1. Give your child a name and research the characteristics of the disability.
My daughter's name is Millicent and her name means “brave strength”. Millicent was diagnosed with Dyslexia at the age of eight after years of frustration in school. We are thankful that there are many resources available to help Millicent succeed in life!
Definition of Dyslexia:
Dyslexia is an impairment in your brain's ability to translate written images received from your eyes into meaningful language. Dyslexia is also known as specific reading disability. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children. According to the Dyslexia Research Institute 10 to 15% of the US population has dyslexia, yet only 5% of them are ever properly diagnosed and given appropriate help.
Dyslexia usually occurs in children with normal vision and normal intelligence. Children with dyslexia usually have normal speech, but may have difficulty interpreting spoken language and writing. Children with dyslexia need individualized tutoring, and treatment for dyslexia often involves a multisensory education program. Emotional support of your child on your part also plays an important role.
Symptoms:
Dyslexia symptoms can be difficult to recognize before your child enters school, but some early clues may indicate a problem. Once your child reaches school age, your child's teacher may be first to notice a problem.
Before school:
Signs and symptoms that a young child may be at risk of dyslexia include:
• Late talking
• Adding new words slowly
• Difficulty rhyming
School age:
Once your child is in school, dyslexia symptoms may become more apparent, including:
• Reading at a level well below the expected level for the age of your child
• Problems processing and understanding what he or she hears
• Difficulty comprehending rapid instructions
• Trouble following more than one command at a time
• Problems remembering the sequence of things
• Difficulty seeing (and occasionally hearing) similarities and differences in letters and words
• An inability to sound out the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word
• Seeing letters or words in reverse (b for d or saw for was) — although seeing words or letters in reverse is common for children younger than 8 who don't have dyslexia, children with dyslexia will continue to see reversals past that age
• Difficulty spelling
• Trouble learning a foreign language
a. How does it feel to be the parent of your child?
Being a parent to Millicent is frustrating and challenging. As parent I feel helpless and guilty that she has so much trouble learning in school. As a toddler, she would throw temper tantrums because she couldn’t communicate what she exactly wanted. Millicent was a late talker and worked well with family routines. Getting her ready in the mornings was hard for me to understand what would set her off. I cannot control everything that happens in the morning nor have the time to be patient because I had to get her ready for school and myself ready for work. At times she could be very stubborn and strong willed wanting to wear a particular outfit and unable to tell me, which outfit it was. I feel her frustration when she reads and writes. I try to help her with homework as soon as I get home. When I ask her about school she doesn’t seem to have any interest other than friends. She doesn’t talk about school subjects other then recess and lunch time. Millicent enjoys being read too by her father and me. She doesn’t like to read aloud at school or to us. I want Millicent to be happy and not fear she is stupid or dumb. So I try to provide a safe environment at home for her to practice reading in front of her father and myself. Millicent loves playing soccer. She benefits from being involved in a sport. She is friendly and outgoing on the soccer field. I can see the difference between her behavior and attitude between school and soccer. I know that her reading disability is going to be a life long struggle and cannot be treated and simply fixed. Her father and I are trying to provide motivation and stress outlets for her. We want her to be successful in school and are willing to try anything to help her with the fear, anxiety and stress reading causes her.
b. How is your child developmentally the same or different from other children at the various ages?
Millicent’s IQ is higher compared to the other children of her age. However, her reading and comprehension levels are below due to her problems processing instructions. She is very active and enjoys being outside, so physically she tends to be higher developmentally then most classmates. Millicent is emotionally different from other children at her age because she keeps her fear and anxiety to herself. Millicent is quiet in new situations and outgoing among friends.
This list is divided into more behaviors typical of children diagnosed with Dyslexia:
General Characteristics:
• Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level.
• Labeled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, "not trying hard enough," or "behavior problem."
• Is not "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting.
• High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.
• Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.
• Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering.
• Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.
• Difficulty sustaining attention; seems "hyper" or "daydreamer."
• Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.
Vision, Reading, and Spelling:
• Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.
• Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.
• Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.
• Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.
• Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem.
• Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision.
• Reads and rereads with little comprehension.
• Spells phonetically and inconsistently.
Hearing and Speech:
• Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.
• Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.
Writing and Motor Skills:
• Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.
• Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.
• Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.
Math and Time Management:
• Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.
• Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper.
• Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.
• Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math.
Memory and Cognition:
• Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.
• Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced.
• Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).
Behavior, Health, Development and Personality:
• Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.
• Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.
• Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes).
• Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.
• Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.
• Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.
• Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.
• Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress, or poor health.
c. What professionals/agencies do you deal with? What services are available to you and your child?
