Our thanks to Wendy Lenentine, [email protected]
dyslexia teacher and tutor for coming to talk to us about spelling strategies.
Wendy told us about her five years teaching at Landmark School, an international dyslexia boarding school in Massachusetts, and at the Charles Armstrong School in California. Wendy was prompted to make dyslexia her emphasis since her brother and several cousins had struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia.
Wendy shared by handout the spelling rules and Generalizations from the Slingerland Reference Book. I will type in those on a separate attachment.
Wendy explained about the two types of perception that make up kids with learning differences, visual and auditory perception.
Visual perception problems make it hard for kids to read and spell because of letter reversals, problems with memory. Phonics programs help with this kind of problem.
Auditory perception problems come across as the child being inattentive, easily distracted, too many words, or they don�t get their words out, or mispronounce words, omit sounds. For a child who can�t HEAR the different sounds, Wendy recommended the Lindamood Bell LiPs program.
Wendy uses SPELL WELL by Nancy Hall for students with spelling problems. The books are systematic and have �outlaw� words, words that don�t follow the spelling rules. This is available at the EPS website http://www.epsbooks.com/
Another recommended book is HOW TO SPELL, and EXPLODE THE CODE by Nancy Hall and Rena Price available at EPS http://www.epsbooks.com/
The most important way to help you child is to teach them the spelling rules. Wendy says students have to OVER learn the rules. How do you know if they learned it? Stop for a week and then test to see if they really have learned the rules.
Spelling Techniques: write the words, copy the words, read the words, spell the words out loud, spell to the beat of music, tap out the sounds on fingers.
Wendy recommended the Lindamood Bill SIGHT WORDS called STAR WORDS available at http://www.lindamood-bell.com/
Thanks Wendy for your help! We�re thankful that you are here to help further the education and cause of dyslexic kids in North Alabama.