Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: dyslexia, Right-brained

This topic has 22 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 12 months ago by Kalina.

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May 5, 2015 at 4:27 pm
pangit
Participant
I’ve been mulling and thinking of a response to this post for a while. I finally have some time to sit down and type instead of quickly read and move on. I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and chiming in. It is sure nice to know that I’m not alone (though I often feel that way!).
I’ve been reading “The Right Side of Normal”. It is very good. I am almost finished with it.
Another excellent read is “The Gift of Dyslexia” by Ronald Davis. This one really helped me to understand what is going on and why the symbols (numbers, letters, etc) cause so much trouble. “The Right Side of Normal” touched on this, but “The Gift of Dyslexia” really explained it. Did you know that there are 40 different ways a right brained person can see the word “cat” . . . and none of them will show you a cat! =)
We have used the Davis Dyslexia Program. Here is a link for info on the program: http://www.dyslexia.com/ and here is a link for the webpage for our facilitator: http://dyslexiaandlearningsolutions.com/
The Davis Program works with the minds eye and “de-triggering” those symbols, sounds, etc. that “trigger” the minds eye to “wander.” Their webpage probably explains it better. We started 1 year ago. When we started my DD was reading on a 1st grade level. After 2 weeks she was a 3rd grade level. That was the drastic jump. I’d say she is 3rd/4th grade level right now. We’ve seen huge leaps and bounds with her ability and smoothness. Her confidence is still growing. We definitely still have the issue with being able to read grade appropriate words but having difficulties with easier words. That is all a part of dyslexia and we are working through it. When we started she was “triggering” on all the letters, all the numbers, all the math symbols, all the punctuation, 8 sounds, and horizontal and vertical lines. We are just finishing up with the detriggering process. The program is expensive, but when looked at as a whole – one price and quick progress, compared to a smaller amount every year and years of work – it is not so bad. Our facilitator was able to give us a discount and willing to take payments. We also get unlimited phone calls and/or emails after the initial program and 3 follow-up visits included in that price. We have just recently used one of the visits and email periodically.
We used Diane Craft’s multiplication cards and found them to be a huge help in learning the multiplication and division facts.
For spelling we are using a method recommended by our Davis Facilitator and it goes very will with SCM’s Spelling Wisdom. When we have a word to learn, I write it on the board and tell her what it is. She looks at the word, takes a mental picture of it and then writes it down. That’s it. She’s done and knows the word. She seems to be retaining them, too. Sometimes we have a word that we need to go back to, but for the most part she seems to be learning them. We use Spelling Wisdom for copywork on Monday and pick out the words that she needs to learn from that passage, Tuesday we work on “taking pictures” of them and write them out, Wednesday I dictate the passage to her. I think only twice since Christmas she has missed a word on Wednesday. If she does we just work on it again the next week.
Sometimes I really think that she is just refusing to do her work, but then I think maybe it is a right brained thing. I wish there was some way to know for sure.
I, also, wish there was some sort of right brained curriculum list that we could choose from. There are some things out there that are geared for them, but not an extensive list. It would sure make choosing things easier to know that it is using the right brained learning style.
I also wish I knew a way to get around the attitude. I know that a lot of it is frustration, but that doesn’t make it okay to get disrespectful and rude. But, when the disrespect is dealt with she just gets angry and tells me that I am mean and disrespectful and that it is all my fault. I don’t want her to associate the getting in trouble with not doing her school correctly, but I’m sure she does. I would really like to get past the anger and disrespect. Sometimes I really want to unschool. But, as she has told me when hollering about why she doesn’t get to do what she wants to with her time, she wouldn’t ever do anything with math and she’d never read anything again. It’s true. She wouldn’t. She would ask me to give her the answers and read things (or her sister) and then get mad at me when I would give her the tool to do it herself.
I wish school could be fun . . . or at least enjoyable. But she constantly tells me how she hates school.
May 5, 2015 at 9:18 pm
Kayla
Participant
Reading the description of a right brained learner I know this is me. I have a fashion degree, I have always been artsy. I started drawing clothes when I was probably 9/10 years old. I seriously struggled learning to read and I still can not spell. I am good at math, that is one thing that doesn’t fit. I would say my teachers described me a lazy, but really I just don’t want to start if I can’t finish and do it right.
Just some encouragement for you ladies. I’m a fully functioning adult. I did well in college (it was an art and design school though) I’m teach my children. I learned so much this year just teaching my daughter how to read. I have spell check on my phone and computer.