Private services can be obtained and contacted through one of these agencies:
National Center for Learning Disabilities
http://ncld.org/
Learning Disabilities Association for California
http://www.ldaca.org/
Orange County Learning Disabilities Association (Santa Ana)
http://www.oclda.org/
Orange Country Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (Santa Ana)
http://dyslexiamylife.org/dyslexia_resources.html
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic: Inland Empire –Orange County Unit Orange County (Santa Ana)
http://www.rfbd.org/
d. How did you find out about the above services?
The learning disability testing process usually begins when a child has problems with academics or behavior in school. In most cases, a parent's first encounter with special education happens when a child is not progressing, and a learning disability is suspected. Typically, parents notice early signs of a learning disability and contact the school for assistance.
Initially, teachers may meet with the parent and decide to try interventions before referring a child for learning disability testing. If the parent and educators suspect a disability, they begin the testing process. Testing is necessary for children suspected of having a learning disability since:
• Learning disability testing is required by federal and state regulations to determine eligibility for special education
• Learning disability testing provides important information about the child's suspected disability
• If the child qualifies, learning disability testing provides specific data for use in developing an Individual Education Program (IEP).
Learning disability testing is a complex processes of gathering information in all areas related to a student's suspected learning disability. Current federal regulations require that no more than sixty days should elapse from the time a student is referred for learning disability testing until the time the IEP is developed. To a parent, those sixty days of waiting for learning disability testing can seem like an eternity.
What goes on during that time period? Depending on the area of disability and the unique questions surrounding each child, the learning disability testing may include:
• Review of educational records
• Observations
• Review of student work
• Medical, vision, and hearing and audiological examination
• Developmental and Social History
• Fine and Gross Motor Evaluation
• Adaptive Behavior
• Speech and Language Assessment
• Intellectual Ability or "IQ" tests
• Assessment of Academic Skills
• Social and Emotional Testing
• Behavioral Testing
• Psychiatric Testing
Testing may be provided by a variety of professionals as needed by the IEP team:
• Teachers
• Educational Diagnosticians
• School Psychologists
• Speech Pathologists
• Medical Professionals
• Occupational and Physical Therapists
• Counselors
e. What financial burden, if any, are you experiencing?
When Millicent was retested for services her test scores were greatly improved, was less than a year behind grade level in reading and my evaluation test scores were within in two standard deviations to qualify for services. We then had to have her tested by a private psychologist who specialized in children disabilities. His evaluation determined that although Millicent’s test scores were basically the same formats, but showed significant learning processing problems and recommended seeking 504 accommodations under the American Disabilities Act. This private testing fee was five hundred dollars. Tutoring, learning services and workshops for Team of Advocates for Special Kids are additional costs we as parents had to become educated in order to help Millicent keep her 504 accommodations.
f. What other information do you want to share?
Associations:
International Dyslexia Association is an international, non-profit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to the study and treatment of dyslexia. The IDA was first established nearly 50 years ago to continue the pioneering work of Dr. Samuel T. Orton, who was one the first to identify dyslexia and its remediation.
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic is a nonprofit volunteer organization, is the nation's educational library serving people who cannot effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia, or other physical disability. Our mission is to create opportunities for individual success by providing, and promoting the effective use of, accessible educational materials. 'Amy has signed up for Talking Books program through the national Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (which will get any book for the student, even if they have to record it, but charges a small fee).
Programs:
Go Phonics is teacher-developed, based/compatible, explicit and systematic multisensory phonics curriculum with K-2 language arts. It features 6 volumes of stories that are 93% decodable with controlled vocabulary. They are designed for teaching beginning reading skills. They follow a phonics building block sequence that minimizes confusion. As skills are taught, they are linked to and embedded in meaningful reading. Integrated tools include word charts... This approach is effective for struggling beginning readers, Response to Intervention (RtI), dyslexia, LLD, and is a comprehensive foundation for ALL beginning readers.
Spark Island CD-ROMs program is an excellent tool to assist in some of phonological awareness difficulties as they teach phonic rules in a game-like multi-sensory way.
Reading A-Z is a low cost downloadable material to teach guided reading, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, and comprehension. 'Reading AZ is affordable and the material is excellent.
Newsletter:
“First News” - a newspaper for dyslexic children started by Actor Henry Winkler campaigns to help others with dyslexia and tells his own success story to inspire them, with motivational school tours to promote his books and First News, a UK newspaper written for and by children. First News is a weekly national newspaper aimed at children aged 7-14. It is published every Friday and delivers all the important stories in an easy and digestible format, in a voice aimed at inquisitive children – the very children who in turn will grow up to be the country’s great communicators.
