Curriculum help! Please!

[Quad Shot Academy]

I have an out of state friend who is pulling her rising 7th grader out of a life skills school. His lowest subject is reading at 3rd grade, the rest are at about a 4th grade level. She has asked me to pick out and order his curriculum for her as she has no computer. I really don't have any experience with curriculum targeted to special needs kids. From my description she is excited about MUS and AAS. He is a very happy, coopertave child who wants to learn. The school district, MD's and psychologists have not been able to pin down a diagnosis.

Her biggest need is a remedial reading program. Any suggestions? Next would be writing programs. Would you have any other suggestions for math and spelling, or are MUS and AAS good?

Thank you for ANY help!

[ElizabethB]

AAS is good for spelling.

For reading, I would have her give him the MWIA, the MWIA level II is best, if he has trouble completing it, do the MWIA I instead:

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/readinggradeleve.html

If his MWIA scores show more missed Holistic than Phonetic words or more than a 15% slowdown, I would use my remedial online phonics lessons and my Blend Phonics guide and then Webster's Speller (it has step by step instructions and is free, it's all linked from this paragraph of my how to tutor page (http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html))

Your number one task is to get them to stop guessing and start sounding out each and every word from left to right. Nonsense words are key, they help prevent guessing. Here is a free website that generates nonsense words. Syllables are also helpful, I would use the Blend Phonics Reader (it helps show how guessing is a bad strategy by showing words with similar configuration together) followed by Webster’s Speller. Here is a step by step guide to using Blend Phonics that also adds in syllables, spelling and phonics rules, syllable division rules, and syllable division exercises. There are also readings from Hebrews 12 that can be added to show progress through the program.

You can print out all the documents for her. Also, he can watch my phonics lessons at his local library, every state we've lived in has had free access to computers with internet and headphones. One library had free headphones for children but adults had to bring their own.

If you want a printed remedial curriculum, I like "We All Can Read" by James Williams, "Back on the Right Track Reading" by Miscese Gagen, and "Rx for Reading: Teach them phonics" (Rx is sometimes spelled out Prescription) by Ernest Christman

If the MWIA scores show no slowdown and equal numbers of words missed on each section, I would try a method specific to dyslexia, the cheapest to try first is Recipe for Reading by Traub and Bloom, there are other more expensive ones like Wilson and Barton if that doesn't work.

Here are my general instructions for a remedial reading student:

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/remedialstudents.html

Since reading is a problem, I would pick a history curriculum that has a audio CD. I would also do a lot of books on tape from the library, but do NOT let him read along with the books if his MWIA scores are poor.

[Quad Shot Academy]

Thank you so much for this info. I will look into it and print some stuff off for her!

[siloam]

I have an out of state friend who is pulling her rising 7th grader out of a life skills school. His lowest subject is reading at 3rd grade, the rest are at about a 4th grade level. She has asked me to pick out and order his curriculum for her as she has no computer. I really don't have any experience with curriculum targeted to special needs kids. From my description she is excited about MUS and AAS. He is a very happy, coopertave child who wants to learn. The school district, MD's and psychologists have not been able to pin down a diagnosis.

Her biggest need is a remedial reading program. Any suggestions? Next would be writing programs. Would you have any other suggestions for math and spelling, or are MUS and AAS good?

Thank you for ANY help!

Probably the best remedial program for LD students that is EASY for users to use is Barton's Reading. It comes with a full DVD series to show you what to do, and it also is scripted, so it tells you what to do. On the student side it does not make any logical leaps but will teach the child things that non-LD students will get intuitively. You probalby won't like the price tag. :001_huh:

There are programs that do the same thing but are not quite as teacher friendly and are less expensive. Wilson Reading and Preventing Academic Failure are two that have been highly recommended to me.

IEW is the program that Susan Barton of Barton Reading recommends. I use Classical Writing, but it is a lot more teacher intensive.

For math I adore Right Start math. I don't care for MUS for two reasons, first is because I want to teach math (my best/favorite subject) and two because I can't stand rods-I never could remember which color stood for what number, so in order to use them I would have to line them up in a row to see which represented what number. Took all the fun out of math, for me. On a philosophical basis (something with more substance) I prefer Right Start over MUS, especially for an LD student, because it has less worksheets. The multi-sensory methods of MUS should work well for a LD student if they can handle the amount of worksheets presented.

