Last Friday I had my first full day flexi-schooling a child that was not
my daughter. I have been given the privilege of being trusted by her parents
(who are also funding the sessions) to take her out of the 'norm' of her School
and try new methods in order to improve her access to education in the long
term. I had her all day, and whilst I thought that a full day would offer her
the best chance of rapid improvement; I was a bit nervous that it would be too
full on...just me and her, would it be too much?...and what would we do for
breaks with no other children around?
I needn't have worried, the day flew by and we achieved so much together. We
worked on Toe by Toe and time enabled us to really get through some pages. Then
we went on to identify the 1-100 most used words that may still be spelt
wrongly. It is strange, unlike my daughter, this girl has fantastic handwriting
(no fine motor skill issues here), and good spellings in general. But there are
some fundamental mistakes, that unless corrected will stay with her always.
Mostly, her issues are with homophones (words that are spelt differently, but
sound the same), in this week's case 'there, their and they're', so it's not so
much a spellings issue but 'what do I use when?' issue. We tried using 3D
letters and writing in water on the deck, but a test showed she was still
unsure, so next week we will be drawing, using acronyms and making the words
with clay. And she will know when to use them before the day is out!
Another huge issue for her was telling the time. We had already worked on
clocks, sorting the hour hand (0-12) from the minute hand (0-60), which took
quite a while - 'look at the length of the hands, the long hand points to the
minutes - the dial on the OUTSIDE of the clock, the short hand points to the
hours - the dial on the INSIDE of the clock.' Then we had broken the clock down
into the minutes, at first the 5-minute intervals (5x tables here), but that
got her confused with the hours, so we counted them as individual minutes and
she finally understood the concept of 60 minutes in an hour....BUT then I realised
the problem, knowing that there are 60 minutes in an hour and 12 hours in a day
& night is okay, BUT it does NOT help us tell someone the time! After all,
we do not say '50 minutes past 2', we say '10 minutes to 3' - TOTALLY
DIFFERENT! No wonder the poor kid was confused! So we halved the clock face
& started to label the minutes in 5-minute intervals from the 12 down to
the 6, so each half of the clock had 5,10,15,20,25,30 as the minutes. Now she
started to see what to say....finally she could say 'ten minutes past 2' and
'twenty minutes to 3' (she understood that when the hand went past the half way
mark we were 'to' the next hour. SHE COULD TELL THE TIME! Next week we will
talk about quarter past, half past and quarter to...but I was over the moon,
and my tutees mum said she was too when she got home that night.
We tried to do a bit of Touch-typing then, using English Type, a really good
programme. My daughter always takes ages on each lesson, but is very accurate.
This girl was the polar opposite! She stormed through the lesson at a rate of
knots, (her method of coping with her dyslexia), and consequently had to
re-take the lesson 3x as she was just too inaccurate. It was amazing to watch
as she hammered at the wrong keys on the keyboard; as much as my daughter
needed encouraging to even start for fear of making a mistake, this girl needed
holding right back to avoid making too many! This programme will be fantastic
for her - not only to learn keyboard skills, but also the pace in which she
must work to avoid getting things wrong all the time. She does the same with
her reading, and we are working on that too....they say people with dyslexia
are all different...they sure are, and it fascinates me!
With regard break times, they were easy too...she drew pictures, and played
with my 5 cats - she wants to be a vet, just like my daughter - I hope I can
help them get there...
And now - The Cross Word
I have just heard my 5 year old son reading a 20 page Biff, Chip &
Floppy Book from the Oxford Reading Tree. These books used to fill me with
horror when my daughter bought them home...in fact her mistakes when she read
one one night gave me the title for a book I have written! The experience was
painful to say the least, as she struggled with each letter, not able to put
them into words, and not recognising the words even though they were repeated
on every page. As for non-phonetically spelt words such as 'said,' and 'one,'
there was no chance! And this went on to till Year 4 - aged 7, until I
intervened with Toe by Toe. Tonight, my son, read a book, much more difficult
than she could just a short while ago... easily...he did not struggle with the
word 'said,' he sailed through every page and understood fully what he had
read. He is bright, he is quick, he is
competitive and wants to achieve...BUT he is NO brighter, NO
quicker and NO better in the intelligence stakes than my
daughter was at his age....he just has a natural ability to read
symbols. Don't get me wrong, I am pleased and proud that my son
can read, I celebrate his achievements, and am so relieved that he does not
have the same issues as my daughter.... BUT.... I am hopping
MAD that my daughter and I had to go through so much when it was SO,
SO obvious that she had dyslexia. And I am HOPPING MAD that so
many other children are going through the same experience as I write this. I
was a Secondary level teacher with no knowledge about when or how a child was
meant to read...however, the teachers at my daughter's school did have this
knowledge. What the hell happened? How could they not see that this bright
little girl should not be struggling with such a simple and
innate ability? It is appalling what these children go through, when their
issues are as plain as the nose on their faces. IF THEY CANNOT READ, THEY ARE
NOT STUPID, THEY HAVE A GIFTED DYSLEXIC BRAIN - DEAL WITH IT TEACHERS - DON'T
IGNORE IT! If you can't provide the specialist teaching they require, that is
one thing, but at the very least put them and their parents out of their misery
by telling them that you 'get it, it isn't their fault, and THEY ARE NOT
STUPID.' I implore you......
Sunday 18 November 2012
Tuesday 13 November 2012
Flexi-schooling for Dyslexia - It's Happening & A Tip!
Flexi-schooling...can it really happen? Well apparently it can. This Friday I am 'flexi-schooling' a little girl that doesn't belong to me! I have been tutoring her for about 6 months now and her parents have seen big improvements...but they have also realised that an hour just isn't enough. The girl is in Year 5, and is where my daughter was BEFORE I flexi-schooled her. She is different....instead of being reticent to try anything for fear of failing, she is like a bulldozer, crashing through questions & tasks in the hope that if she talks the talk, and walks the walk, nobody will realise that she doesn't actually have a clue about what she is talking about!
But her issues with regard stuff we all take for granted are so similar to my daughter; she cannot tell the time, is struggling reading and spelling and particularly with maths concepts. The only way to really help her is to tackle each thing slowly & with creativity. BUT.... back to the main event - flexi-schooling - how did it happen?
Well, this little girl's mum approached me wanting the same for her daughter as I had done for mine, and I agreed that it would really help. She is in Year 5, there is only a year and a half till Secondary School and time is ticking.....So she put the wheels in motion after some advice from me; she got her daughter assessed for dyslexia in School, visual stress at the opticians & is awaiting an appointment for auditory processing from the hospital. Well, after the dyslexia assessment it was clarified that her daughter had definite traits of dyslexia (why had they not explored this possibility before her mother asked?!) and that her levels of attainment were not where they should be.
So...after more phone calls and letters and little response, this little girl's mother finally got a meeting with the Head Teacher. I offered to attend as an advocate, professional that knows the girl's educational needs and a friend. I was glad I went. The girl's mother was (as I was when dealing with my own daughters education & happiness) emotional; I (for once) could remain passive and professional - a place I like to be!
