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kathleenmom
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Location: South Carolina
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| Posted: July 21 2009 at 12:10pm | IP Logged
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My dd7 was just evaluated and diagnosed with a learning disability. I have yet to receive the report which will shed more light on the subject, but in the meantime I'm kind of rudderless trying to figure out what to do for her next year in school. The details are: she has real trouble with numbers. We shelved our RightStart Level B midyear and just played games. She is also very slow to read....forgetting things over and over. She is sooooo slow as well. It took us all year to move through 15 lessons of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and Little Angels Reader A. She "can" read at that level., but it is oh so slow and torturous.
I tested her to see if there was going to be some big flashing lights diagnosis that I could then pick up and find all the answers I needed to make things less challengling for her. I didn't, of course, get that. I got some vague referenes to slow processing speed and auditory processing problems. I'm at a loss as to how this explains both her math difficulties and reading. So, I guess I need some help in trying to figure out what to do with her next year. I can't "do" second grade like I've done with her siblings. So, do I just keep going at the pace we were at and skip all the other things I would "normally" do with a 2nd grader? Or, do I find someone who can help me teach her in a different way?
She is beginning to become frustrated with herself and I don't want that to happen.
Any suggestions?
Kathleen
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KauaiCatholic
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| Posted: July 21 2009 at 4:24pm | IP Logged
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prayers of peace for you and your DD! 
I joined a Yahoo group (HeartofReading) to learn more about dyslexia, and the members there are often talking about processing speeds and auditory processing issues ... you might want to check them out, if you haven't already.
sorry I don't have any more specific ideas; I am in the middle of tweaking MY previously laid second-grade plans ...  I'll say some prayers for YOUR planning!
__________________
 Viviane
Grateful mama of Jonah Augustine ('01), Sophia Marie ('05) and Luke Dominic ('10)
We can do no great things; only small things with great love. -- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
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Taffy
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 12:03pm | IP Logged
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I'm wondering if she might have difficulty with holding a visual image in her head? She doesn't seem to be a visual learner from your brief description and it may be that a weak ability to create and maintain visual images may be what's hindering her? This is important when reading as one must be able to learn to recognize the shape of letters and words instantly. It's also very important in math in order to visualize the problems and understand the concepts.
Does she understand what addition is all about when she uses counting blocks or beans to illustrate the equation? She knows that when you have 2 blocks and you add another 2 blocks you'll end up with 4 blocks? Yet she has trouble remembering that 2+2=4?
My oldest has this problem in a backwards sense. He is good at forming a visual image - his trouble is verbalizing these images. I've found the products from Lindamood Bell to be really helpful for this. I haven't used their math program, On Cloud Nine Math, but I've been quite impressed from its description and would definitely look into it it my children had trouble with math. From their description:
Quote:
Problem
Nicole has difficulty learning math concept and computation. She cannot think with numbers. She has been labeled "dyscalculia" or as having a mathematics disorder. Despite many efforts, Nicole cannot process math concepts, "remember" math facts, or do word problems.
Cause
A primary cause of math difficulties is an inability to image and verbalize the concepts underlying math processes. Individuals attempt to memorize facts instead of being able to think, reason, and problem solve with numbers.
Symptoms
• Difficulty learning math facts such as multiplication tables
• Difficulty grasping mathematical relationships
• Difficulty doing word problems
• Difficulty with higher math |
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We are using their Talkies program with good success and will be progressing through the next level.
Maybe a program like Seeing Stars would be something to help with the reading issues? From the site:
Quote:
Problem
Buzz has learned phonics and can sound out words, but his phonetic processing is slow. His word attack skills are significantly better, but his word identification and reading fluency have not improved at the same rate
Cause
A cause of difficulty in establishing sight words and contextual fluency is difficulty in visualizing letters in words. This is called weak symbol imagery. Symbol imagery can be defined as the ability to visualize the identity, number, and sequence of sounds and letters within words. A significant number of students-even those who have well-developed phonemic awareness-have difficulty with rapidly perceiving sounds in words, and thus are slow to self-correct their reading errors. Their spelling is often phonetically accurate, but they can't remember the visual patterns of words
Symptoms
• Weak word recognition
• Weak contextual fluency
• Weak spelling
• Weak reading comprehension
• Weak visual memory
• Symptoms of dyslexia |
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Anyway, totally disregard all that I've said if it doesn't sound helpful. Just thought I'd mention it in case it was. And no, I receive no money at all from Lindamood Bell and they wouldn't know who I am. I simply like their products and am a satisfied customer.
Hope to have helped.
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Susan
Mom to 5 on earth and 1 in heaven
Susan's Soliloquy
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melanie
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| Posted: Aug 25 2009 at 1:31pm | IP Logged
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Hi Kathleen,
She sounds awfully similar to my 9yo. He did learn how to read easily enough, but he has a hard time retaining anything that he reads, and he has a *terrible* time with math. His memory is terrible, and he has to relearn and relearn concepts over and over again. I don't have any great advice, necessarily, except that my oldest is dyslexic, we got that diagnosis with her, and no one has given us any fantastic advice for how to teach her either. My once consulation is that the special ed coordinator for our school district told me that they couldn't do anything for her that I wasn't already doing. HOmeschooling really *is* the best these kids are going to get.
With my 9yo and math, as much as it pains me, we just stick with his two steps forward one step back pace. He is in 4th grade and working on a second grade level in math. Last year we got about 1/3 of the way through Saxon 3, took a month off over summer, and when we came back he had forgotten so much that we ended up back in the second grade book. We are just working quickly through it and reviewing and I think he'll be back in the third grade book soon, but still...it feels like we are moving backwards sometimes!
My other piece of advice is to just keep your eye on the prize...so, my nephew may always be behind in math. He may be lucky to finish Algebra 1 by the time high school is done. That may be the best he can do. Maybe he's not Harvard bound, or even college bound. Remember that her learning difficulties are part of the person God made her and part of his plan for her. Whatever her future holds, these will play into part of His plan...even if it wasn't part of yours! 
__________________
Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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4Real Forums : Special Blessings
Topic: learning disability
