Advice for help with DD

[RPDwifey2819]

Ok I am full of the need for feedback today... forgive me! :P So, when DS was in the 3-5 range, I noticed his learning was different than other kids in preK. Most of the time, I just pushed it off as "he's a boy" or "he's not ready" but, really , there were signs. He could not recognize letters at all. They all looked the same to him. He could recite just about anything you did orally with him but couldn't look at the letter "A" and say "oh yeah, that's an A!"

 

When he was 5, he started to retain what letters were but still struggled with sounds. Letter sounds? And, a glazed look would cover his face. It did not compute.

 

By the time he was 6, I really noticed something wasn't right. He still transposed his ENTIRE name. Yes, mirror image. Writing from left to right? No way. Much cooler to write in diagonals, backwards, and HUGE!

 

By the end of the 1st grade year, and after failing to help him learn more than 100 words, I resolved that he did, in fact, need more testing and help than I had provided.

 

DS is dyslexic.

 

Now, I am trying to work with DD who is showing the same signs as her brother. However, she is NOT dysgraphic (like her brother). Her penmanship is pretty darn good for a 5 year old. But retaining letter shape and letter sound? Nope. She can't recall what letters look like to write them unless she's looking at them.

 

I know most of you will say- "she's just 5- give it time" Well, I gave it time with DS and I feel like I lost valuable time with him in helping him re-wire the wiring that's crossed in his brain.

 

What programs do you think I use to help DD? Apparently playing a year of Starfall hasn't made any difference in letter recognition. How about All About Reading Pre-Level 1? Or maybe Hooked on Phonics? Other computer games that may help?

 

Dyslexia has a genetic component. Their father is dyslexic. DS is dyslexic. Their first cousins are dyslexic. It would not surprise me if DD is too. I just want to be proactive in helping her and wonder if there is something that anyone here may have to help her.

 

Thanks!

[Lecka]

For my little kids coming up I am looking at one of the books that comes up when you search "phonemic awareness" on amazon.

 

I think any of them or a combination might be good -- I am hoping so.

 

My older son did speech therapy that I think is similar to a program called Lips. I don't know if it is specifically to help children remember sounds, but I know it is to help them tell sounds apart.

 

I am also going to try a lot of multi-sensory stuff for teaching letters, and hope that will help. It took my son a long time to learn the letters -- that kind of rote memorization is a real weakness for him. I have found that he appears to do better and better as there is less focus on this kind of memorizing! He is only in 2nd grade -- but by now he does know his letters and numbers.... they were a struggle, but now that he knows them, he does not have a hard time with "harder" things. That is just him, but if it is hard to memorize -- at some point you just repeat it and try to repeat it in different ways, and see if they do better with spiral review or mastery (my son is a mastery learner -- he will not retain with spiral... he is better to just focus on a couple of letters until he has them down, starting with whatever seems easiest of them, rather than trying to do everything at once).

 

I personally like Abecedarian, and you might look at it. abcdrp.com

 

I have a really good impression of AAR pre-1, too.

 

Hooked on Phonics went too fast for my son. But, it seemed good, too. (I had borrowed it a little and it just progressed too quickly.)

 

You could go ahead and look at Barton, also. It is a full OG program and it is supposed to be very good. I own Level 1 and I am impressed with it, but for some personal reasons we didn't continue with it (stuff really specific to my son). Barton has a screening test you might take -- if she passes it, you have more options than if she doesn't.... if she doesn't, she has issues with foundational skills that need to be addressed. But it is okay! They can be addressed!

 

You might look at Handwriting Without Tears, too.... I am looking at their pre-school program for my littles. It looks like it might be a good fit for them, and it seems like it is very multisensory. My older son had HWOT in K, and still had a hard time -- but it still seems like a good program to me.

 

Oh, you might also look at I See Sam. I ordered from 3rsplus.com, but I think they are downloadable for free?

 

Also, have you read Overcoming Dyslexia? It has a lot of information.

Edited August 30, 2012 by Lecka

[RPDwifey2819]

We started ABeCeDarian this weekwith DS and DD. Well, DS is tolerating it well but DD is balking at it and wants NOTHING to do with it. :(

 

I may pull out some Davis Method things with her where she can build her letters in play doh.

 

THanks for the tip about HOP. I have a complete set that I got for dirt cheap and it was unused.

 

I will look at our local HS store and see if they have a Barton set on consignment. I know they had a Wilson set at one point. It was still VERY pricey though. :(

 

Thanks again for your input!

[FairProspects]

Recipe for Reading. It teaches you how to make your own O-G program. That's where I would start if younger ds showed signs of dyslexia.

[RPDwifey2819]

Recipe for Reading. It teaches you how to make your own O-G program. That's where I would start if younger ds showed signs of dyslexia.

 

 

 

Is this something I can google and download? Thanks :)

[FairProspects]

It is a manual you have to purchase. There are workbooks you can also buy if you want to go with more of a textbook/workbook approach, but the multi-sensory instruction is in the main book. You do have be comfortable figuring out how to break it up into daily lessons yourself - it is like AAS in that way, so there may be a bit of a learning curve, but we just work on one concept for 15-20 minutes and move on from there.

[RPDwifey2819]

It is a manual you have to purchase. There are workbooks you can also buy if you want to go with more of a textbook/workbook approach, but the multi-sensory instruction is in the main book. You do have be comfortable figuring out how to break it up into daily lessons yourself - it is like AAS in that way, so there may be a bit of a learning curve, but we just work on one concept for 15-20 minutes and move on from there.

 

Sounds great! Thank you so much!

[Lecka]

I hope the multi-sensory will really help!

[RPDwifey2819]

I hope the multi-sensory will really help!

 

I'm sure it will. :) I need to make new play doh today and start building letters with them.

 

We also discovered CBeeBies yesterday from the UK. DD LOVES Alphablocks! Seriously! She's addicted to them! She's watched and played their games for about 2 hours in the last 2 days. I think this may really help her!

[ShelleyW]

AAR pre-level 1 is perfect for your dd. It really works on phonemic awareness which is what most dyslexics struggle with. I do not know if my 4 yo is dyslexic but since she has 2 older siblings that are, I am not taking any chances. She will be starting w/AAR as soon as she is ready. For a truly dyslexic child I think AAR moves to fast once you progress past the pre-level stage. Recipe for Reading has a PA component as well.

 

I have Recipe for Reading and it is a solid program. Not lots of hand-holding. You have to create the lessons yourself but it isn't too bad once you get the hang of it. The manual is not too expensive and neither are the workbooks. Compared to most O-G programs it is quite reasonable. Most of the O-G programs are quite similar so once you get the basic ideas behind it you can use any program. It depends on how much planning you are willing to take on yourself.

 

Making letters from playdoh is a great activity and really helps cement the concepts. Also sand, and shaving cream work great too.