| Copyright 2006 Julie Shepherd Knapp |
| Copyright 2006 Julie Shepherd Knapp. All rights reserved. |
| about the book |
| The Homeschool Diner's Guide to Homeschooling Special Situations Homeschooling with Dyslexia and Other Vision Problems by Julie Shepherd Knapp, copyright 2006 Some children learn to read early, others learn along with their classmates at age 5 or 6, still other children struggle with reading, or show no interest, and do not read well until they are much older. There is a lot of natural variation in when each child is "ready" to learn to read. But when a child continues to struggle with reading or spelling, even with one-on-one help, parents should consider the possibility that the child may have dyslexia, or a vision problem, or both. Dyslexia is a learning disability that makes it hard for children to learn to read and spell. Children with dyslexia have trouble recognizing words and read slowly, they have poor spelling skills, and have a hard time sounding out a new word. They have trouble (and are often embarassed by) reading aloud, and may have trouble with handwriting. Dyslexia isn't the only vision problem that can make it hard to read. Other vision problems have to do with how well the eyes interpret what they see, and how well the two eyes to work together as a team, especially when reading. The acuity (clearness) with which a child sees isn't the only important aspect of vision. A child may have 20/20 vision, yet have trouble reading because, for instance, her eye muscles don't glide smoothly across the page. Vision problems can be diagnosed by a specially trained Behavioral Optometrist, and vision therapy may help. Homeschooling can be a good option for children with vision processing issues. Parents can seek the latest and most appropriate treatment methods for their particular child, without fighting for school cooperation. Essentially, create your own "IEP" by researching the types of Dyslexia, arranging for private assessment, and comparing notes with other families in similar situations to find the best treatment options. There are several remediation approaches available to homeschooling families. You may opt for private treatment or can train yourself to use one of the variety of special reading curriculum available today. It isn't as hard as it may sound -- many families have succeeded in remediating Dyslexia and they are happy to share their knowledge and get other families started on the right path. Be sure to join a support group, such as "Learning Abled Kids" (listed below) to get the support you'll need and hear about the latest in research and techniques. Some Information on Dyslexia What is dyslexia? -- from the LD-Online website Dyslexia and Reading -- from "The Mislabeled Child" book website Dyslexia Symptoms -- Where to Start? from Learning Abled Kids The Gift of Dyslexia a book and website by Ron Davis -- an approach that is not "...based on tutoring or drill, but actually resolves the root causes of problems experienced by individuals with language-based learning difficulties...", lectures, workshops, and forums, available In the Mind's Eye: Visual Thinkers, Gifted People With Dyslexia and Other Learning Difficulties, Computer Images and the Ironies of Creativity by Thomas G. West -- looks at the unique strengths of individuals with dyslexia, and their past, present, and future contributions to society, includes the role technology will play in future successes How To Reach and Teach Children & Teens with Dyslexia by Cynthia M. Stowe -- practical advice and techniques for teaching reading, spelling, math, etc, with a chapter for each subject, includes suggestions for ADD/ADHD, geared toward school environment, but still very useful for homeschoolers Lexia Learning: Strategies for Older Students -- interactive software for students 9 and older to improve reading and spelling skills, starts from the very beginning, with basic vowel sounds, but allows students to proceed at their own pace A List Homeschool Reading Programs that Help with Dyslexia from the Learning Abled Kids website The International Dyslexia Association - tons of good articles Learning Abled Kids -- an informative website full of links to resources, curriculum, and tools to help your bright child with dyslexia and other learning differences Learning Abled Kids Forum -- a Yahoo! support group for parents homeschooling children who have Dyslexia, vision processing difficulties, or other learning differences, discussions include appropriate reading and spelling programs, vision therapy, "hi-low" readers, etc. Can "Good Readers" Have Dyslexia? Yes! Be alert to problems with reading out loud, spelling of new words, and handwriting issues... they may be signs of "stealth dyslexia" Some Information on Other Vision Problems Vision and Reading -- from The Optometrist's Network, explains the various problems with vision and how they affect students Visual Processing Problems: When it's Hard for the Brain to See by Fernette Eide -- interesting brain imaging info and good comments, too screen your child for possible vision problems -- from the Cook Vision Therapy website An explanation of vision therapy -- from the College of Optometrists in Vision Development EyeCanLearn.com -- a website created by a Developmental Optometrist that lists fun activities for improving vision skills A Yahoo! Online support group for vision therapy Related Resources: Storynory: Children's Audio Stories for Free -- free narrated stories to play online or download to iPod or MP3 player, text available for printing, too. Excellent narrator! Beginning to Read -- what pre-reading skills do children need? Resources for Learning to Read Resources for Learning to Spell Is Your Child Gifted? Dyslexia in the Gifted Child I Read It, but I Don't Get It: Comprehension Strategies for Adolescent Readers by Cris Tovani and Ellin Oliver Keene -- written conversationally, this book addresses the reasons students struggle with reading comprehension and offers strategies and examples to help them get past their difficulties Deeper Reading: Comprehending Challenging Texts (4–12) by Kelly Gallagher -- "...strategies that enable your students to accept the challenge of reading difficult books and move beyond a "first draft" understanding of the text into deeper levels of reading..." 7 Keys to Comprehension: How to Help Your Kids Read It and Get It! by Susan Zimmermann and Chryse Hutchins -- written for both parents and teachers, from a review -- "[this book]...successfully isolated the processes which are used (subconsciously) by natural readers in order to make the leap from phonics to understanding. Each one of these processes receives a full treatment, containing conceptual, demonstrative, and pedagogic angles..." You may also find this Diner page to be helpful: Curriculum for Reading Struggles, Reading Remediation and "Catching-Up" |