If your child is behind grade-level in reading, Windy Row is here to help. Your child may have moderate to severe dyslexia. The following information will give you some signs to look for and explain why children benefit from Windy Row’s one-on-one tutoring program. Please contact us, whether or not your child has an official diagnosis of dyslexia.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is an inability to read and has nothing to do with a child’s IQ. In fact, your child may display impressive talents for creative thinking, like CEOs Bill Gates and Richard Branson; actors Tom Cruise, Danny Glover and Ashley Scott; and singers Cher and Jewel.
Dyslexia is not about reversing letters. A child with dyslexia finds it difficult to sound out words, spell, learn new words and get their thoughts onto paper. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. People with dyslexia read using a different part of the brain than regular readers and use it in a different way.
Dyslexics often have good verbal skills, even though they have poor reading and writing skills. No two dyslexics are alike. Each child has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. That is why one-on-one, individualized tutoring is so helpful.
How do I know if my child has dyslexia?
A certified dyslexia testing specialist can diagnose dyslexia in a child as young as five years old. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) dyslexia is identifiable, with 92% accuracy, at ages 5½ to 6½.
Symptoms of dyslexia might include:
Confusion over left and right, over and under and other directional signs
Difficulty learning the names or sounds of letters of the alphabet
Difficulty writing the alphabet in order
Ability to read a word on one page but not on the next
Misspelling of words even if they are being copied
Avoidance of writing
Writing everything as one long sentence
Difficulty memorizing sequences, such as the days of the week and the alphabet
In the video Embracing Dyslexia, parents of children with dyslexia and adults with dyslexia talk about their experiences. Experts in dyslexia discuss myths about dyslexia, the value of Orton-Gillingham tutoring and the successes that follow when children with dyslexia receive the help they need.
Can a child who is reading have dyslexia?
Children with dyslexia can read up to a point. By third grade or even sooner, they start having difficulty reading, sounding out words and spelling.
Why does my child have dyslexia?
Your child is not alone. The National Institute of Health (NIH) conducted a study in 1994 and discovered that 1 in 5 children in the United States has some form of dyslexia. They found as many girls as boys with dyslexia.
Dyslexia often runs in families. Researchers have found a gene that is responsible for dyslexia.
Can dyslexia be cured?
Dyslexics never outgrow dyslexia. It can’t be cured. Reading and writing always remain difficult. But with specialized tutoring by a professional trained to work with dyslexics, your child can learn to manage printed materials much more effectively.
What can the school do to help my child?
Children with dyslexia need multisensory, one-on-one instruction by trained tutors. Most school systems aren’t able to provide that type of help. Windy Row learning center has been approved as a Supplemental Education Service provider for the schools in New Hampshire. That means our services may be available in your school. We are ready to serve dyslexic children and those with severe reading disorders in the schools of Keene, Dublin, Peterborough, Sharon, New Ipswich, Greenfield, Antrim and Bennington, among others. At our center in Peterborough, New Hampshire, we regularly tutor 20 children during the academic year.
Does my child need special education?
Sometimes children with reading disabilities are qualified as “learning disabled” and placed in special education. They may not belong there. The Orton-Gillingham method helps to keep students in regular educational programs.
The Windy Row curriculum enables students with learning disabilities or dyslexia to pass high stakes tests, like the TAAS, often for the first time.
Will my child be able to go on to college and have a career?
Windy Row students who complete their course of instruction keep their skills after they leave Windy Row. Our program helps lower the dropout rate and prevents students from falling behind.
Dyslexia is not a barrier to success. Famous dyslexics include inventor Thomas Edison, actor Tom Cruise, comedian Jay Leno, cardiologist Helen B. Taussig, actresses Lindsay Wagner and Whoopi Goldberg, artist Pablo Picasso and athlete Bruce Jenner.