Lexia Learning

We are using the “Lexia Phonics Based Reading” for a child who is reading at grade 2 level. He enjoyed the 1st of the 3 levels and was very enthusiastic about it because he was able to score very high on the games. Now that he is on the 2nd level and the reading parts have become more difficult, his enthusiasm has diminished.
I think it is a very good software to reinforce skills that have already been taught one on one by a tutor, but I don’t think it will actually teach new skills, especially if the child is dyslexic.
Why don’t you give it a try, they have a 60 day trial period so you can return it if you aren’t satisfied. All you will loose is the postage and handling.

i found a program that i am thinking about using with my two dyslexic boys. the website is www.dys-add.com. it claims to be a simplified orton-gillingham. website is VERY informative and the program looks good and seems affordable.

forgot to mention its called the Barton Reading and Spelling Program

Did you check out the price, each unit is $250 - $300, it will cost you well over $3,000 for the materials, and you still have to do all the tutoring!!!
http://www.bartonreading.com/

Yes, I did. But comparing it to orton or lindamood tutoring, its a steal plus you get keep the materials. There are so many programs out there, I guess its a matter of what price you are willing to pay for your child’s future. If the less expensive Lexia doesn’t work, what next? Another program. My preference would be asking the school to invest in. Susan Barton is very responsive and seems to prefer getting the program implemented into the schools. Lindamood wants you privately and basically requires a second mortgage to pay for it. Just wanted to give her another option.

You can buy the LiPS manual for $99. I know of many tutors who have implemented the LiPS program successfully by using the manual. The LiPS manual may not be as scripted as the product offered by Barton Reading, and therefor not suitable for the novice parent. The point I am trying to make is that investing in a good tutor and LiPS manual may be more cost effective than an inexperienced parent working with a $3,000 manual.

I think there was an important point that I failed to mention. If you read through the barton site you will see that it is not just a purchase the kit and good luck. The program actually ecourages the parents to become tutors for their children and provide that training. Now, I think that is quite a beneficial investment! We parents are the ones in it for the long haul long after the tutor is gone. If parents are trained to be the tutor and understand how to help their child, what a great benefit in the present and in the future. Many of these programs, especially the more inexpensive ones, have these quick fix claims that I find hard to believe especially when dealing with a dyslexic child. Helping this child could take quite a long time. Most people who hire tutors fizzle out and give up or have to give up because of the cost. I just see this program as the more wise choice of those I have looked into. Anyway, what good is a $99 manual if you can’t and won’t use it properly?

Has anyone used these programs before??

Yes, we arranged for our son (6th grade) to do the Lexia SOS program
for an hour every other day at school.

We bought the program, they set up the computer
and supervisory teacher (in the time out room for
naughty children - lol! thank goodness my very
well behaved student thought it was funny).

I think it helped as it was the ONLY remedial stuff
he got this year (in addition to MOM stuff ;-)

Anne

If you’re going to take the time to learn the Lexia program yourself as a parent so you can work with your child, there’s no reason on earth you can’t do the very same thing with the LIPS manual yourself. It’s an easy and cheap program to implement. I started off without buying any of the materials but made them myself out of supplies around the house.

The manual is wonderful. It not only gives complete sample lessons for every single new concept learned, it also gives sample lessons for handling the sorts of errors that kids make. The error-handling lessons in the LIPS manual are by far the very best way to learn how to teach a program because that’s the nitty-gritty of any tutoring - how do I handle the mistakes my student makes?

There’s no quick-fix claim to LIPS. The Lindamood-Bell regional centers DO have a reputation for improving a students skills dramatically following 5 or 6 weeks but that’s only when a child is immersed in the program for at least 4 hours daily. ANY reputable program will do the same. I teach LIPS as a private tutor. Most of my students see me for about 2 or 3 hours a week so of course they won’t make such rapid gains. But they DO make great gains because the program is such a solid one that addresses both auditory discrimination and phonics skills. When the spelling part of the program is added into the LIPS, it’s a very complete reading program.