At first, the HT was fully supportive of the idea of one-to-one tutoring, but when she realised we weren't talking about 1hr, but a whole day per week, she balked. I explained that results were quick, and that we may need no longer than a term to get the girl back on track, and she relented. I have the girl every Friday until Christmas, and then we will review it....Flexi-schooling has started! I will keep you updated as to our progress....
A TIP
Working with a few tutees this week on spellings I discovered the following about teaching spelling THROUGH/THREW
Neither is spelt phonetically so I considered the word through - well take off the th and it spells ROUGH - 'think of something rough I said', my brilliant tutee came up with 'a starfish'
We drew a starfish with 5 legs, a face, then put R,O,U,G,H in each leg.
Then I asked them to draw a cave round it, and write T one side & H the other.
So....when wanting to spell the word THROUGH - this is the image....I know it sounds crazy & long-winded...but it works! And they are 'most used words' so important that they know how to spell them.
For THREW we threw a beanbag back & forth sharing letters
throw (T)
throw (H)
throw (R)
throw (E)
throw (W)
I also emphasised the sound 'ew' (yeoouuu!)
Much fun had by all & another word learnt!
Try it!
God I love teaching these kids!!!
But her issues with regard stuff we all take for granted are so similar to my daughter; she cannot tell the time, is struggling reading and spelling and particularly with maths concepts. The only way to really help her is to tackle each thing slowly & with creativity. BUT.... back to the main event - flexi-schooling - how did it happen?
Well, this little girl's mum approached me wanting the same for her daughter as I had done for mine, and I agreed that it would really help. She is in Year 5, there is only a year and a half till Secondary School and time is ticking.....So she put the wheels in motion after some advice from me; she got her daughter assessed for dyslexia in School, visual stress at the opticians & is awaiting an appointment for auditory processing from the hospital. Well, after the dyslexia assessment it was clarified that her daughter had definite traits of dyslexia (why had they not explored this possibility before her mother asked?!) and that her levels of attainment were not where they should be.
So...after more phone calls and letters and little response, this little girl's mother finally got a meeting with the Head Teacher. I offered to attend as an advocate, professional that knows the girl's educational needs and a friend. I was glad I went. The girl's mother was (as I was when dealing with my own daughters education & happiness) emotional; I (for once) could remain passive and professional - a place I like to be!
At first, the HT was fully supportive of the idea of one-to-one tutoring, but when she realised we weren't talking about 1hr, but a whole day per week, she balked. I explained that results were quick, and that we may need no longer than a term to get the girl back on track, and she relented. I have the girl every Friday until Christmas, and then we will review it....Flexi-schooling has started! I will keep you updated as to our progress....
A TIP
Working with a few tutees this week on spellings I discovered the following about teaching spelling THROUGH/THREW
Neither is spelt phonetically so I considered the word through - well take off the th and it spells ROUGH - 'think of something rough I said', my brilliant tutee came up with 'a starfish'
We drew a starfish with 5 legs, a face, then put R,O,U,G,H in each leg.
Then I asked them to draw a cave round it, and write T one side & H the other.
So....when wanting to spell the word THROUGH - this is the image....I know it sounds crazy & long-winded...but it works! And they are 'most used words' so important that they know how to spell them.
For THREW we threw a beanbag back & forth sharing letters
throw (T)
throw (H)
throw (R)
throw (E)
throw (W)
I also emphasised the sound 'ew' (yeoouuu!)
Much fun had by all & another word learnt!
Try it!
God I love teaching these kids!!!
Sunday 14 October 2012
Change? - yes it can!
Well, it's been a while since I met the Head teacher at my daughter's school following her entering Year 5....life has been busy! Sorry!
I was/am also still in a bit of shock after the meeting, and was kind of waiting for the bubble to burst! So far, it hasn't....
My husband and I both attended the meeting; I was fully expecting a 'no' to the flexi-schooling option as I had had an email from the specialist teacher at KCC after I wrote asking what her opinions were regarding continuing to flexi-school my daughter. I was both shocked & disappointed with the response, she stated;
'I think that **** can cope and that she benefits from school socially and with the broader curriculum. I am not sure about flexi-schooling; it is very uncommon. Moving schools, educating at home or seeking private education...these are the usual routes. I can see the logic for what you have done...keeping the social input but also providing intensive support, but KCC won't have had many instances of this ccurring. There is no doubt that your intensive support has boosted **** confidence and enhanced her basic literacy and numeracy skills........I cannot tell you what to do and have no intention of doing so but the skills that **** has learnt on a one to one basis need now to be applied across a range of tasks and situations for the benefits really to be seen. Where and how...that's your call. But I do know that she likes school. Given her range of difficulties, learning is never going to be quick, easy and without much effort. However, ***** has resilience and if you work with the school, sharing targets and objectives, giving **** time, not pressure, and above all, encouragement, then I am sure that there will be a happy resolution.
- not sure about flexi-schooling because it is 'uncommon'?!?!?!? So?!?!?! It has worked amazingly well, is the fact it is 'uncommon' a good reason not to do it?
- 'learning is never going to be quick, easy and without much effort' - quite frankly - what a crock! She learns easily, quickly and with the same amount of effort as anyone else when she is taught in a way she can learn.
- she will be okay as she is 'risilient'?!?!?! Risilient to what? Potentially - not being able to access education, being teased by other children for her purple glasses and not being able to spell? Being consistently told to 'try harder' by teachers when her poor little brain is trying at least 3x harder than the other 'clever' kids? Being put in front of tests and exams she can never achieve? Why should she be bloody risilient?
and the worst bit? 'time not pressure, and above all encouragement' is the key...Excuse me? Isn't this basically saying 'back off pushy parent,' well I am not pushy. I don't want my daughter to go to Grammar School, acheive A* grades or be in the 'top' sets. I am quite happy with her the way she is thank you, but I do want her to be able to have basic literacy/numeracy skills that are essential for living in our society! So sue me!
Needless to say, I was a bit miffed (to say the least) at this response. I responded saying so and indicated that I hoped Kent would soon catch up with London, Devon & Leicestershire and embrace flexi-schooling.....then we went to meet the Head...and I realised that maybe I had been a bit hasty to critisise the KCC Ed Specialist who may have just been giving me an alternative point of view, whilst still supporting me in ways that she could whilst remaining 'impartial' ....Why do I say this?
Well....the Head was amazing! She had the timetable ready to discuss which afternoon we would flex-school my daughter. She said she would be given extra time in exams. She said her teacher would communicate with me regarding her learning regularly. She even talked about potentially getting her a Statement. She even said she 'wished more parents were as supportive as we were.' [was I dreaming? I have asked my husband several times since & he has confirmed it was said!]
So, there was no fight, my daughter (after 3 years of meetings, letter writing and tears) is being recognised as having dyslexia, scotopic light sensitivity, auditory processing issues, hypermobility and dyscalcula. She is also being recognised as having amazing confidence, leadership skills, amazing depth perception, original thought and a lovely personality...she even bought home a Headteachers Award this Friday that said, 'for always putting in maximum effort at all times.' My daughter was so pleased - I was over the moon!
