[BatmansWife]

Dyslexia often has a genetic component, and it may be you're hitting too close to home. In other words, he blows it off because he survived it.

 

I don't know what state you live in, but in our state none of what you're describing would be acceptable. We have yearly portfolio reviews or testing required.

 

You're in wishful thinking and lala land if you think you're going to find one magic program that, in a short time frame, radically changes this.

 

Now the other thing is that you're looking at this too narrowly.

 

You need to go to www.littlegiantsteps.com........ go to www.eyecanlearn.com and do the eye exercises there.

 

 

OhElizabeth,

Maybe I'm reading what you said in the wrong way, but my husband doesn't have dyslexia. That's probably why he thinks just reading practice will work.

 

We actually live in a state that doesn't require any testing at all. That's not a good thing.....because things like this can slip through the cracks.

 

I don't think I'm in lala land thinking it will be a quick fix. I know it won't be. What I said about not wanting it to be time consuming (or whatever it is that I said) was that I don't want to start from the very beginning of a phonics program (because he can read).....I want to fill in the gaps. I didn't really want to use a program that takes level after level after level to complete it (but maybe that's what it will take.....I don't know).

 

I may be looking at this too narrowly because I don't know much of anything about it.

 

I will check out those websites. Thank you.

[BatmansWife]

I do agree with this. OP, you might want to get testing done through the school district. Write a letter of request and they'll do it for free. ;)

 

Lisa,

Thanks for this suggestion. I will do this. I can not even begin to tell you how much he will detest it. Last year there was a reading program at our library, two days a week after school. They used the program Read Naturally. I made him do it....he hated going (because he was the oldest kid), but he did enjoy the true stories. I told him he had to stick it out for one school year. I may have to check back into it again.......but it doesn't help with phonics or spelling. The lady in charge of the program works at the school. I will talk to her and see if she knows of any testing/help available.

[BatmansWife]

Reading Reflex is a $16 book that uses the same method (phonographix) as ABeCeDarian, but without workbooks.

 

Thank you, I'll look into it.

[BatmansWife]

You will do this! You might shed some tears and turn gray along the way, though! LOL!

 

Thanks Lisa. Oh I shed tears all the time for one reason or another. But.....more gray hair.....NO! Well, I guess it's gonna happen anyway. Thanks again!

[lisabees]

Okay - I pulled out my ds's REWARDS workbook. The first lesson covers the "ai" and "ay" phonograms and short a and i. The student also reads parts of words, such as "tain", "mit", "cay", "mand". Remember, this a multi-syllabic program, so if your ds doesn't know the basics, he'll need to start elsewhere. Sample words from Lesson 1 are pathway, maintain, waist, pigtail, haystack, mailman. Each lesson also covers prefixes and suffixes. Lesson 1 covers dis, mis, ab, ad. Each lesson also includes vocab and spelling dictation. Reading passages for fluency doesn't start until Lesson 15.

[sbgrace]

Do you still have the AAS? If you do I'd go back to that personally.

[Heather in VA]

Do you still have the AAS? If you do I'd go back to that personally.

 

Me too. It's the most economical option (especially if you still have it) to get the O/G type approach that could really help him. Barton's is excellent and would be a choice above AAS but since the money is an issue - I'd try AAS.

 

Heather

[BatmansWife]

Okay - I pulled out my ds's REWARDS workbook. The first lesson covers the "ai" and "ay" phonograms and short a and i. The student also reads parts of words, such as "tain", "mit", "cay", "mand". Remember, this a multi-syllabic program, so if your ds doesn't know the basics, he'll need to start elsewhere. Sample words from Lesson 1 are pathway, maintain, waist, pigtail, haystack, mailman. Each lesson also covers prefixes and suffixes. Lesson 1 covers dis, mis, ab, ad. Each lesson also includes vocab and spelling dictation. Reading passages for fluency doesn't start until Lesson 15.