You really should go to www.audiblox2000.com and check out their program. Read Kori’s diary. She is a severe dyslexic and has been making great gains using this program. This is not a quick fix, but it seems to be very effective if used diligently.

I forgot to mention… and this is totally not a copout on my part…

When I met with the psycologist to reveiw my sons testing, she was pretty adamant about getting him as comfortable on the computer as possible.

She said that one of the reason was becuase children who are learning disabled are often get very anxious and frustrated when working with parents. She said that they easily pick up on sighs, making faces, and frustrations. She said a computer program designed for children with learning disabilities will not push them any further than they are ready for, whereas sometimes a parent is so worked up about getting there child on the same level as his or her peers they will push them too far, causing the child to become frustrated and shut down.

He has his own computer, which is at the shop, having more memory added. Earobics is on the ways and that is why I wanted some advice on Lexia or any other computer program anyone has expereince with.

Now, don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I will be working with him all summer but I need a program that he can do on his own so that when we are working together he is successful. My son and I spend a lot of time together, he gets frustrated very quickly when working with me and I don’t want a summer of tears and fighting.

Thanks
K.

>>he gets frustrated very quickly when working with me and I don’t want a summer of tears and fighting. <<

I find it is easier if my son knows exactly what we are going to do.

So we have a schedule in the summer

Mon, Wed, Fri - we will start with 20 minutes of ProLexia,
http://www.prolexia.com/ this is different from the SOS Lexia
he did at school. We went hole hog on this and bought the light pen.
Then we’ll alternate between reading comphrension exercises
and reading the book HOLES.

Tue, Thurs. - we take the dogs for long walks along the river.
DS needs to train for football so he’ll be running with the young lab
while I’m walking with the older, grayer lab (like me!)

Weekends we have off.

Anne

We have discussed a summer schedule.

After breakfast we will be doing Handwriting Without Tears, then he can go out and play with his friends or we will go to the beach. Then at lunch time he is going to use his computer for Earobics. I told him he can use it as much as he wants but has to use it at least once a day. Finally, after dinner we will do a page or two in the Singapore Math Book.

I am going to see how this works for a few weeks and see how he feels. He has a summer friend who I forasee creating problems, so it may be difficult.

Thanks
K.

Susan’s manual isn’t $3,000…I have taken one of her workshops and it was VERY reasonable…..She is very good and helpful…she knows LMB, and OG programs…and she wouldn’t steer you wrong..

A schedule does help. Consistancy is key.

Last summer we worked the same time every day for half to an hour. We did different things but it was always the same time between 9 and 10.

That way when he would resist I would just point to the clock. It’s not me it’s the clock.

He really didn’t resist that much.

I think this year we will do half hour of instruction, visual exercises to impove his visual perception (including the use of his dot to dot book which he loves) HWT and maybe some calirobics. Calirobics is the closest program I can find to what my son’s OT does for him in school. It is a program of listening to music and drawing various designs while following the rhythm of the music. I think it is meant to help visual perception which in turn should help handwriting. It seems multisensory which is good. Also he seems to have some auditory skills so maybe the integration of the auditory with the visual will help him.

If anyone is interested in calirobics. I believe it is www.calirobics.com

Sorry

The $3,000 refers to the total cost of all the manuals which range in price from $250 - $300.

You don’t need all of the manuals…Susan would direct you to which ones you would need..

Teaching the LiPS program isn’t that easy in my opinion… I wouldn’t want to try to dive in with the book. I say that *with* lots of the kind of training offered by LMB, though, so I know what I’d be missing. Could be, like using Lexia (which I like a lot but, as has been mentioned, is a computer program, not a teacher), that it’s very beneficial even without working with someone who’s done it first. (I suspect that the LMB folks would have minor conniption fits at the idea of people winging it from the book though, and even more if they watched it happening :)