May 9^th

Orton Gillingham Reading Phonics Program

When a person of any age has problems reading they are at a serious disadvantage in the United States. The Orton Gillingham is recommended for individuals with the symptoms of dyslexia. It is a concentrated systematic phonics program that teaches how words are made of different combinations of consonants and vowels. The focus in on memorizing the phonics system to make letters and their combinations stick in the mind of the student. This is especially important for early readers in the primary grades.

The good is that it is systematic and provides a good foundation for young learners. It also gives direction when trying on your own seems unproductive.

The question is; is it better than other forms of reading instruction? The answer is no. The system is a good way to learn phonics but there is of yet no scientific support showing that this system works at helping those with dyslexia symptoms read better than other systems. Is it good? Yes. But better, no.

Why is this? The reason is any work is better than none. But work by itself is not a cure all. Those with dyslexia have a life time disability that needs a lifelong system to cope. Those who have a problem can look at causes ranging from lack of brain connections, injury, illness or other issues. But none of these can be permanently fixed. However the more the brain is worked the more connections it makes and the effects on dyslexia can be limited or controlled.

A mom was looking for a tutor to help her first grade daughter who had dyslexic symptoms. She had the Orton system recommended to her and wanted to find a practitioner. I discussed tutoring her daughter but the conversation was over when I told her I did not use the Orton system. Actually I told her I did not use the Orton method. But that is not completely true. All reading teachers use the methods that Orton calls its own. That is to make learning intensive and memorable. To present letters and their combinations in creative ways that connects to the learner and makes the “learning” memorable. These methods do not belong to Orton. What Orton does is lay out a specific order of learning and use some specific ways to make vowels and consonants memorable in their “system”.

The problem; the problem is this: learning a system is just that, learning a system. I have many students with dyslexia symptoms who are fantastic at phonics but do not know how to spell their name. Schools have used just phonics. It did not work. They have used teaching whole words. That did not work. What has had the best results is a combination related to the specific student’s life.  Learning must be authentic as in a real life connection.

The future: The future for this first grade child will be filled with challenges. Teachers, who do not have time to deal with a child who needs help, Peers who call her stupid and, “you can’t read that”, and others who name her the girl who cannot spell.  Then dealing with these problems she will not come to mom but will hide or fight and start to feel bad. She will feel dumb. She will start to think she is dumb. She isn’t but she will feel that way because she will see her own limitations and compare herself to others.

This girl and the others suffering from the symptoms of Dyslexia need a plan and the confidence to keep trying along with an understanding of why they cannot do what others do. A tutor who understands reading and teaches those with these problems successfully knows this and guides the student and the family to prepare for success. The method is a combination of phonics, whole word instruction, and turning the home environment into a supportive place for the student.

If someone wants a tutor to teach a specific method I do not do that. If someone wants to learn for life; than I am willing and able to help.

A rocognized behavioral approach to solving problems is the ABC model: A for antecedents, B for behavior, and C for consequences. By breaking down the problem or situation and then planning your rsponse; problems are solved on purpose and the process can be repeated successfully.

1. This model can be used in a negative manner

A - there is a problem, B -  the problem is moved elsewhere, C - problem is someone elses.

2. This model can be used in a positive manner

A - there is a problem, B - solutions are found, C - problem is solved.

The negative manner most often is used out of anger or lack of knowledge. With the ability to seek out answers and grow solutions at your finger tipes with google; the reason for using the negative approach is anger or laziness. Moving a problem can be a positive solution if a school does not have the money, experience, or resources to solve a problem. When this is done in the "best interest of the child" everyone wins. 

Matt 22:19 "Love your neighbor"
What is, “love your neighbor?” Are those you go to church with your neighbor? Do you greet each other with a "holy kiss?" If not a kiss at the very least a meaningful, "how are you and did you have a good week?" allowing for a real response beyond the "fine" and "ok" that you give the fast food cashier. The Southeast
Christian Church has greeters who go beyond a friendly face and "hello".
When you have a congregation of about 25,000 you really must be doing something that honors Jesus’ commandment the way it should be done. When you visit Southeast you are greeted at every change from entering the driveway to parking, entering the building, walking in the door, choosing which direction to go in their huge entry room, and the doorways to three seating levels. Then one of the things that caused me to want to come back, each seating area had a greeter who meet you, introduced themselves and offered the extra time to answer questions that are awkward to ask at the door with lots of people coming through. You come away feeling that everyone is on the same page "loving their neighbor". There may be thousands of people there but you feel loved and cared for. Luke 10:37 "Go and do likewise."

Jan 24

Disabilities, Schools, and “The Blame Game”

                What happens when something goes wrong with a child? There is finger pointing, defensiveness, frustration, blame, and all too often no answer. When a child is born with a disability there are often no answers. Parents who go to a hospital to have their child checked often receive a factor check list of over 300 items. When you also consider the environment, culture, the dynamics of school, family, the world’s relational factors, and then the possible factors become countless.

                So answer this question, “Why should anyone be blamed?” What good does it do? Of course there are accidents and obvious causes but these are the exceptions. And even if we know the cause, we must move past that to, “What next?” Everyone needs to work together not point fingers and say, “This is your fault!”

                What is a school to do? Should they put it on the parents and encourage them to home school their child? Should we pretend there is no problem? Or should we reward?

                Caring experienced professionals know they can help by starting where the child is and plan the steps to progress. This will only work though when blame is removes. The wall of defensiveness must be broken down. There must be the fresh air of safety and the sunshine of understanding. The adults around a child are the soil a child will grow in. Make the soil rich, warm, and emotionally healthy, do not play, “the blame game”.

Jan 17

Effective Reward Systems that build math skills

When students need help with math it makes no sense to use fake money. Fake money costs more than real money and so does most food rewards. So I use real money. I combine that with points which cost me nothing but when combined with real money have become just as valuable. Each end of the week we total their pay and points for work done and positive behavior. Quarterly I have an auction where they can use their points and cash to buy rewards. I don't go out of my way to buy expense items. I use yard sale, cheap toys from restaurants, unwanted holidays gifts, and some snack Items.

The money I need has come from class fund raisers within the school population which just covers what I need to keep my money program going. The auction provides a chance for me to get the money back from students and reuse it.

What do students do with their money? My students have donated it to their church, bought presents for their families, bought cafeteria items for friends, and given auction items as gifts for their siblings.

I use a variable interval reward schedule which puts the teacher in control rather than a fixed schedule. A variable interval makes the students consider the teacher's feelings and work with them and has real life connections.

Building relationships has special meaning to me. I work with the brightest and best students in our county. They are gifted, not academically but socially, at getting under the skins of administrators, teachers, and parents to get thrown out of schools. This alternative setting was built to train the students to respect authority and be successful when they returned to a regular public school setting. We succeed in returning them when improvements are made in their self image, peer relationships, adult relationships, parent relationships, and relationships with work. This is not always a pretty process. The students we get have been thrown away by schools that were scared, angry, or too busy to put up with the students needs. It is a beautiful thing when a student sees a better world because they changed their relationships.