Dyslexia is a common learning disability that involves reading, spelling, and letters, but it doesn’t affect overall intelligence. It’s estimated that up to 10% of all individuals have dyslexia, which means that dyslexia reading programs and dyslexia learning courses are now widely available to help people with dyslexia to improve their reading skills. If you’re interested in dyslexia reading programs, you may be surprised to know that they aren’t always the same as traditional programs where the child sits in a classroom and is taught reading and writing words. Dyslexia programs involve training the child for “dyslexic literacy” so that he or she can naturally perform these tasks.
Currently, there are a variety of dyslexia programs available. Some programs have been proven to work, while others have been less effective. The following descriptions explain dyslexia reading programs. Some of these programs have been described as “one size fits all” and some as “dyslexic friendly.” The definition of each program is the reader’s best guide.
The most popular dyslexia reading programs are those based on a particular teaching method called phonological awareness. This teaching method makes use of a set of cards that are placed upside down on a page. Instead of looking at the card and determining what it says, the student looks at the arrangement of the letters on the page. Once the student can match each card to its corresponding letter in the alphabets on the page, they can read the entire phrase. Several books have been written about the phonological awareness method and how it is used to teach dyslexics to recognize and read words in spoken sentences.
Another popular dyslexia reading program is one based on systematic phonics. Structural phonics was developed by Thomas Odland Clark in the early 1890s, and he developed a series of scales for distinguishing different phonemes and their sounds. Because it is easier to remember words with similar phonemes, phonemic awareness is essential for individuals who struggle in this area. Most dyslexics lack this ability.
One of the most popular dyslexia reading programs used in homeschooling is that of phonemic awareness and matching. A parent can purchase phonemic awareness DVD courses that focus on this method. Homeschooling parents also can purchase books that make use of phonemic awareness. For example, there are books that have specific lists of the various sounds made by words. These DVDs can be a valuable resource for a dyslexic child who is homeschooling because they not only give him/her exposure to the proper sounds but also reinforce proper spelling.