So for all those parents out there who are struggling with the school system - keep at it, you will get there...I don't quite know what has happened, has the Head finally realised we were right? Has KCC put pressure on? Has time, experience & the fact that 'this mother wasn't going away' paid dividends? I don't think I will ever know, but my daughter is loving school, my daughter is loving her flexi-school which teaches her 'her way' and her mother is loving feeling that it has all worked out.
Long may it last - so this Blog can get back to giving hints & tips to help others teach these amazing children.
I was/am also still in a bit of shock after the meeting, and was kind of waiting for the bubble to burst! So far, it hasn't....
My husband and I both attended the meeting; I was fully expecting a 'no' to the flexi-schooling option as I had had an email from the specialist teacher at KCC after I wrote asking what her opinions were regarding continuing to flexi-school my daughter. I was both shocked & disappointed with the response, she stated;
'I think that **** can cope and that she benefits from school socially and with the broader curriculum. I am not sure about flexi-schooling; it is very uncommon. Moving schools, educating at home or seeking private education...these are the usual routes. I can see the logic for what you have done...keeping the social input but also providing intensive support, but KCC won't have had many instances of this ccurring. There is no doubt that your intensive support has boosted **** confidence and enhanced her basic literacy and numeracy skills........I cannot tell you what to do and have no intention of doing so but the skills that **** has learnt on a one to one basis need now to be applied across a range of tasks and situations for the benefits really to be seen. Where and how...that's your call. But I do know that she likes school. Given her range of difficulties, learning is never going to be quick, easy and without much effort. However, ***** has resilience and if you work with the school, sharing targets and objectives, giving **** time, not pressure, and above all, encouragement, then I am sure that there will be a happy resolution.
- not sure about flexi-schooling because it is 'uncommon'?!?!?!? So?!?!?! It has worked amazingly well, is the fact it is 'uncommon' a good reason not to do it?
- 'learning is never going to be quick, easy and without much effort' - quite frankly - what a crock! She learns easily, quickly and with the same amount of effort as anyone else when she is taught in a way she can learn.
- she will be okay as she is 'risilient'?!?!?! Risilient to what? Potentially - not being able to access education, being teased by other children for her purple glasses and not being able to spell? Being consistently told to 'try harder' by teachers when her poor little brain is trying at least 3x harder than the other 'clever' kids? Being put in front of tests and exams she can never achieve? Why should she be bloody risilient?
and the worst bit? 'time not pressure, and above all encouragement' is the key...Excuse me? Isn't this basically saying 'back off pushy parent,' well I am not pushy. I don't want my daughter to go to Grammar School, acheive A* grades or be in the 'top' sets. I am quite happy with her the way she is thank you, but I do want her to be able to have basic literacy/numeracy skills that are essential for living in our society! So sue me!
Needless to say, I was a bit miffed (to say the least) at this response. I responded saying so and indicated that I hoped Kent would soon catch up with London, Devon & Leicestershire and embrace flexi-schooling.....then we went to meet the Head...and I realised that maybe I had been a bit hasty to critisise the KCC Ed Specialist who may have just been giving me an alternative point of view, whilst still supporting me in ways that she could whilst remaining 'impartial' ....Why do I say this?
Well....the Head was amazing! She had the timetable ready to discuss which afternoon we would flex-school my daughter. She said she would be given extra time in exams. She said her teacher would communicate with me regarding her learning regularly. She even talked about potentially getting her a Statement. She even said she 'wished more parents were as supportive as we were.' [was I dreaming? I have asked my husband several times since & he has confirmed it was said!]
So, there was no fight, my daughter (after 3 years of meetings, letter writing and tears) is being recognised as having dyslexia, scotopic light sensitivity, auditory processing issues, hypermobility and dyscalcula. She is also being recognised as having amazing confidence, leadership skills, amazing depth perception, original thought and a lovely personality...she even bought home a Headteachers Award this Friday that said, 'for always putting in maximum effort at all times.' My daughter was so pleased - I was over the moon!
So for all those parents out there who are struggling with the school system - keep at it, you will get there...I don't quite know what has happened, has the Head finally realised we were right? Has KCC put pressure on? Has time, experience & the fact that 'this mother wasn't going away' paid dividends? I don't think I will ever know, but my daughter is loving school, my daughter is loving her flexi-school which teaches her 'her way' and her mother is loving feeling that it has all worked out.
Long may it last - so this Blog can get back to giving hints & tips to help others teach these amazing children.
Monday 17 September 2012
Nothing changes - or can it?!
So, here we are in a new term in a new school year. My daughter is back in School full-time, and I am awaiting a call from the headteacher to discuss our flexi-schooling options (if she decides we should have any). I have written a 3-page letter to my daughter's class teacher outlining her difficulties as I haven't had any previous contact with her, and am meeting her tomorrow to discuss how she is going to put the recommendations given by professionals into the classroom setting - wish me luck!
But my daughter is, so far, happy at School and that is the main thing. She is so much more confident after her term flexi-schooling and seems to grasp everything (even spellings!) much more successfully.
So what am I whingeing on about now?!
All the others.... I tutor don't I, so I am seeing other children who are stuck in the place that my daughter was, with no confidence, no understanding about why they are struggling and no enjoyment of School. I hear their voices and I see their 'dead' eyes as they give up on a system that just doesn't cater for them. And then I hear about the Education Secretary's wise decision to change the GCSE into a qualification that will exclude success for dyslexic students even more. You know what I think? Dyslexic people think 'outside the box,' they challenge accepted practice (even the way words are spelt!), and are often tantamount to genius in certain areas. So of course our Governments want to keep them down by excluding them from an education - who wants someone who challenges the system in Government or in high flying public sector positions....they want 'yes men' (and yes - it is usually men too). By denying them a GCSE English and/or Maths they are stuffed. And so Government is full of the top 20% - we all think the same way - brains. Brilliant!!
Sometimes I feel that the system is just too big to beat, but then I read another facebook entry, twitter post or blog with similar stories to mine, or I help a child struggling and suffering in our education system & I think I can't give this up.
But, I also need some help! So if you or anyone you know has any ideas, inspiration or clout with the powers that be to improve the education of dyslexic students in mainstream schools - please get in touch, my email is narinda@algarsacademy.co.uk, I look forward to hearing from you!!
But my daughter is, so far, happy at School and that is the main thing. She is so much more confident after her term flexi-schooling and seems to grasp everything (even spellings!) much more successfully.
So what am I whingeing on about now?!
All the others.... I tutor don't I, so I am seeing other children who are stuck in the place that my daughter was, with no confidence, no understanding about why they are struggling and no enjoyment of School. I hear their voices and I see their 'dead' eyes as they give up on a system that just doesn't cater for them. And then I hear about the Education Secretary's wise decision to change the GCSE into a qualification that will exclude success for dyslexic students even more. You know what I think? Dyslexic people think 'outside the box,' they challenge accepted practice (even the way words are spelt!), and are often tantamount to genius in certain areas. So of course our Governments want to keep them down by excluding them from an education - who wants someone who challenges the system in Government or in high flying public sector positions....they want 'yes men' (and yes - it is usually men too). By denying them a GCSE English and/or Maths they are stuffed. And so Government is full of the top 20% - we all think the same way - brains. Brilliant!!
