Language Arts for my dd with Apraxia

[Donna A.]

My 7yod has previously been diagnosed with Apraxia and received speech therapy for about a year and a half. That along with intense and repetitive work here at home, as well as the fact that we caught it early, helped her immensely with her speech. While she still has some glitches that mostly only those closest to her can recognize, she stills struggles in the language arts, and I think maybe always will. I'm wondering how to proceed from where we are now.

In reading, she's just now able to blend some consonant digraphs, and this is after YEARS of working on it and using a multitude of different resources.

She does occasionally read some words bigger than 4 letters, but I think she's memorizing them in context of the story. Well, I think even the 4-letter words she knows have been somewhat memorized.

She does okay with handwriting -- needs improvement, but does okay -- except that she STILL writes her capital N's upside down despite constantly reminding and showing her how to do it properly. She also *occasionally* forgets a letter of the alphabet. This is typical for her... knowing, and then forgetting. (This is also one of the "glitches" in her speech. For example, she says trash can like "cash tan". She just gets it backwards. This is one of the distinctives of Apraxia.)

She learns well visually. The summer she watched Leap Frog videos all summer was when she finally learned her letter sounds after more than 2 years of speech therapy (focusing on one letter sound at a time), phonics flashcards, having her sit in on her sister's phonics lessons, hands-on activities, etc. Before she started therapy and couldn't communicate with us verbally, the Signing Time videos really "saved" us. She caught on to those quickly.

I'm thinking that First Language Lessons would be a great choice for grammar. She's been listening to the poems on CD for several years because I'd used FLL with my middle dd, too, so she already knows the poems.

For phonics, what I'm *thinking* might work well (but I don't want to spend anymore money without insight from others) are:

-- BJU (word pattern approach, and uses "people" to help identify differences in letter sounds)

-- Reading Made Easy (hands-on component is helpful, and perhaps using the white board for writing exercises instead of paper would help on the visual aspect)

-- LLATL? maybe?

I've noticed she seems to "get" word patterns (rhyming) better than the word ladder approach (i.e., MFW, CLP's Adventures in Phonics, Abeka). But maybe a mix of both approaches is better? Or am I confusing her by mixing it up?

What else? She's definitely ready to move on. She WANTS to be doing more, but can't without help. Consequently, we have a lot of frustrations between us. I try to help her, but she thinks she can do it by herself. But she can't (usually). She does well in math; no problems there.

[mom2jjka]

My 7 yr old DD also has apraxia - and she sounds very similar to yours (with the exception of the rhyming. My DD cannot hear rhyming.)

We tried several phonics/ learn to read programs without much success. I would say especially to watch out for programs where the kids have to learn to blend sounds together verbally, or by playing 'say it fast' (100 EZ lessons, The Reading Lesson, etc) As kids with apraxia will just get frustrated if they cannot make the correct sounds.

We tried 100 EZ, Phonics Pathway, First Reader, Abeka, and ETC (which was almost a good fit, but it moved too quickly) before we tried CLE's new/revised Learning to Read program and found our 'perfect' fit.

It has just enough illustrated examples and repetition that she gets the concepts, without frustrating her because she has to give verbal answers.

CLE's language arts still moves a bit too fast for her though - so we are taking that a bit slower.

[Donna A.]

Aahhh, CLE LTR, huh? I've looked at samples of their revised program, but didn't really think seriously about it because I have so many other LTR programs here that I thought *surely* I wouldn't need to buy another one. :001_rolleyes: I'm at that point where I'm willing to if I have to, though.

And we had the same experience with ETC. She really liked it and it seemed to be clicking (the primer books were really helpful), but it suddenly started moving too fast.

[mom2jjka]

If you want to see samples - I have some here on my blog

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/foxvalleyfamily/733759/

And here is my DD after using the program (She would not have been able to get any of those words prior to CLE)

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/foxvalleyfamily/759963/

[Donna A.]

Ooohhhh, I know you! :D I've seen your blog before (and I know you from a couple other boards), but it's been a while since I looked at it. Well, before you started CLE LTR, apparently. :tongue_smilie:

So where is she in the program now? Is she doing 1st grade?

I'm going to poke around your blog some more. ;)

[mom2jjka]

Yes, we are doing 1st grade (although given her abilities, I would say she is closer to kindergarten level in most subjects.) She is just beginning LU 107.

The first 5 LU's (with short vowels) she breezed through. Now we are beginning long vowels and consonant digraphs. We are having to go a bit slower, but she is still comprehending it.

