Dyslexia Tutor

[KisstheTeapot14]

We now have a diagnosis (after 2 years of hassling school/LA). Have booked a private tutor to come and have an intro session this week.

Any advice on what questions to ask when she's here? Methods of teaching reading etc?

Hi there!

Well done on diagnosis. It must be a relief.

We had a specialist Tutor for my DS with DCD for a while. She did different handwriting techniques and taught him cursives as they are easier for Dysgraphic kids. She had a multi-sensory approach.

I think it's good to have a clear idea of what your order of priorities are and discuss what her techniques are. This way she can tailor her classes to your DC's specific needs.

Do you know which type of dyslexia your DC has? If it's more of a visual dyslexia tainted paper might help for example.

She might be able to help you find out which type of dyslexia you're dealing with.

Thanks Arti!

I was determined we would get them to stop sitting on the fence about it.

Thanks for the info. We chatted about his particular areas of difficulty and strength and I showed her his reading book from school.

We've looked at visual stuff with optometrist and he doesn't have the letters jumping about but he does have some tracking/saccades issues.

She read his EP reports too.

She's happy for me to sit in background whilst she teaches so I can see her methods. Will be interesting to see!

We get handwriting small group at school and he has come on a lot through that.

Did they get a WISC done? Do you know how well he did for Visual Spatial, Working Memory, Speed Processing?

I've got the eye-tracking type. It gets worst when I'm tired. I wish I had been trained back at school. But heh, I manage now, it would be weird to read 'normally' after all these years!

There is a lot of free handwriting resources on Sparklebox and also Learningwithouttears.com

WISC done.

Verbal reasoning 23rd percentile/low average

Perceptual reasoning extreme low 1st percent - visual motor integration/perception is poor - e.g tracking/transfer of gaze

Processing speed 2nd percentile borderline/extreme low

Working memory 9th percentile borderline/low average

Attentional difficulty, auditory working memory, processing and memory issues mean working memory will fail repeatedly for him. Exec function difficulty. He has ADD.

verbal reasoning and word knowledge are his stronger points.

working 30 to 36 m below in most areas.

NARA 6th percentile reading age 6.4 with poor fluency limited sight vocab

WIAT maths 5 y 8 m. He is 9.8 y chronological age.

Phonological processing hard for him (though SALT thought he was actually OK -- he has blurry expressive speech)

If you can help me put together a type of dyslexia from that, would be a help artichaut. I know people with dyslexia differ one to another but I didn't know about sub types.

We do eye exercises under guidance of an orthoptist for tracking and saccades (eye can learn website and some simple ones with pens/marbles for following round, up/ down/ across side to side from centre point).

@artichaut27

Thanks for the WISC info. I can't tell what type of dyslexia, I'm not an expert, just a sufferer! :)

But here is what Understood.org says: www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/different-types-of-dyslexia

DS1 has low WM and PS too but it's due to his dyspraxia.

Your DS's profile is similar to the DS of my friend. He was initially diagnosed with Severe Language Disorder, and then retracted it. The school EP is shying away from clear diagnosis, not even dyslexia or anything.

She's done an EHCP last year. See how it goes.

He must really be struggling with attention by the sounds of it. Have you spoken to the ADD helpline, they are so lovely and helpful.

It sounds like you are so much to help him!

Thanks, the Understood team are great. Learned a lot from them.

As you know it took ages for us to get a clear diagnosis. I will look up the ADD helpline, thanks. We haven't done much on the attentional side - so many therapy bits to do! It could be a full time job.

EP has stated he should reach literacy level of around age 9 by time he leaves primary but the thought of him going to secondary with such a low reading level makes me have heeby jeebies. From the stuff I have read (EP service own document) poor reading skills are stubborn to shift the later it gets and if they enter secondary with poor skills its an excellent predictor of failure at GCSE.

School are pootling along with reading scheme (and not very marvellous tracking of progress) but really I think its like a sticking plaster..and is there a point to secondary school? Home ed looks more appropriate by the day.

Yes - working memory and processing could be cocktail of dyslexia/dyspraxia wiring of brain (he has that too - diagnosed at age 6)

Reading Horizons Workshop @ UVU with Shantell Berrett

I do my best @artichaut27artichaut -

Watched this with great interest.
Teacher with one NT child and a son with dyslexia.

I do my best @artichaut27 - it feels like pushing a boulder uphill.
Not DS, I mean the education system/NHS.

Currently typing letter ready to fire tomorrow when we get the draft EHCP. I would put money on it being poorly written/badly researched. Accidentally on purpose. Oh what a cynic I have become!

I hope back to school went ok. Good luck with the EHCP plan.

Being bounced around by the system feels like a constant insult to one's intelligence. I've been patronised by teachers since DS1 was 5. Since have been going so much better since diagnosis.

The NHS has been pretty unhelpful except for OT, but then again, we were discharged instantly when we still needed help and support.
We've been doing everything privately and we have routines for different areas where he needs help.

As you say, there are so many things that could help with different aspects of the disorders, but it would indeed be a full time job.

I hope it all goes well with the tutor. Hang in there!

Sent back EHCP draft thoroughly red penned.

They had sought almost no new reports. EP says maths delay is due to visual processing but I am not convinced - he's almost 10 and still counting on fingers often inaccurate too. Can't estimate more than 6 objects.

Am now looking at whether he has dyscalculia - suspect may have to go private to get diagnosed.

Quite concerned about secondary with all these things going on.