I have a daughter who has been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD (inattentive type). She will be in the sixth grade next year. She is being tutored in the Wilson Language System and is doing very well. She makes great grades in a private school and is a very hard worker. A lot of that is due to the fact that I keep a close watch on her studies, although this past year she really has gotten much more organized and self-sufficient. I learned about RFB&D, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, and had planned to try and get her social studies and science textbooks on tape for her for next year because sixth grade at her school is notoriously difficult. I was about to send the application in for the tutor to certify her disability and also to ask for the titles of the textbooks. My daughter seems very hurt that I have this plan. She doesn’t think it’s necessary. I’m torn between wanting to have the faith that she can handle this herself and wanting to be prepared in case she needs the extra help. Unfortunately, even if RF&D has the tapes, it takes six weeks to get them. If I wait, it may be very late in the game. Any advice?
Re: Getting recorded books
Since your daughter is showing some problem
with the idea of taped books, I’ll relate what we
did this year as an option.
My dyslexic son is in sixth grade this year.
I’ve thought over the books on tape thing and
didn’t do it.
Why?
Not sure, other than I wondered if books on tape
would delay my son developing the skills he would
need to pull the information he would need out of text.
A taped version would not always be available…
We did a couple different things.
We requested our own copies of certain books to
have at home.
We worked on several strageties to read them for content,
as he could work on reading them clear thru and not have a
clue how to remember what he read,
including:
Copying the page and highlighting it.
Buying erasable highlighter to use on the actual text.
Buying removeable highlighting tape.
Buying very wide yellow highlighting tape.
Turning text into comic book type notes.
Next year we might buy our own copy of the book so
we can mark it up without worrying about it.
One trick we did this last week was to put long strips of
the wide yellow tape down the side of the page. Then we
wrote a note or two about each paragraph to the side.
That way when we had to answer a question about Da Vinci’s
inventions we looked for the note invention.
My son will to choose and refine his own techniques for
extracting information. He is always going to be dyslexic
and I’ve read that coping strategies are as important as remediating.
I found some of the highlighting stuff online - of course, don’t have
the url, but entered ‘highlighting tape’ in google.com and found it.
You can also ask your office supply store about it.
Anne
Re: Getting recorded books
Get the books on tape. I started getting my son books on tape in 7th Grade. The rule was that he could listen to the assignments, but also had to read along with them. It’s been the best thing in the world for him. It has helped with sight word recognition and with writing skills too. We also get books on tape for his novels and for pleasure - but he must read along. Although he will never read fluently out loud, it has helped and now as a Senior in HS - he no longer has an IEP in reading. Just be sure the book matches the tape and that the tape is not abridged. He is currently reading the Trilogy of the Rings - we bought him the CD’s and the books ($169) for his Christmas present and that’s about all he got - but he wanted them. It really helps kids learn fluency, and comprehension. When my son had to read by himself there was no comprehension - now there is no problem. I think it’s one of the best things for kids with dyslexia, and as a parent who used to read everything to him, it has freed me up to help him in other areas. He actually took his ACT test by listening to it on tape instead of having a reader because then he could read/listen at his own pace. Please consider it. Andrew hated the idea at first too, but now hits the library to find out what he can get on tape - then we get the book too. DO IT - good luck - Melanie
Re: Getting recorded books
I ask about books on tape last year at my son’s IEP meeting. All the regular ed teachers just went nuts. They say the books on tape are awful, they are to hard to follow…etc. Of course, this same bunch of teachers wants to do nothing to help him succeed either. We do have a extra copy of the text books at home, but it is mainly because he forgets he has homework until about bedtime, so this way we have the books. I liked Helen’s idea of the highlighting tape. I think I’ll look into that for next year. I can say one thing…..I’m glad it’s almost summer LOL
Re: Getting recorded books
~~I’m glad it’s almost summer LOL~~
5 1/2 weeks to go here.
Going to a meeting today with a teacher who doesn’t
want to have a meeting. I am SO looking forward to this….
Anne
Re: Getting recorded books
You can rent tapes fairly inexpensively and very quickly from www.recordedbooksontape.com. I find their recordings are MUCH better than those from RBD too. Their recordings are done with professional actors who get their lines across.
Many children reject the idea of listening to tapes as they think it’s ‘cheating’. We need to admire their work ethic while ever being ready to help them out. I keep the tapes in the car and encourage us to listen while we’re riding along.
Re: Getting recorded books
My son loves audio books for “reading” enjoyment. We find them anywhere and everywhere. He does NOT follow along with the text. The professional tapes are very well done and he does most os his book reports this way. He has a membership to RFBD but it does involve a special recorder and instruction on how to find your place, etc. Still it is a way to access textbooks effectively. I believe in exposing kids to stratagies. Even if they don’t want them now they may in the future.
Re: Getting recorded books
Those are some very helpful points that I think she will appreciate. Thank you for them and for understanding what we’re going through. Kathy
Re: Getting recorded books
Thank you. We do use tapes for reading novels, and she actually appreciates having those. I think she’s embarrassed about the thought of using them with textbooks. But I’m thinking of her using them at home, not at school. She CAN read, it’s just that the texts are getting much more difficult, and the volume of work is increasing, so I think this will help her. Thanks for your input. Kathy
I would go ahead and get them. Tell her you just want to be prepared.
Helen