Before we began the program she couldn't even read the easiest Bob books. Now she is reading sentences like: "Sam gave the yellow ship to Tim." or "Mom, here are seven fish. I am happy for the fish."

Feel free to PM me anytime if you want to chat. :001_smile:

[blessedmom3]

My son is only 5 and I suspect him of a mild apraxia . We started using a variety of things (Bob Books , Phonics Pathways, Reading Reflex , CLP Adventures and Sing Spell Read and Write and I tried/didn't like enough ETC ) . I think I like Adventures the best for now but next year we will probably use CLE Learn to read and LA1 . The samples look amazing ! It is expensive considering all the readers , TM's ,LU's you need but I think it's worth it even if I have all these reading programs. Isn't BJU reading more expensive than CLE?

My son is doing great with AIP and is fluently reading (we are 1/2 of the book done) but the space for writing is minuscule for a K-er .He also has fine motor delay but not too bad since he is only 5 . I just let him write the words big in AIP since I think writing helps him visualize the words better and improves his spelling .

You mentionned that your dd learns&forgets. I think CLE LA would be a good fit since there is a lot of review . I am also doing CLE 200 with a 2nd grader and we love it. The writing space is more developmentally apropriate than AIP.

Also , since she is a visual learner , I am not sure FLL would work for her .I had borrowed it from the library and read it through but was sure it wouldn't work with both of my visual boys .

Another option I am considering for my son would be Phonics Pathways with Growing with Grammar or Sing Spell Read and Write is great also and covers everything.

[Donna A.]

My son is only 5 and I suspect him of a mild apraxia . We started using a variety of things (Bob Books , Phonics Pathways, Reading Reflex , CLP Adventures and Sing Spell Read and Write and I tried/didn't like enough ETC ) . I think I like Adventures the best for now but next year we will probably use CLE Learn to read and LA1 . The samples look amazing ! It is expensive considering all the readers , TM's ,LU's you need but I think it's worth it even if I have all these reading programs. Isn't BJU reading more expensive than CLE?

My son is doing great with AIP and is fluently reading (we are 1/2 of the book done) but the space for writing is minuscule for a K-er .He also has fine motor delay but not too bad since he is only 5 . I just let him write the words big in AIP since I think writing helps him visualize the words better and improves his spelling .

You mentionned that your dd learns&forgets. I think CLE LA would be a good fit since there is a lot of review . I am also doing CLE 200 with a 2nd grader and we love it. The writing space is more developmentally apropriate than AIP.

Also , since she is a visual learner , I am not sure FLL would work for her .I had borrowed it from the library and read it through but was sure it wouldn't work with both of my visual boys .

Another option I am considering for my son would be Phonics Pathways with Growing with Grammar or Sing Spell Read and Write is great also and covers everything.

Thanks for your input! I was looking at CLE LTR samples last night and it looks GREAT... I noticed some of the little visual tracking (I guess that's what they are?) exercises such as connecting the dots on those grids. I like how those types of things are built in. My only concern with CLE is that it uses the spiral method? I'm afraid my dd would be confused or forget, but you're saying there's a lot of review, and the PP's dd is obviously doing well with it, so maybe that isn't a concern.

Someone had just mentioned SSRW to me the other, but that was before she knew about my dd's Apraxia. I don't think I could do SSRW with her because it addresses all the sounds a letter makes at one time, i.e., letter A makes 3 separate sounds. I think this would just be too confusing for her.

I've not compared, but yes, I'm sure CLE is less expensive than BJU. ;) Still, it would be worth it if it's effective for her. It's still cheaper than hiring a reading specialist, right? :tongue_smilie:

I guess right now, CLE is probably at the top of my list. My thought with FLL, though (which I own because I used it with dd #2) is that the amount of repetition and memory work would be very good for her. For the visual aspect, I would use colored markers on the white board.

Maybe I could use CLE, and then use FLL as backup a couple times a week.

[blessedmom3]

My only concern with CLE is that it uses the spiral method? I'm afraid my dd would be confused or forget, but you're saying there's a lot of review, and the PP's dd is obviously doing well with it, so maybe that isn't a concern.

It seems your dd is a right brain learner and you are concerned that a spiral method wouldn't work for her. While RB learners do best with a mastery method , there is something about CLE that works great with them . My son doesn't get it the first time or second but since there is so much repetition , he will eventually get it and it "sticks" .


I don't use SSRW alone for the same reasons you mentioned but I like the readers and the Assesment book which has great comprehension exercises .

I would be very interested to know how CLE works for her if you decide to use it. Please let us know ! I am next in the line to use it next yr or maybe in two yrs depending how he is progressing.

[Donna A.]

Okay, thanks!