Celebrate the Freedom to Read and Learn!

As I think about Independence Day coming up on July 4th, I am reminded of what a blessed nation we are.  Here are three blessings we should celebrate because of the free country we live in.

FREE TO READ WHAT WE PLEASE:  Here in America, we have the freedom to read what we please.  In many places, people are oppressed, and not allowed that freedom. 

FREE ACCESS TO BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY:  In my opinion, the public library system is one of the best uses of taxpayer dollars.  Not only can we read whatever we want, we can borrow a copy of that book for free from the library!  Now that most individual libraries are linked to a larger system through their network, you can usually get whatever book you are looking for.  What a country! 

FREEDOM TO LEARN:  Education in America is compulsory, whether you go to public school, private school, or home school, but did you ever think about what a privilege it is?  I know that no school is perfect, and many schools have a long way to go when it comes to dyslexia.  Some kids are falling through the cracks.  However, we can still be thankful for the freedom to go to school and access to free education. 

As you celebrate our nation's independence this week, take some time to think about the freedoms we enjoy.  Happy 4th of July! 

My Story of How I Got into Dyslexia

In my pursuit of continuing education, I have met people all over the country who work with students have dyslexia.  Every single one of them has a story of how they got into it, and it is usually because of a family member.  Here is my story.

I am not dyslexic.  I have always been a good reader and speller.  In fact, I would call the language arts my forte.  I love words and grammar.  I even see words in my mind.  I never dreamed that I would have a child who struggled so much with reading that he came to hate reading and school in general, nor that I would end up on the path I am on now.

I first heard of dyslexia in college, but it wasn't much.  After college, my husband and I went to Guam to teach at a Christian school there.  I taught kindergarten, the grade where students learn to read.  Some years, I taught regular kindergarten, and some years I taught the advanced class.  Each class had a few students who struggled with reading.  Looking back, I realize that they probably had dyslexia.  As I said, I had heard of dyslexia in college, but I thought it was rare, and it never entered my mind my students might be struggling because of it.  

We moved back to the States when we started having children.  I had always planned on homeschooling.  I majored in elementary education and figured that I would teach for a few years, and when kids came along, I would stay home and teach them.  To make a long story short, that didn't end up working out, and I sent them to school.

I stayed home with my children for 7 years.  For 5 of those years, I operated a home bakery.  I loved the customers, but it was exhausting.  The fact that I left baking to go back to teaching should tell you just how exhausting it was!

When I went back to teaching, I taught 5th grade.  I was reintroduced to dyslexia at the very beginning of the first year through some parent conferences with a certified academic language therapist (CALT) who was working with students at our school.  These conferences were to discuss accommodations, and since I knew nothing, and the CALT was an expert, I just did whatever she said.  Her name is Becky, and she has since become a very good friend and mentor.  A few months later, I attended a workshop she presented about dyslexia, and my eyes were opened.  I got it.  I thought of so many people from my past who were probably dyslexic.

I don't want to give away the story about my son because I am going to do a separate video for his story, but though I was getting good at picking up dyslexia in the 5th graders I taught, I was not so good at it in the younger grades.  He was struggling terribly for several years until he got a teacher who suspected dyslexia, and we had Becky screen him.  She was able to confirm dyslexia, and I immediately wanted to learn how to help him.  

I remember very distinctly standing in the breezeway between two of our school buildings, and Becky saying that she needed to clone herself.  The need was greater than she could meet.  1 in 5 people has dyslexia.  That means there are several in every classroom.  All of a sudden my future came into focus.  I wanted to be that clone.  I wanted to step up and meet that need.  

I signed up for the first Orton-Gillingham based seminar that would be in my area.  It was a week-long boot camp, and it was like drinking water from a fire hose.  This was all new to me.  I was overwhelmed, but in a good way, and I knew I needed to learn this stuff to help my son and other kids.  I started working with my son.  I ended up switching to the Barton System for Reading and Spelling because I could learn as I went, and it told me exactly what to say.  I made it my goal to open a tutoring practice and build it up to the point that I would be able to leave the classroom and do it full time.  I decided that offering screening services would be a great way to get clients, so I took Susan Barton's screening seminar the summer after finding out that my son is dyslexic.  It was, hands-down, the best seminar/workshop I have ever attended.  I left there absolutely on fire to help kids, and I wanted to jump right into it.  However, I had another year of teaching ahead of me while I continued to learn and built up my practice.  I took several more workshops to round out my skill set.  I taught 5th grade by day and tutored in the evenings.  It was hard, but I kept reminding myself that I could do anything for a short time to reach my goal. For a while, I even got up at 4am to work on my business.  By the end of that school year, I had become a Certified Barton Tutor, and I was able to step out of the classroom.  

