do you think your learning style negatively impacts your dc?

[cathmom]

I was just talking to my dad (which is usually not a good idea). He told me that he believes that everybody has a different way of learning (suggesting that dd's dyslexia is another way of learning). I completely agree with him and used myself as an example. I have an extremely hard time visualizing things. It's a running joke betweeen dh and me. I am just not picture-oriented. If I visit a blog and it's all pictures, I'm not interested.

 

He apparently found this alarming and felt that I needed to work to overcome it so that it doesn't negatively impact the dc's education! What do you all think? I have always thought that people had strengths and weaknesses, and as long I am aware of theirs and mine all will be good. He feels that the symptoms of her dyslexia are symptoms that she is not being taught the way she needs to be. But he doesn't apparently agree that tutoring in the Orton-Gillingham method will help. He seems to feel that she can memorize the 5000 or so sight words that we use frequently in English.

 

Why haven't I learned not to talk to my dad yet? I was missing him and now I'm all confused LOL.

[cathmom]

Forgot to say, direct quotes, "You don't need to know this phoneme."

 

"She's being given the details but not the destination."

[Renee in NC]

I will say that most people don't think in pictures and I am not sure it is something to be "overcome." This is why I have to take the words out of B's Geometry book and draw him pictures (because he is so visual.) It is hard for me, because I think in pictures as well (and J and D!) My dh? He does NOT think in pictures and it is pretty funny sometimes when we try to communicate something with him.

 

Most people are not visual-spatial, though.

 

The Orton-Gillingham method may work. Or it may not. I can't imagine that it will *hurt* anything, though!

 

Just learn a few statements:

 

"You might be right, Dad."

 

"Hmmm...I'll have to look into that!"

 

"I never thought of it that way before!"

[newlifemom]

I suppose that these things you are discussing I should be learning. That said, I still haven't learned not to talk to my dad. I'm sorry. FWIW, no matter how much or how little you may understand about prevailing educational theories I still firmly believe that the parent has the most information regarding their children and their education and that is much more important than anything else.

[umarider]

I think that any teacher needs to take multiple learning styles into consideration or else it might have a negative impact.

 

I remember my dad, who is *very* intelligent, trying to help my sisters and me with algebra & chemistry... he had only one way to see/explain things, and we didn't get it. The fighting and frustration was horrible.

[cillakat]

<<He feels that the symptoms of her dyslexia are symptoms that she is not being taught the way she needs to be. But he doesn't apparently agree that tutoring in the Orton-Gillingham method will help. He seems to feel that she can memorize the 5000 or so sight words that we use frequently in English.>>

 

Is your dad a reading specialist? Dyslexia expert?

 

Even strongly visually/spatially gifted kids *with dyslexia, need intensive evidence based phonics intervention to be able to read successfully at higher levels.

 

With that intervention, there is no reading failure of dyslexic kids of average intelligence kids and up. Without it, it's not so good.

 

Sure, they need to memorize the few sight words that are truly truly sight words, but they need the phoneme awareness, the overleaning of phoneme/grapheme correspondence, and the thorough understanding of syllabification/syllabication rules so that they can attack longer words.

 

It's as simple as that. Ime, the sight words come very very quickly once they learn to pay attention to each letter in each word....overlearn that skill to the point of true automaticity.

 

Eventually, it's so automatic that the do achieve word level reading, but phonics comes first.

 

We spent six mos doing Wilson (orton gillingham intervention) 2x/week. We didn't get major major results *from wilson* until we started doing it 5x/week....and that was just 2 weeks ago. Wow, has her reading ever taken off. Last night, on her own, she continued reading aloud (gasp) after her required fluency passage was complete.

 

Knock me over with a feather.

 

:)

Katherine

 

PS.....Same deal with my dad. I always go into it ready to move the conversation in a different direction and have learned to do so very successfully. I also am great at "I'd love to learn more about this. Please send me any evidence based info you have on the subject and I'll read it." Then 'pass the bean dip', 'how are the wolverines playing', 'when are you and cindy going to florida' etc etc;)

[LisaKinVA]

No. As long as you are aware of the differences and try to approach your child(ren) in the best manner for them. That said, completely catering to a learning style isn't beneficial either -- we have to build up the "weak" areas as well.

 

I am fortunate that my children all seem to learn easilly both visually and auditorilly, and that I don't have any that seem to require lots of "tactile" (which isn't my strength). That doesn't mean it's a breeze, though.

 

My oldest is not self-motivated (and I was very self motivated), and that is perhaps my greatest struggle -- trying to figure out ways to motivate him.

 

My younger daughter has to draw pictures on and about everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING). It frustrates me, because I like things "clean."

 

Those are the only things that ever "get in the way" of my working with them easilly.

 

I'm sorry your father has created such doubt -- but as others have said, you KNOW your child best, and are probably looking at everything you do with a critical eye anyhow (I know I do that, I'm constantly second guessing something!)

