Khan Academy Already Had My Attention Khan Academy already had my attention as an educator (and a grandmother.) So I ordered Salman Khan’s book, Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and why that’s a good thing) the day it became available. Sal Khan is, after all, the creative mathematician who drives Khan Academy, […]
Noise, loud or soft, effects learning environments, especially for neurodiverse students. These students may have especially acute hearing, hear outside the normal range of human hearing, or have trouble sorting background noise from what they need to pay attention to. Loud Noise Can Be Problematic for Everyone Loud noise can harm our hearing, whether it […]
Does Audio-Assisted Reading Help Dyslexic Students? Audio-assisted reading refers to reading text silently while hearing it read aloud. Hearing and seeing the words at the same time is the key. Research on audio-assisted reading shows widely different results. Some research shows that audio-assisted reading does not improve comprehension or retention of information by dyslexic students. […]
Guest Blog This article on school to career transition is valuable for any student whether dyslexic, neurodivergent, or not. Great ideas — many thanks to guest blogger, Linda Robinson, youdidyourbest.org. School to Career Transition Entering the workforce after high school demands careful planning. This article provides a concise guide to help you make informed decisions […]
Autism from the inside out Autistic author Annie Kotowicz invites neurotypical readers to enter her world. Her writing is both concise and personal. She explains her neurodivergent traits from a biological standpoint, then provides clarifying examples from her own life. I found the book enjoyable reading. Kotowicz covers several neurodivergent challenges including sensory differences, relationships, […]
School Choices As a dyslexia tutor, parents often ask me what schools are best. It’s helpful to map out the choices. Depending on the community, choices might include public, private, parochial, specialty school for dyslexia, online school, free schools, home-school with various curriculums, unschooling, co-op or micro-school, or a combination. The first task: discuss what’s […]
From a Dyslexia Tutor I picked up Fish in a Tree, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, because my 12-year old granddaughter had just finished it and liked it. As a dyslexia tutor, I felt curious to see how the author presented her main character, a 6th grade girl with dyslexia. Even though the book is written […]
Expanded Edition Dyslexia Tool Kit Expanded Edition: What to do when phonics isn’t enough, published April 2021, replaces the first edition and costs less! The book is available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback. Dyslexia Tool Kit Expanded Edition includes three new chapters. The new version also answers questions posed by readers of the […]
Are Dyslexic People Organizationally Challenged? The cliché that dyslexics are hopeless at organization misses the truth. In reality, dyslexic people frequently maintain complicated and highly effective organizational systems. These systems simply don’t look right to neurotypical people. In fact, poor organization by a dyslexic person often results from an attempt to impose a “standard” organizational […]
A Diagnosis Brings Relief and Panic Parents who consult with me following a dyslexia diagnosis report two emotions: relief that they know why the student is struggling to read, and panic about the resources needed. Both responses are realistic. Happily, the panic can be laid aside once the parent has more information. From my experience […]