I love what I do, and I am incredibly thankful that I am able to do it.  This was never anywhere on my radar, but when you look at my love for teaching, my entrepreneurial bend (this was the 8th home business I had tried), my interest in language, and my experience as a mom of a dyslexic child, you can see how God orchestrated my life to bring me to this point.  I have now been working as a dyslexia specialist for three years, the last two of which have been full-time.

I had been attending a parent support group at my church run by Becky, and when I started pursuing dyslexia as my next career, she asked me if I would help her with it.  I have spoken at it several times and wondered how I could get this valuable information out to more people.  That is how my YouTube channel was born.

To watch the video about this post, click here.  

Are accommodations fair? Are they a crutch?

I would like to address a couple of questions/objections that come up regarding accommodations:

• How are accommodations fair?  
• When do accommodations become a crutch?  

I don't mind when people ask questions like this.  Misunderstanding often comes about because of a lack of information.  That's OK!  Explaining the difference between fairness and sameness is a concept that can and should be taught to people of all ages.  

Accommodations... 

• allow students access to education
• are reasonable
• change HOW they learn, not WHAT they learn
• allow students to demonstrate what they know
• remove barriers
• level the playing field
• are a necessity, not an advantage
• remove obstacles that hinder academic potential
• help students reach their full potential
• happen in the real world

"Fair" does not mean that everyone gets the same, but that everyone gets what they need to be successful.  Consider a couple of illustrations to use in explaining this:

• (Great for a group of adults at a meeting) I wear glasses.  They allow me to see what everyone else sees.  They are what I need to be successful in a classroom and in life.  Does everyone need glasses?  Do they give me an unfair advantage?  
• (Great for a classroom of children)  Do an activity where you hand out "injury cards" randomly to some of the students.  Each card has a different type of injury on it.  Then, hand out bandages to everyone.  Does everyone need a bandage?  Is a bandage appropriate for every type of injury?  If a bandage would not work, what would?  What if I say that nobody can have a bandage?  Would that be fair?  

Can accommodations become a crutch?

• Traditionally, a "crutch" is a support.  However, the expression "using it as a crutch" ironically  implies that someone is relying on something that they do not need because they are lazy, or do not want to deal with the problem directly.  I acknowledge that this could happen, but it is rare.  

• First of all, I usually see the opposite.  I have a difficult time getting students to use their accommodations.  They do not want to be different.  Even though accommodations would help them, they would rather struggle on than be different.  

• Secondly, if a student is truly using accommodations as a crutch, there has been a breakdown somewhere.  The student was absolutely drowning academically, not getting the needed support, and turned to accommodations as a life boat.  If so, it may be a good idea to re-evaluate the student's needs.  For example, they may need study skills, organizational skills, or an accountability partner.  The student may also not understand that the purpose of accommodations is to allow a student to learn with everyone else, not to get a free pass.  Students should know what accommodations they have, why they have them, how they help, and how to advocate for themselves.  

Click here to see the video of this post.  

Teacher Appreciation!

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and I wanted to be one of the first to tell the teachers how much I appreciate them!

Having been a classroom teacher for 10 years, I know what it takes.  I have been in the trenches.  It is a 24/7 job.  Even if I wasn't actually teaching, planning lessons, answering emails, and grading papers, I was thinking about my students.  It was GAME ON for nine months, and then all of a sudden, it was over.  No more lesson plans, no more papers to grade, no more conflicts to resolve.  Every year, it took a while for that to sink in.  Waves of panic would wash over me wondering what I had forgotten to do. Waves of relief would wash over me knowing that I had FINISHED THE COURSE.  Then, there were the waves of disbelief and sadness that these students who had been my children for nine months were no-longer mine.  I usually spent the first few weeks of summer break just vegging and decompressing while my brain recovered.

