Trying to choose a program to help my 9 year old daughter with problems in phonemic awareness, visualization of concepts, active working memory, comprehension. Associated with her school is the National Institute for Learning Disabilities Discovery program. This org is based in Norfolk, VA and uses methods like rythmic writing, etc. Does any one have experience with this program? Though expensive, a big advantage of this program is that she can have sessions during the school day.
I would just like to hear some comments about their methods and results.
The therapist also recommended Lindamood Bell, but this would be very hard to implement during the school year.
Re: NILD program
I don’t know the NILD program, but the little I have seen of them is so-so. They seem to have a collection of activities from a number of different systems and some not-well-researched theories. The thing is, some of these activities may do some good, maybe a lot of good; you mention rhythmic writing, well, anything that works on rhythm is helpful to learning, and writing skills are a black hole in most schools I know, so this might be the key that helps your child connect. But it’s basically try-it-and-see; their theories of learning are questionable at best.
One place where I disagree with them strongly is the issue of handedness; they want to enforce absolute one-hand dominance and they insist that this is necessary to learning; as an ambidextrous person with four university degrees and abilities to write, paint, and do math, I am a walking disproof of this whole theory.
If the NILD program is available in the school, if it is free or inexpensive, and if it does NOT remove the child from other vitally important learning activities (very bad move to mis math or basic reading instruction for example), then I would go for it on the can’t hurt and may help basis, but don’t buy into their philosophy too deeply. Beware especially of any program that insists they have the only way to learn and you cannot use anyone else.
If you want your child to learn to read, the way to go is a good systematic program like Orton-Gillingham, LMB, Phonographix, or any planned program that combines systematic phonics with guided oral reading/ error correction and with language development and writing.
Re: NILD program
I don’t know the NILD program, but the little I have seen of them is so-so.
One of my “rules to go by” is to never pass judgment on a program when all I have seen is a “little”. Perhaps you should do more research and look into the studies that I’ve read are being conducted to prove the validity of their work. They seem pretty solid to me.
I would reccomend Orton-Gillingham if you need a prescribed program.