If you really can't afford the above reading program you might look into doing a combination of AAS and REWARDS. I don't know a lot of detail about REWARDS, just that is a popular remedial reading program on my favorite LD reading group. AAS I am using with my children and it is a great program, but like Elizabeth said it isn't designed to be a remedial reading program.

Heather

[TraceyS/FL]

For math I adore Right Start math. I don't care for MUS for two reasons, first is because I want to teach math (my best/favorite subject) and two because I can't stand rods-I never could remember which color stood for what number, so in order to use them I would have to line them up in a row to see which represented what number. Took all the fun out of math, for me. On a philosophical basis (something with more substance) I prefer Right Start over MUS, especially for an LD student, because it has less worksheets. The multi-sensory methods of MUS should work well for a LD student if they can handle the amount of worksheets presented.

I just wanted to add/clarify (in case this thread pops up for someone in a search) that the MUS "rods" aren't plain rods like the C-rods, they have lines so you would just have to count if you forgot what color was what. Which is what DD did for a long time. I didn't pressure her to memorize them - that info got there in time with exposure.

I also thought MUS was just one page of problems each day, even in the upper levels? (except the new books have the problems on front and back with more space between them).

I haven't looked at Right Start more than the Geometry (which i want badly), so i can't compare at all that load level at all.... but i have a 5yo that begs for MORE pages each day! :tongue_smilie:

Which about all i can add to the thread! LOL!!!

[Quad Shot Academy]

Probably the best remedial program for LD students that is EASY for users to use is Barton's Reading. You probalby won't like the price tag. :001_huh:


:eek: I think that just might be the most shocking price tag I have ever seen!!

I will look into the other programs though, thank you!

Have any of you heard about Hooked On Phonics Masters for remedial work? I know quite a few kids who were stuck with their reading skills and then took off after doing one of their packages.

[siloam]

I just wanted to add/clarify (in case this thread pops up for someone in a search) that the MUS "rods" aren't plain rods like the C-rods, they have lines so you would just have to count if you forgot what color was what. Which is what DD did for a long time. I didn't pressure her to memorize them - that info got there in time with exposure.

That is a step up, but it would still drive me nuts. But it really isn't a reflection of the program, my kids memorized it and knew them easily...maybe that was part of the problem; Math is my best subject but I had to count the rods while the girls just knew. :blink: I am supposed to be the smart one here!! :smilielol5: I actually was using Miquon and not MUS and I realize this really isn't an issue that would be a big deal to most people. Just a few of us obsessive compulsive types. ;)


I also thought MUS was just one page of problems each day, even in the upper levels? (except the new books have the problems on front and back with more space between them).

I really am only going on what people who have switched from MUS to RS have said. At the A and B levels there isn't even one worksheet a day. At the C and D levels there are still days with no sheets, but those are rare. Most of the time they do have one worksheet a day, with lots of white space-it isn't what I think of as your typical page of problems. Here is a sample (http://www.rainbowresource.com/pictures/024834/1249675067-1219039). Some days do have two worksheets, mostly the review sections. In D they also give out math fact sheets that are done over 3-4 days on top of the daily worksheets.

Heather

[siloam]

:eek: I think that just might be the most shocking price tag I have ever seen!!

I will look into the other programs though, thank you!

Have any of you heard about Hooked On Phonics Masters for remedial work? I know quite a few kids who were stuck with their reading skills and then took off after doing one of their packages.

You can find it used cheaper, the only catch is you have to make sure they are selling the tiles with it, because the company won't sell the tiles separately. It also has pretty good resale value, so most people sell one level to buy the next. Not ideal but it does get the job done.

Preventing Academic Failure is used at a dyslexic school on the East cost, so if you live out that way then you probably could visit the school and see how it is used. I have a fried who lives out there and raves about both the program and the support the school has given her.

There is a gal on the boards who I think is Wilson certified, and she has expressed a willingness to help people with the program. If you check the board there is a thread Titled Wilson where you could find her and ask her questions.

By the way they would cover not only reading and phonics, but also spelling.