Sometimes I feel that the system is just too big to beat, but then I read another facebook entry, twitter post or blog with similar stories to mine, or I help a child struggling and suffering in our education system & I think I can't give this up.
But, I also need some help! So if you or anyone you know has any ideas, inspiration or clout with the powers that be to improve the education of dyslexic students in mainstream schools - please get in touch, my email is narinda@algarsacademy.co.uk, I look forward to hearing from you!!
Wednesday 22 August 2012
The fight goes on....
Sorry to all those who read this blog...I haven't written for a good while now...I have been too riled up! I got to the end of my term flexi-schooling my daughter, and was so proud of our acheivements. I have a folder full of the work we have done: she has learnt how to tell the time; the 2,3,4,5,10 and 11 times tables; understands tables and fractions; knows the sequences of days of the week/months of the year, can spell the 1-150 (out of the 300/75% of ) most used words confidently and has read 3 'proper' books cover to cover and can read sooooo much better. We still have work to do, especially writing skills, but I was so happy with her progress....
Then I had a meeting with the School, the last week of term. During the time I flexi-schooled my daughter I was given no support or guidance, or requests for progress...being me though, I kept a detailed log of progress and was able to show this to the Headteacher. Then, after being suitably impressed, she hit me with the news that she was no longer going to let me flexi-school. I was devastated, and said I would do anything to continue - go into School, do any hours most suitable, but 'Please, please,' I said, 'don't take this away from us.' She said that my daughter showed 'little progress in assessments,' (despite going from way below average in the SATs at the beginning of the term to average [average? - amazing!!] in the CATs at the end of term ), and that on that basis she could not let flexi-schooling continue. She had not talked to me, my daughter, heard her read or talked to her class teacher. I eventually persuaded her to allow me 'some time - maybe a morning' to tutor her, 'but this would be discussed in September..'
I went through it all, I would change Schools, take her out altogether & home School, move both my children to another School, maybe even move and get a new start...I was so angry and disappointed.....But time heals, and I have decided that if I am to help other parents in this situation - which is something I want to do in the future - I have to stick it out and fight for my rights. I was made to feel a failure, then I got a present of an inscribed pen from a tutee I have been helping in a similar way to my daughter saying 'To a brilliant tutor,' and I remembered who I should listen to.
So watch out - for the next instalment in September. Ding, ding!! Round 2!!
Then I had a meeting with the School, the last week of term. During the time I flexi-schooled my daughter I was given no support or guidance, or requests for progress...being me though, I kept a detailed log of progress and was able to show this to the Headteacher. Then, after being suitably impressed, she hit me with the news that she was no longer going to let me flexi-school. I was devastated, and said I would do anything to continue - go into School, do any hours most suitable, but 'Please, please,' I said, 'don't take this away from us.' She said that my daughter showed 'little progress in assessments,' (despite going from way below average in the SATs at the beginning of the term to average [average? - amazing!!] in the CATs at the end of term ), and that on that basis she could not let flexi-schooling continue. She had not talked to me, my daughter, heard her read or talked to her class teacher. I eventually persuaded her to allow me 'some time - maybe a morning' to tutor her, 'but this would be discussed in September..'
I went through it all, I would change Schools, take her out altogether & home School, move both my children to another School, maybe even move and get a new start...I was so angry and disappointed.....But time heals, and I have decided that if I am to help other parents in this situation - which is something I want to do in the future - I have to stick it out and fight for my rights. I was made to feel a failure, then I got a present of an inscribed pen from a tutee I have been helping in a similar way to my daughter saying 'To a brilliant tutor,' and I remembered who I should listen to.
So watch out - for the next instalment in September. Ding, ding!! Round 2!!
Friday 29 June 2012
Months of the Year & more on Auditory Processing
Hi all, Flexi-Schooling is going amazingly well and we are seeing massive improvements in my daughter. She can now read a book (so far 3 TO THE END - something I NEVER thought would happen a few months ago!), spell 100 out of the 300 most used words, knows her 3&4 times tables fluently, has improved her handwriting no end and has bundles more confidence & a joy for learning which had been rapidly disappearing before I started all this. BUT......
Sequencing - this has always been a problem! Days of the week, Time, Times tables, and MONTHS OF THE YEAR. My daughter had just about mastered days of the week, and is getting much better at time & timestables (helped massively by numicon - but that is something for another Blog!), but Months? At 9 years old, she still didn't have a clue.
This bothered me, after all - how could the seasons be truly appreciated and understood, without a sense of how the month names fitted with them? So I tackled the situation. It was a bit of a trial - but amazingly, after struggling for years, it only took about an hour to rectify!
1) I set out the 1-12 numicon shapes (but you could just have bits of paper labelled 1-12) on the table.
2) I then got my daughter to write all the names of the months that she could remember, in whatever order. We then added any she had missed.
3) Then I asked my daughter to stick the months on the correct numicon shape, e.g January on 1, March on 3 etc, if she looked like she was going to go wrong, I put her right.
4) We then talked through the months, using any 'memory tricks' that we could think of, e.g 'Your birthday is in November, the 2nd to last month,' 'Christmas is in December, the last month', 'August is great, it's in the middle, & it's your Summer hols!' We also separated the months into seasons,
Winter - Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb and discussed that it gets cold in November (when our birthday's are) and then we have Christmas. Then the New Year starts & often it's even colder & sometimes even snows! Then in February it is still cold for St Valentines Day.
Spring - Mar/Apr/May - it gets warmer in March, the mad March hare hops out & all the flowers start to spring up! In April we have April showers, but it doesn't last long because May is always lovely & a special month as it's our Anniversary.
Summer - June/July August - June is the beginning of the Summer Term and in July we are really in Summer for your cousin's birthday, August is the BEST month as it's when the school holidays occur!
Autumn - Sep/Oct - We go back to start a New School Year in September, with brand new uniform, shoes & a new teacher! Shortly after is October, and Halloween & Trick or Treat!
5) After talking about all this for some time, including vivid descriptions including colours, feelings, likes/dislikes, images etc, I removed the stickers with the months on & stuck them on the edge of the table in a random fashion.
6) I then asked my daughter to stick them back on again, in order.
7) She did this a few times, and then I packed everything away & asked her to recite the months in order 3 x.
8) She could do it! And ever since she has been able to not only know the months in order, but also whether it is the 6th, 8th or 12th month! Last night, she worked out how many months it had been since she had had her ears pierced to see whether she could now leave them out without the holes closing! Independant thought! I never thought I would see the day when she didn't ask me these things.....
If your child is struggling with sequencing months - try this method. It only takes an hour - and it works! (I have now tried it on other dyslexic children too, with the same results).
