If you have a child that has been diagnosed with dyslexia I would hope that you would consider placing them in front of a tutor certified as an Orton-Gillingham tutor as soon as possible. “The Orton-Gillingham approach is a multi-sensory phonics-based approach to reading, writing, and spelling. It provides explicit instruction in the written code of the English language.” (see www.ogtutors.com ) My appreciation is growing for this studied and proven method of accessing where a child is in his or her language learning and then building from that point.
You cannot wait for the schools to “do the right thing.” You cannot “give them a chance” and just hope that the school is going to find a magic potion. I know, I once hoped. Without direct governmental intervention for funding and specific legislation that compels school boards to act swiftly and profoundly you remain both advocate and provider for your child. The recent ruling here in BC seems to confirm this situation. (See Court deals blow to disabled students.) The deficit situation in the public schools is further compounded by the idea that “a teacher is a teacher is a teacher.” Specialized training seems to be undervalued and often not sought before assigning teachers to students who require differing resources and learning plans. In my opinion, many teachers and administrators care, but the system has been constructed in such a way that it is dysfunctional in its ability to diagnosis, prescribe, and administer effective learning environments for students with dyslexia. In fact my experience suggests that the administration is creating a culture that rewards a philosophical stance toward both student and teacher that is anti-learning. If you hold that learning both requires and is change then you can understand my perspective.
Your child for the most part is wired to learn. Learning can be a mixture of joy and pain. But if it remains predominantly painful, a child and an adult will often create strategies of avoidance. Ah, so will school administrations, boards, and governments. So it is up to you to advocate and provide for your child who has dyslexia. Find an OG certified tutor…