Most teachers love their students as if they were their own children, and you really have to love it in order to do it.  There is no other way to do it, because it is hard.  Actually, the teaching would be easy...if you were teaching robots!  However, you are teaching people, imperfect people...who have imperfect parents.  Yet, something drives teachers.  Teachers want their students to succeed.  When the student succeeds, the teacher succeeds.  You ask just about any teacher what they love about teaching, and probably the most popular answer would be seeing a student light up with understanding.  Teachers live for those moments.

I still teach, but not in a classroom.  I work with students one-on-one, mostly helping students who struggle with dyslexia to be better readers and spellers, but I do whatever is needed.  I love that I am still able to work with teachers.  We are a team, working to meet the needs of the students.  I admire them so much.  I have had great experiences with the teachers being willing to learn about dyslexia and give accommodations.  They really have a heart for the students, and have been great about accommodating my students' needs.

Thank you to my children's teachers, my students' teachers, and all the teachers out there!  Teaching is one of the hardest jobs out there, and you are my heroes!  Thank you!

Click here to watch my YouTube video about Teacher Appreciation.

Accommodations for Dyslexia

I have listed the main purpose of accommodations and all of the accommodations my students with dyslexia receive.  You may want to print this out to take with you when you meet with teachers to discuss accommodations.  The better prepared you are as a parent, the more successful the meeting will be, and the more likely it will be that your child will receive what he/she needs.  

Purpose of accommodations: 

• To allow students to demonstrate what they know
• To give students a “stepstool” so that they can learn with the others
• To reduce anxiety about school
• To reduce stress in the home

Possible accommodations (Depending on a variety of factors...severity of dyslexia, age of the student, subject, co-existing conditions, etc...different accommodations will be needed at different times.):

• Not required to read orally in class
• Not required to spell orally in class
• Not required to write on the board
• Allow the use of audio books/parent reads to them or takes turns
• Accept typed or dictated assignments
• Additional time for tests/quizzes
• Oral testing (may give test with other students and then ask missed questions orally)
• Do not count off for spelling (grade on content)
• Do not count off for handwriting
• Do not require copying/Provide copy of notes or study sheet
• Reduced classwork/homework
• Reduced spelling list
• Allow use of tools that may help in problem-solving in math, language, science, etc. (steps to solve, multiplication tables, graph paper, definition of parts of speech, list of preposition, etc.)
• Breaker larger assignments into chunks

Click here to watch the YouTube video where I discuss each of these accommodations.  

Dyslexia Testing or Screening

If your child has been struggling in school and you strongly suspect dyslexia (see links below), you need to find out for sure so that your child can get the right kind of help and documentation for accommodations.  Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done.  Do not lose heart, though, because it is completely worth it.

Every school, state, and situation is different, but I can give you some general information to help you navigate the process.

First, let's clarify a couple of terms.

• The term testing can only be used if the evaluation is being done by a licensed psychologist.  A testing report should be accepted at any school, public or private.
• The term screening is used if the evaluation is being done by a trained screener.  Private schools will usually accept screening reports, but public schools will not.  

Every state has different regulations when it comes to dyslexia.  Here is a link to a list of current (as of April 2018) dyslexia laws by state.  The differences from state to state are surprising and disappointing.  Some states have nothing.  Public schools in these states will not test for dyslexia and might not even be allowed to say the word "dyslexia."  However, some states have mandatory screening in the younger grades.  In that case, the at-risk students will likely be found early and given the right intervention.  

Assuming that you are not in a situation where the school discovered and confirmed dyslexia already, if your child is struggling in public school, you can request an evaluation, and they are required to take action.  Depending on where you live, the school may or may not call it dyslexia, and the child may or may not qualify for special education services.  Public schools have a lot of red tape, and sometimes their hands are tied by it.  If your gut is telling you something is wrong, do not give up.  

If you are not satisfied with the school's report, or your child goes to a school that does not offer evaluations for learning issues, you can seek private testing from a licensed professional, most likely a neuropsychologist or an educational psychologist.  Look for one that knows about dyslexia.  Pediatricians do not do this kind of testing, but they might be able to refer you to one in your area.  Sometimes health insurance covers psycho-educational testing.  I have seen all levels of coverage from 0 to 100%, so it is worth looking into.  Give the psychologist's office a call and ask for the code and then contact your insurance company to find out if they cover it.  Also, I have heard of circumstances where public schools will pay for outside testing.  As I mentioned earlier, things really vary from state to state.  

