Resources for Parents
You are not alone. Our goal at Decoding Dyslexia Idaho is to provide resources for parents that help navigate the world of dyslexia. As parents, we have been in your shoes searching for answers to help our struggling readers.
Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and 504 Plans can feel intimidating. We’re here to help.
An IEP is a written statement of the educational services that a child who is eligible for special education will receive.
The number “504” refers to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, which states no one with a disability can be excluded from federally funded programs or activities, including education.
IEPs should be personalized to meet the child’s unique needs. IEPs are governed by the Federal Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), and the IEP document is legally binding – meaning the school district must provide the services written in it. An IEP must:
Set reasonable learning goals for the child
Specifically state the services that the school district will provide to the child.
The Purpose of an IEP
Dyslexic Sutdents and 504 Plans
Under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, a disability is defined as “a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities.”
Specific Learning Disabilities are listed as an example of such an impairment, and learning is listed as an example of a major life activity.
A 504 plan contains the specific accommodations that a student will receive. Accommodations are changes and adjustments made to give students with disabilities equal access to the curriculum.
A child who can’t read on grade level by 3rd grade is four times less likely to graduate by age 19 than a child who does read proficiently by that time.
(Robert Balfanz, Johns Hopkins University study, 2011)
Assessment Tools
Advantages of Homeschooling
Subjects can be individualized to your child’s needs.
Freedom to explore your child’s strengths and interests.
Freedom from negative comparisons to other children.
Ability to provide needed interventions and accommodations without bureaucracy.
Ability to incorporate outside services and therapies into the school day.
Although Decoding Dyslexia Idaho does not officially endorse or recommend curricula, we can share those that other families have found helpful for their dyslexic children:
Barton Reading and Spelling System: An Orton Gillingham program created by Susan Barton. Designed for parents, tutors, and/or teachers to use with individual children. Each level comes with training DVDs and a scripted instructor manual.
Aabecedarian: A systematic phonics program written by Michael Bend. Uses the Phonographix method (similar to Orton Gillingham, but only teaches reading, not spelling). Inexpensive.
Sound Foundations: British reading and spelling programs that emphasize morphology. Inexpensive.
Math-U-See: A visually-based math program using colored blocks as the primary manipulative. Each level utilizes a DVD to provide short video lessons.
Right Start Math: A visually based math program with a wide variety of manipulatives. Math Card Games book is a nice supplement.
Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math: A visually based computer math supplement designed to teach and reinforce math concepts through visual puzzles. Very few words/written language are used.
Touch Type to Read and Spell: A multisensory web-based typing program. Introduces sounds and syllable types in the same manner as Orton Gillingham programs, thereby reinforcing learning. Homeschool Buyers Coop offers a discount.
Writing Skills books: A simple inexpensive book series teaching grammar and composition to struggling learners. Written by Diana Hanbury King, founder of the prestigious Kildonian School for Dyslexia.
