home schooling child with LD's

We’ve homeschooled from the beginning, and my kids are much younger than 16, so I don’t know that I qualify as an “old pro”, but I just want to encourage you to go as far back as you need to in order to build the foundation of basic skills that he has not gotten in school. That may mean going back to teaching phonics and doing arithmetic using manipulatives. He may need a lot of encouragement- I’m sure it’s hard not to feel like something is wrong with you when you are struggling with basic skills that are supposedly far below your grade level, but reassure him that now that he has the opportunity to work on the skills he needs, HE CAN DO IT!

In working with my kids, esp. my older son, I continue to be amazed at how much “smarter” he seems to get as he gradually masters more and more of the basic skills. It’s a lot easier to remember the content of the chapter you just read if decoding/ fluency is so automatic that you can devote almost all of your attention to content. If you’ve had lots of practice writing sentences from dictation so the mechanics of writing are fairly automatic, then it’s much easier to write the sentences in your head as you answer a question or write a report. Your son’s LD’s have made aquiring basic skills more difficult, but once those skills are in place, it will be easier for him to express his talents.

While work on the basics is important, don’t overlook the opportunity to nurture his strengths and interest. If he loves history, read good history books and biographies aloud, or get books on tape- don’t let his independent reading level hold him back. If he has great ideas for stories, let him record them on tape, and you can type them up. Then he can revise them. Don’t let dysgraphia keep him from writing stories (or novels if you can keep up with the typing!).

Hope this helps.

Jean

I began HS my son a few years ago after 6th grade.Sounds like your son and mine have much in common,dysgraphia,ADHD,processing problems. Homeschooling has been GREAT for him. I just wanted to encourage you. Do begin at whatever level he is accomplished in and go forward from that point. Follow your heart.

If you haven’t yet done so, you may want to check into a number of different home therapies that often help children with your son’s profile.

From your description, FastForWord is likely to be helpful — especially for the multiple instructions (assuming they are oral instructions), hearing speech, and short-term memory. A lot of parents use the self-training tutorial to become certified providers, in order to do the program completely at home. Website is http://www.scilearn.com

Another home program that is often very helpful for dyslexics is Audiblox. This can be started for about $80 (minimum needed is book and video). Website is http://www.audiblox2000.com

PACE is another outstanding program, but expensive. We did PACE during the year we homeschooled full-time (after completing vision therapy), and PACE did more for my daughter’s academics than any amount of tutoring could have. It is especially helpful with processing problems — both visual and auditory. Website is http://www.learninginfo.com

When you homeschool you have the option of working with therapies that are designed to reduce underlying deficits. Combining this approach with academics often produces both outstanding gains and greatly reduced stress and anxiety.

Mary

I’ve taught in public & private schools — the private school had a truly individualized program. It is just incredible the difference letting a kiddo learn at their own pace can make. It really sold me on homeschooling for LD kids, *especially* older ones.

There are some resources on my site that I used teaching — http://www.resourceroom.net
Resource room
(Let’s see if that makes a link!)

Dear Suzanne-

I am no pro but I can tell you that I am very pleased with my son’s progress this year. It has been our first year of home schooling and my son has done great. He is in a low stress/no stress setting and he has shown a great deal of progress in some areas but I was shocked that in his areas of difficulties he showed progress also. That has not happened in 2 1/2 years.

It is a hard choice to make and I am a single mom and I am not able to work much so it makes it very difficult on me. But when I see the outcome it makes it all worth it.

Best Wishes to and God Bless you.
D.D.Suzanne Venuta wrote:
>
> I was hoping someone out there can give me some ideas.
> Next week my 16 year old son will be starting home schooling.
> He has always strugled with the reg school pace as there is
> to much info coming at him to fast for him to absorb. We had
> a good talk last weekend and he said he wants to really start
> learning, not just trying to stay above water and have no
> idea whats going on. He is ADHD, has dysgraphia, dyslexia,
> processing problems- as he cant take more then 3 instructions
> at a time, dosent always hear whats being said, has big time
> problems with short term memory, and no organizational skills.
> We are very optimostic that this will slow things down so he
> can go at his own pace, or go faster in an area he excells.
> He is a very bright child and I want to give him all the
> support to succed. Any pros out there who have done this
> before I would be very appreactive of ideas that worked for
> you.
> Thanks
> Suzanne, Comox. B.C. Canada