When Reading Isn't As Easy As ABC: Dyslexia and Multi-Sensory Reading Instruction

by Shelia Hunt

I write this with my daughter's permission, because it is her story, not mine.

I was not sure what to expect as I began homeschooling our daughter Grace at age three. I remember how quickly she learned to count and to recognize different colors. Shapes were another matter, and those took much longer for her to grasp. By the time she reached kindergarten, she still struggled to identify some shapes or letters of the alphabet. It would be another two to three years before we understood why.

By the time she reached the end of second grade, Grace's vocabulary was notably above grade level, and she was able to remember and answer factual questions during her co-op classes. We knew she was bright. Yet, she struggled to read or spell simple words, and she could not legibly write her own name.  

It was at this time that we contacted a reading specialist for an evaluation. We met Mrs. Brenda McCray at her home, bringing with us samples of schoolwork and standardized test results that we had on hand. She then met with Grace for a detailed evaluation, which revealed what I had suspected for quite some time: our daughter has both dyslexia (a condition affecting her ability to read) and dysgraphia (a condition affecting her ability to write). In order for Grace to read, we were told, it would require a whole new approach than we had ever used to that point.

Hearing these words was a relief in many ways. For Grace, the word dyslexia meant there was a reason behind her challenges besides her fear of being "dumb". And for me, it meant that there was hope that we could eventually overcome this hurdle. 

I soon realized that my basic understanding of dyslexia as "getting letters backwards" was misguided, or incomplete at best. Dyslexia is more about phonological awareness, and the ability to hear and distinguish sounds and the written symbols used to represent them. And for some people with dyslexia, transposed letters are a reality. For others, it is not. This is only one aspect of dyslexia, and not everyone experiences it in the same way or to the same degree. In a nutshell, my daughter's brain works differently when it comes to reading. So she would have to learn in a new way, and I would have to teach in a new way. 

With Mrs. McCray's help, Grace began learning to read in a multi-sensory manner, using what reading experts call the Orton-Gillingham method. From forming letters with clay to using magnetic and color-coded alphabet titles, we began working our way through the alphabet. She slowly learned all the possible sounds each individual letter and combination of letters could make. She learned to recognize and divide words into syllables. And she learned the many different jobs of "silent e" within words. 

And now, for the curriculum: the All About Reading program was one of the greatest tools I could have ever found to make this happen. 

Just prior to learning of Grace's dyslexia, we had stumbled upon and purchased All About Reading. Because it is aligned with the Orton-Gillingham method, we continued to use it, even though Mrs. McCray strongly recommended the Barton Reading Program, which she has used to help many other students learn to read over the years. 

While we respected her advice, my husband and I decided that since Grace was enjoying All About Reading, we would take a "wait and see" approach before switching. I fully expected the curriculum to work for a while and fail eventually, so I planned to purchase the Barton reading program when that happened. But it never did.

Over the years I have learned that both programs offer excellent multi-sensory instruction, and are two of several well-respected reading programs for children with dyslexia. The key, I have found, is in the Orton-Gillingham approach already mentioned, and the best programs begin with and build on this foundation. 

I have worked with Grace at home using the All About Reading curriculum for three years. In this review I will focus solely on our experience with the All About Reading curriculum, and I have asked Mrs. McCray to provide a separate curriculum review for Barton, as it could be used in a homeschool setting.

All About Reading

Ideal for dyslexics, the All About Reading program utilizes a phonetic, multi-sensory approach to reading instruction, as well as spelling instruction (I will leave that review for anyone who wishes to share their experience, since we are using a different spelling curriculum).  

I admit, the cost was a bit daunting at first glance, as we needed to buy not only the written materials, but also the interactive teaching kit. This kit works with all four levels of the reading program as well as the All About Spelling program. To purchase Level 1, the cost ranges from roughly $160 to $185, depending on whether the basic or deluxe interactive kit is purchased. The deluxe kit includes a storage box for flash cards and a tote bag, which we have found useful, but could have easily done without. As the program becomes more popular, it also is possible to find the books for sale at used prices.

The materials include a step-by-step, scripted teacher's manual, flash cards, illustrated, hardcover readers, and a consumable student workbook with interesting activities and tools such as "word flippers" which can be used for review as you go along. The interactive kit includes self-adhesive magnets and laminated letter tiles, index card dividers for the flash cards, and a free app that lets students hear the sounds of each letter. A 2 X 3 foot magnetic whiteboard is also needed for using and displaying the magnetic tiles. By the time we reached level 4, there were so many tiles on the white board that there was very little room left for other subjects such as math.  

