new here--need advice!!

For the keyboarding it would really depend on what the goal is. Are you trying to increase keyboarding skills, increase written output, or both? My dd has both dyslexia and dysgraphia. She has had the most success using a word prediction program because the program eliminates a lot of the spelling frustration, she is more focused on learning where the keys are and picking words from the “list” of the word prediction. Her spelling ability has definitely increased because she is no longer repeatedly misspelling words but sees them consistantly spelled correctly.

We’ve used Audiblox but it really didn’t help the auditory processing so much. It did help with directionality, memory and math skills. We saw better results using Earobics ( http://www.earobics.com/ ) and The Listening Program ( http://www.advancedbrain.com/ ).

Hope this helps some.

I can suggest two keyboarding approaches to try.

The first is Keyboarding Skills by Diana Hanbury King. This is a book (not computer program) available from http://www.epsbooks.com. This approach tends to work really well for children with dyslexia/dysgraphia.

The other is The Writer keyboard from http://www.keyboardinstructor.com/ This portable keyboard, similar to an AlphaSmart, has keyboarding lessons built in.

I agree that Audiblox won’t do much for APD, but it does tend to be very helpful with many other skills that tend to lag in kids with APD, so it is still worth considering. Since your son is 11yo, a better program might actually be BrainSkills from http://www.brainskills.com. Better yet, if you can find a PACE provider, see http://www.processingskills.com. BrainSkills is the home version of PACE, but it is easier and faster to use PACE if you can afford it. PACE has three times the exercises of BrainSkills, so it is less boring also. Both PACE and BrainSkills include a variety of auditory processing exercises that tend to be very helpful for children with APD. Audiblox does not have these kinds of exercises.

I would check with the U of M and local hospitals. I think the Sister Kenny Institute of Abbott Northwestern Hospital has SLPs who work with CAPD children.

Depending on the nature of the APD, Earobics might be helpful. Website is http://www.earobics.com. I’m not convinced of the usefulness of Earobics for older children, although it can be quite helpful for the 4yo-6yo crowd. I just think it tends to be too boring to keep the interest of older children and, when there is boredom there is inattention. I am convinced that the child’s attention needs to be engaged in order for progress to be made.

What I would suggest instead of Earobics, assuming your son reads on less than a middle 3rd grade level, would be the Sound Reading CD from http://www.soundreading.com. This computer CD is an *excellent* supplement to any reading program. You would probably want to order the teen version of the CD. It still starts at the beginning (pre-K level), but omits some of the cutesy graphics that appeal to younger children. This CD can be used independently by your son once he understands how it works. It is a mastery-based program that does a lot of work on phonemic awareness and word-building skills.

You also need an explicit, multi-sensory reading program. I would suggest getting a copy of “Reading Reflex” by McGuiness from your library or local bookstore. Read the first three chapters, then give your son the assessments in the book. If your son’s problems are severe, you probably want to hire a reading tutor. I would suggest either a Phono-Graphix tutor (http://www.readamerica.net for referrals) or an Orton-Gillingham tutor (call UMBIDA, local branch of the International Dyslexia Association, for referrals). Since OG tutors typically charge $50 an hour in the metro area, you may want to try using Reading Reflex yourself first. When your son reaches a 2nd grade level in reading, you can switch to Rewards Intermediate from http://www.rewardsreading.com. These programs may not provide enough repetition for your son, in which case you will need a tutor, but they are well worth trying at home — especially if you are supplementing with the Sound Reading CD.

Nancy

Oh, and I also wanted to second the recommendation of TLP (http://www.advancedbrain.com). It doesn’t help all forms of APD, but it is an easy therapy to do at home and it is very helpful for some children.

For certain types of APD, children may benefit from FastForWord, especially after doing TLP. FFW is available from the Sister Kenny Institute, I have heard, although I’m sure there are also many private SLPs who offer it. If your son is difficult to work with, then you may want to do FFW on site. However, it is much less expensive to do the exercises at home. It is a very exhausting therapy for chidlren with problems, so it is often best to schedule it during the summer months when there is plenty of time for relaxation. Website is http://www.fastforword.com, although they don’t provide much information about the program there.

Nancy

Short answer:

I’ll also vouch for King’s keyboarding skills book (but I get it from www.rlac.com , another excellent source for multisensory materials).

Another excellent program is ABeCeDarian ( http://www.abcdrp.com ) - a bit more systematic than R R but same kind of solid foundation. The author is very accessible and there’s a yahoo group of folks using it who share ideas and support.

Long answer:
a few years back, one of the authors of RR told all the folks at a conference session that the reading board on this site was “against” the program, and had teh company employees monitoring the board and saturating it with raves for RR and unfettered flames for anyone who had issues with the program *or* with anyone who wasn’t singing its praises. (I know because one of the posters explained this to us while flaming us.) On their board they’ve been known to refer to more structured programs - and yes, this is a direct quote from one of the authors of the program - as having children “chanting out the syllables to Hit-ler, Hit-ler”). No, these aren’t isolated, unique experiences. So, while I really respect many of the fine parents and teachers who use the materials, I personally can’t recommend the materials, especially now that there are other parent-friendly ones out there.

Sue,

FWIW, I do not agree with the way Phono-Graphix was promoted initially. I think there was a long period of time during which the company had difficulty keeping a public relations person on staff because the policies were untenable.

I haven’t seen the ABeCeDarian materials but have heard they are more user-friendly than PG materials. Certainly anyone who has read “Reading Reflex” would be able to use the ABCD materials to implement the program. However, I don’t think ABCD has a book equivalent to “Reading Reflex”. RR does a great job of explaining both the underlying philosophy and the basic techniques of this reading approach. I think a parent who simply implements ABCD without reading the first three chapters of RR would be at a real disadvantage.

I love Phono-Graphix for the wonderful results I have gotten using the approach. I may use the ABCD materials sometime in the future, but so far I haven’t needed anything other than the PG support materials I am accustomed to using.

For parents getting started, I think that the first three chapters of “Reading Reflex” are a must-read……

Nancy

Well, I’m another initially trained PG person who now uses ABeCeDarian. You are right, Nancy, that it does not have a book describing the reading process. It does have some intro material at the beginning of the teacher guides that explains the philosophy pretty well though. If a person had access to checking out Reading Reflex from the library, it certainly would be good to read those first three chapters.

ABeCeDarian teaches similarly to PG in that it goes from sound to symbol. But it does SO much more to develop automaticity and fluency beginning at the sound level that PG does. At the basic code level, there is letter formation work integrated, which is not emphasized in PG. The author of ABCD also incorporates much more PA work in the form of spelling and reading chains. He is continually listening to feedback and revising and improving the program. He is developing remedial levels for older students. He also has a level beyond advanced code that teaches prefixes, suffixes, and roots. I have also seen few people as generous in helping individuals as Michael Bend is.

I am not here to advertise for him, but honestly, after training in PG, Language!, SRA Corrective Reading, and all the Lindamood-Bell programs, I find that ABeCeDarian is the most efficient and easy to use in teaching decoding. I appreciate all the others and am glad I had the trainings as it helps to have the knowledge base.

Janis

I would agree, totally, that those first chapters do a good job of explaining the how & why of the learning process.