Last night, I had the honor and privilege of assisting the Dyslexia Institute of Indiana with their first Kids’ Group meeting in Indianapolis. It warms my heart when organizations like DII recognize the need for groups like this. While there is no denying that parents and educators need support groups, it is the children who are most in need of support, and the realization that you are not alone makes such a difference! My hat is off to DII for their outstanding efforts!
Submission from Jessica Frasier Badgett of the Dallas Branch of the International Dyslexia Association: I am on the board for the Dallas Branch International Dyslexia Association and we’d like to share milestones of individuals with dyslexia at our conference, Celebrating Milestones, this February. Could you post for people to share their milestones whether small or large? We will keep all responses confidential and not include any names. Thanks!!
Did you know that every state has a federally funded organization like Easter Seals Crossroads (http://www.eastersealscrossroads.org/assistive-technology) dedicated to providing access to assistive technology?
With over 1500 assistive technology items ranging from smartpens to iPads and laptops, Easter Seals’ free lending library (yes, free!), allows you to try different assistive technologies in your home for up to 3 months to determine which type best serves your needs. Each of us is unique, so it stands to reason that each of us will respond differently to each type of assistive technology. Training and demonstrations are also provided free of charge, along with podcasts and a host of other resources. I would encourage you to check out Easter Seals Crossroads or the equivalent organization in your state.
The link to their assistive technology page is above. Here is the link to their podcasts:
http://www.eastersealstech.com/
Listen to this wonderful description of words by someone with dyslexia:
“Before Grade 1, reading was a way to get interesting stuff into my brain… Words often speak to me. They can sing or flutter, take on a little life of their own. I can sit and watch them, my mind flying all over the place and making interesting connections. As you can imagine, these were not explanations you could give to a teacher…
Then came Dick and Jane. Every little word in those books was equal, and nothing ever happened. The world was diminished; it disappeared down a black hole. Letters became meaningless symbols whose order was paramount since they had only one way of functioning. They tyrannized my life for 12 years and inconvenienced me forever.”
For the complete article, go to:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/dyslexias-hidden-pleasures/article7012001/
I’m starting a Dyslexia Support Community consisting of a variety of organizations and individuals dedicated to providing information, support and encouragement to people with dyslexia. It is open to the public; anyone can join. You can check it out here:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/116491368983641787184
Researchers have found that parents and teachers usually speak too quickly for young children to understand. Adults speak at a rate of about 160 words per minute, but children can only comprehend 124 words per minute. Interestingly, Mr. Rogers spoke at a rate of 124 words per minute. Square and rectangle-shaped classrooms filled with desks and chalkboards exacerbate the problem because hard surfaces tend to reverberate and distort sound. This is a concern for children with dyslexia who often rely on verbal instructions when they have difficulty reading the board. For more information about the study, go to: http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=307
Students with dyslexia become expert “surfers” during their years in school!
Ghotit has released the Real Writer Pro app, designed by people with dyslexia for people with dyslexia. It features an intelligent, context-sensitive spell checker, an advanced grammar checker, a word prediction tool, a proofreader and other features. For more information, click here.
