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Sunday, March 06, 2005

Comments

Bill

Seems to me that this is a clear violation of the IDEA.

Delane Milligan

My son is dyslexic and I have been able to help him with his school work until this year. We have spoken to the school about putting him under the 504 plan. The school explained to me that because he was not failing he did not qualify. He is a bright child but can not fluently read. His math does not come easily either. He is in the 6th grade and without the accomodations his teachers have given over the years he would have failed. I am very thankful for their help but I know with each year and so many different teachers during a trimester he is going to fall through the cracks. He has a good spirit and I do not want that to be broken. I understand the 504 plan would give him the protection for the accomodations he needs.
Written report instead of coping from the board. More time for math. Less reading projects or just more audible books. I don't know what our next step will be.

melanie

I am the parent of a dyslexic child. I am soooo tired of trying to get these school administrators to recongnize that he is dyslexic. Now at the age of 14, his confidence is getting pretty low because he is not retarded, but the accommodations that are susposedly being made for him are for retarded children. I refuse to stop fighgting for him, although I know it's a long road in Alabama!

Liz Ditz

y darling dyslexic daughter will be starting college in the fall. Never give up!

I'd like to share some more resources with you

If your son's reading is still delayed, you may want to investigate the Barton Reading & Spelling system

http://www.bartonreading.com/

It has been well received by the SchwabLearning parents, below

One is the online resource and community at SchwabLearning

http://www.schwablearning.org/index.asp

There's a parents' discussion group there too:

http://www.schwablearning.org/message_boards/index.aspx

They just published a short essay I wrote

http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=1143

Another resource is Wrightslaw

http://www.wrightslaw.com/

This can help you with the School district

Krista Guy

My son Logan is 10 years old and is dyslexic.
We have been to meeting after meeting
at our public school. We live in
Chelsea, Alabama. At the end of the year
the talk at Chelsea was how excited everyone
was bout clustering all the gifted children
together. My heart just dropped, I had
been seeking help for my son for three years. We have decided to try Spring Valley
School for dyslexia.

Tracy

My son is turning seven. He is scheduled to take the test with the scottish Rites in Oct. i also live in Chelsea. The teacher told me there' snothing thatthe school can do, and the administration has not phoned me back. I am interested in advise on whatI should do. I fear thatthis is going to be such a long process that he will suffer educationally. I am just in teh beginning stages of this so lessons learned would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Liz D.

Hi Tracy -- welcome to the wonderful world of language differences! My daughter is dyslexic and just started college, so there is hope.

I'd suggest you go to four websites for help immediately:

1. For help and guidance in dealing with the school district, I would recommend Peter Wright's disabilities and the law page, Wrightslaw

http://www.wrightslaw.com/

I'd also order his book, "from Emotions to Advocacy", training you how to interact with the school district.

2. For a parents' forum filled with knowledgeable people who have marched further down this road, I'd recommend the SchwabLearning Parents' Forum:

http://www.schwablearning.org/message_boards/index.aspx

The main page,
http://www.schwablearning.org

is also a goldmine of helpful articles

3. Susan Barton's main website, Bright Solutions for Dyslexia

http://www.dys-add.com/

has a number of informative videos that willl help you understand your son's issues

4. Susan Barton's homebased reading program, Barton Reading & Spelling, may be more available to you than the excellent Scottish Rite program, as it allows you to intervene more intensively than the Scottish Rite program (I believe).

http://www.bartonreading.com/

John Allen

The link to the original Huntsville Times article is dead, but the article part of larger series of articles on Dyslexia published they published that is archived on Greengate School's website here: http://www.greengateschool.org/articles/

April

My child was tested through the Scottish Rites Foundation and we recieved little help from the school for my than 5 years now because he was making B's and C's. They had to do there on test when he was in the 5th grade. He passed it as it took him 4 hours to take it because he wanted to get it right. After he started failing Algebra they tested him again. They even suggested that maybe he wasn't Dyslexic anymore. Nothing had changed in reading but he was still doing really good in his other classes. Now he is placed in some classes that are moving slower. We are very happy so far because even in AlgebraII and the other classes he has A's. He has a very high IQ when he was tested so he deals with this very well it just takes longer that other students do. They still aren't helping with the reading though. We were told be Jefferson County Board the it is not reconignized as a disabilty.