[joannqn]

As long as you keep everyone's learning style in mind, you'll be fine. You know your kids and can adjust how you teach to fit everyone's needs.

 

I also have issues talking with my dad. In fact, I've been avoiding talking to him and am hoping he doesn't call any time soon. Politics really gets him going and I don't want to hear it from him...especially since we disagree on just about everything politically.

[KAR120C]

He apparently found this alarming and felt that I needed to work to overcome it so that it doesn't negatively impact the dc's education! What do you all think? I have always thought that people had strengths and weaknesses, and as long I am aware of theirs and mine all will be good.

If you're aware of your differences and if you recognize your limitations, than I think all will be good. It would be possible to know you're a mismatch and keep trying to make it work without any common ground... which I think would be unlikely to work or at least very trying for all of you. But if you keep track of things working and not working, recognize when they're not working, and consider whether you can work around the difficulty or not, then I wouldn't worry.

 

I know for me I have such a strong (STRONG) leaning toward a visual-spatial learning style, that if DS couldn't see it the same way, I'd be lost. I have no backup plan and no way to explain things that doesn't rely on pictures. But man can I use those pictures! LOL And fortunately DS works with that too. Lucky for him he's not restricted to just that method... so there are things that make perfect sense to him one way, and I just plain can't do them that way, but as long as I stay out of his way he's fine.

[8filltheheart]

He feels that the symptoms of her dyslexia are symptoms that she is not being taught the way she needs to be. But he doesn't apparently agree that tutoring in the Orton-Gillingham method will help. He seems to feel that she can memorize the 5000 or so sight words that we use frequently in English.

 

.

 

Dyslexia is not caused or created. It simply is. So don't beat yourself up as having caused the problem. There are definite educational approaches that help children overcome the complexities of being dyslexic.

 

As to OG.....it may or may not help your child spell. There is no guarantee that that approach will create a good speller. My mildly dyslexic son did not ever learn to spell using the OG approach. (I used WTRT with him until 5th or 6th grade, switched to Spelling Power, then used How to Teach Spelling (which improved his spelling the most, but still isn't saying much), and then used Phonetic Zoo (a complete bust). He graduated still misspelling words like whith and thier and I could go on and on. :tongue_smilie:) My 2nd one did not either and is finally improving using Apples and Pears which is an eclectic approach of phonemes, morphemes, and cyclical dictation.

[cathmom]

<<He feels that the symptoms of her dyslexia are symptoms that she is not being taught the way she needs to be. But he doesn't apparently agree that tutoring in the Orton-Gillingham method will help. He seems to feel that she can memorize the 5000 or so sight words that we use frequently in English.>>

 

Is your dad a reading specialist? Dyslexia expert?

 

No. But he thinks he know everything about every subject. In his defense, I did ask him for his opinion.

 

 

Sure, they need to memorize the few sight words that are truly truly sight words, but they need the phoneme awareness, the overleaning of phoneme/grapheme correspondence, and the thorough understanding of syllabification/syllabication rules so that they can attack longer words.

 

It's as simple as that. Ime, the sight words come very very quickly once they learn to pay attention to each letter in each word....overlearn that skill to the point of true automaticity.

 

Eventually, it's so automatic that the do achieve word level reading, but phonics comes first.

 

Right, her testing showed that she could read up to fourth grade level sight words fine. Once she got to fifth grade (she is in seventh), she couldn't figure them out anymore.

 

It's great to hear your dc is doing so much better! My dd is meeting her tutor 3x a week for an hour each time.

 

Did your dad go to Michigan? Mine did!

[WTMCassandra]

Why haven't I learned not to talk to my dad yet? I was missing him and now I'm all confused LOL.

 

I'm in a snarky mood, so fair warning.

 

I don't think your learning style is as much of an issue as his criticizing style ; ).

 

I think YOU are fine--except possibly your tendency to try to discuss such topics with him ; ).

 

I would take it all with a grain of salt and continue to do what is best for your children. Next time you want feedback on a topic like that, I recommend you ask the hive mind and pass the bean dip with your dad.

[Ellie]

Yabbut here's the thing: I believe it's probable that if your teaching style is different, it's something that your dc needs to develop, KWIM? If your dc is, say, kinesthetic, he needs to work on his other learning modalities, because it won't always be possible for new things to be presented that way when he's all grown up. And maybe your OCD visual learner *needs* to do some messing around with manipulatives or other hands-on activities so he'll lighten up.

 

I don't think it's a mistake that God puts the person charge--that would be you--of people who have different learning styles--that would be your dc.:D

[Ellie]

But he doesn't apparently agree that tutoring in the Orton-Gillingham method will help. He seems to feel that she can memorize the 5000 or so sight words that we use frequently in English.

 

I think you're right not to have these discusssions with him. Millions of children in the early 50s and beyond did NOT learn to read by memorizing 5000 or so sight words taught in the Dick and Jane readers (as much as I love those readers, lol). Clearly he's working with flawed information.