Sometimes the most important part of our support group comes AFTER the meeting, when we have a chance to have a one on one conversation with the speaker, talk with other parents, laugh, cry, hug and encourage. Thanks to all of you who come and share part of your day with us when we have our meetings. Helping each other is what this group is all about. We had a group of ten today, but it was a good group!
At the beginning of the meeting I mentioned our growth as a group from 3 moms in 200 to more than 150 in at least five counties today and the need for a more inclusive name than Madison Learning Differences, and want everyone to consider a more formal structure than just me, the computer and our meetings. Think about having appointed or volunteer officers, or elected officers for the group, and consider the idea of adding small dues to make outreach activities and information available. Any suggestions or ideas please email me at [email protected]
We also talked about good news in Madison for kids in public school. Thanks to persistent hard work by a teacher and mother of dyslexic son, Madison City Schools have committed money to train 30 teachers in the Wilson Reading System and that will help students system wide. The threat of a lawsuit with Dr. Irby finally got the school system�s attention and we appreciate all Katherine King has had to endure to help her child and other dyslexic kids. Katherine�s dogged determination also secured a reading pen for her son, and the Kurzweil scanning software. We also heard that the head of student services for Madison City Schools, Dr. Marti Rizutto has recently moved to become a school superintendent in another Alabama city and that this change might bring positive motion on the dyslexia front.
Today our speaker was Kecia Maddox, a speech pathologist with her undergraduate degree in speech and her master�s degree in hearing issues. Kecia had three great handouts for us about speech issues, including Central Auditory Processing Disorder or CAPD.
She quoted Frank Musiek a specialist in CAPD who said �Central auditory processing disorder is to the ear as dyslexia is to the eye. Just as dyslexics can see the words, but some letters get jumbled in their brains, those with CAPD can hear, but their brains aren�t able to process some sounds.�
CAPD is a brain wiring problem just like dyslexia is a brain wiring difference. CAPD is not considered a learning difference but some children with dyslexia have auditory processing issues too. CAPD coexists with ADHD or with other learning disabilities. She said studies have shown that many dyslexics have auditory processing problems.
Kecia said to get a CAPD diagnosis is difficult and it is best to consult an audiologist who has diagnosed many cases, probably at a University or Children�s Hospital setting. As with dyslexia, once there is a CAPD diagnosis WHAT to do next is difficult. According to Kecia about 25-30 percent of children with CAPD has a maturational delay of their central nervous system and out grow CAPD. This is a distinct difference from dyslexia which is never outgrown.
Kecia�s great handout about CAPD says there are two general treatment approaches to CAPD. One is training certain auditory and listening skills like auditory discrimination, sequencing sounds or identifying a target sound in a noisy background. A second approach concentrates on teaching more functional language skills like vocabulary, grammar and conversation skills and uses strategies like visual aids and repeating directions.
Rachel Shankle brought in the EXPLODE THE CODE books that she is using with her third grade dyslexic daughter for phonics. She also showed us a book she plans to use this summer called Right into Reading. The Explode the Code books are available at Lifeway Christian Bookstore on University Drive in the homeschool section, or online at www.epsbooks.com Educators Publishing Service.
Explode The Code
A Supplementary Program for Beginning Readers
by Nancy M. Hall, Rena Price
Grades K�4
Explode The Code provides a sequential, systematic approach to phonics in which students blend sounds to build vocabulary and read words, phrases, sentences, and stories. Frequent review of previously learned concepts helps increase retention. Each workbook in this series contains exercises that incorporate reading, writing, matching and copying. The consistent format of the books helps facilitate independent work. This series includes primers�Get Ready for The Code, Get Set for The Code, and Go for The Code�which introduce initial consonant sounds. In addition, Beyond The Code provides a comprehension component introducing basic comprehension skills with phonetically controlled stories.
Right into Reading
A Phonics-Based Reading and Comprehension Program
by Jane Ervin
Grades 1�2
For beginning readers or older students who are having difficulty learning to read, Right into Reading provides a solid foundation in basic sounds and a wide variety of readings from the earliest level. Phonics skills are introduced in a carefully ordered sequence of �bite-size� lessons so that students can progress easily and successfully from one reading level to the next. The sound being taught is emphasized in red text at the beginning of the lesson, an aid to visual learners. The stories and selections contain only the sounds that have been taught. This means that students can fully concentrate on understanding and enjoying what they read. Narratives and comprehension questions are included from the earliest lessons, and include adventure, mystery, folktales, legends, and historical and science fiction. Each reading passage is followed by writing practice. Illustrations are engaging but not babyish.