A recent offering, the All About Reading app saves white board space and provides the same color-coded "tiles” in an electronic, touch-screen format. We have both now, and we use the electronic app regularly. The app is available for android and iPad tablets, but does not work on an iPhone. It is $19.99, which is about the same price as the basic interactive kit.  

We begin each lesson by reviewing the phonogram sounds. We then use the flash cards to improve fluency with new words. They are stored behind the "review" tab until she can read them without pause, and then they are moved behind the "mastered" tab. Lessons alternate between new skills and fluency development using the readers. Most lessons provide an exercise in dividing words into syllables and then labeling the syllable types to reinforce lessons learned. 

I am pleased to say that Grace is beginning the fourth and final level this fall, and her reading has improved tremendously. It is still hard work for her, but she is gaining new ground every day. Reading will never be as "automatic" for her as it is for me. She must process the letters and sounds each time she sees them, and the time it takes to decode words can be as mentally exhausting for her as long division is for me. 

For this reason, we have learned to accommodate her needs by allowing her to use audio books and textbooks available on a program called Learning Ally. She also uses a portable C-Pen reader, which is a small handheld device that allows her to scan and listen to texts. These are helpful for subjects such as history, science and literature. This has allowed her to work at grade level in these subjects, despite the need to catch up with her peers in reading skills. The C-pen works fairly well, but is not always accurate. Despite the glitches, the C-Pen allows her to have more independence with her schoolwork.

If you have a struggling reader, I hope this information helps you as you search for the right path for your child. If the struggles are persistent and your "gut" tells you something is not right, I recommend getting an educational assessment as soon as you can, so that your child gets on the right path as early as possible.

Additional Information:

Website: Homeschooling With Dyslexia

Local Contact: Brenda McCray, Dyslexia Consultant, brendamccray2014@gmail.com

No Vacation, No Zoo, No Museums!! Spring Break During Quarantine

It's been 2 weeks since schools have closed (for most of us in the Lexington area). Many business have closed down as well. Many of you have been juggling working from home while also managing your children's school work. Finally, you have a break this week!!

Or is it really a break?

Most of the schools in our area will be on spring break this week. So, no more school work, for at least a little while. But those vacation plans have most likely been cancelled. The Zoo is closed, all museums are closed, no gym time or trampoline parks, no library programs ...

So what is one to do??

Here are a few suggestions our Homeschool Association members have put together:

First and foremost, all kids need free play. All the activities listed here are great activities, but don't neglect free play. And don't forget, too, that it's okay to be bored. Kids get creative when they have free time with no activities. It's good for the brain too. 

It's finally starting to feel like spring (hopefully it'll stay that way), so don't forget to get out and take a walk. You can check nearby nature centers or parks, but those might not be a good idea at the moment, plus many may be closed. Take a walk in your neighborhood. Even if you are working from home, the break will do you good. Many neighborhoods are also doing Bear Hunts. Check your Nextdoor app/site to see if one is happening in your area. 

Speaking of good weather, get the whole family involved in washing the car. Or wash the dog, or really any outdoor activity that everyone can work on together. We may be washing our cars this week and starting our garden.

While the weather is good, encourage your kids to play outside. They may need to stay in your yard and not play with neighborhood friends, but they can still kick a soccer ball around or play catch or use their imagination with whatever is on hand. This goes back to the free play idea, let them dig in the dirt, run laps around the house, play with the hose or water balloons, or set up a tent outside. Try to stay away from screens as much as possible.

We've had so much rain this winter that it's a good bet we'll have some rainy days this week. So while you're indoors, have kids draw pictures and write notes/letters to nursing home residents. You don't have to know them, but most of them are not getting visitors and some sweet pictures or letters from kids would help lift their spirits. 

Try some art projects! We have some art projects listed in our post on Growing Creative Brains, and you can find many more on Pinterest or YouTube. Maybe you want to finally learn to knit or crochet, or sew. Dust off those needles and find a YouTube video to help you out. 

Related to the above, check out this fun website: Little Bins for Little Hands. This website is chock full of fun activities involving slime, Legos, slime, tons of STEM activities, and did I mention slime? Kids can have lots of fun with these projects. There are also several Easter related projects on the site.

Build a fort! This is not just for the kids. Get in there with them, grab some pillows and blankets and have fun. When it's all done, get some flashlights and books and have your own story time in the fort. Even older kids will have fun with this if mom and dad are involved too. 