 

These words are for reading......not spelling? He could read those, I'm sure. But spell them......no way. Maybe we will have to start with something else. But.....it sounds good for the near future (hopefully it will be near future). Thank you for getting your book out and taking the time to post this. :001_smile:

[BatmansWife]

Do you still have the AAS? If you do I'd go back to that personally.

 

Yes, I do still have it. I will pull it out and see about giving it another go. Thank you!

 

Maybe I'll go with Right Track (actually Back on the Right Track) and try AAS along with it.............hmmmm, still thinking....

Edited May 7, 2010 by ~AprilMay~

[BatmansWife]

Me too. It's the most economical option (especially if you still have it) to get the O/G type approach that could really help him. Barton's is excellent and would be a choice above AAS but since the money is an issue - I'd try AAS.

 

Heather

 

Thanks Heather. As I just posted above, I'm thinking of Back on the Right Track and AAS (mostly because I have it......and I probably shouldn't have given up on it so quickly). :001_smile:

Right Track & Back on the Right Track look really good to me......they are only $25 / $30.

Edited May 7, 2010 by ~AprilMay~

[Momofeat]

At this point, I really think you need to try to find an OG tutor. Some will set their price on a sliding scale, and there are even some who will tutor a child free for one year. Here is the website for the Augustine Project, located in the Chapel Hill area: http://www.augustineproject.org/index.html

 

Even if you don't live there, I would encourage you to contact them, because maybe, just maybe, they can refer you to someone else.

 

Frankly, I really think your son needs someone with specific training and expertise and not just a program that you implement. If he were 10, I'd say go for an OG program. At 15, your time to help him is limited, and it's time to pull out everything you possibly can. A trained OG tutor will know how to fill in those gaps. If you can't afford it, think about bartering, begging, anything you can to get him this help. Maybe he can do some work for the tutor, mow the lawn or something.

 

I hope you can find something that will work for your family.

[Lolly]

Everyone else has given great advice. Actually, all of it is. I'm going to throw out a couple of other things. First, based on the types of mistakes he makes in his spelling and what you said about how the dictation of sentences went I'm going to throw out a guess that his dyslexia is probably caused by auditory processing disorder. I'd suggest reading up on it and see if it rings any bells for you. My dd was younger when we remediated her auditory processing skills, so I'm not sure what materials would be appropriate. She had listening drills where she had to pick out sounds. Gradually, background noises were added in to make it more difficult. Very basic retelling of extremely simple stories was hard for her. As she got better at them, we made them more complex. Another thing that really helped my dd was a total luck into it. I had the book Type It for her to learn typing. It is set up with a linguistic approach. Typing the word families (similar to Sequential Spelling) seemed to really help her learn to spell. I think it let the patterns in through another sense (the hearing certainly wasn't helping!). It also would take very simple words and give them an age appropriate situation for learning.

[LizzyBee]

What's hard, too, is that ironically he thinks he doesn't have a problem. He gets insulted if we even insinuate that he is a struggling reader and poor speller. I noticed that sometimes he will mix up his b's and d's. I have often wondered if he has dyslexia. I never knew where to test for that.....we can't afford it anyway.....I don't know how important it is to really have an official diagnosis.

 

I have a suggestion about this, take it or leave it. I would sit down with him and tell him that he has dyslexia. Tell him that very intelligent people can have dyslexia; it does not reflect low intelligence or lack of effort. It simply means that the brain is wired in such a way that certain language processing skills are more difficult for him than for most other people. People can have dyslexia and still be very successful; it just requires more effort in certain areas. But everyone has certain strengths and weaknesses, and everyone struggles with some things. It is nothing to be embarrassed about.

 

You may be very surprised that he would rather be dyslexic than a "struggling" reader or "poor" speller. When I told my 13 yo (then 11) that I thought she was dyslexic, I couldn't believe it - her eyes lit up. She'd much rather be dyslexic than to feel like she's stupid. And yes, these kids will put on a front and act like they think nothing is wrong, but they are dying inside when they can't do things that seem so easy for other people. The Secret Life of a Dyslexic Child is an easy read and very enlightening. You could see if your library has it or if you can get it through interlibrary loan.