Bennie J. Riley

When will help ever come for children with dyslexia. I need grant money for this child. The expense to send him to a school for lerning disabilities is costing me $5,000 per year on a social security and small retirement check.

misty bright

I just found out my 14yr.old might have dyslexia.I took her to sylvan learning center for an assessment,i wish you could have seen the look on my face when she told me she thought my baby had dyslexia.I was speechless,but finally it wasnt just a reading disabilty,thats what her school had been calling it for 5yrs.now!I have been doing lots of research the one thing i do know,its going to be very expensive to get her the help she needs.I am an un-educated woman myself i have a minimum wage paying job i can barely pay my bills,but all i can think about is helping my child as any mom would do but'what do you do when you have no money to do that?if anyone has any advice please HELP!THANK YOU

debra McDonald

Dont go with sylvan,rip off,been there done that,all they want is you're money,better to order program on line,www.bright solutions.com

debra McDonald

My grandson is dyslexic,been fighting for him since kindergarden,alabama schools will not help,they just aren't up on dyslexia and don't want to take the time,its a terrible thing to need help so bad and no one will listen,I don't understand how they can watch a child struggle so and not want to help,these children will have to support themselves on day and a family what is wrong with alabama????the teachers arent trained to deal with this and they think the children are just lazy and forget on purpose,thats a shame on their part,no two children learn alike,my grand son tries so hard,we work at homework for hours everynight,he forgot to give one teacher his homework which was a 100 point grand and he gave it to her a day late,she gave him a zero,he recieved nothing for all the hard work he had done,he has to work ten times harder just to get a passing grade,I help him and I know how hard we work and its not easy for either of us,I know he sees me as the bad guy because he has to study so long....i just dont want to see him give up and he is beginnig to because the teachers make it so ruff for him when he is doing his best,why can't they see that?He is in the fifth grade now at a blount county school.....How can you make these people understand,are there any speakes any where that may be allowed to go to the school to teach the teachers...please help us.....

Kita McCarty

Our story is pretty much like everyone else. I paid out of my pocket 2000.00 when my son was in 2nd grade for him to be tested for dyslexia. He is 70% both sides. I am not really sure what that means other than "he loses translation from head to hand. If he could "talk" everything he would have no problems. Mt. Olive Elem. pushed him thru to get rid of ME. Bragg Middle School was great. Ms Green one of the IEP teachers was wonderful. Well now we are at Gardendale High School and going down hill quickly. They are to "good" for special ed. there. 09-10 school yr the school decided there was no need for inclusion classes. The case worker was fresh out of college and had no clue. the special ed supervisor was afraid he might have to do some work and therefore my son was left to figure it out. I have heard lazy, not trying, you name we have heard it. Now he feels like he is just STUPID. I tell he they are not him. He now has been made fun of (bullied)by other kids. He report this to the office (following protocal) and no help there. They kept on til my son got into a fight. Well the school and jefferson county board thinks he should go to alternative school for 15 days. "He has an anger problem." I refused and withdrew him and started homeschooling. NOT WORKING for us. I am no teacher and I try but can not explain for him to understand. I have asked for the board to reconsider and no response. Shock right. Trying to find a school, program something that can help him that is low cost. My husband laid off work due to economy and my work cut back my hours. I would perfer he finish high school instead of getting a GED and going to work at whatever he can find. This is suppose to be the land of the free and oppernunity. This is only for people with money or no "Learning Disabilities". Any suggestions on what to do next? Thought about getting attorney but no money for retainer and what would he do? HELP US PLEASS

Donna Killen

Hi,
My daughter Katie is 8, in the second grade and struggling so with her reading. I have known from the begining of her 1st grade year that things were not quite right in her understanding of letters and spelling. Phonics is also something she struggles with. Her teachers in Tuscaloosa were concerned but not helpful at all. I kept asking what and where could I go to find her help. She repeated the 1st grade because of her reading difficulties. We have moved from Tuscaloosa to Athens Al and she is attending a new school. I had a phone conferance with her teacher yeaterday and we discussed our concerns. I told her that I had just found out that my father-in-law was dislexic and wondered if Katie could be also. She said she was so glad that I brought it up first. She told me to contact the Scottish Rite Foundation to gain information on testing. I called them today and Katie has an appointment for testing in Jan. I'm really concerned and worried about what to expect. I know that her teacher suggested to have her tested but can I rely on her school to give her the help she needs if she has dyslexia. What do I need to do to prepare myself and Katie for what may come?
Thanks

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