Dyslexia

 

October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month. The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as “characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.” The word dyslexia has two Greek morphemes: “dys” meaning “difficulty with” and “lex” meaning “words or language”. The Greek prefix “dys” or “dis” is commonly used to denote an intrinsic quality or condition in an individual, rather than a condition attributed to environmental circumstances.

Both of my boys have dyslexia.  I read stories to them; they went to Mommy and Me classes and weekly story time at the library but yet they had difficulty learning to read.

Dyslexia does not stem from a physical problem with eyes or ears but from a basic neurological functioning of the brain.

People with dyslexia usually have a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities. This lack of phonological skills can effect reading comprehension and impede the growth of vocabulary.

Using a multi-sensory, structured, explicit approach to teaching speech sounds will will help dyslexic students learn to read. Teaching students the principles of English orthography will be beneficial. Students can use these word recognition skills to learn vocabulary and increase reading fluency and comprehension.

With much practice and patience, both of my boys are doing fine. One is a software developer and the other is getting his Ph.D in Chemistry. They were given a multi-sensory, structured and explicit approach to learning the speech sounds and then using those sounds to read and spell. Thanks to IDA, my two boys are doing work they very much enjoy.

Fisher Hill has an English literacy program for Spanish-speaking teens and adults that uses a structured and expicit approach to teaching the speech sounds necessary to read and spell. This English literacy program includes four different workbook series. These series can be used in conjunction with each other.

How does this literacy program work? English Reading and Spelling Book 1 introduces students to reading in English. The English Reading and Spelling series uses a very systematic and expilicit approach to teaching the forty-four speech sounds used in the English language. Learning these sounds will help students read and spell. When English Reading and Spelling Book 1 is completed, students are ready to practice their beginning reading skills with English Reading Comprehension for the Spanish Speaker Book 1 and their beginning writing skills with English Writing Composition for the Spanish Speaker Book 1. Vocabulary presented in the first books of each series is reviewed in English Vocabulary for the Spanish Speaker Book 1. The four series each with six workbooks, were written to be used together to give students a good foundation in English literacy.

Adults like our workbooks because the pace is reasonable, print is large, directions are in Sapnish, there are lots of pictures but the content is for older students. Teachers like our books because everything is ready to go! There is an answer key at the end of each lesson and an English translation of the Spanish directions at the end of each book.

    

Visit our website at www.Fisher-Hill.com to learn more about our English literacy program for Spanish-speaking teens and adults.