 

I'm sorry that Barton is unobtainable right now. I agree with those who suggested you try AAS again.

 

Here is a better link for the student screening test. Just click on screening. http://www.bartonreading.com/students_long.html

[LizzyBee]

Lolly's post made me think of something else. Most dyslexia is caused by auditory processing disorder. I actually had my kids tested for APD before dyslexia because I was pretty sure our insurance would cover it. Our audiologist gave us some good suggestions, and she recommended Earobics, which we could do at home rather than FastForWord, which is administered by a speech language pathologist. Earobics is an software program that works on things like phonemic awareness and filtering out background noise.

 

Our insurance also covers OT (occupational therapy). I wanted my youngest dd to have Interactive Metronome, so I looked for a certified IM provider who is also an OT. By making IM part of her OT, her insurance pays for it, along with her speech-language therapy. IM works on rythmn, which seems to be connected in some way with dyslexia. IM has been incredible for dd. We've seen improvements in reading, coordination, piano, sports. As it turns out, my 13 yo dd is also doing OT and speech-language therapy now (working on language issues, not speech). It's never too late if you find a good, aggressive therapist.

 

If you don't have insurance while your dh is out of work, can your kids get on medicaid or a state health insurance program? If so, you could probably get some therapy covered. It's all in the diagnostic codes that are used!

[PeterPan]

IM works on rythmn, which seems to be connected in some way with dyslexia. IM has been incredible for dd. We've seen improvements in reading, coordination, piano, sports.

 

Thanks for mentioning this! I had heard it mentioned but hadn't really pursued it. Looks fascinating! Can you tell more about how it helped her piano? I wanted so much for dd to learn to play piano. (She wanted violin, but we won't even go into that, lol.) I tried to teach her myself, but when that flopped I got her lessons with a teacher. After a year of that, she couldn't even read the notes on the page! She could read and tell you the names OR she could strike the notes when she knew what to strike. But to pull it together and have her read the music on the sheet and strike them in one motion, that she can't do. I mean it's like pulling teeth, so frustrating! And rhythm, I got her a metronome, no help to her. So I'm thinking this IM would work on a weakness. What I'm curious about is what ELSE it might fix. As you say, it's like we're scratching the tips of iceburgs we don't even realize...

[ElizabethB]

:grouphug:

 

I'll write more later, busy week, a class to teach tomorrow.

 

You can try my phonics lessons for now, they are designed for older remedial children and adults and they also do spelling. Also, the things on my how to tutor page. You might have to write out some of the words from my later lessons and go over them offline, some of my students find the markings distracting. Also, nonsense words, you need nonsense words.

 

Here are some threads and posts to read:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150540&highlight=syllable+sound+consonant

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170751&highlight=nonsense+words

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1599868&postcount=8

 

Edit: a few more links.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127043&highlight=alexander+bell

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23896&highlight=spelling+frequent+words

 

The books Spelling Plus and Spelling Dictation work on these 1,000 words but have them nicely arranged by pattern and rule and in lists starting from easiest to most difficult, you test your student and start where they need to start.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84374&highlight=sound+end+buh

 

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~krussll/138/sec3/allophon.htm

 

http://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/allophoneterm.htm

Edited May 6, 2010 by ElizabethB

[Lolly]

Thanks for mentioning this! I had heard it mentioned but hadn't really pursued it. Looks fascinating! Can you tell more about how it helped her piano? I wanted so much for dd to learn to play piano. (She wanted violin, but we won't even go into that, lol.) I tried to teach her myself, but when that flopped I got her lessons with a teacher. After a year of that, she couldn't even read the notes on the page! She could read and tell you the names OR she could strike the notes when she knew what to strike. But to pull it together and have her read the music on the sheet and strike them in one motion, that she can't do. I mean it's like pulling teeth, so frustrating! And rhythm, I got her a metronome, no help to her. So I'm thinking this IM would work on a weakness. What I'm curious about is what ELSE it might fix. As you say, it's like we're scratching the tips of iceburgs we don't even realize...

