where do I start?

WHere has he been going?

The * main* problem I see is that teachers (and the kid) generally assume that he can read better than he does, so he’s forced to fake it. (Hey, he’s smart, right?) Jump in *early* and set up getting tests and texts read to him; usually it sort of falls by the wayside as teachers are busy. Then the kid falls by the wayside ;(

TextHelp! is a pretty comprehensive program that is “software for dyslexia.” If you get the full-featured program (I think it’s Read and WRite Gold) you can scan text in and it will read it to you, and you can make lots of adjustments to the voice. (It’s not perfect… it’s still a computer figuring out the words, but it’s good.) It will also read what you type in (you can have it read *as* you type, or just read when you select and tell it “read that.”) When you’ve typed in a letter or three it will have a list of words that you might be trying to type, so all you have to do is click in “that one” and it finishes it for you — and it will read those words to you if you’re not sure what they are.

What do you see as the priorities here? Is his listening comprehension good, or does he need to be immersed in doing things to learn?

Congratulations on your son’s level of reading! I say that with tongue in cheek but “I’ve been there and done that”, but I don’t think my daughters level was ever that high. So your question is “where to start” - well, first, don’t think that teachers have all the answers, because they are learning also….. and teaching styles change all the time. Every year your child will need to get use to a new teacher and their style and he to them. Finding this web site is a great beginning!

In my opinion, the most helpful, the best way to help children with reading problems is by getting a helping hand with technology. It becomes the helper that doesn’t tire out, the patient reader, the secretary that corrects the mistakes, but best of all, it enables children to learn, and don’t get so far behind that they will always be catching up. Remediation vs. acccomodation.

My daughter uses a program called WYNN (what you need now). She has been using it now for 6 months. She scans her textbooks onto a flatbed scanner, and the computer and WYNN do their thing - and like magic, the text is on the screen, and is read to her. Voices can be changed, backgrounds and font sizes changed, speech speed altered, along with typed and voice notes added for note taking, and dictionary help. There is even word predition for those with word retrieval problems, and when typing papers, it will even read the words as she types so she doesn’t forget what she is thinking about.
WYNN has made all the difference. It is so easy to use, rarely do you even need to use the help features.

WYNN is from Freedom Scientific. Their web site is www.freedomscientific.com. They offer free trials. Take them up on it, especially during the summer when there is more unstructure time.

Personally we didn’t know this type of technology existed until now. So consider yourself way ahead of the game. I will tell you (and I still get tears in my eyes) that my daughter is succeeding and getting through her college classes for the first time. She just received an 3 A’s and a B.

The problem comes when your son has to take testing of a subject and the teacher can’t (or won’t) offer accomodations. So, getting your son to learn independantly is only one of the barriers, but oh, what a barrier to learning that you would be able to take away!

I’m with you on the use of technology. Although my daughter’s reading level is progressing well, (4th grade and 4th grade level), she writing problems are significantly improved by the use of a computer and co-writer and/or draft builder. She is able to show her knowledge without having to know how to spell it.