All About Dyslexia
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JonC,
I'm sorry to hear about that. It's frustrating I know. The first accredited vision therapist I managed to track down turned me down because she preferred teaching over doing therapy. It was extra frustrating because we had already gone to so many places and were dismissed by so many people, but she immediately knew what I was talking about within the first few minutes over the phone.
I don't know if you want to try this - this mum's son was exempted from Chinese after diagnosis for poor phenomic awareness and others. She writes quite clearly about it here: http://momto5.blogspot.com/2008/06/isaacs-results-isaac-has-now-officially.html
She used to be very active on another forum that I don't go to anymore, and you may be able to contact her at her blog to see if you can get any leads from the assessor. Good luck! -
desichan,
you're most welcomed. I look at my kid and I feel really sorry and angry for children who have gone undiagnosed. Before my kid was formally diagnosed, we had consulted a senior opthamologist and was told that he sometimes get parents bringing kids in with similar \"weird\" symptons. His advice? Just keep quiet and observe the child quietly. If the child stops complaining, everything is ok.
What bullshit! :x
I suggest you ask your parents to ask the school for a reference for an assessment with an educational psychologist. For vision, a private practioner will be more proactive. You can refer to this page for more on vision-related learning issues:
http://www.covd.org/Home/AboutVisionLearning/SymptomsChecklist/tabid/114/Default.aspx -
deminc:
Any idea how much it costs to get my eyes checked? Do you think it is necessary as it is not very serious, just minor. Just that when I can't read from a paragraph very well, as in will lose track of which part I'm reading and tend to get a little giddy. Yup, that's about it.desichan,
you're most welcomed. I look at my kid and I feel really sorry and angry for children who have gone undiagnosed. Before my kid was formally diagnosed, we had consulted a senior opthamologist and was told that he sometimes get parents bringing kids in with similar \"weird\" symptons. His advice? Just keep quiet and observe the child quietly. If the child stops complaining, everything is ok.
What bullshit! :x
I suggest you ask your parents to ask the school for a reference for an assessment with an educational psychologist. For vision, a private practioner will be more proactive. You can refer to this page for more on vision-related learning issues:
http://www.covd.org/Home/AboutVisionLearning/SymptomsChecklist/tabid/114/Default.aspx -
Desichan,
erm, if you are already aware of how it affects you physically, you should have an idea of it affects your reading speed, comprehension and memory right? If you lose track of lines regularly, your reading comprehension and speed is compromised. If the reading and thought process is constantly interrupted by spells of giddiness, it will be laborious to understand what you are reading, much less remember what you read or see right? Is it any wonder then that you find yourself having to put in so much more effort than your peers?
My neighbour’s child has problem refocusing from far to near and he can barely copy because his mind blanks out in the process. My son used to feel giddy when cycling. Now he doesn’t and he was so surprised and happy. I was surprised too because it didn’t even cross my mind that he was having giddy spells.
A private check is expensive - $290. Reference through polyclinic to Kkh eye center is a fraction of that. If you want the polyclinic route, tell them you get giddy spells after reading and the polyclinic will arrange appt for you. Kkh has orthopists but you have to get through the optician and the opthamologist to get to the orthopist.
While you think it over, I suggest you try learning through other senses. I don’t know how old you are, but you can consider recording lectures, audiobooks of certain texts, enlarging notes and reorganizing materials so that it’s easier to read and track. For spelling use tactile methods. Speak to your teachers to ask for seats that allow you better view or photocopied notes so you can concentrate on listening to the contents instead of struggling with visual materials. -
Hi,
My elder son is going Pri 3 next year. All this while we know he has problem in expressing himself, poor memory, weak in comprehension. Just last month, we decided to send him to see an EP to get him evaluated. He is diagnosed with dyslexic and Language processing disorder.
Now enquiring the nearby DAS - Bedok. Any feedback on DAS centre - Bedok?
I don’t really know how to help him. Phonetically - he is quite okay.
His studies for Pri 1 and 2 - quite okay. But his compre and comp - not good. His teacher ever commented his sentence construction is not good. Me - my English is not very good too.
Reading - he does not like to read. Very often - I have to "force" him to read. After he finished reading, I asked him to summarise the story. he can’t do it…
My younger son - Pri 1 next year - is also likelihood to be dyslexic as his symptoms are more obvious.
My husband’s nephew and niece are dyslexic - seemed like it is genetic.