As an aside - I have finally had the Auditory Processing test done & it is true - my daughter cannot hear a 2nd instruction as her brain is too busy processing the first! Equally, she gets very easily distracted as her brain hones in on periphery noise (birds tweating, people whispering, horns beeping in the distance) rather than a person talking directly to her! So if your child consistently gets comments like 'lacks concentration,', 'needs to listen carefully to instructions,' 'needs to stop putting their hand up,' etc etc on their reports, BUT you know they are not a naughty child - get them tested! They get more time for exams if they have this issue - so it's worth it.
Ah well - onwards & upwards! There is still a lot to do, but we are getting there. Please let me know if you use my 'Months Method' & any results you have - I would be most interested to hear your experiences :)
Sequencing - this has always been a problem! Days of the week, Time, Times tables, and MONTHS OF THE YEAR. My daughter had just about mastered days of the week, and is getting much better at time & timestables (helped massively by numicon - but that is something for another Blog!), but Months? At 9 years old, she still didn't have a clue.
This bothered me, after all - how could the seasons be truly appreciated and understood, without a sense of how the month names fitted with them? So I tackled the situation. It was a bit of a trial - but amazingly, after struggling for years, it only took about an hour to rectify!
1) I set out the 1-12 numicon shapes (but you could just have bits of paper labelled 1-12) on the table.
2) I then got my daughter to write all the names of the months that she could remember, in whatever order. We then added any she had missed.
3) Then I asked my daughter to stick the months on the correct numicon shape, e.g January on 1, March on 3 etc, if she looked like she was going to go wrong, I put her right.
4) We then talked through the months, using any 'memory tricks' that we could think of, e.g 'Your birthday is in November, the 2nd to last month,' 'Christmas is in December, the last month', 'August is great, it's in the middle, & it's your Summer hols!' We also separated the months into seasons,
Winter - Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb and discussed that it gets cold in November (when our birthday's are) and then we have Christmas. Then the New Year starts & often it's even colder & sometimes even snows! Then in February it is still cold for St Valentines Day.
Spring - Mar/Apr/May - it gets warmer in March, the mad March hare hops out & all the flowers start to spring up! In April we have April showers, but it doesn't last long because May is always lovely & a special month as it's our Anniversary.
Summer - June/July August - June is the beginning of the Summer Term and in July we are really in Summer for your cousin's birthday, August is the BEST month as it's when the school holidays occur!
Autumn - Sep/Oct - We go back to start a New School Year in September, with brand new uniform, shoes & a new teacher! Shortly after is October, and Halloween & Trick or Treat!
5) After talking about all this for some time, including vivid descriptions including colours, feelings, likes/dislikes, images etc, I removed the stickers with the months on & stuck them on the edge of the table in a random fashion.
6) I then asked my daughter to stick them back on again, in order.
7) She did this a few times, and then I packed everything away & asked her to recite the months in order 3 x.
8) She could do it! And ever since she has been able to not only know the months in order, but also whether it is the 6th, 8th or 12th month! Last night, she worked out how many months it had been since she had had her ears pierced to see whether she could now leave them out without the holes closing! Independant thought! I never thought I would see the day when she didn't ask me these things.....
If your child is struggling with sequencing months - try this method. It only takes an hour - and it works! (I have now tried it on other dyslexic children too, with the same results).
As an aside - I have finally had the Auditory Processing test done & it is true - my daughter cannot hear a 2nd instruction as her brain is too busy processing the first! Equally, she gets very easily distracted as her brain hones in on periphery noise (birds tweating, people whispering, horns beeping in the distance) rather than a person talking directly to her! So if your child consistently gets comments like 'lacks concentration,', 'needs to listen carefully to instructions,' 'needs to stop putting their hand up,' etc etc on their reports, BUT you know they are not a naughty child - get them tested! They get more time for exams if they have this issue - so it's worth it.
Ah well - onwards & upwards! There is still a lot to do, but we are getting there. Please let me know if you use my 'Months Method' & any results you have - I would be most interested to hear your experiences :)
Monday 28 May 2012
I'm Awesome!
A fantastic morning with my daughter. We worked on adding 6 lots of numbers using Numicon (check out www.numicon.and worked out by fitting the 9-shape with other numbers you could clearly see that to fit in other numbers the gap in the 9 needed to be filled, so just meant that to add other numbers to 9 you just took off a unit - so 9+8=1 7 9+6= 1 5 9+9= 1 8 etc AND
then worked out that likewise the 11 shape has an extra 'bit' so that meant it added on an extra unit so..
11+8= 1 9 11+5= 16 11+7= 18 etc!
My daughter had never been able to do these sums before and always counted up on her fingers; a technique encouraged in School's but my pet hate (if we start relying on our fingers, we find it hard to trust our brains!). Within a short time she had mastered the technique & understood WHY it worked (important for a dyslexic brain as they ALWAYS need things proved & cannot really 'do' abstract). Before she had always counted up on her fingers which took time & she ineviteably counted too far on, got confused, tried again, got frustrated and just thought she was rubbish (yet again!)
This way, she got it, and she jumped around the room, opened the door & shouted to the neighbours,
'I'M AWESOME!'
Hell, yes!!!
then worked out that likewise the 11 shape has an extra 'bit' so that meant it added on an extra unit so..
11+8= 1 9 11+5= 16 11+7= 18 etc!
My daughter had never been able to do these sums before and always counted up on her fingers; a technique encouraged in School's but my pet hate (if we start relying on our fingers, we find it hard to trust our brains!). Within a short time she had mastered the technique & understood WHY it worked (important for a dyslexic brain as they ALWAYS need things proved & cannot really 'do' abstract). Before she had always counted up on her fingers which took time & she ineviteably counted too far on, got confused, tried again, got frustrated and just thought she was rubbish (yet again!)
This way, she got it, and she jumped around the room, opened the door & shouted to the neighbours,
'I'M AWESOME!'
Hell, yes!!!
Thursday 24 May 2012
Lots of Stuff....
Flexi-School Update
So...it's been a while since I wrote an update. In the main flexi-schooling my daughter is going extremely well. She has definitely become more her happy, confident self again, and is learning tons! She told me how happy she was that she could actually read her 'quiet reading' book in School which was 'Charlotte's Web'. I asked her, 'what did you do when you couldn't read so well, or do the work set?' and she replied, 'I would just sit there staring at the page and not do anything, then I would get in trouble.' Oh the joys of School for a dyslexic child!
However....some days have been flippin tough - normally when I have had a row with the other half, or something 'big' is distracting me..... I find that my husband & daughter's behavioural characteristics are sooo similar that I can transfer my frustrations about him onto her very easily and this does NOT lead to a productive morning's learning! I have also felt quite poorly with a cold/aches in the past few weeks and instead of just taking things a bit easy, tried to stick with the regime & then failed to remain patient! For some bizarre reason, one morning I chose to do fractions, on a day when my head was pounding & I felt dreadful...It was all going okay, we worked on the concept of dividing by the denominator & multiplying by the numerator and she seemed to grasp it....then at the end of the hour or so, I asked her a question and it was like we had never done a fraction! I lost it! Then apologised and said it was my fault - that I clearly hadn't taught it in the right way (despite cutting up oranges, using numicon and every other strategy I could think of!)...well what could I say? "Where the hell has all that information we have just spent an hour working on gone? Why are you so stupid? Come on - think! You must know this by now!" All this she has heard many times...so I had to dig deep and blame myself...but it is very hard sometimes!
