Meet Tip and Lex: Spotlight on Lex

Homeschooling a family with more than one child means homeschooling more than one learning style and ability. My family is no exception. We have one typical learner that we’ll call Tippi and one not-so-typical learner we’ll call Lex. While each has its own style, pitfalls, and strengths in this series we’ll focus on Lex and what we’ve used to support her in our school. Lex has several diagnoses in her portfolio. Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Auditory Processing Disorders, Visual Processing Disorders, ADHD, and special short-term memory issues that amplify them all. With as many labels, there are three times the treatment and specialized curriculum used to address them. Here’s what we’ve used. I hope by sharing our experiences you will be encouraged and blessed.

Before any diagnostic testing, this mama could tell Lex was struggling. Things we discussed one morning would be completely forgotten by the next. Staples, like the ABC song, had a great tune but no meaning for Lex. Naming the letters was a complete waste of mental space if she couldn’t remember the sounds. So I dug around for alternatives.

While I’d recommend all the curricula below- some worked for a while and others had great structure but didn’t work at all. That doesn’t mean they won’t work for you and your student. This is just our experience.

(AFF LINKS ALERT)

Here’s what we used before diagnosis:

Phonics Pathways: It worked with Tip but was frustating for Lex.

Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons: This one set Lex back even further. Introducing long E so early totally confused her.

All About Reading/Spelling: This one had the most promise. Lex made it through book 1 and halfway through book 2. This program helped Tip’s spelling confusion but moved too fast for Lex.

Reading Horizons Online Program: This was fun for both my students. Overwhelming for Lex, these video programs and games kept her giving the program her all. But when they upgraded, it was a total disaster for Lex.

After Diagnosis:

Barton Reading and Spelling Program: This program was highly recommended. It helped Tip right away. From the very beginning, it was difficult for Lex. This makes sense, given her hardships. But after two years of fighting through it, I moved on. I’ll have a post all its own for this program coming soon.

Right-Brained Reading: This program seemed great. I’m sure for families starting a younger student would find the flexible lessons refreshing. However, once again, this program went too fast and left Lex in the dust. Though we worked through a lot of this program, Lex’s growth came to a very obvious plateau. To be fair, hormones were about to bloom, and they do have a definite effect on learning.

The Davis Method: After watching Lex, it was apparent she needed a more hands-on learning method. She needed help with her focus and an approach that used her creative strengths to help her grow. This another program that gets its own post. There are a lot of pros and a few cons to this program. We used it for a little less than a school year. And not to its full potential. It’s definitely worth a try for hands-on learners.

Blast Off to Reading: This is the most cost effect and fun of all the programs. We’ve used it the most recently with the greatest success. Until a recent re-evaluation and recommendation, this was the program I thought we’d use through high school. But let’s be honest, every time I purchase a new program, I firmly believe it will be the last.

What’s to come:

After an updated diagnostic evaluation, Lex’s learning regime has been more defined. Her doctor recommends using the Lindamood Bell program. Mostly due to her age and the setbacks while using other systems, a more audiovisual approach seems like the way to go.

This program is not inexpensive. But they do have a training option for parents/tutors, which will be the route our family will be taking.

So what have I learned?

Jumping around from system to system is not great for the student and it’s heavy on the wallet. However, sometimes it is necessary. Lex keeps growing. Her brain keeps growing. Starting over new program after new program has had two major effects. First, it’s narrowed down what works and what doesn’t for the individual student. The drawback is we never get very far in any one curriculum and learning the vowels and consonants repeatedly doesn’t do much for building up the confidence inteh reader.

I’ll keep you posted on Lex’s journey. In the meantime, let me know what you use with your Tips and Lexes. What programs and methods work best in your homeschool?

In Depth Personal Reviews to come:

Barton

Davis

Blast Off to Reading

Teaching Textbooks

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Check out my fictional short story about a 10 year old girl the year she discovers she has dyselxia:

Catch you next time,

Sarah