Reply To This Post         Return to Posts Index           VegSource Home

From:	IdaMay (ppp116.tom.centurytel.net)
Subject:	this is a good program for dyslexics I would add
Date:	October 10, 2007 at 7:22 pm PST

In Reply to: Re: How to test for dyslexia and what to do about it?? posted by Christine on October 9, 2007 at 8:27 pm:

I am not fully versed in this program, but when they say if was influenced by the Ortin-Gillingham approach to reading I say it is heading in the right direction!!

One thing I have added or changed in the teaching of phonics letters and sounds is continuing the drills and ading to the tackle part of the see, say the letter sound -- they usually say to have the student make the letter in the air with whole arm movements, this is great! I have seen quicker, easier recall for use with more long lasting progress, when the student uses their index and next fingers [side by side] to make the leter forms on a large desk or carpet or various textured surfaces. Feeling the direction of the letter forms by keeping the fingers, hand and wrist still and feeling the direction the large motor muscles are moving the whole arm. I have often taught the names of the bones in the fingers, hand and wrist to make it more fun to be encouraged to keep these still and allow all movement to came from the elbow and shoulder. Why these two fingers? and why keep everything else still? There are two main nerves that control the fingers -- two main pathways that send sensations from the fingers to the brain. One takes messages from the thumb and forefinger -- that is why it is so easy and quick for you to drop something hot thaat is picked up by these two fingers only -- almost beore you can actually think "hot". The other sends mmessages fromt he other three fingers. Using these two -- forefinger and the next one -- uses both pathways to get the sensation of the texture and sence of direction from the movement fromt he fingers on a surface made by the large motor movement, which utilizes the muscle memory of these large muscles in conjunction with the directional texture sensation and the sight of the letter as well as the muscle memory for saying the name of the letter or letter combination along with the sound they make, all the while they are hearing it also.

Hearing is usually a better skill for dyslexics as is muscle memory -- like shooting baskets and running and other coordination things -- not for all but for many.

So doing it with the finger still but propelled across and along a texture surface [or even smooth, as the direction is felt as long as the fingers and hand are not moing, but felling the movement caused by the arm]

You have
*seeing the letter supported by
*saying the letter and sound
*hearing the letter name and sound
*feeling how the mouth and ? is used to make the sound correctly
*felling how the arm nake s the movements to 'write' the letter
*feeling the way to make the letter from the texture and movement of the fingers on the surface

This activity expands the phoincs drill in ways that assist the dyslexic in remembering what the letter looks like and what the letter or letter conbination sounds like for reading as well as how to make the letter for writing and connecting that to the sound and the letter or letter combination. If it does not get in one way there are more than one way you are presenting, reveiwing and giving them to recall the information for use in reading and writing.

Reply To This Post         Return to Posts Index           VegSource Home