The public school system likes to wait until a child is failing before they receive "assistance." This does seem to make sense on a basic level. I am sure that they cannot "afford" to help everyone - so they are holding out for the most "needy." However - with dyslexia- early intervention is crucial. It is the difference between a child being able to read at "grade level" - or ALWAYS - (into adulthood) struggling. Natalie is doing "allright" in reading right now - (she is at a 2.2- she should be at a 3.0) but everywhere I've read - the third grade is the "brick wall" of reading. (Natalie enters the third grade this fall.) I am hoping that I "caught" this in time. She is starting her tutoring a year past what would have been optimal - simply because a year ago I hadn't even considered dyslexia- I simply thought she was a little slow.
Speaking of children with dyslexia:
“A little knowledge and careful analysis of the child’s case would soon make it clear that the difficulty experienced was due to a defect in the visual memory of words and letters; the child would then be regarded in the proper light as one with a congenital defect in a particular area of the brain, a defect which, however, can often be remedied by persevering and persistent training. The sooner the true nature of the defect is recognized, the better the chances of the child’s improvement.”
p. 22 Overcoming Dyslexia, Sally Shaywitz, MD
“A little knowledge and careful analysis of the child’s case would soon make it clear that the difficulty experienced was due to a defect in the visual memory of words and letters; the child would then be regarded in the proper light as one with a congenital defect in a particular area of the brain, a defect which, however, can often be remedied by persevering and persistent training. The sooner the true nature of the defect is recognized, the better the chances of the child’s improvement.”
p. 22 Overcoming Dyslexia, Sally Shaywitz, MD
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