Have recently found out the rate for a private language therapist lesson is definitely not cheap! :!: -
juz_me:
Dear juz_me,Hi,
My elder son is going Pri 3 next year. All this while we know he has problem in expressing himself, poor memory, weak in comprehension. Just last month, we decided to send him to see an EP to get him evaluated. He is diagnosed with dyslexic and Language processing disorder.
Now enquiring the nearby DAS - Bedok. Any feedback on DAS centre - Bedok?
I don't really know how to help him. Phonetically - he is quite okay.
His studies for Pri 1 and 2 - quite okay. But his compre and comp - not good. His teacher ever commented his sentence construction is not good. Me - my English is not very good too.
Reading - he does not like to read. Very often - I have to \"force\" him to read. After he finished reading, I asked him to summarise the story. he can't do it....
My younger son - Pri 1 next year - is also likelihood to be dyslexic as his symptoms are more obvious.
My husband's nephew and niece are dyslexic - seemed like it is genetic.
Have recently found out the rate for a private language therapist lesson is definitely not cheap! :!:
Frankly speaking, I do not like you in a way, please do not label your 2 sons and your nephew and niece \"dyslexic\"! To me they are just slow readers or not guided properly. You should not label you elder son and \"predict\" your younger son has the problem too! Some experts can not be trusted either, they only want to make money, no offend to any true expert who read this post.
I have an article from Hazel Logan Loring,
\"Reading Made Easy with Blend Phonics for First Grade, Lesson Plans and Teacher’s Guide\",
This publication is a project of the
Logan Institute for Educational Excellence
1980 by Hazel Loring
I can not add attachment, you may PM me for the PDF copy. You may understand why some kids can not read properly and as a parent you can teach them to read too! Hope this can help you.
Following is the first 3 pages I copied from the Guide.
WHY TEACH BLEND PHONICS?
It is my belief that most reading failures are caused by the perfectly normal and very common
tendency of many children to look at words from right to left. That this tendency is neither
abnormal nor pathological is evident by the fact that many languages are written from right to
left: Hebrew, Arabic, etc. Before the time of Homer, Greek inscriptions were written in the
bustrophedon (pathway of the ox) form: one line from left to right; the next line from right to
left. Oriental languages are written in a vertical manner. There is no “physiologically correct” or
incorrect direction in which a language may have been developed.
When a child sees a word as a whole he or she has no way of knowing in which direction it
should be looked at until the correct direction is shown. Each child will look at it in whatever
direction his/her tendencies dictate. If the word is in English and the child looks at it from right
to left, he/she is in BIG TROUBLE: “ten” is not the same as “net”; “pat” is not the same as “tap”
and if instead of “fun” some children see “nuf” they are headed toward confusion.
It has been common practice to teach the word as a whole in the first grade and, then, later, in
second grade, to introduce phonics in the form of word analysis. That is, the child is expected to
break down the whole word into its component parts and thus deduce the relationship between
phonemics (sounds) and graphemes (symbols).
This method can be reasonably successful if the child has a natural left to right tendency, is
capable of deductive reasoning, and has memorized the whole word accurately. But what of the
children of equal or even superior intelligence who have a natural right to left tendency? They
cannot deduce correct phoneme/grapheme relationships because they are working from a false
premise when they see the whole word in a reversed order. Even though they may have 20/20
vision they do not see what the teacher sees in the expected order. They hear the phonemes in a
left to right order, while seeing the graphemes from right to left – or perhaps in a confused –
direction. This explains why some people think of word analysis as “phony phonics,” and why
the confused child is thought to have a learning disability or “dyslexia.”
To be fair, although most techniques in word analysis are useless for the children with directional
problems – or may even add to the confusion – there is one technique that may be helpful, i.e.,
that of teaching of the initial consonant as part of the whole word. As long as care is taken to be
sure that each child looks at the first letter in the word as the sound is heard, the child will be
able to learn the consonant sound. BUT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH. They must be able to learn the
vowel sounds and it is imperative that they be given early directional training.
I have a daughter who taught for more than eleven years has taught remedial reading in an urban
adult education institute. High school graduates, who have diplomas but who cannot read on a
second grade level, come to her for tutoring. She tells me that most of them know the consonant
sounds, but they cannot learn to read until after they have had training in blend phonics.
