Online or self-directed spelling program for dyslexics? Writing?

[zoobie]

I have searched, so this is probably a unicorn.

 

Oldest DD is 13. 2E with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD. And a hefty dose of anxiety. We worked with a great OG tutor for 3 years. She retired. We did Apples and Pears on our own last year without much progress. Onset of hormones has made a difficult personality...uh, really difficult. She has been extremely resistant to anything involving me giving feedback. She isn't much better with DH. Paying another tutor over $100/hr twice a week isn't an option right now, but I would pay a good chunk for any programs that work. 

 

Would IEW be enough hands off for a writing program? I had her listen to the Phonetic Zoo samples and she claimed it sounded like they were speaking another language and she couldn't hear, couldn't understand. Everything is met with resistance. Help. Any boarding schools for dyslexic children? I was sort of horrified when an old boss sent her 7th grader to Switzerland, but now I understand...  :leaving:

Edited February 6, 2017 by zoobie

[OneStepAtATime]

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

 

Are you just wanting to work on her writing or does she still need significant remediation with reading?

 

If it is mainly the writing, with IEW you could conceivably use SWI-B sort of independently IF she were actually willing to do as Pudewa asks her to in the videos.  You would need to facilitate, though, and check her work.  You MIGHT consider hiring a college kid to facilitate.  That would be much cheaper than a specialist. They could meet with her once a week to watch the video with her, confirm she is understanding, work through the assignment with her, then give her the follow up assignment for her to do on her own during the week.  They could check her work the following week.  Everything is scheduled out so the college student wouldn't have to really teach or schedule, just follow what is recommended.  You can track what is going on and if she asks for help you can assist.

[OneStepAtATime]

As for spelling, maybe give her a spell checker and show her how to use it for now.  Do you know if her spelling struggles are more phonetically based, or lack of a visual memory or ...?

 

Does she type?

[zoobie]

She does not seem to need remediation with reading. We haven't done a re-eval since the original diagnosis in 2nd grade. I believe her ITBS scores were in the 80% range last year, and that likely wasn't full effort. (State requirement.) She reads YA books and participates in book club discussions and can answer questions about what she's read. She took an online class at G3 and enjoyed it. We haven't started formal literary analysis yet. I bought Lightning Lit 7 but have set it aside because she takes nearly everything I say as a personal affront, even if it's "you have an eye appointment at 2:30." (For realz, this morning. Contemplating something stronger than coffee.)

 

She does type. Not a speed demon, but better than one finger pecking. We used the Dance Mat program around 3rd-4th grade. Texting with friends seems to have helped with keyboard recognition, ha. I'm not sure about phonetics vs visual memory. She is able to memorize whole words well when she reads, which is how she hid it for so long as a young child. Her Montessori school kept thinking we were crazy for wondering whether she was dyslexic. She has greater difficulty encoding words than decoding them.

 

The anxiety I think is really amplifying things. She immediately balks and freaks out, then it snowballs. She refuses to go see anyone about the anxiety or ADHD and refuses medication. We found a great ped psychiatrist a couple of years ago, but she will not go back. Any suggestion of it turns into a meltdown over us hating her, hating her personality, wanting her to change, not liking who she is. DH and I both have used psychiatrists and therapists. She knows we have both taken or are taking medication. We have talked openly about depression and ADHD in ourselves, so it's not like her needing help would be a shameful or unusual thing in our family. 

[PeterPan]

Why are you doing spelling? That's an age/stage where you'd drop it with ADHD (no SLD) kids who are struggling, so I'd just make sure it's not time to cut your losses.

 

You could investigate under-methylation and depression. There's a genetic test for it, and maybe she'd agree to take a methyl source and work on the depression/anxiety if she knew there was a genetic defect indicating it. 

 

Beyond that, I'd drop things that aren't essential, put those into "oh well life happens" and work on positive stuff. I'm not one to say not to send her away. I just sent my dd away this semester, to good effect. ;)  Do you have a dyslexia school within an hour or two? Can you move to be near one? Do you actually have options?

 

I think the other thing you could do is look at the dyslexia school you'd want and see what they REALLY do. We haven't used one yet, but in talking with people it seems like they're a lot more chilled than you'd expect. Like this whole gotta fix you, we're gonna remediate your stinkin' weaknesses and brokenness, isn't there. It seems more upbeat and positive. But I hear you on the depression. That's why I mentioned the under-methylation. Apparently SAM-e, which helps depression, provides lots of methyls, hmmm. And it has minimal side effects or stigma, unlike prescription meds. 

 

You might pay her on the typing and see if you can make headway. 

 

Is there anything she does well you could harness or give her more opportunity to do?

 

Like the unicorn thing.  :lol:

Edited February 6, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[KathyBC]

I believe there is now a self-directed option for Sequential Spelling.

[KathyBC]

You could look into a Brave Writer online writing class.

[MomatHWTK]

My middle son isn't diagnosed with dyslexia, but he did well with Explode the Code online. He hated it, but he learned. I'm using the online version of Sequential Spelling right now. But, we've just started using it so I can't tell how it will go. I used the parent-led version in the past and liked it. 

[Tawlas]

Man, I'm right there with you.  Only my dd (dysgraphic, dyslexic) is only 10 (going on 16).  I'm not looking forward to the teen years, lemme tell ya.

 

She isn't nearly the fluent reader yours is, but I "farmed that out" to Horizons online.  We've managed to mostly find a truce setting for AAS 3, which she is almost done, about to start AAS4.

 

For writing we're doing CAP Narrative 1, mostly orally, occasionally I scribe, occasionally she uses Dragon Dictation and very rarely do I ask her to actually use a pen or pencil to  write.  She has so much trouble getting her thoughts on to paper.  Even if she does write something down, it's usually seriously lacking in energy, and almost impossible to decipher.  After three years of blood, sweat and tears (well okay, no blood, but definitely some meltdowns) she's getting to a place where she can do simple dictations, which I consider a huge win. I'm making an effort to use Dragon Dictation for more stuff because the results are pretty good and the process is almost bearable.

 

My slightly younger son is doing IEW A.  I suspect he's also dysgraphic.  Contemplating getting him checked out.  It's hard for him.  He can't really do it independently at first, but by the end of the week of practicing one thing, he's able to.  He has a great attitude, generally, though.  I really want my daughter to start it as soon as we're done CAP, which will be some time in the next few weeks.  I think it teaches some great skills, especially to kids whose comprehension of written text may not be that great or who struggle creating a coherent sentence/paragraph/etc.  But I am dreading it, because I know she'll find it challenging which means I'll need to be there for every.single.step. so she can make sure I know how.much.she.hates.it.  I think OneStepAtATime had a great idea!  Hiring a "cool" college kid would be a great idea!!  Wondering if there's someone nearby who I could coerce pay to do that?  Hmmmmmm. . . .

 

I know she wouldn't be able to do an online class without serious effort on my part, so it almost doesn't seem worth it at this point.

 

I know, I'm not much help.  Just wanted to say that you're not alone!