The research field of Dyslexia is constantly changing. We are learning much more about how to improve the educational opportunities for our children with Dyslexia. I am constantly researching Dyslexia and want to help you learn more about it, as well as the new breakthroughs in the field. In many ways it is not a disability, just a different way of learning. Breakthroughs are being made constantly in this field and I will try to keep you updated.
Classroom Updates and Parent Notes
I have set up an account with SpellingCity.com. This is a website that allows the children play games with the spelling rules that we are working with. Note that there is not a "spelling list" for MTA. We study the specific spelling rule(s) and then the children are tested on some words that use the specific spelling rule(s), so you will not see a spelling list come home from MTA. As always, feel free to email or call me if you have any questions.
Parents of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders,
In addition to the M.T.A. curriculum, we will be continuing the, Dyslexia Research Curriculum, from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital that will enable students with dyslexia to achieve and maintain better sight word recognition, reading fluency, reading comprehension as well as aid in the transition from a therapy setting to real world learning. This curriculum contains the five components of effective reading instruction supported by the National Reading Panel research and mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act.
The Dyslexia Research Curriculum has incorporated the first 300 words from Fry's Instant Word List. This list contains the most commonly used words in written English, ranked in frequency order. The 300 new instant words and their common variants make up 65% of all the words in any textbook, newspaper, or writing sample in English. It is impossible to achieve fluency in reading or writing unless these words are known instantly.
We will be implementing daily practice using the Instant Word Practice Book in addition to the regular MTA curriculum. The goal is to promote accuracy and automaticity in reading. Automaticity is defined as accurate and effortless word identification at the single word level.
Our goal for this year is to complete the first 200 words in the 3rd grade and working on rate and fluency in the 4th and 5th grades! Each week students will be assigned a list of ten (10) words. The words will be introduced on Monday. Daily class practice will be Tuesday through Friday. Homework will be given on Monday through Thursday evenings. Each evening students will have a list of words, phrases or sentences to practice. Students need to practice a minimum of five (5) minutes each evening with an adult. (Please keep in mind the goal is accuracy and automaticity not speed.) After your child has completed five (5) minutes of practice, please sign the list. The student should bring the practice sheet to school the following day. The cycle will repeat on week two. The cycle continues on the third week which is a review week where students practice the lists from the two prior weeks.
Mrs. Trisha Ryherd, MTA
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Here are some helpful websites:
Developmental Dyslexia:
Through the Lens of Cerebrodiversity
http://www.thenewgrange.org/dr_sherman/cerebrodiversity/cerebrodiversity.html
International Dyslexia Association
http://interdys.org
P.O.D.S.
Parents of Dyslexic Students
http://www.lisd-pods.org
Dyslexia the Gift
http://www.dyslexia.com/links.htm
National Reading Panel
http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org
Proactive Parent
http://www.proactiveparent.com
Reading Rockets
http://www.readingrockets.org
National Institute for Literacy
http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/pfr.html
Learning Disabilities Association of America
http://www.ldanatl.org
National Center for Learning Disabilities
http://www.ncld.org
LD Online
http://ldonline.org
Other Resources:
Association of Higher Education and Disability
c/o University of Massachusetts-Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125-3393
Phone: 617-287-3880
Fax: 617-287-3881
Website: http://www.ahead.org
Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities
1200 New York Ave., #300, Washington, DC 20005-1754
Phone: 888-478-6463
Website: http://www.aboutld.org
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Division of Learning Disabilities (DLD)
1920 Association Dr., Reston, VA 20191-1589
Phone: 888-232-7733
Website: http://www.TeachingLD.org
Council for Learning Disabilities
P.O. Box 40303, Overland Park, KS 66204
Phone: 913-492-8755
Fax: 913-492-2546
Website: http://www.cldinternational.org
Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation
P.O. Box 4061, Santa Monica, CA 90411
Website: http://www.hellofriend.com
LD OnLine
Website: http://www.ldonline.org
Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA)
4156 Library Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15234-1349
Phone: 888-300-6710
Alt. Phone: 412-341-1515
Fax: 412-344-0224
Website: http://www.ldanatl.org
National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
381 Park Ave. South, #1401, New York, NY 10016
Phone: 888-575-7373
Alt. Phone: 212-545-7510
Fax: 212-545-9665
Website: http://www.ld.org
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)
20 Roszel Road, Princeton, NJ 8540
Phone: 800-221-4792
Alt. Phone: 609-452-0606
Fax: 609-987-8816
Website: http://www.rfbd.org