Then the other day, I looked back in her work folder and was absolutely amazed at the progress of her writing in 4 weeks. It has gone from a messy, misspelled 4 year old to a mature, much more accurate, neat 7 year old and I nearly cried!
Tutoring
A rather disturbing experience occurred a week ago during tutoring. I have a boy come to me who is a joy to work with and be around; he is happy, kind, thoughtful and funny; however, when he came to my Office for his session, I would not have recognised him. In fact, if I had not known him so well, I would have thought he was at best ADHD, at worst mentally unstable. He would not look at me, swung round and round on his chair, hit himself on the head and would not talk or do anything I suggested.
It was clear that I was not going to get him to do Toe by Toe - in fact, it seemed that the poor little red book was his personification of all his problems. I recognised he was angry, but he would not lower his guard. Nothing worked, until I asked him what he enjoyed doing, "Drawing," came the answer, so he drew.... pictures of teachers telling him off, of him crying, of him being angry....at last we talked about things and he became the boy I recognised again.
So...how many other boys and girls are displaying behaviour like this in Schools all around the Country? How many seem like they have psychological or behavioural problems when really they are just sick of being different, sick of having to work 3-5 times harder than everyone else, sick of being told off/to concentrate/that they should know this by now when they are trying so hard. No wonder they are a bit angry! As adults we would never put up with this treatment, and sometimes I truly think our education system is tantamount to mentally abusing these children by teaching in a way they just CANNOT learn. Controversial I know.....Comments?!
Some Advice from my Experiences
If you think your child may be dyslexic, s/he probably is, but here is a check-list from my experiences:
1) If your child cannot remember letter symbols in a natural progressive way, they could be dyslexic. Dyslexia merely means that a person cannot read/write/spell as well as their intelligence would suggest. (please note - parents are very competitive when it comes to reading & how well their child is doing. They will try to make you believe your child is just a bit slow or thick - but go with your gut - your instinct will usually be right).
2) Ask your child if the words move around on the page, or if they 'jump' around. Try turning the lights down & see if reading improves in dim light (you can time reading to check). If you are at all worried, book a colorimetry test at an optometrist. My daughter has scotopic light sensitivity, which can affect people with dyslexia, she couldn't read ANYTHING until getting tinted glasses, now she relies on them completely - they are a miracle!
3) Insist on a LASS test at School, BUT do not let them fob you off that the results show no problem. My daughter's results said she was 'borderline,' but on further investigation, we realised the results had not been properly analysed.
4) Get Toe by Toe - by Keda Cowling. 20 mins a day can change your child's life. Also, if you can, get a private tutor who has some knowledge about the issue to keep you both going - it's a tough road! However, if you are one of those lucky individuals (whom I have yet to meet) who has School support, this should not be necessary.
5) Remember - don't get too bogged down in it all (I have at times), your child is the same wonderful, unique and truly amazing individual they were before they started learning and the dyslexia became apparant. If our education system was different, their difficulties would not be an issue. Celebrate their strengths as much as possible - with support and understanding these 3-dimensional, out of the box thinkers can be something truly special!
So...it's been a while since I wrote an update. In the main flexi-schooling my daughter is going extremely well. She has definitely become more her happy, confident self again, and is learning tons! She told me how happy she was that she could actually read her 'quiet reading' book in School which was 'Charlotte's Web'. I asked her, 'what did you do when you couldn't read so well, or do the work set?' and she replied, 'I would just sit there staring at the page and not do anything, then I would get in trouble.' Oh the joys of School for a dyslexic child!
However....some days have been flippin tough - normally when I have had a row with the other half, or something 'big' is distracting me..... I find that my husband & daughter's behavioural characteristics are sooo similar that I can transfer my frustrations about him onto her very easily and this does NOT lead to a productive morning's learning! I have also felt quite poorly with a cold/aches in the past few weeks and instead of just taking things a bit easy, tried to stick with the regime & then failed to remain patient! For some bizarre reason, one morning I chose to do fractions, on a day when my head was pounding & I felt dreadful...It was all going okay, we worked on the concept of dividing by the denominator & multiplying by the numerator and she seemed to grasp it....then at the end of the hour or so, I asked her a question and it was like we had never done a fraction! I lost it! Then apologised and said it was my fault - that I clearly hadn't taught it in the right way (despite cutting up oranges, using numicon and every other strategy I could think of!)...well what could I say? "Where the hell has all that information we have just spent an hour working on gone? Why are you so stupid? Come on - think! You must know this by now!" All this she has heard many times...so I had to dig deep and blame myself...but it is very hard sometimes!
Then the other day, I looked back in her work folder and was absolutely amazed at the progress of her writing in 4 weeks. It has gone from a messy, misspelled 4 year old to a mature, much more accurate, neat 7 year old and I nearly cried!
Tutoring
A rather disturbing experience occurred a week ago during tutoring. I have a boy come to me who is a joy to work with and be around; he is happy, kind, thoughtful and funny; however, when he came to my Office for his session, I would not have recognised him. In fact, if I had not known him so well, I would have thought he was at best ADHD, at worst mentally unstable. He would not look at me, swung round and round on his chair, hit himself on the head and would not talk or do anything I suggested.
It was clear that I was not going to get him to do Toe by Toe - in fact, it seemed that the poor little red book was his personification of all his problems. I recognised he was angry, but he would not lower his guard. Nothing worked, until I asked him what he enjoyed doing, "Drawing," came the answer, so he drew.... pictures of teachers telling him off, of him crying, of him being angry....at last we talked about things and he became the boy I recognised again.
So...how many other boys and girls are displaying behaviour like this in Schools all around the Country? How many seem like they have psychological or behavioural problems when really they are just sick of being different, sick of having to work 3-5 times harder than everyone else, sick of being told off/to concentrate/that they should know this by now when they are trying so hard. No wonder they are a bit angry! As adults we would never put up with this treatment, and sometimes I truly think our education system is tantamount to mentally abusing these children by teaching in a way they just CANNOT learn. Controversial I know.....Comments?!
Some Advice from my Experiences
If you think your child may be dyslexic, s/he probably is, but here is a check-list from my experiences:
1) If your child cannot remember letter symbols in a natural progressive way, they could be dyslexic. Dyslexia merely means that a person cannot read/write/spell as well as their intelligence would suggest. (please note - parents are very competitive when it comes to reading & how well their child is doing. They will try to make you believe your child is just a bit slow or thick - but go with your gut - your instinct will usually be right).
2) Ask your child if the words move around on the page, or if they 'jump' around. Try turning the lights down & see if reading improves in dim light (you can time reading to check). If you are at all worried, book a colorimetry test at an optometrist. My daughter has scotopic light sensitivity, which can affect people with dyslexia, she couldn't read ANYTHING until getting tinted glasses, now she relies on them completely - they are a miracle!
