When a Child Doesn’t Remember What He Reads!

Published with Permission
Written by Dianne Craft, MA, CNHP
www.diannecraft. org

One of the most puzzling situations a homeschooling mother finds herself in is when she has a child who can read the words in a book but cannot answer the questions or tell her what has just been read. These moms frequently hear the phrase “I don’t remember” when queried about the reading material.

When working with bright, hardworking fourth- through eighth-graders in my reading class, I often had students who were experiencing this particular reading difficulty. I realized that these students were not proficient at converting the words they were reading into a “movie” in their head, as the rest of us do when we read. They were merely doing “word calling” much of the time. I found that “movie making” was a skill that could be developed in them, using an easy fifteen-minute-a-day exercise. This exercise did not involve paper or pencil but only the use of the brain. (more…)

Review: Hero Tales

Published with Permission
Written by Lisa Trombley
http://thehappyhomeschoolmom.blogspot.com

Almost two years ago, I had the opportunity to read and review the book Raising Real Men, Surviving and Teaching Boys by Hal and Melanie Young.  You can read my review on it here.  It was an outstanding book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is raising boys.  Last September I had the pleasure to review another book from Great Waters Press called A Cry From Egypt.  You can read my review on it here.  After enjoying these products so much, I was very happy to have an opportunity for an another review from Raising Real Men Hero Tales.

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Dyslexia: How Do I Teach This Child?

Published with Permission
Written by Dianne Craft, MA, CNHP
www.diannecraft.org
www.TOSMagazine.com

What Is Dyslexia?

Educators have not been able to agree on what dyslexia really is. Some authorities believe that it is strictly a language-processing problem involving the distinguishing of sounds of letters. Others believe that it is a visual/perceptual problem, since these children also reverse words laterally (b/d) and vertically (m/w) as well as scrambling letters (the=het) when they read and write.

I believe that both groups are correct. It is an auditory/language problem, visual/perceptual problem, and often a visual/motor (eye/hand) problem as well. I have worked with many teenagers who have been through years of tutoring in a good “phonemic awareness” program. Why were they still in my special education class? Although they now were able to decode very long, difficult words, because their problem with inadequate eye tracking had not been addressed, they could not read with any fluency. Words continued to “move” as they read, or reverse, or they had to use so much energy to keep their eyes tracking correctly that they forgot what they had just read. Therefore, in my classroom, I also addressed the eye tracking issue so that they could read fluently and with comprehension on grade level by the end of the year. (more…)