A Success Story: "This Stuff Works!"
As the teacher in a middle school special education classroom, teaching a course for dyslexics called "Language Retraining," I enrolled a bright, intelligent young man. He was reading several levels below his grade, could not keep up with the work presented in his regular classroom, and had problems completing homework assignments, as well as having other academic and social issues. He had dyslexia, often called the hidden disability," but one that can be remediated.
Instruction in the class was based on "Orton-Gillingham principles." The students were to link the sound of a letter with the written symbol of that letter with the feel of that letter. By using all sensory pathways, students learned to "break the code" that is the alphabetic principle, Every day they also studied the structure of language, becoming aware of syllables,accents, and common spelling rules, among other important concepts.
One day, after about three months in the class, the young man tried to read the word composed of the letters "s-a-n-d-a-l." Using knowledge he had gained in the class, he pronounced the sounds and accented the syllables in several ways. Using the knowledge gained he correctly read "sandal" and triumphantly exclaimed, "This stuff works!" Yes,with "this stuff," by which the young man meant appropriate instruction, a student with dyslexia can learn to read.
The progress achieved by this young man and his triumphant exclamation remain with me and remind me of the accomplishments that are possible when a student is provided appropriate instruction.
After a few years in that teaching situation, I enrolled in additional specialized training, achieved national certification, and now am in private practice as a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT). I am dedicated to providing multisensory,research-based instruction for students with language and learning difficulties because I know that "This Stuff Works!"
Instruction in the class was based on "Orton-Gillingham principles." The students were to link the sound of a letter with the written symbol of that letter with the feel of that letter. By using all sensory pathways, students learned to "break the code" that is the alphabetic principle, Every day they also studied the structure of language, becoming aware of syllables,accents, and common spelling rules, among other important concepts.
One day, after about three months in the class, the young man tried to read the word composed of the letters "s-a-n-d-a-l." Using knowledge he had gained in the class, he pronounced the sounds and accented the syllables in several ways. Using the knowledge gained he correctly read "sandal" and triumphantly exclaimed, "This stuff works!" Yes,with "this stuff," by which the young man meant appropriate instruction, a student with dyslexia can learn to read.
The progress achieved by this young man and his triumphant exclamation remain with me and remind me of the accomplishments that are possible when a student is provided appropriate instruction.
After a few years in that teaching situation, I enrolled in additional specialized training, achieved national certification, and now am in private practice as a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT). I am dedicated to providing multisensory,research-based instruction for students with language and learning difficulties because I know that "This Stuff Works!"