3) Insist on a LASS test at School, BUT do not let them fob you off that the results show no problem. My daughter's results said she was 'borderline,' but on further investigation, we realised the results had not been properly analysed.
4) Get Toe by Toe - by Keda Cowling. 20 mins a day can change your child's life. Also, if you can, get a private tutor who has some knowledge about the issue to keep you both going - it's a tough road! However, if you are one of those lucky individuals (whom I have yet to meet) who has School support, this should not be necessary.
5) Remember - don't get too bogged down in it all (I have at times), your child is the same wonderful, unique and truly amazing individual they were before they started learning and the dyslexia became apparant. If our education system was different, their difficulties would not be an issue. Celebrate their strengths as much as possible - with support and understanding these 3-dimensional, out of the box thinkers can be something truly special!
Wednesday 9 May 2012
Shocking!
I have listened to as much as I can on utube about dyslexia, and have heard teachers say that in hindsight they feel dreadful that when a pupil came to them that was struggling they sent them off with a wordsearch or to draw a picture - instead of giving them the help they needed and deserved. This week in Algar's Flexi-Schooling, I have been working with my daughter on maths and have been shocked by the lack of basic skills she has learned in the past 5 YEARS at School! Up until this week, she still didn't have a grasp of units, tens and hundreds, and told me that if this came up in a test she would just leave it! She said that teacher's would say, 'you should know this by now,' and then that she would 'sometimes just give up and sit there doing nothing quietly hoping nobody would notice.... I would be kept in at break because they said I hadn't listened properly, but I still didn't get it, and nobody helped me.' (she, of course, hasn't told me any of this in the past!)
Well, if it were just that she was a bit thick or naughty, I could accept this situation entirely - BUT, she proved she wasn't thick (and I know she isn't naughty!) because after half an hour with me, she understood completely!
I found a fantastic method through Numicon from the Oxford Learning Resources; it is such a SIMPLE idea but really appeals to the dyslexic brain that can't just accept something to be true; it has to have it proved!
Basically, I laminated 1,2,3 & 4 digit numbers then cut them up. They all have an arrow shape on the end and can fit on top of one another; thus when I asked her for 4000 she picked up the number, then when I asked for 300 she laid it on top (in the right place because the arrows fitted), then 80, then 2. She was then able to see how the number was LAYERED with thousands, hundreds, tens & units and it made complete sense to her WHY the digits were then in the places they were.
This was all it took - we worked up to ten thousands, hundred thousands & millions and she grasped it completely! For FIVE YEARS she has felt completely stooooopid because of this - it took half an hour to sort out....hmmmpgh!
If anyone else is having similar problems with hundreds, tens & units with their children - please do try this method & let me know if you have the same positive results! If you have any questions then do ask, I want to help!
Ah well - onwards & upwards!
Narinda
Well, if it were just that she was a bit thick or naughty, I could accept this situation entirely - BUT, she proved she wasn't thick (and I know she isn't naughty!) because after half an hour with me, she understood completely!
I found a fantastic method through Numicon from the Oxford Learning Resources; it is such a SIMPLE idea but really appeals to the dyslexic brain that can't just accept something to be true; it has to have it proved!
Basically, I laminated 1,2,3 & 4 digit numbers then cut them up. They all have an arrow shape on the end and can fit on top of one another; thus when I asked her for 4000 she picked up the number, then when I asked for 300 she laid it on top (in the right place because the arrows fitted), then 80, then 2. She was then able to see how the number was LAYERED with thousands, hundreds, tens & units and it made complete sense to her WHY the digits were then in the places they were.
This was all it took - we worked up to ten thousands, hundred thousands & millions and she grasped it completely! For FIVE YEARS she has felt completely stooooopid because of this - it took half an hour to sort out....hmmmpgh!
If anyone else is having similar problems with hundreds, tens & units with their children - please do try this method & let me know if you have the same positive results! If you have any questions then do ask, I want to help!
Ah well - onwards & upwards!
Narinda
Thursday 3 May 2012
What we see is not necessarily what other's see; A Learning Curve
So...I was tutoring late into the evening last night and I came across a 'eureka moment'.
My tutee is dyslexic and has scotopic sensitivity syndrome so wears green tinted glasses, (SSS is a sensitivity to light, making black lettering on white extremely difficult to read as it moves about & sometimes floats off the page altogether! My daughter also has this - IF ANYONE WANTS MORE INFO PLEASE ASK!!) Anyway...back to the story .
We were playing a literacy game which consisted of using translucent (but strongly coloured) counters round a board to guess 'silent letters' in words. My tutee kept putting the counters directly on top of the words, then I would move them off as I couldn't see the word underneath - then he would move his counter and put it directly on top of the word again, then I would move it off & so on! Eventually I asked, 'Can you see the word underneath the counter?' 'Of course!' he replied. I couldn't believe it & tested him with 2, then 3 counters on top of the word AND with his green filter glasses on! He could still read any word I put the counters over, and if 3 counters were put on a word I couldn't even make out that there were any letters there - far less read the word! It was then that it hit me -
as teachers we teach as WE SEE THINGS -
NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT OTHER'S SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY!
We rarely take the time to ask children what they ACTUALLY see; presuming that it is the same as us! Well....it's not! When I tried it on my daughter later (who wears purple tinted glasses), she agreed that by covering the word with the counter it actually HIGHLIGHTED not OBSCURED the word! Fascinating! And a big learning curve for me as a teacher AND a parent!
As an aside......after our tutoring session this morning I asked my daughter how she was finding it after nearly 3 weeks of being taught by mum, she cheekily said, 'The teaching bit is really good, I am learning a lot and you are patient, you just need to work on the mum bit, cos you're not nearly as patient as mum!'
Grrrrrrr!!!
My tutee is dyslexic and has scotopic sensitivity syndrome so wears green tinted glasses, (SSS is a sensitivity to light, making black lettering on white extremely difficult to read as it moves about & sometimes floats off the page altogether! My daughter also has this - IF ANYONE WANTS MORE INFO PLEASE ASK!!) Anyway...back to the story .
We were playing a literacy game which consisted of using translucent (but strongly coloured) counters round a board to guess 'silent letters' in words. My tutee kept putting the counters directly on top of the words, then I would move them off as I couldn't see the word underneath - then he would move his counter and put it directly on top of the word again, then I would move it off & so on! Eventually I asked, 'Can you see the word underneath the counter?' 'Of course!' he replied. I couldn't believe it & tested him with 2, then 3 counters on top of the word AND with his green filter glasses on! He could still read any word I put the counters over, and if 3 counters were put on a word I couldn't even make out that there were any letters there - far less read the word! It was then that it hit me -
as teachers we teach as WE SEE THINGS -
NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT OTHER'S SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY!
We rarely take the time to ask children what they ACTUALLY see; presuming that it is the same as us! Well....it's not! When I tried it on my daughter later (who wears purple tinted glasses), she agreed that by covering the word with the counter it actually HIGHLIGHTED not OBSCURED the word! Fascinating! And a big learning curve for me as a teacher AND a parent!
