Studies have shown that dyslexics learn best using a multi-sensory approach. There are many programs out there that use this approach. Including:
Barton Program- Bright Solutions
Dianne Craft – a special education teacher who developed a program especially for use at home and she is a special ed advocate through HSLDA
Alabama Scottish Rite Foundation
The DuBard Program – A program developed by a professor at USM in Hattisburg, MS.
Guide to Overcoming Dyslexia: a myriad of other helps, games and activities for helping with dyslexia.
Books to read:
Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz
The Gift of Dyslexia
Testing in the Jefferson County Area
You can have your child tested at the local school, but the Alabama state department of education does not recognize dyslexia as a valid learning disability, therefore, your child might only receive a diagnosis of “reading disability”.
The Alabama Scottish Rite Learning Center provides free testing and tutoring for children with reading difficulties, specifically dyslexia.
There are also a few independent evaluators in the area. You can find them through the International Dyslexia Association?s Find A Provider page.
There is a private school in Huntsville whose students are all dyslexic and some have ADHD as well. It is called the Greengate School and is a valuable resource for finding testing and tutoring all over the state.
Spelling:
All About Spelling is a multi-sensory approach to spelling, with a reading component, too. I am using this with all my kids and it seems to be working.
Sequential Spelling is a spelling and reading program, started by a dyslexic man.
Handwriting:
Handwriting without Tears is a program I have used this since the beginning of our homeschooling journey. It was the only handwriting program recommended by the evaluators after John Henry was diagnosed with dyslexia.
Keyboarding:
Ultrakey is a very basic and straight-forward program that does not use a game format to teach typing that we had success with
There are so many good math programs to choose from, but for dyslexic students, it is really necessary for the program to use a hands on approach.
The one that has worked best for us is Math U See
Times Tales is a supplemental program that teaches the multiplication tables using silly stories and funny cartoons. It is AMAZING. If you follow the exact steps and really work the program as instructed, your child will learn his times tables easily and not forget them!
Timez Attack is a fun and good review of multiplication in a video game format.
In Huntsville, there is an agency called TASC-Technology Assistance for Special Consumers– They are an arm of the United Cerebral Palsy and provide adaptive technology for people who have a disability making reading or writing difficult. Their services are free as well and worth the trip to Huntsville. They will show you all the software, hardware, and resources available for children with print disabilities and provide you with demos to try for free.
Bookshare is a program begun in response to the Americans with Disabilities Act. It provides books, textbooks included, newspapers, magazines, and other print items in ebook and audio-book format. The child with a print disability must be deemed eligible by formal diagnosis, but once you provide written proof of the issue, your child can have access to this program for free.
Learning Ally is a program also providing audio books to people with print disabilities. You must also provide written proof, but it is not a difficult process.
Co-writer and Wordq are examples of intuitive writing softwares available for purchase.