Plan a scavenger hunt (either indoors or outdoors or both). Keep it close to home. Just do a Google search for "at home scavenger hunt" and you'll get a plethora of ideas to choose from. It could keep the kids busy for hours while you get some work done. 

Have Tea Time one afternoon. Seriously. I tried this one summer with my boys. We did it once a week and they loved it. They didn't like tea but I would get pink lemonade just for tea time and they would drink it from tea cups. We would use the opportunity to find new treats or bake something new. When we last did this each kid got a week to help me and they got to choose the snack. Our snacks included things like:

• Cheese and fruit (sometimes on kabob sticks)
• Microwave s'mores (microwave a few squares of chocolate on half a graham cracker for just a few seconds, spread marshmallow cream on the other half and put together when the chocolate is a bit melted. Don't microwave the marshmallow cream.)
• Smiles: Apple slices with almond butter (or peanut butter or whatever your nut/seed butter of choice is) and mini-marshmallows. The nut butter is just to stick things together, apple slices are the "lips," the marshmallows are the "teeth."
• Bake something like a quick bread, cookies, brownies, etc. Most important, get the kids involved.
• Buy the little brownie bites that have the indention in the top. Top with jam or whipped cream or anything else that sounds good. Easy and no baking on your part required. 

Get some exercise!! Try some new exercise videos, check out things on YouTube, get the kids involved too. Ask around, some exercise videos that were behind pay walls may currently be open for anyone to use during the quarantine period.

Don't forget about maintaining skills. I often treat spring break at home similar to summer break. My kids still have some things they have to do even when not in school. Nothing that takes a super long time, but all things that will help them to not forget too much over the course of a week. So my 3rd graders will be required to do math and Latin flashcards each day, practice piano, read for 30 minutes, and do a catechism lesson (mostly because we have gotten behind in that one subject so we're trying to catch up). My Kindergarten kid will do his math flashcards and maybe read a book with me each day. 

Finally, don't neglect the spiritual. Watch Mass, the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and much more. I know many churches and religious organizations are streaming these things. Some go up on YouTube so you can watch whenever you like. No matter how you fill your days, be sure your kids know how important it is that we continue to pray and participate in the Mass as much as is possible in the circumstances find ourselves. And FYI, I am planning a post with more spiritual enrichment ideas.

There are so many fun things you can do right in your own home. Many of the suggestions in our previous posts can also be used during this break from school. Allow your kids some free play time, take breaks from your work to enjoy some fun with them, and maybe plan one extra activity a day. We are often so busy running from activity to activity and juggling 3 or 4 or 8 schedules, that we should use this time to enjoy some simple activities with our kids.

It's a great week for making memories. 

Free Homeschool Resources For ALL Families

If your children attend public or private school you may not be aware how homeschoolers put together their curriculum for use at home. For many of us, we purchase a curriculum from one of many (MANY!!) homeschooling publishers. Some of us will pick and choose from a variety of these curricula and assemble something that works for our family. A few of us use online schools or even part-time schools right here in Lexington. There is a plethora of ways to go about it.

Some of the homeschool publishers are currently offering some free resources for all families during this time of quarantine.

The first one is from the Charlotte Mason Institute. They are a Christian-based program and for 30-days they are offering free activities on their blog. You can participate in these #ChoosingBeauty activities simply by going to the blog and starting with their Day 1 post. Of course, you don't have to do Day 1 to see the others, all are available on the blog. Look over what they have and choose ones you think you and your kids will enjoy. Then you can post pictures on social media and use the hashtag #ChoosingBeauty. I'm told you can even search that hashtag on Facebook (maybe other social media sites as well) and see what others are doing, too.

Another publisher is one I had mentioned in a previous post, Memoria Press. Memoria Press publishes lots of homeschool materials, they are also Christian based, and located in Kentucky. In addition to the materials they offer they also have an Online Academy for grades 3-12, so homeschool students can take classes online with expert teachers. Through their online academy they are offering some free classes.

Memoria Press had two literature classes that filled up already, but they are offering two other classes as self-paced. The first one is their beginning Latin course, Latina Christiana for grades 3-7. The second is their Traditional Logic I course for grades 8-12. For both classes you do need to purchase the books needed, although they are making the first week materials available by PDF to allow time for the books to ship to you.