I haven't seen many LD people used Hooked on Phonics...I don't have much knowledge of it, but in just looking at the web page there are a few red flags.

First of all it is sold as a computer based program, so it probably isn't multi-sensory. If you only use one sense in learning something you only have one path in your brain to that information. If that path is blocked for any reason, then the child won't be able to recall the information when they need it. Most LD programs use multi-sensory methods because it creates many pathways to the information in the brain, thus if one is blocked the child will have back up paths to use to retrieve the information. The second issue with it being on the computer is the amount of writing might be limited. IMO there is a big connection between saying the sounds and writing them out physically. A child needs to develop that hear, think, write ability. Pressing a key on a keyboard isn't going to get them there, KWIM?

Second is one I suspect but can't see for sure. In the younger versions they use pictures as clues to the letter sounds. While this helps the child initially learn the sound, it can later backfire and require that the child recall the picture in order to remember the sound. It is better, IMO, to take the long route in learning the material and have the child learn to associate the letter with the sound directly, so later recall of the sound is instant.

These are issues that children without LD don't have problems with, but the processing issues that LD children have can cause them to stop in their tracks. The boy you are looking for might or might not have problems with the program. If you want to be on the safe side you want to find a program that is Orton/Gillingham based as it has the most research to back the fact that it works. Generally they are multi-sensory and cover one thing at a time (incremental) and have lots of review. Regular students don't need the amount of detail and review that these programs have.

I have used program that are not traditional Orton/Gillingham with success. My 2nd dd learned via Spell to Read and Write, which has the multi-sensory approach but is not incremental. She is till a little behind in fluency (i.e. she is a slow reader) so I am doing to be doing more remedial work (Great Leaps Fluency program) yet. My 2nd dd was easily overwhelmed with that program and needed the one thing at a time approach, so she is doing a combo of ETC and AAS, but I think she would do even better with a program like Barton, Wilson or PAF, which I am saving up for at the moment. :) I have an advantage in that I am dyslexic and not only get why they struggle, but know a lot of coping techniques. To date I have been able to make it without the ideal program, but I am also giving in and buying one as soon as I can swing it. ;)

Heather

[LizzyBee]

:eek: I think that just might be the most shocking price tag I have ever seen!!


I look at it from a different perspective.

My oldest sister paid about $25k x 9 years to send her dyslexic son to a school for academically gifted dyslexic students. That's $175,000.

My youngest sister sent her dyslexic son to public school. When she told the ptb at school that she suspected her son was dyslexic, their response was that he wasn't smart enough to have dyslexia. So she had to get him evaluated privately then go back to the school and argue some more to get them to accept the diagnosis. He didn't get Orton Gillingham reading instruction until middle school, and he's only had 3 years of it. He will probably never achieve what he could have.

There are OG programs out there with a cheaper price tag than Barton (and some with a higher price tag too), but they assume that the teacher has been trained in OG methodology. OG training seminars are expensive and usually involve travel expense in addition to the seminar fees. There is a nonprofit in my area that offers Wilson training (70 hours) for free, but participants have to commit to tutor 2 students other than their own children for free. I simply can't do that at this time. Barton, otoh, includes the necessary training on DVDs that come with each module.

Tutors charge anywhere from $20 to $75 per session. A minimum of 2 sessions per week is needed to be successful.

After looking at all of our options, Barton seems like a bargain to me. As Heather mentioned, you can buy one module at a time and then resell them. We are still using the first level, but the DVDs made the procedures very clear, so the program is very easy to use. I had my dd watch a little bit of the DVD and it helped her understand what to do, too.

The bottom line for me is what I told my dh when we realized that our youngest dd is much more severely dyslexic than our middle dd. I want to do whatever it takes to help her succeed in life, and in order to do that, I want to find out what works and use it. I don't want to waste time and money by trying to save money, using curriculum and therapy that won't work for her. I did a lot of research before deciding what to use, and there are lots of curricula and therapies that help some kids but not others. But I can't recall ever hearing or reading that Barton didn't work for someone.

I don't know the specific diagnoses of your friend's son, so Barton may not even be what he needs. But for kids who need an OG reading program, Barton is a great choice and I think it's a great value.