Another option is dyslexia screening.  This would be done by a therapist or specialist in a school or tutoring center, or even a private tutor who has the proper training.  Public schools will not accept an outside screening report, but most private schools will.  Check with your school to see what type of documentation they require for accommodations.  Private screening is not covered by health insurance.  If health insurance covers testing, go that route.  If it does not, and you intend on keeping your child in private school, screening may be the less expensive option.

Signs of Dyslexia Posts (Part1) (Part 2)

Click here to watch a video of this post.

Basic Steps for Getting Dyslexia Help

Your child is struggling and you suspect dyslexia, but you don't know where to even start.  These 3 basic steps should get you on the right track.

1.  Get testing or screening.

• If your child goes to school, this documentation will be required for any special help or accommodations.  Find out what the procedure is for this at your school, as it can vary greatly from school to school.  Your child's school may or may not have someone who does this. 
• Depending on what state you live in, the school may not be able to name dyslexia, and your child may or may not qualify for special education services. 
• You may have to seek private psychoeducational testing, which should be accepted at all schools. 
• Private schools may accept a report from a dyslexia screener, but public schools will not. 
• Testing or screening is optional for homeschoolers, but parents may want to get confirmation of dyslexia so that they will know what kind of help their child needs. 

2.  Get the right kind of help. 

• Research has shown evidence that students who have dyslexia respond to a certain kind of reading and spelling instruction.  This is presently known as "structured literacy," but whatever program is used, you should look for words like explicit, multisensory, sequential, cumulative, systematic, individualized, diagnostic, and Orton-Gillingham based. 
• Public School:  You may or may not get the right kind of instruction in the public school from a reading specialist or special education teacher.  It really depends on what program they have been given to use and if they have been properly trained to use it. 
• Private Tutor:  Make sure the tutor you hire is knowledgeable about dyslexia and has training in structured literacy, as described in the first bullet point.
• Parent-as-Tutor/Homeschool:  There are programs designed for parents to tutor their own children, and they include the training the parent will need.  Some parents find it difficult to work with their own child, but it is an option worth considering. 

3.  Seek accommodations.

• Public School:  Follow procedure for your school.  If your child qualified for special education services, a team will probably put together an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), and this will include accommodations. If your child did not qualify for special education services, but you have documentation of need, your child should still be able to get accommodations, and a 504 Plan should be written.  This is basically an agreement of the accommodations.
• Private School: Though it may not be called by the same name, private schools can (and should) write 504 Plans. 
• Homeschool:  Learn about the accommodations that dyslexic students generally use and use them!

I will go into greater depth in future posts/videos, but this gives you an overview of the process.  It can all be very overwhelming, but knowledge is power!  Become an expert!  Educate yourself on the procedures at your child's school as well as everything about dyslexia.  The more you know, the better you will be able to advocate for your child. 

To watch a YouTube video of this post, click here.

Signs of Dyslexia: Part 2, High School and Adults

This is the second of a two-part series about the signs of dyslexia.  The first went into the signs in preschool and elementary, and this one is about signs in high school and adulthood.  Dyslexia affects different people in different ways, and different ways at different ages.  Dyslexia also ranges in severity from mild to profound. 


Dyslexia is hereditary.  If you see signs in yourself, watch for signs in your children.  The earlier a child can get help, the better, but it is never too late to get help.  Even if a child has grown past the time of getting reading and spelling help, testing is still worth doing because accommodations alone can be extremely helpful, even in college. 


Signs in high school students:

• Signs listed for preschool and elementary
• Low grades in many classes
• Poor reading comprehension
• Poor vocabulary
• Big difference between verbal and written skills
• Difficulty learning a foreign language
• Difficulty reading music

Signs in adults:

• Had the above experience in school
• Still confuses left and right
• Reads slowly, and may have to read a page several times to understand it
• Avoids reading aloud
• Often misspells words
• Avoids written communication, such as text or email, may proofread it many times before sending
• Still mixes up letters or numbers occasionally
• Signs are worse when tired

Do you see any of these signs in someone you know?  Or maybe even you? 


To watch the video for this post, click here. 

To watch the video for Signs of Dyslexia: Part 1, Preschool and Elementary, click here.