2
Directional guidance is inherent in the system of blend phonics. First we show the student the
initial consonant in isolation and teach its sound. (True, we cannot pronounce the pure sound in
isolation but must add a neutral vowel – or schwa - sound. However, this is of no importance
because the schwa sound will be elided when we make the blend.) Next we show the student the
vowel grapheme and teach its sound. Then we blend the two sounds together before adding the
next consonant. There is no way for the child to go except from left to right, and with enough
practice an automatic left to right habit is acquired. Then, to insure comprehension, it has been
my practice to have the student use the completed word in a verbal sentence.
Directional guidance is also inherent in spelling and writing. They are the other side of the same
coin and much practice should be given in all three skills: spelling, writing and reading, reading
and more reading.
There is nothing new about the material that we use in teaching blend phonics. It can all be found
in “A Guide to Pronunciation” in the front of any dictionary. Take a look at it and you’ll say,
“Wow, teach that to First graders? Impossible!!” It is not surprising that some anti-phonics
persons say that it cannot be done. The trick is to present these seemingly complicated facts in a
simplified, streamlined, bare bones version that can be assimilated by a six-year old or younger.
There are bound to be differences of opinion as to the order in which the facts should be
presented, and also as to which grapheme/phoneme relationships occur with sufficient frequency
to be considered “regular,” and which are so rare as to be called “irregular.” Even pronunciations
may vary due to geographical and ethnic differences.
English is a wondrous and varied means of communication, but at heart it is simple and
consistent. In first grade we must teach the heart of the subject and not get bogged down with
linguistic niceties. In this way we can provide the basic tool that a person can develop and
expand all through life to enjoy a means of communication to express the most complex thoughts
and feelings, and to understand those of fellow human beings.
I found I could provide this tool adequately in its simplest form to my school children in daily
half-hour sessions in the first semester of the first grade. By starting in September, children have
gained a working knowledge of the 44 phonetic elements in the English language and an overall
concept of its basic structure before winter vacation. While their knowledge may not be l00%
perfect, it will be sufficient so that they can, with the teacher's continuing help as needed, utilize
the phonic key to unlock 85% of the words in the English language. (The other 15%, while
largely regular, contain phonetic irregularities which sometimes require a little extra help from
the teacher.)
The format of these lessons consists in taking a regular word and building it up phonetically as a
class exercise. Then a child is called on to use it in a sentence. At first it is sometimes practically
necessary to put the words in the child’s mouth until it is understood what is meant by making up
a sentence. As soon as the child catches on, the lessons become lively and spirited. The children
are eager to participate. (When I inadvertently failed to give a child a turn, I heard about it!) -
A closed syllable ends in a consonant, and the vowel sound is short.
Example: gŏt
An open syllable ends in a vowel, and the vowel sound is long.
Example: gō
______________________________________________________________________________
Silent “e” as the end of the word usually makes the vowel before it long.
Example: āte, Pēte, rīde, hōpe, tŭbe
______________________________________________________________________________
Often when two vowels come together, the first one is long and the second one is silent.
(The second vowel “works on” the first vowel to make it long.)
Example: ēe – trēe āi – rāin īe – pīe ōa – rōad ūe – blūe
ēa – ēat āy – dāy ōe – Jōe ūi – sūit
______________________________________________________________________________
Two vowels together may give a different sound than those made by the single letter. They are
digraphs if they have a single sound.
Example: › – moon ‹ – book au – Paul
They are diphthongs when two sounds slide together to make a continuous unit of sound.
Example: oi – oil oy – boy ou – out
______________________________________________________________________________
Other vowel sounds can be made with a vowel followed by an “r.”
Example: ar – car or – for er – her
ir – bird
ur – turn
______________________________________________________________________________
Or vowel sounds can be made with a vowel followed by a “w.”
Example: aw – saw ow – cow ew – new
ow – slow
(“r” and “w” are “vowel helpers” in the above examples.)
______________________________________________________________________________
The symbol “ə” stands for the schwa sound, which is the sound of the unaccented short “u.”
Any one of the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) can take the schwa sound.
Example: about, elephant, politics, ebony, crocus
______________________________________________________________________________
Other common letter combinations using the vowels are:
ǎng – sǎng ǎnk – bǎnk all – ball ōlt – bōlt īnd – fīnd
ǐng – sǐng ǐnk – pǐnk alt – salt ōll – rōll īld – chīld
ŏng – sŏng ŏnk – hŏnk alk – walk ōld - cōld
ǔng – sǔng ǔnk – jǔnk
______________________________________________________________________________
ti, si, ci can say “sh”
Example: nation, tension, special
27
HAZEL LOGAN LORING
(1902-1983)
Born in Massachusetts in 1902, Hazel Loring viewed the recent history of reading instruction
from the unique perspective of one who taught under both the phonics and the “whole word”
method.