 

My dd was helped by guitar lessons. (Haven't tried IM.) I insist on my kids playing an instrument for at least a couple of years. I knew dd would have tremendous difficulty with reading music. She asked about guitar as a choice. Her instructor has been very patient. Most guitar teachers teach mainly chords instead of note reading. What is really funny is that dd prefers to pluck out songs instead of just play chords! Since I don't know anything about IM, I'm not sure this is the same thing, but her rhythm has improved. :001_smile:

[PeterPan]

So your dd is dyslexic and managed to play guitar? Honestly, our experience with piano was so frustrating, I had concluded she was a bust on music. People had suggested guitar to her as a compromise between guitar and piano. It's something you can sing with, useful, and sounds good even when you're lousy. Violin doesn't sound good if you don't get good at it, lol, and we don't see her pursuing an orchestra or anything. Well I take that back, she would like the social side of it. She's just not that into it.

 

So were there any tricks to making it work? Any particular teaching strategy? We're starting the VT process next week, so I'm thinking we should focus on that, try to get some IM (that's what I'm researching now), and maybe try music again in the fall.

[DaisyMay]

These words are for reading......not spelling? He could read those, I'm sure. But spell them......no way. Maybe we will have to start with something else. But.....it sounds good for the near future (hopefully it will be near future). Thank you for getting your book out and taking the time to post this. :001_smile:

 

I just wanted to jump in and say that my son was able to read those words when he was doing Rewards. There is also a spelling component in the Rewards lessons, which we had to skip. Too many tears just wasn't worth it! We use AAS & MegaWords for spelling, so I didn't want his reading practice to ruined with spelling.

 

Gayle

[Shay]

April May,

 

I noticed from your signature that you have a student at the ps and that gave me an idea. Our school has several sets of all levels of Barton Reading and Spelling System. Perhaps you could check and see if your school owns sets? Then, if they do perhaps they'd be willing to let you utilize them. If they do not want you to take them home, maybe you could meet at a certain time each day in a quiet room off of a library at school? I know my school would have no problem with this whatsoever. OR, you could offer to tutor a ps kid with Barton as a sort of "giving back." I'm sure they have many kids who could benefit. Your younger dc could go along and do quiet seatwork.

 

Just an idea, and it may not be even an option. You could see if the school would be willing to buy Barton if you'd tutor a child. It would be a win-win situation for all.

[lisabees]

So your dd is dyslexic and managed to play guitar? Honestly, our experience with piano was so frustrating, I had concluded she was a bust on music. People had suggested guitar to her as a compromise between guitar and piano. It's something you can sing with, useful, and sounds good even when you're lousy. Violin doesn't sound good if you don't get good at it, lol, and we don't see her pursuing an orchestra or anything. Well I take that back, she would like the social side of it. She's just not that into it.

 

So were there any tricks to making it work? Any particular teaching strategy? We're starting the VT process next week, so I'm thinking we should focus on that, try to get some IM (that's what I'm researching now), and maybe try music again in the fall.

 

My dyslexic son is pretty good on the drums! ;)

 

He did take cello in ps for three years. I am sure it only helped him, even if he wasn't the best.

[Sunkirst]

You may be very surprised that he would rather be dyslexic than a "struggling" reader or "poor" speller. When I told my 13 yo (then 11) that I thought she was dyslexic, I couldn't believe it - her eyes lit up.

:iagree:

 

My son and I were so thrilled to find out that he was dyslexic. For us it meant that there was a reason that he was having problems with reading and spelling (besides lack of intelligence or just having the world's worst teacher).

 

I'm going to second (and third) the suggestions to return to AAS. Slowly, but slowly it's been helping my son. He still doesn't see errors, he often doesn't carry his learning into his writing (I can't write and spell at the same time Mom...:glare:), but it's sinking in. My ds is quite smart, but he's not quick. Things often take a lot of repetition. So be it; we will repeat, but we won't stop.

