Reading, Writing & Math Help for Dyslexia, LD & ADHD

Bonnie,
I found your article very interesting. Have you developed any products that would be useful for my daughter that has learning disabilities?
Linda Schlegel

this child knows how to read the problem is bringing him up to speed he reads 23 words per minute and according to the teacher he should be at 43 words per minute?

I, too, have a daughter who fell behind tremendously. I had team meetings two to three times per year with evaluations that revealed “no discrepancy” but KNEW there was an underlying dyslexia-like [dis]ability. After reading SEVERAL books on dyslexia and learning difficulties, I removed her from public school and began homeschooling her with an eclectic approach. I found that just because the school doesn’t find a discrepancy, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t one. It is a shame that a child will be “left behind” if they do not fit into a predetermined mold. There are many resources available to parents who choose to keep their children in public schools who can fight for what the child needs, depending on the state in which the child attends school. Good luck and be thankful that your child has parents that are willing to help her succeed!!

Thanks, Bonnie! I know many families who have non-speaking children on the autism spectrum, and some read my blog, so I wanted to have information for those families, too!

Gena,

I always like to start with understanding exactly what is going on…why a student is struggling and what areas are they good in. This helps me to be more patient and efficient when I’m teaching them. I want to be sure that I’m addressing all of their needs.

For instance, you work on phonics with a student and he really gets it, but is still struggling, the problem may be visual tracking, visual memory, visual closure, or any of the other areas of visual, auditory, or tactile/kinesthetic processing that were not addressed with the phonic program. So what you actually needed to do was to work on those areas. Ultimately you spent time, effort, and money and haven’t solved the problem. And, in the meantime your son gets more frustrated because learning is still hard.

Another example would be when a student has trouble remembering their multiplication tables, knowing if they have visual memory or auditory memory problems makes a difference. If the problem is one of understanding the concept of what is mathematically happening with numbers when you multiply them you would do something different to help them. Spatial awareness comes in too with the understanding that 4 x 5 is the same as 5 x 4.

So, when I created my products, I created them in such a way that each of them would address multiple areas of auditory, visual, and tactile kinesthetic processing sub-categories. That would ensure that I would be addressing their problematic areas, even if I didn’t know what each of their specific problematic areas was. Just using these materials would ensure that I’d be hitting the critical areas that students have problems with and at the same time teach them the specific skills they needed.

That said, no the learning pack does not include the Learning Difficulty/Disability Pre-Screening Tool and Informal Comprehensive Identification Tool. That is sold separately. It is very reasonably priced at only $37.00. Remember, taking your son to someone for testing can be anywhere from $500.00 to thousands of dollars.

I’ve listed the areas of perception that each of the products addresses.

Five Minutes to Better Reading Skills
Addresses: auditory and visual perception difficulties, specifically visual closure, visual tracking, auditory discrimination, auditory visual integration, auditory closure, and auditory memory. It is phonological, incorporating every vowel and consonant combination in the English language, with lots of review built in. It also includes a retrieval automaticity component that is critical in ensuring that children understand what they read.

Making Spelling Sense and Making Spelling Sense II
The auditory areas addressed are: auditory discrimination, auditory closure, auditory visual integration, auditory memory, and auditory visual coordination. The visual areas addressed are: visual tracking, visual closure, visual discrimination and form constancy, visual motor, and visual integration. The tactile-kinesthetic areas addressed are: laterality, directionality, spatial-temporal, and sensory motor integration.

The English language has a specific structure. There are eight spelling patterns in the language and the patterns are taught with story explanations. The process used shows students how letters come together eight different ways to make words. It takes the guess work out of spelling.

Ten Minutes to Better Study Skills
Addresses the following visual, auditory, and tactile-kinesthetic processing areas: visual memory, visual figure ground, visual closure, visual language association, visual language classification, auditory-visual coordination, auditory language association, auditory memory, laterality, spatial temporal, and sensory motor integration.

Writing and study skills it covers include: note taking, paragraph writing, essay writing, research paper writing, and letter writing. You will be able to teach your students the secrets to improving their reading comprehension as well as the secrets to improve their studying and the seven steps to take on test day to improve their test scores.

The Sentence Zone
Addresses visual motor, visual language classification, visual closure, spatial-temporal,
laterality, directionality, contact, and sensory motor areas of perception.

The Writer’s Easy Reference GuideTM is an individual resource for all students. It includes paragraph writing hints, essay writing hints, steps of the writing process, words to make your writing more interesting, common prefixes, suffixes and root words, grammatical and literary terms, how to write a bibliography with examples and much, much more. It “unlocks the code” of how to write a sentence, then a paragraph, then a better paragraph, then an essay. The guide helps all to be confident and competent writers.