After attending what is now the University of Massachusetts for two years, she had her first
experience teaching phonics in 1923-24. While raising a family of three children, she maintained
a keen interest in reading problems and later returned to the teaching profession. Mrs. Loring
earned her B.S. in Education from Wayne State University, received her Michigan State
Permanent Elementary Certificate, and taught a first grade classroom in Oscoda, Michigan for
ten years from 1960 to 1970.
As a retired teacher she joined the Reading Reform Foundation and served as its Michigan
Chairman. She was a member of the NRTA and a Retired Member of the NEA.
The original edition contained this acknowledgement: For their encouragement and assistance,
grateful acknowledgement is made to Mrs. Raymond Rubicam and Ralph W. Lewis, Professor
Emeritus, Department of Natural Science, Michigan State University.
First Printing – January, 1982
Second Printing – February, 1983
Third Printing – July, 1983
The original edition carried the following permission for reproduction:
Unlimited reproduction for solely educational
purposes is encouraged. However, reproduction
for profit may not be made of any part of this publication.
For historical interest, we will include the following note to teachers from the original edition:
To the Teacher
You are one of the first to receive this booklet outlining a practical and inexpensive way to add
blend phonics to your present reading instruction. We hope to continue – and expand – nonprofit
distribution of this method to other teachers in the near future. Your comments on your
experiences with the method will be invaluable to us in our efforts. Replies will be treated
confidentially if you request. Send your comments to the address below, and than you for your
cooperation.
Logan Institute for Educational Excellence
6197 Livernois Avenue
Troy, Michigan 48098
Of course, the above information is dated, and the address is no longer valid.
This edition has been prepared by Donald L. Potter
for FREE distribution on the http://www.donpotter.net web site.
May 28, 2003
28
Robert W. Sweet, Jr. Co-Founder and Former President of The National Right to Read
Foundation wrote this stirring recommendation for Reading Made Easy with Blend Phonics, in
his 1997 article, “The Century of Miseducation of American Teachers:”
“An effective answer to illiteracy … Let me offer a less costly, and more effective answer. I have
here a twenty-five page booklet called Blend Phonics written by Hazel Loring, a master teacher
born in 1902, who taught under both the “whole word” and phonics systems. The legacy she has
left us is powerful. Within the pages of this little booklet is the cure of illiteracy as we begin the
twenty-first century. … If every pre-service reading teacher, every reading supervisor, every
kindergarten, first- and second-grade teacher in America had the information contained in Hazel
Loring’s 25-page booklet and taught it this fall, there would be such a dramatic decrease in
illiteracy in this country that the national media would be forced to take note.”
Note from Internet Publisher – Donald L. Potter
Retired Elementary Bilingual and Junior High Spanish Teacher
for the Ector County ISD, Odessa, TX
Now Spanish Teacher for the Odessa Christian School
November 6, 2005, January 2, 2007
(Revised 8/30/08)
I first learned of Loring’s pamphlet from the 1997 article mentioned above by Robert W. Sweet.
I immediately got a copy of Loring’s Blend Phonics from the Interlibrary Loan. I was so
impressed that I retyped it for Internet publication on May 28, 2003. Later Mr. Charlie
Richardson sent me a copy along with his excellent instructional article, “The Alphabet Code &
How It Works” which I republished and provided with an mp3 audio instruction file. There is
also a “Table of Contents” at the end of this document. I am delighted to report that the
document has received many thousands of hits since I first published it on the Internet. It is my
earnest prayer that every pre-service reading teacher, every reading supervisor, and every
kindergarten, first- and second-grade teacher in America will receive the information contained
in Hazel Loring’s 25-page booklet and apply its message so that there will be such a dramatic
decrease in illiteracy in this country that the national media will be forced to take note. I use
Blend Phonics extensively in my private tutoring practice. I have the students spell the words
orally in each Unit after I have taught them to sound-out the words with Loring’s blend phonics
technique.