 

Another suggestion; The Gift of Dyslexia by Ron Davis. This is what really helped my son turn the corner. As the title suggests, it doesn't focus on what dyslexics struggle with. Instead, it looks at their strengths and tries to use those strengths to help with reading and spelling. It's not a quick fix, but it's not phonics focused, which made it a change of pace for my son and me.

 

One last thing, Anecdotally, a dyslexic's spelling recovery will lag behind the reading recovery. So if your son began reading more fluently at age 12, his spelling would be a few years behind (not to say that you and he shouldn't address it).

 

Good Luck,

[BatmansWife]

Thank you to everyone for your comments, suggestions, etc. I don't have the time to address each of you individually right now. I will be copying all of these comments so I can read through them all again more slowly. :001_smile:

 

My son plays the guitar. He has my dad's old guitar and also an electric. He's really enjoys it and it pretty good. He was taking lessons once a week but we've had to stop those for awhile (can't afford it right now).....but he's teaching himself too.

 

Well, I'm hoping to see the "reading lady" at the library today (she's there 2 x's a week for that Read Naturally program) . Hopefully I can get some info from her about any testing / programs at the public school. I'll update once I know what's going on.

[MicheleinMN]

Thanks Heather. As I just posted above, I'm thinking of Right Track and AAS (mostly because I have it......and I probably shouldn't have given up on it so quickly). :001_smile:

Right Track looks really good to me......and it's only $30.

 

Thank you for mentioning Right Track. It looks like a wonderful resource.

[Quiver0f10]

I highly recommend Barton Reading and Spelling. It is not cheap but you can find each level used, sell it when you are done and use that to buy the next level.

 

A good place for support and information on dyslexia (and to find barton used) is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeartofReading/

[LizzyBee]

Thanks for mentioning this! I had heard it mentioned but hadn't really pursued it. Looks fascinating! Can you tell more about how it helped her piano? I wanted so much for dd to learn to play piano. (She wanted violin, but we won't even go into that, lol.) I tried to teach her myself, but when that flopped I got her lessons with a teacher. After a year of that, she couldn't even read the notes on the page! She could read and tell you the names OR she could strike the notes when she knew what to strike. But to pull it together and have her read the music on the sheet and strike them in one motion, that she can't do. I mean it's like pulling teeth, so frustrating! And rhythm, I got her a metronome, no help to her. So I'm thinking this IM would work on a weakness. What I'm curious about is what ELSE it might fix. As you say, it's like we're scratching the tips of iceburgs we don't even realize...

 

IM is typically done three times per week for about 10-12 weeks. But my dd's initial scores and her ADHD were so bad that her OT knew she could only tolerate once a week, and she's been doing it since last June or July. The computer plays a beat and the child has to tap to the beat while wearing a sensor on a hand or foot. The computer gives color-coded feedback and keeps a record of each sesseion. As the child progresses, the patterns become more complex. Our OT practice will do 10 min on the IM, then go to the sensory gym or speech therapy, then do another 5-10 min on the IM. They are helping the kids use the input in real life, because being able to sit and tap a beat accurately doesn't really accomplish anything. But riding a scooter down the hall (for ex.) immediately after an IM session helps train the brain to use the information.

 

Oh, so back to the piano question. Learning the notes initially was very hard for dd, but late last fall, things really began clicking for her irt reading and piano. I think we had managed to find the best possible combination of curriculum and therapy for her, as well as a firm but patient piano teacher. I wish I had something more practical to offer, but unfortunately I don't. She is great at reading notes now, and IM has helped improve her timing. She is currently struggling with 8th notes, though, so it's not as though it's become easy for her.

 

As for what else it might fix...my dd played Upward Basketball this winter. She was just a so-so player. Then one day, something clicked, and she starting stealing the ball, dribbling accurately, and making shots. It was incredible to watch how much she changed.

[PeterPan]

She is currently struggling with 8th notes, though, so it's not as though it's become easy for her.

 

As for what else it might fix...my dd played Upward Basketball this winter. She was just a so-so player. Then one day, something clicked, and she starting stealing the ball, dribbling accurately, and making shots. It was incredible to watch how much she changed.