The Comprehension Zone
Addresses visual memory and auditory memory too! Students read short passages of materials, identify the main idea and details, and rephrase the content in their own words. That is exactly what students do when they play the Comprehension Zone. Bonnie has created a visual/kinesthetic method for teaching kids of all ages how to read for meaning. They play for main idea, details, both, or to sequence what they have read or listened to.

The Math Zone
Addresses spatial awareness, visual form constancy, and visual motor areas of perception.

The BT Easy Math Reference GuideTM starts with addition and subtraction. Then, this 16-page guide shows step by step how to solve all elementary math calculations right up to fractions and decimals. Also covered are all those “other” math topics, such as word problems, bar and circle graph, rounding and estimating, place value, geometry, measurements, money, and averaging. You’ll learn the how, the why, and the memory tricks to help your students remember. Simple, clear examples, all in a sturdy, 3-hole-punched format you can slip into a binder. It’s a great supplement to any math program, for both parent and student.

B & D Posters are used by families as well as classrooms, typically one per classroom at the primary grade levels. The B&D Stickers come with 10 in a pack and are used with primary age children, typically placed on their desk as a reminder. Middle Grade and High School students who still have reversal difficulties love them and usually put them inside their binders as a reminder.

Hope this is helpful.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET

My son is 13 yrs. and is going into the 8th grade. His organizational skills are terrible. I have done all that I know to do as a mother and as an experienced teacher of almost 20 years. He has ADHD and CAPD. His grades are mediocre because he is unable to follow along successfully in a classroom well enough to take notes, listen, discern, prioritize, and organize himself for his next class in a timely manner. He usually thinks he will remember things later, but over and over again he doesn’t of course. He does have a 504 Plan in place but most teachers are reluctant to really help him. They seem to think he is not accepting his end of the responsibility. This may be true somewhat, but I think more than anything else, it is his way of covering up his “inadequateness”. (Most students at this age would rather be known by their peers as a “goofball” or a “toughguy” instead of as a “forgetful nerd”. Please help me help him.
He has repeated the 7th grade once and just barely got through this time. He doesn’t have problems reading. Writing is difficult for him, and math is difficult for him. I have another teacher tutor him in Math while I help him with his writing.
Any suggestions you offer will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Glenda,

There are a few things I would do to help your son. First off, does he understand that he has poor organizational skills, ADHD, and CAPD and that he has a 504 Plan in place to help him? I presume he does.
1. One of the first things I would do is to laminate a copy of his 504 for him and put it in his binder/backpack so he has it with him. Additionally, I would make a copy of it for each of his teachers.
2. Then, I would go to the school a few days before school starts and meet his teachers – introduce yourself to them as well as introduce your son to them. Tell them how you are looking forward to your son having a great year in their class. Let them know about his 504 and what his needs are and hand them a copy of it. You might say something to the effect that you know they know that a 504 is a legal document and you just want to be sure they are aware that your son has a 504 in place.
3. Often teachers aren’t aware of the 504 or at least what is in the specific 504, so your handing them their own copy with a statement about it being a legal document should make a difference. You might also let them know that your son also carries a copy of it in his backpack.
4. At his age, he needs to learn how to advocate for himself. This meeting with you modeling what to say should help him learn how to do that. It will also let him know that you are on his side and your are not about to let him slide.
5. The last thing I would suggest is using the Ten Minutes to Better Study Skills book to help him with writing as well as the Writer’s Easy Reference Guide. Both will make a huge difference. The Ten Minutes to Better Study Skills is full of specially designed graphic organizers that help with writing projects from paragraphs to essays to reports as well as planning projects. I did a writing webinar that you might be interested in where I addressed all of the issues that occur with writing problems as well as what you can do to help. Here is the access to it: http://bonnieterry.com/freevideosignup/ You will actually get access to two webinars by clicking on the link.

Hope this is helpful.

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET

Could you give suggestions for a spelling program that uses auditory processsing…like what you described in the video. Thank you.

Hi Susan,

Yes, the Making Spelling Sense Program is the one I use because it specifically addresses auditory processing at the same time it teaches how we put letters together to make words. Hope this is helpful!

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET

Hi
I love the way you have broken the most used 500 words into vowel patterns. That really makes it simple to teach the words and kids can hold on to the spelling that way, too.
I wish we could order ON LINE. Will you be setting that up in the future?