Homeschoolers also have conferences!! Lots of them. And some are online! This week there was a conference (today is the last day) called Homebound. It's a free online conference. You need to register if you want to get in on this last day, but it is free. However, if you scroll down the page linked above, you can see the schedule and further down there are descriptions of the various daily offerings with links to the replays. I clicked on one and as far as I can tell you can watch the replays without registering. Since this is the last day it may not be worth registering now. There are talks for parents, storytelling/read-alouds for kids, and much more.

Does your child need some extra help in math? Why not try Teaching Textbooks? It's a math curriculum that many homeschool families use. You can go in and get 15 free lessons and the free trial doesn't expire. Never hurts to try it out and you can use it just as a supplement to help a struggling student.

Another resource any homeschool families use is the Institute for Excellence in Writing. Currently they are offering 3 free months of Teaching Writing: Structure and Style Premium Membership. This could be a great resource for supplementing what your student is already doing or to help a student who struggles in this area.

These are just some of the free resources available. I'm sure there are many, many more. If you're thinking of homeschooling in the future there is even a free Charlotte Mason-based Catholic curriculum called Mater Amabilis. Some even offer a subject free for a year or other incentives.

I hope some of these resources can be helpful to you. If you are one of the many parents who suddenly have your children home and you're managing their schoolwork for the first time, let us know in the comments if you have found anything helpful here or in any of our previous posts. We'd love to hear from you!

Grow Creative Brains with Arts, Culture, and Crafts

There is no shortage of places to go to find crafts for kids. Pinterest, anyone?? You can easily search there and find tons of things to do, from uber complicated to pretty simple. But it's also incredibly easy to get lost and overwhelmed by the plethora of posts. And really, how many of them are educational also? Some, yes, but many will just create more arts and crafts to clutter your home.

Kids like crafts though and we should still be giving them creative outlets during this time of quarantine. So let them do crafts with whatever you can find around the house. But let's also find some other ways to feed that creativity. Keep reading for some links to crafts.

In the meantime ...

Let's explore arts and culture!! The art teacher at my kids' school sent a link to Google's Arts & Culture site. WOW!! There are so many things to look at here. View art work and read about it while focusing in on details and learning about the artist too. I see Klimt, Van Gogh, Monet, and tons of other artists featured. You can also look at architecture (it uses Google's street view). I just looked at the London Bridge and the Milan Cathedral. There is so much more including videos, museum exhibits, virtual tours, facts about dinosaurs, the universe, etc. Definitely check it out and explore the diversity of art and culture in our world.

Want more art in the most Catholic location in the world? Check out the virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel available at the Vatican Museum website. After checking out the Sistine Chapel, click on the word Museums in the "crumb trail" above the window where you viewed the chapel. You'll be taken to a list of the various rooms and galleries. You can explore tons art work, some areas have virtual tours, some video, and some just links to follow to view parts of the rooms or the various pieces of art. Lots to explore!

The Louvre in Paris also has several virtual tours of their museum up. I discovered after exploring the ancient Egyptian exhibit that if you mouse over the various art and display cases you sometimes see an little "i" in a circle, click on it, and more information comes up about that particular pieces. It was very cool! The Egyptian exhibit was neat and there is a tour of the remains of the moats under the museum (it was once a castle).

All across the world museums are closed and are making virtual tours available. If you find a neat one, share it with us in the comments on this post. Whatever your kid may be studying in history, or art, or music, or almost any other subject, you can likely find a museum that has something available to help make that subject come to life for your child.

And now for the crafts!!

You may be familiar with Joann's Fabrics, a craft store around the country, including in Lexington. They are offering a variety of "craft at home" videos on their YouTube page that are worth checking out. According to the email I received from them recently you can order online and get things delivered right to your home. They also mentioned curb-side pick up but you may need to call to ask if that's an option in our area.

One of our homeschool members sent me a link to a website called I heart naptime. In addition to lots of food recipes, she has a section on Kids Crafts. Many are easy to do right in your home, hopefully with materials you have on hand. Several are also seasonal, but there is a wide variety of options. One I think looks pretty cool is this paper feather garland.

If you really want to get ambitious, Memoria Press (a Kentucky based company) has several art and craft items for sale on their website. I have the Junior Kindergarten Book of Crafts and used it a lot with the local co-op here last year. All the crafts in that book either go along with one of the read-aloud books for that age group or with a letter of the alphabet. There are several options for older students as well. Take a look at their Art, Music, & Enrichment section for all their offerings.

All the information here can keep you busy for months if not years. Explore museums, architecture, special exhibits, tour the Sistine Chapel, and try some crafts at home. Take a break from math and reading to be creative!!