As an aside......after our tutoring session this morning I asked my daughter how she was finding it after nearly 3 weeks of being taught by mum, she cheekily said, 'The teaching bit is really good, I am learning a lot and you are patient, you just need to work on the mum bit, cos you're not nearly as patient as mum!'
Grrrrrrr!!!
Tuesday 1 May 2012
11-Plus & which brains should go to Grammar School?
Was busy tutoring my daughter this morning, who was getting on very well with touch typing with the help of EnglishType (check em out at www.englishtype.com - it's amazing the progress she's made; going from not knowing from where any of the keys are to knowing most of the top two lines in a matter of weeks!), when my mum phoned & said Radio Kent were talking about tutoring for the 11-plus. Well, this is one of my areas, so I checked it out...then phoned in...& of course - got my 2-pennyworth in about dyslexia & 'fantastic brains!'
Check it out between 2.38hrs - 2.45hrs on the following link;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00r6rmn/Julia_George_Are_you_cheating_the_system_if_you_tutor_your_child/
WHAT DO YOU THINK??
Should the system for 11plus be reformed?
Check it out between 2.38hrs - 2.45hrs on the following link;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00r6rmn/Julia_George_Are_you_cheating_the_system_if_you_tutor_your_child/
WHAT DO YOU THINK??
Should the system for 11plus be reformed?
Sunday 29 April 2012
Auditory Processing - what?!?!
No - it's not a hearing problem, it's a PROCESSING problem.
The term has been bandied about by my daughter's School for a while now. I was told initially that the School would refer, but then the SENCO told me that the School Nurse did not refer for this any more & I would have to go through the G.P. I did this, but got an appointment for an Occupational Therapist!..... It was worth it, as it turns out my daughter has hypermobility & fine motor issues, so requires a slanted desk & special writing instruments, as well as exercises for strengthening the writing hand. All good stuff.
When I addressed the auditory processing issue with the School again, (this time with a specialist teacher present) amazingly enough the School Nurse WAS able to refer, (is it me, or was someone telling porky pies?!) The appointment came through for last Friday and as it turned out it was just for a hearing test (which I had already said was NOT an issue for my daughter - who can hear my husband & I talking about 'secrets' we do not want her to hear at the lowest of levels!); luckily the kind Doctor referred her on without further forms being filled in, which is the normal protocol...and so we wait, for another 6 weeks probably...for another appointment.
So, what is it I am looking into & why?
Understanding Auditory Processing Disorders in Children
by Teri James Bellis, PhD, CCC-A
'Children with APD may exhibit a variety of listening and related complaints. For example, they may have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, following directions, and discriminating (or telling the difference between) similar-sounding speech sounds. Sometimes they may behave as if a hearing loss is present, often asking for repetition or clarification. In school, children with APD may have difficulty with spelling, reading, and understanding information presented verbally in the classroom. Often their performance in classes that don't rely heavily on listening is much better, and they typically are able to complete a task independently once they know what is expected of them.'
Whenever I talk to my daughter's class teacher, their biggest complaint is the amount of times my daughter puts her hand up to ask the teacher for clarification, or repetition of an instruction. This, of course, really ticks them off, after all, why can't she just listen?! BUT, my daughter IS NOT a naughty girl, she would do anything to please, but constantly risks being told off by asking again & again, her hearing is excellent, she is very bright - WHY??? Maybe, just maybe, she can't help it? I have been into School, meeting with her class teacher & the head teacher because my daughter was sooo upset that she (once again) got 'adequate' for concentration on her report....Despite our discussions and acceptance from the 'powers that be' that she may be suffering with AP difficulties, this term's report came home, and yes, you guessed it, concentration was 'adequate', and if I hadn't brushed it aside, the tears would have rolled again.
So, if any of you have children who you know are pretty well behaved but keep getting reports that say 'lack concentration,' perhaps you too should go down this route...I will let you know if my daughter is diagnosed & what this will mean, if & when that occurs. In the meantime, please comment if you have any experience/info in this area. Thanks...
Wednesday 25 April 2012
Me; My work & living with Dyslexia
This is very exciting; my first blog!
My name is Narinda Algar (hence the name of the company), I am a private tutor/qualified teacher, run a drama club at weekends, write books and am a mum to 2 gorgeous children; one of which (my daughter, aged 9) is dyslexic. Hmmm, dyslexia - such a misunderstood thing. I have spent the past 3 years learning about it, dealing with it and at times, crying about it. Now I tutor other children (and their parents!) with similar issues & experiences, and yes, I have seen them too learn about it, how to deal with it and sometimes cry about it! This inspired me to start this blog, so that I can share my experiences and knowledge (which is growing with every session I tutor) with other parents of children whose experiences at School are difficult because of their reading/writing difficulties....
Recently I won a long & arduous battle...first to identify my daughter as dyslexic and then to allow me to 'flexi-school' her - basically tutor her at home in the mornings so that she can catch up with her peers/be taught in a multi-sensory way - [don't worry - all will be explained in another blog!] and then attend mainstream School in the afternoons to do the creative/physical subjects.
I started 'flexi-schooling' last week after the Easter break, and can already see the benefits. My amazing, confident girl was coming home from School with what I describe as 'the dead eyes of a dyslexic'; after 2 days of being at home she was glowing again & full of life..In this blog I will share with you our ups & downs; achievements & failures!
I absolutely welcome all posts, comments and information that you may want to contribute, I do not profess to be an absolute expert - just a teacher with some knowledge of education & a passion to learn more about these incredible brains & a mum who will do whatever it takes to help her kids through this life!
Join me on my journey!
My name is Narinda Algar (hence the name of the company), I am a private tutor/qualified teacher, run a drama club at weekends, write books and am a mum to 2 gorgeous children; one of which (my daughter, aged 9) is dyslexic. Hmmm, dyslexia - such a misunderstood thing. I have spent the past 3 years learning about it, dealing with it and at times, crying about it. Now I tutor other children (and their parents!) with similar issues & experiences, and yes, I have seen them too learn about it, how to deal with it and sometimes cry about it! This inspired me to start this blog, so that I can share my experiences and knowledge (which is growing with every session I tutor) with other parents of children whose experiences at School are difficult because of their reading/writing difficulties....
Recently I won a long & arduous battle...first to identify my daughter as dyslexic and then to allow me to 'flexi-school' her - basically tutor her at home in the mornings so that she can catch up with her peers/be taught in a multi-sensory way - [don't worry - all will be explained in another blog!] and then attend mainstream School in the afternoons to do the creative/physical subjects.
I started 'flexi-schooling' last week after the Easter break, and can already see the benefits. My amazing, confident girl was coming home from School with what I describe as 'the dead eyes of a dyslexic'; after 2 days of being at home she was glowing again & full of life..In this blog I will share with you our ups & downs; achievements & failures!
I absolutely welcome all posts, comments and information that you may want to contribute, I do not profess to be an absolute expert - just a teacher with some knowledge of education & a passion to learn more about these incredible brains & a mum who will do whatever it takes to help her kids through this life!
Join me on my journey!
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