Kindle Fire + Dyslexia The new version of the Kindle Fire tablet comes with Immersion Reading. “Fire tablets can synchronize Kindle text with companion Audible audiobooks with real-time highlighting to create a more immersive reading experience, as well as deepen learning and comprehension. More than 60,000 Kindle books and companion Audible audiobooks are available across […]
How to Choose a School How can you choose a good school? Clear research exists on which indicators are most important. Here’s the quick list, with details below. School size Teacher/student ratio Parent Participation Appropriate accommodations for students with special needs School Size is Most Important First find out how many students attend the school. […]
Every Child is Exceptional As parents and teachers know, every child exhibits both gifts and challenges! Average children do not exist. Each brain brings unique talents to the planet. Together, we are far, far more than we are individually. So, a label such as twice-exceptional can be confusing. But, in a school setting, “twice-exceptional” indicates […]
Author Richard Whitehead Richard Whitehead facilitates the Davis Dyslexia Method at his center in the UK. His articles impressed me over the past few years. I share his admiration for Ron Davis’s pioneering dyslexia research. So, when he recently published a dyslexia book, Why ‘Tyrannosaurus’ But Not ‘If’?: The Dyslexic Blueprint for the Future of […]
What if oral reading is not an option? Mom’s eyes glistened with tears as she spoke with me. Six-year-old Johnny watched me carefully. His face revealed hope, worry, and intense curiosity. They came to me because they’d heard I “could teach anyone to read.” “We enrolled Johnny in the best private school in town, knowing […]
Thinking Can Be Taught! Weak thinking skills may cause or add to a child’s school failure. It’s tempting to jump straight to the “problem” such as reading or math skills without looking for more foundational weaknesses. But, while teaching academic skills is often our first objective, we must also look for ways to strengthen the […]
What is Scanning? Scanning means finding words in the text by quickly glancing at each line or paragraph. Students with dyslexia or other reading difficulties find scanning less intimidating than oral reading, and it accomplishes the goal of pairing the visual image of the printed words with the meaning of the words, in context. Dyslexic […]
Teaching: Modeling, Supported Practice, Mastery Teaching involves 3 steps: Modeling (the teacher shows the student how) Supported practice (teacher and student do it together; the student gets help as needed) Mastery (the student does it independently or takes a test on it) Modeling works beautifully in the classroom, and testing happens efficiently in the classroom. Supported practice […]
VOCABULARY SPELLS SUCCESS IN SCHOOL If students aren’t voracious readers early in life, they miss out on vocabulary that bookworm peers are absorbing. This happens to students with dyslexia, students from non-reader homes, students with ADHD, and even students who need glasses. Low vocabulary hurts academic work across all subjects. But, writing definitions on lists […]
Keyboarding is as Important as Handwriting Keyboarding means typing correctly, using the same finger stroke for the same letter every time. This allows a student to put thoughts onto the computer, and this opens opportunities for endless tools and accommodations. All students benefit from learning keyboarding, but dyslexic students stand to gain the most. Keyboarding […]