Tutoring is not enough. If your child has, or you suspect she has dyslexia, there are things that you as a parent, and only you, can do. A new video webinar by Susan Barton, creator of the Orton-Gillingham based Barton Reading & Spelling System, provides a concise list of the 9 things that parents need to do- in order of importance. 
The first priority: you need to become your child's case manager. Barton outlines what that means, along with tackling homework accommodations, testing, getting help from the school and discovering your child strengths. To view this excellent resource, click on: 9 Things Parents Should Do.

A trending article has been talking about Dyslexie, a font developed specifically to help individuals with dyslexia read more easily. Does research support this claim, or is there even any research that has been done? The answer is, yes, there is research out there and the results show that other common fonts are strongly preferred over Dyslexie (also known as Open Dyslexie). However, first some background information on Dyslexie.

Dyslexia was developed by Dutch graphic artist Christian Boer, who is dyslexic himself. Boer explains that the shape of the letters makes it easier for dyslexic individuals to correctly identify and read print.

Susan Barton, developer of the Barton Reading & Spelling System, reports that a team of researchers in Spain conducted a study to determine which fonts were preferred by dyslexic individuals. Open Dyslexia was included in the study, along with other more common fonts. Barton summarizes the findings:

"Use of the OpenDyslexie font did NOT enhance text readability or reading speed. The study participants strongly preferred Verdana or Helvetica over the OpenDyslexie alternative.  Based on their findings, the researchers recommended Helvetica, Courier, Arial, Verdana and Computer Modern, based both on reading performance and subjective preference; and cautioned against the use of italic texts.
Click here for a link to the research study: Good Fonts for Dyslexia

What is dyslexia? What are the signs that my child may have it? What are the best approaches to overcome difficulties in learning to read and spell? What can a parent do to help their child?
A presentation on “Dyslexia: Signs and Solutions” will be offered on Saturday, November 22nd, at 10:30 a.m., at Adams Memorial Library in Latrobe. The public is invited to come and learn the basic definition and warning signs of dyslexia, as well as the best options for early intervention or help at any age. The program will be presented by Janet Menosky Smith, of Reading and Dyslexia Tutors. To RSVP, or for more information, contact Janet at 724-237-5234 or visit www.readingdyslexiatutor.com.

 

Governor Tom Corbett has proclaimed October as Dyslexia Awareness Month in the state of Pennsylvania.

What are the options for a dyslexic student after high school? how can you determine what school will be a good fit? What kind of accommodations are available and how do you get them?
These, and other questions will be addressed during a one day presentation sponsored by the Pittsburgh branch of the International Dyslexia Association on Saturday, October 18, 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit at The Waterfront. Visit the What's Next After High School? link to learn more.

It's back to school time, which means it's time for students who struggle with dyslexia and their families to talk with this year's new teachers about dyslexia and what impact it has on the classroom. "Dear Teacher," is a letter that will help start the conversation.
Teachers may also find this list helpful: Warning Signs That a Student in Your Class May Have Dyslexia.
Finally, this link: Things kids with dyslexia wished everyone knew, will help fight some of the misunderstandings people have about dyslexia.

Reading & Dyslexia Tutors has moved to a new, central location at: Innovative Park, 128 Innovative Lane, Latrobe. This new spot has access directly from Route 30, and it is located just past Mt. View and Beatty Crossroads. Our new location will allow us to accommodate more tutors and students and the easy access and free parking should be appreciated by everyone.

Some features at our new site include a nicely appointed waiting area, A convenient powder room and free parking. We hope you'll stop in and take a tour soon!

Recently, a friend of mine with a 3-year-old son posted on her Facebook status, "Parents, do you think 2 years of preschool is needed?" She received a wide variety of responses. This was mine:The reality these days is that preschool is the new pre-K, pre-K is the new Kindergarten and Kindergarten is the new first grade. So yes, preschool has become less of a luxury and more of a necessity when it comes to preparing your child for classroom success.
But don't just enroll your child in any preschool. Especially in the year before Kindergarten, make sure his preschool teacher knows what phonemic awareness is (a pre-reading skill where kids learn to hear, blend, break apart and manipulate sounds) and that he gets lots of practice with it. He will benefit from that practice regardless of whether or not we've gone a bit crazy putting more academic demands on kids at a younger and younger age.

When it comes to reading, the research is clear: the child who gets behind in reading progress, stays behind. There is no evidence to suggest that a child will "mature" or "catch up" to his peers, if we "wait and see." Waiting will not allow that child to catch up. Immediate intervention is needed.
According to Dr. Sally Shaywitz, "Kindergarten is in many ways a watershed in identifying children who are vulnerable to dyslexia." Parents and teachers should closely monitor a child's progress in learning to read, beginning no later than kindergarten.
Many schools now routinely screen every kindergartner when they register or near the beginning of the year. If a child's results put him in the lowest 20-30%, he is considered "at risk" for reading failure. Schools ideally should provide classroom, group or individual interventions to these children. As a parent, you should ask where your child falls and if she is at risk, ask what the school is specifically doing to address it.
According to Dr. Reid Lyon, research psychologist and Chief of Child Development and Behavior Branch at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), "Most children can learn to read if difficulties are detected in kindergarten and first grade and the appropriate early interventions are applied. Prevention and early intervention programs that teach phoneme awareness and phonics skills and develop reading contexts where children have an opportunity to practice skills are more beneficial than approaches that are less structured and direct. Help needs to be provided before nine years of age; after that time, children respond more poorly to reading instruction."
The moral of the story? Don't wait, see and hope. Address your child's reading struggles now by learning all you can about what he needs, what help he is getting, and what else might need to be done.