Please do you help adults as well?

Yes, we do help adults. I specifically designed the program to work with all ages since I have worked with kids as young a 4 and adults into their 60’s. Many adult literacy groups use my program as the basis for their adult ed programs.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I will be having a private training call in a few weeks – if you want to be sure to be notified of the call, sign up for the FREE teaching tips that are on the right hand side of the blog.

Hope this is helpful.

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET

Thank you, Bonnie! I look through information than you provide and it’s very helpful!

Thank you, Bonnie. I’ve just blogged on the relationship between auditory and visual spelling strategies at http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/spelling_vocabulary/visual-spelling-strategies/

Have you ever seen how this makes kids react after they come down from the drugs they put people on?

I am a student seeking my Masters in Education (not that I profess to be an educator) and am currently substituting in the local school system. I recently ran across, during my substituting an extremely bright young child with a speech deficiency. (A funny thing happened during my time there is that she spoke a seven word sentence without hesitation–her pronunciation was not always clear, but you understood the sentence, which was apparently a triumph).

Here is my question—with someone like this little girl, who is obviously bright, the problem lies in communication. There are two opposing forces here, 1) the school is devoted to making her a better speaker, however, 2) her lack of ability to speak her problems in understanding math limits her ability to progress in math. How do you deal with two education needs (math and language) while dealing in overcoming the child’s key disorder. My own belief: this child would do well in using a computer to write his/her thoughts on a computer instead of relying on improving her speeech…etc…..what do you think

I would like to know some activities to improve Rapid Naming Recall in kindergarden and 1st grade.

My child has just turned 15 and has auditory processing issues including comprehension and spelling. What sort of help would you suggest as I cannot
imagine him playing sound games etc at this age. Would he be better suited to a computerised program. Would your book 5 minutes to better reading be relevant to his age group?
Thanking you.

Thank you.It’s a really helpful video.I think that I’ll use some tip in my work at school.

those of lesser brain power like myself must bow before you.

Hi Daniel,

This is referring to my book of graphic organizers – fill-in-the-blank forms that help you to improve reading comprehension. The book is Ten Minutes to Better Study Skills. It makes taking notes and utilizing what you have read much easier. Feel free to give me a call. My office number is 530-888-7160.
Hope to see you dancing soon. We have the Holiday Contra Dance in Auburn on Dec 19th.

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET

Excellent article. Have found out some of the challenges in writing that I had as a kid. Fortunately computers helped me replace my printing and my handwriting!

Thanks – I know what you mean. I was speaking with a parent a few days ago that knew her son had trouble with visual processing, but she didn’t realize that there are 9 areas of visual processing that affect learning and if you know what the specific areas are and target them, you can make a world of difference, make learning so much easier. To find out more, download the FREE e-book Understanding LD & Dyslexia, valued at $19.95 at http://bonnieterry.com/screentool/

Thank you for getting me unstuck.

I found an interactive software which helps to improve
speech delayed problems and help build vocabulary on toddlers
and young children with special needs. SeeMe SPEECH COACH
has been very effective in the learning process of the children.
I hope you could share it with others too.

He has dyslexia

Hi how are you ? my name is vena i have a 1 greader 2 greader they are falling be hide so i asking for you help i had a hister of me is i was haveing the some promle so can you frist help me and my kids to read i am trying to help them but i need help my self can you help us ?

Use your eyes efficiently. If words are blurry, get your eyes checked by a professional. Don’t “say” what you read, and don’t re-read unnecessarily. Read phrases, not every single word.

Thanks Brendan, No I don’t have a copy writer. I write all my own articles. Glad it was helpful.

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET

Thanks…Be sure to call in to my private exclusive training next Tuesday March 2nd – 8 pm EST; 5 pm Pacific. For details, go to: http://www.homeworkwars.com/privatetrainingcall

Yes, visual tracking exercises will definitely help, like those in Five Minutes to Better Reading Skills. Your child may also have some visual integration and or visual motor issues going on. Those areas also affect copying skills. To find out if oterh areas are not working as effeciently as they should and could, you may want to go through the LD and dyslexia comprehensive informal screening tool.

Thanks for your comment. Yes, research actually shows that kids gain in their skills when they are learning in a relaxed state, which is one thing that happens when they are learning through game playing.

Thank you for commenting. It is always great to hear from everyone that is reading the blog. Feel free to contact me as well as join me on the private training call that is this Sat. March 13th. Register here:
http://www.homeworkwars.com/privatetrainingcall/