Books for Children with Dyslexia:
Dyslexia Wonders is written by 12-year-old Jennifer Smith, Dyslexia Wonders reveals the daily struggles of a child plagued by dyslexia. Happy-go-lucky until she entered Kindergarten, Jennifer seemed like the other bright children her age. She was energetic, curious and talkative. But when it came time to learn the ABCs, to read or to tie her shoes, Jennifer couldn’t comprehend and her world began to slowly collapse. As time passed, it became clear to her that she was indeed different from her classmates. She felt alone, afraid and stupid; but most of all, she was ashamed of herself for not being able to learn.
The Alphabet War: a Story about Dyslexia is a story book for children about Adam, a young dyslexic boy learning to read. Adam represents the creative, talented and imaginative spirit in all of us and the author expertly describes Adam's frustration and near defeat as he learns to overcome his shortcomings with the help of his mother and tutor. It’s impossible not to cheer him on as he learns to stop pretending and feeling behind and breaks the "code" to win the war against words. The confidence he gains in himself is emphasized by the colorful, life-like illustrations.
Porkie Pies and Big Fat Sausages is about Tracy Warren, a foster mum who works in Leven as a social work assistant, has been snapped up by publishing firm Nightingales. Aimed at eight to 12 year-olds, Porkie Pies and Big Fat Sausages tells the story of Charli from London who moves to Scotland. Tracy starts a new life at a new school where fellow pupils find out she's dyslexic and start bullying her, which isn't uncommon.
Books for Parents:
How to Teach your Dyslexic Child to Read by Bernice H. Baumer. Both parents and teachers can learn how to structure lessons in order to connect with a dyslexic child. This book uses accessible terms along with charts, graphics, and lesson plans. It is broken down into three functional sections: a discussion of learning disabilities; an explanation of how to teach the dyslexic to read, step by step from kindergarten through the first, second and third grades (giving detailed instructions for teaching phonics, spelling, and syllabication); and a section devoted to pictures, charts, and word lists that are an integral part of tutoring the child.)
Dyslexia - a Complete Guide for Parents is a book for parents with a dyslexic child have only had professional references to turn to for much–needed advice–until now. The first guide written expressly for parents, Dyslexia: A Complete Guide for Parents provides the unique insights of a noted educational psychologist on what sort of supportive role parents can play in the life of their dyslexic child. The book includes a description of dyslexia, how it’s identified and assessed, examples of different approaches parents can adopt, and a range of useful resources.
What is Dyslexia? is designed to help adults explain dyslexia to children. The author provides information about all the most common types of dyslexia: trouble with sounds, trouble remembering how letters and words look, trouble finding words, and mixed dyslexia. He deals with the basic facts and adopts a style which is accessible to children without talking down to them. This book includes clear examples which children will be able to understand, as well as activities for parents to do with their children. The author emphasizes that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and that having dyslexia is okay. This book will be valuable for parents of children with dyslexia, as well as other adults working with children with dyslexia.
Learning Staircase is written by Ros Lug, who a specialist teacher and assessor, specializing in learning disabilities (including dyslexia). She and several colleagues set up a resource company to provide resources and support for both children and adults. The resources are designed to be used by specialist teachers, speech/language therapists, tutors, or parents who wish to work with their own children. Most of the materials are game-based and detailed instructions are provided. The resources concentrate on developing the pre-literacy and early literacy skills and there is a teaching manual which can teach parents how to teach alphabet knowledge and spelling and reading skills. Individual advice is available by e-mail. The Learning Staircase also retails leading international software for literacy and numeracy. Ros’s company are particularly proud that many New Zealand schools, speech language therapists, SPELD tutors and parents are now using these materials with great success.
Websites:
Lacewing Multimedia – is an educational resource for 7-13 year old dyslexic children, using colorful and original stories and poems which reinforce the teaching points. The website also features fully illustrated children's fiction with sample pages which can be downloaded.
AudibleKids – this website exclusively dedicated to downloadable children's audio books. AudibleKids represents a fun way to help children enjoy great stories and learn to read better. A website where parents, children, authors and educators come together to discover and share great audio books.
Resources for Teachers with Dyslexic Students:
http://www.dyslexia-teacher.com/ This website offers information about Dyslexia symptoms, assessments, treatments, and resources for helping dyslexic children and teens. News, research, case studies and teaching methods are provided to teachers to facilitate learning to these students.
http://kellierahe86.edu.glogster.com/adopt-a-child/
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