To read the blog post for Signs of Dyslexia: Part 1, Preschool and Adults, click here.

Signs of Dyslexia: Part 1, Preschool and Elementary

Before I started my YouTube channel, I asked my Facebook friends what they would like to know about dyslexia.  The most commonly asked question was "What are the symptoms/signs/warning signs of dyslexia?"  So, I knew it had to be one of my first videos. 

When I gathered all the signs together, there were so many that I decided to make it a two-part series.  The first video is about signs in preschool and elementary school, and the second video will be about signs in high school students and adults.  Even if your child is young, you will want to learn about the signs in adults because dyslexia is hereditary.  If you are on the fence about your child, but you know that you or your spouse shows adult signs of dyslexia, there is a good chance that your child also has it. 

Dyslexia affects different people in different ways, and different ways at different ages.  Dyslexia also ranges in severity from mild to profound.  If your child has a number of these signs, you may want to seek testing. 

Signs in Preschool (You may not notice these things at the time, but looking back, you realize they were early signs.):

• Difficulty learning letter names and sounds
• Mixing up parts of words ("aminal" for "animal" or "pusketti" for "spaghetti", etc.)
• Late establishing a dominant hand
• Can't rhyme
• Trouble memorizing things, such as address and phone number

Signs in Elementary School:

• Slow, inaccurate reading
• Ignores small words (in, at, to)
• Mixes up words (for/from, what/that, where/there)
• Starts a word correctly and guesses on the rest
• Mixes up letters (b/d, b/p, p/q, n/u, m/n, e/i, etc.) after first grade
• Terrible spelling (may do OK on a spelling test, but look at something the child wrote without help)
• Hard time retrieving words they want to use
• Dysgraphia (difficulty with writing-may be messy, odd/tight pencil grip, pressing hard on the paper, odd letter formations, trouble getting thoughts down on paper)
• Difficulty reading and spelling high frequency words
• Difficulty copying (near- or far-point)
• Difficulty with math (multiplication facts, telling time, word problems, steps for solving problems, greater than/less than)
• Mixes up left and right
• Messy bedroom, bookbag, and desk
• Homework battles
• Dreads school, may even feel sick
• Child calls him/herself stupid

Everyone does these things from time to time, but if you kept shaking your head in agreement because this was describing your child, your student, or maybe even you, it could be dyslexia. 

To watch the video, click here.

For signs of dyslexia in high school and adults, click here.

7 Myths About Dyslexia

Despite the fact that there is plenty of information readily available online, there are many myths floating around out there.  Let's separate myth from fact! 




Myth #1:  Dyslexia is rare. 

• Nope!  Depending on which statistics you look at, between 1 in 5 and 1 in 10 people have dyslexia.  That is 10-20% of the population!  If you are a teacher, you have dyslexic students in your class.  Everyone knows someone who is dyslexic.  Also, it is equally common between boys and girls, but for some reason, boys are more likely to be referred for testing. 

Myth #2:  Dyslexic people see things backwards.

• Nope!  It is not a vision problem.  They do reverse letters (and sometimes numbers) , but that is because of how their brain processes them.  Since it is not a vision problem, colored lenses or overlays will not help dyslexia alone. 

Myth #3:  You can grow out of dyslexia.

• Nope!  You are born with it, and you do not grow out of it.  You do develop ways of coping with it. 

Myth #4:  Reading more will help.

• Nope!  Teachers often encourage poor readers to read more, but practicing at guessing will only produce more guessing.  After a student has received the right kind of reading instruction, then practicing WILL help. 

Myth #5:  If a child can pass a spelling test, or are doing well in school, they can't be dyslexic.

• Nope!  How long did that child have to study to pass the spelling test?  Can they spell those words the next week?  Some children (and parents) are extremely driven and spend many hours studying spelling.  They will do well or die trying.  Try taking a writing sample without help from an adult and check the spelling. 

Myth #6:  Dyslexia is just laziness or lack of effort or lack of intelligence. 

• Nope!  The truth is that most people with dyslexia have average or above average intelligence.  The truth is that they have been trying so hard for so long and still failing that they appear to have given up or not to care. 

Myth #7:  You have to wait until age 8 to screen or test for dyslexia.

• Nope!  You can test as early as 5.5 years old. 

Had you heard any of these myths?  Did any of these surprise you?




Click here to watch the video.