 

That's part of what I'm pondering through at this point, what might change and what is just who she is. Your dd's basketball experience is very interesting too. Means we should not lose hope! :)

[Lolly]

So your dd is dyslexic and managed to play guitar? Honestly, our experience with piano was so frustrating, I had concluded she was a bust on music. People had suggested guitar to her as a compromise between guitar and piano. It's something you can sing with, useful, and sounds good even when you're lousy. Violin doesn't sound good if you don't get good at it, lol, and we don't see her pursuing an orchestra or anything. Well I take that back, she would like the social side of it. She's just not that into it.

 

So were there any tricks to making it work? Any particular teaching strategy? We're starting the VT process next week, so I'm thinking we should focus on that, try to get some IM (that's what I'm researching now), and maybe try music again in the fall.

 

 

Piano is probably the absolute worst instrument for someone who is dyslexic. You are having to read TWO different coded systems at a time. Most instruments just use one. You can play guitar by learning to play chords. The teacher just needs to teach you how to play the chords by showing you how. I don't think dd realized that recognizing the notation for the chords was "reading". There weren't that many to learn, so she didn't have any problems with them at all. Her teacher has just progressed at her pace. No pressure.

[PeterPan]

Well NOW they tell me, lol. Took me 11 years to realize she was dyslexic, and took me a while to get over my guilt. With the way things work in Ohio, with certified teacher reviews yearly, etc. I had just always thought her problems were *my* fault, that I wasn't a good teacher. And when this piano thing didn't work right, it was one more of those. So guitar is easier? Cool, I've always wanted to learn guitar! Maybe we can do that in the fall, the both of us! :)

 

BTW, tonight I found God's gift to dyslexics: horseriding. What an amazing thing! Dd just opened up with it, hugging the thing, talking to it, stroking it. I think it appeals to their extra-personal side. I don't know. Whatever it is, I was amazed, because I've never felt that way about mere transportation, lol. So to think you can be therapeutic and have such a good time all at once, that's a great thing!

 

Oh, you do classical or acoustic guitar? Or does it not matter? Seems to me classical guitar would be a lot harder for a dyslexic, wouldn't it? Or maybe not? I liked classical when I had researched them before, but we can go acoustic with her if that would be wiser.

[Lolly]

Well NOW they tell me, lol. Took me 11 years to realize she was dyslexic, and took me a while to get over my guilt. With the way things work in Ohio, with certified teacher reviews yearly, etc. I had just always thought her problems were *my* fault, that I wasn't a good teacher. And when this piano thing didn't work right, it was one more of those. So guitar is easier? Cool, I've always wanted to learn guitar! Maybe we can do that in the fall, the both of us! :)

 

BTW, tonight I found God's gift to dyslexics: horseriding. What an amazing thing! Dd just opened up with it, hugging the thing, talking to it, stroking it. I think it appeals to their extra-personal side. I don't know. Whatever it is, I was amazed, because I've never felt that way about mere transportation, lol. So to think you can be therapeutic and have such a good time all at once, that's a great thing!

 

Oh, you do classical or acoustic guitar? Or does it not matter? Seems to me classical guitar would be a lot harder for a dyslexic, wouldn't it? Or maybe not? I liked classical when I had researched them before, but we can go acoustic with her if that would be wiser.

 

I know absolutely nothing about guitars! I went into a store and tried to have a salesperson help me. They pointed me to a row of beginner guitars that came with a package deal that included a months worth of lessons. I picked the one I thought was the prettiest. Seems I did okay. It wasn't supposed to be on that rack.:lol: They let me have it at the beginner package price because it had a tiny, little scratch. (It is an acoustic.) She has since purchased herself a fancy, smancy electric. She has found she actually prefers the acoustic. Silly girl was looking at Gibson guitars this past weekend in Nashville! :lol:

 

Horseback riding is another way to work on rhythm and balance. Up, down, up, down. Now, you have to post when the horses leg is...bounce and change! She is going to have tons of fun. (I miss our horse days. I just couldn't get my kids to love it as much as I did.)