Students of all ages can learn to read with Loring’s Reading Made Easy with Blend Phonics for
First Grade. Her daughter Pat Lent used it to teach adult education students to read. I have used
it to teach a 41 year old man who could not read and numerous other students in elementary and
secondary grades. It is very important to realize that beginning readers at any age learn best with
a good, intensive phonics program like Blend Phonics. The title merely indicates the ideal time
to teach phonics-first. I have also published several supplemental aids for Blend Phonics: Don
Potter’s Blend Phonics Reader, Blend Phonics Unit Progress Chart, and Blend Phonics
Certificate of Successful Completion. These are all available for FREE at http://www.donpotter.net.
I have republished two articles by Mrs. Loring on the following pages that will be of
considerable interest to those interested in the history of good phonics instruction America. -
Hi juz_me, try not to worry too much. Since your DS has seen an EP and is starting lessons soon with DAS, leave it to the educational therapists there to do their job. Give him your best support (fetching and sending him for DAS lessons, celebrating with him when he has done well, encouraging him if he has not done well but have tried his best etc) and continue reading to him (if he does not want to read), or read together with him. Don't make reading a chore - for example, ask him for meaning of words, doing summary etc. Make reading a fun, family bonding activity instead.
Since you suspect your second born to be dyslexic too, would you consider sending him for diagnosis at DAS so that he can start early intervention? My son (now in P2) started with DAS at 6 yrs old (he is still with DAS) and I have seen how early intervention has helped my boy. If you are worried about the fees, check with DAS as I believe there is some susbsidy scheme (percentage of subsidy is based on family income).
Let me share my experience with you.
My husband has signs of dyslexic (can't say he is as he didn't go for formal diagnosis). He managed to find coping strategies and hence has no problems with his studies. So we are concerned that our kids might be dyslexic. My DD (first born) was ok but our DS (second born) is dyslexic. He was 5 yrs old when his childcare told us that he knows all his phonics but could not blend. So that was the first alert. Then DS started acting up in childcare and we realised that he was 'stressed' as he could not write his name and read while all his other playmates could. So we sent him for the pre-school diagnostic test and he started lessons at DAS Bishan since K2.
Different kids with dyslexia have problems in different areas. For DS, we considered him \"mild\" as he does not have other associated issues (like ADHD, dyscalculia etc). His problems are mainly can't read, bad penmanship (untidy handwriting, reversals etc) and speech.
DS responded very well to intervention and somehow, DAS managed to teach DS skills to read and spell. I, too, do not know phonics but I listened and showed interest when DS shared with me what he has learnt and when he brings books from DAS back to read, we will read together.
DS coped well in Pri 1. Math and English are ok but we know that for English, he would need more help when comprehension and composition are included. Chinese is more challenging, especially with word recognition and writing. So we do flash card almost daily.
Towards the end of P1, DS displayed an interest in reading. In the recent year end holidays, we make frequent trips to the library to pick up books and DD helped her brother to select books and introduced books that she had read previously to him.
So juz_me, don't worry too much. With intervention at DAS, and with the family supporting them, your sons should be ok.juz_me:
Hi,
My elder son is going Pri 3 next year. All this while we know he has problem in expressing himself, poor memory, weak in comprehension. Just last month, we decided to send him to see an EP to get him evaluated. He is diagnosed with dyslexic and Language processing disorder.
Now enquiring the nearby DAS - Bedok. Any feedback on DAS centre - Bedok?
I don't really know how to help him. Phonetically - he is quite okay.
His studies for Pri 1 and 2 - quite okay. But his compre and comp - not good. His teacher ever commented his sentence construction is not good. Me - my English is not very good too.
Reading - he does not like to read. Very often - I have to \"force\" him to read. After he finished reading, I asked him to summarise the story. he can't do it....
My younger son - Pri 1 next year - is also likelihood to be dyslexic as his symptoms are more obvious.
My husband's nephew and niece are dyslexic - seemed like it is genetic.
Have recently found out the rate for a private language therapist lesson is definitely not cheap! :!: -
I-believe and mybaby: thanks for your replies.
Mybaby: I will probably be sending my younger son for assessment sometime mid this year. Thot of settling my older son first.
Thanks for your encouragement.
-
juz_me:
Hi juz_me, 加油， 加油!I-believe and mybaby: thanks for your replies.
Mybaby: I will probably be sending my younger son for assessment sometime mid this year. Thot of settling my older son first.
Thanks for your encouragement.
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