You ladies are awesome
May 23, 2015 at 8:59 am
Sara
Participant
This is a great thread. I’m glad I stumbled upon it. My son is almost 8 and is definitely a right brain learner. I’m so frustrated sometimes because his 5 year old brother seems to understand and learn things better than he does! He is struggling with learning how to read (we’re working through the bob books) and I plan on ordering All About Reading level 1 to try with him. He gives up so quickly with schoolwork – as soon as he makes a mistake, he says it’s too hard, I’m too stupid, I can’t do it. It breaks my heart to hear him talk that way. I know the work I’m giving him is not too difficult for him if he would sit down and really focus. We’ve been using Singapore K math and reached subrataction and he just doesn’t get it so I was going to start with MUS Alpha in the fall. From reading all your posts, I’m seeing this behavior and struggles continues well into teenage years and honestly, I’m discouraged because this is so hard 🙁 I , too, see the benefits of unschooling but I’m SO left brained it’s hard for me to relax and let that go. Also, I feel unschooling is so much more work for me to keep up with his ever-changing interests and doing all the research, finding outlets for him, etc. I would love to just order MFW, stick with it lesson by lesson and check every box :). I will look into the audiobooks more, but that doesn’t seem to be something that would interest him right now. He does love to be read to and I spend hours each week reading to them so I am thankful for that. I should mention he is such an engineer, builds so creatively with his Legos, creates his own pop-up books, and has the greatest laugh I’ve ever heard 🙂 Hugs, mommas, these right-brainers are gonna change the world! PS – he just came up to me and he was fighting with his brother and it reminds me to tell you that he, too, really struggles with respecting his parents and acting properly and I struggle with how to respond to him. sometimes I feel I let too much slide by because I’m too exhausted to deal with it 🙁
May 1, 2016 at 6:39 pm
Kalina
Participant
Hi everybody….
It is so encouraging to see all the support and guidance provided by wonderful ladies! I am very new to the CM method, I have never homeschooled but will be this coming year. Any ADVICE would be greatly appreciated!!!!
I have a daughter who is 9 years old and currently in the 4th grade. She has dyslexia, dysgraphia, & PTSD. She also is gifted with a very high IQ. She loves horses, building legos, playing board games(yamslam, Q-Bitz, skip-bo, uno, gin rummy, king’s corner, etc), drawing, music, artsy things and enjoys Math.
I have spent countless hours researching on what is the best fit method, style of homeschooling, unschooling, eclectic homeschooling, right brained learning, etc……I am hoping to get some guidance PLEASE!!!!
So I am thinking there are a few items I will incorporate. I more than likely will take a relaxed approached and instead of curriculum expected to be finished in one year I would complete it in two years. I don’t want to be overwhlemed with having pressure to finish something in a time frame when I am so new to this & not sure how my daughter will handle everything thrown at her at once……
Math: Math-U-See Zeta Universal Kit
Language Arts: Learning Language Arts through Literature 5th grade
Science: 106 Days of Creation Studies & Nature Notebook
Social Studies: Genesis through Deuteronomy & Ancient Egypt
I will include music, singing, art, field trips, playing, personal development, etc.
She is currently enrolled in a dyslexia treatment program utilizing the LiPS, Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing, program. This has been an absolute blessing for her. We are in her second block of 40 hours. When she completes the program she will have completed 80 hours. She has made HUGE progress. I sit in every one of her sessions and I am absolutely amazed at how this program retrains the mind, WOW!!!
I just purchased The Right Side of Normal and am hoping this will help. I start to look into one curriculum then second myself…..there are TOO many options out there, lol, and feel so lost!
I am also going to sign her up for the 4-H Youth program. So we will be raising farm animals from birth to auction, beginning with a chick, then a pig, then a goat and last a horse!!! This is absolutely incorporating learning, growing, coping skills, personal development, etc. I believe it is 4 days a week and would incorporate this into eclectic/CM homeschooling.
If you have any advice, guidance, etc I would LOVE to hear it please.
Blessings,
Kalina
May 2, 2016 at 7:55 am
retrofam
Participant
Your plans sound good. With curriculum there is going to be trial and error, so look at samples, read reviews, ask questions here, and show your dd samples.
My dd7 continues to surprise me when I give her two choices for a curriculum. She is drawn to the opposite one that I am.
Dyslexia games . com has Funschooling Journals, including one on horses. They can be used for six weeks or once a year.
Good for you for choosing homeschool; )
May 2, 2016 at 3:27 pm
Kalina
Participant
Hi….Thank you for your support!! That is so true! I asked her yesterday about a few pieces I was looking at.
LOL….isn’t that too funny!!! Do you think Teaching Textbooks for math might be a better option? Are you familiar with either of the two I am looking at?
Ohhhhh….yeah. I will check that out, thank you!
Thank you….we are really excited!!!
May 2, 2016 at 7:18 pm
retrofam
Participant
I noticed a typo on my last post. The journals can be used for six weeks or once a week for a year.
We have used Math U See. Teaching Textbooks is ok, but I don’t like using computer programs, because my kids tend to abuse their computer privileges.
May 7, 2016 at 6:00 pm
Kalina
Participant
OH…perfect!! Thank you!
I am purchasing the horse journal….my daughter saw it and loved it! This is great info…..thank you!
I don’t like too much computer time, either. Although, textbooks may not be the exact match for her….I will make sure I add flavor to it!
Thank you again!!