Edited May 7, 2010 by Lolly

[ElizabethB]

What has helped with my students is not more reading, but focusing on the phonics basics and phonics rules, syllables, and nonsense words. Also, once they are doing better and able to start reading more, 100% correction of errors, even small ones--if he says dog for dogs, have him spell it and then sound it out and then say the word.

 

For spelling, I recommend Spelling Rules and Spelling Dictation for most of my struggling students. It works on the most common 1,000 words so you're not wasting time on words that are not common but arranges them by pattern and rule. Also, it goes from easy to difficult, so you start at the level where they need help.

 

For spelling, you can spell "on the board" and "off the board" at first, have him sound out the word while looking at it then spell the word while looking at it. Once he can do this, he can work on the same type of words without looking at them. Any that he struggles with, have him do "on the board" first, then "off the board." It is also helpful to do both letter spelling and "phoneme spelling" for words, saying the approximate sounds of the letters, or phonemes, when "phoneme spelling."

 

Also, it's key for both you and your son to realize that letter sounds are approximations, NOT exact sounds. The sound of t is different in tap, pat, and stop, it has a slightly different sound in all 3 words. The sounds of syllables ARE exact, and match up in words. If you look at pictures of speech, the sounds blend together without any break. Also, if you look at pictures of sentences, words often blend together without any break. People do not naturally hear sounds and words, it is a learned skill, and letter sounds are abstractions. Syllable sounds are true sounds that match up when put together to make words. Also, sounds that sound the same and do blend together well, like a, can still be slightly different in different words. For example, the long a in made is slightly longer than the long a in mate.

 

A focus on syllables has been really helpful for my remedial students, I use syllables already divided in Webster's Speller and teach them how to divide syllables on their own in my online lessons and the syllable division rules and exercises on my how to tutor page.

 

It might also help to have your son categorize his own words and make a spelling notebook once he learns the rules. For a word he misspells, he would figure out why he misspelled it--which rule, or a schwa sound, for example, and write it in a section with other words that have that rule or that problem. (You can help him figure out why at first, eventually he should be able to start going over lists of rules and identifying the problem on his own, you should incrementally work up to this.)

 

For words with schwa sounds, it's usually helpful to pronounce it in your head with a little bit of the vowel sound and/or write it out with the vowel highlighted with a marker, circled, underlined, or a different case--for example, sepArate.

 

For his spelling of cleanr, furthr, and crakl, you would place it as needing a vowel, every syllable needs a vowel, r and l are heavily voiced and seem like they could be used without a vowel, but you must have one. If you go to my spelling chart, you'll see that 74% of the time, the ur sound at the end of words is made with er, so that should be your first choice. I would let him use these charts to help with reading and spelling. Eventually, you may want to have him memorize some of the orders of choices from the charts. It's not on the chart, I'll have to add it, but le is more common than el, also there are syllable division rules that will help you decide which to use based on the vowel sound before the el or le being long or short. (Linked from my how to tutor page.)

 

I also have some ideas for B/D confusion on my dyslexia page.

 

You might also want to try to get the book "Spelling: Structure and Strategies" by Paul Hanna through Interlibrary loan or from Amazon, they have some cheap ones right now (sometimes they start at $20 or $40, it depends, there are several for under $5 right now.) It has some spelling ideas that might be helpful.

Edited May 8, 2010 by ElizabethB

[ElizabethB]

Oh - ds is reading on a 7th grade level now! He now calls himself a good reader!

 

:party:

 

That's great! I'm happy your hard work has paid off, it sounds like you worked through a lot of things to get him reading.

[LittleHouseHomeschool]

For spelling, I recommend Spelling Rules and Spelling Dictation for most of my struggling students. It works on the most common 1,000 words so you're not wasting time on words that are not common but arranges them by pattern and rule. Also, it goes from easy to difficult, so you start at the level where they need help.

 

 

Is Spelling Rules and Spelling Dictation one resource? Who is the author...or can you provide a link?

 

Thanks!