A Monster Called "Homework"

There are few things more dreaded by children than homework. It is even more difficult for those students with learning disabilities, particularly those with dyslexia. There are three main reasons for this: First, homework deals with reading, writing, and spelling, which are usually laborious tasks for these students. Second, these students have difficulty with long-term memory and with directions, so often what they are to do for homework and the process neces sary to complete it often eludes them. Third, they approach understanding in a random manner,

Dr. Eileen M. Cronin describes what it is like for these children: "From a dyslexic child's point of view, homework can be a devastating experience. For him, it's like working in a vacuum. He doesn't really know where or how to start, and when he tries, he's usually wrong. Imagine how frustrating this would feel for anyone: No matter what you do, it won't be right."

Most dyslexics have difficulty with the concept of time, have organizational issues, and don’t do well with isolated experiences. These can all be stumbling blocks when it comes to homework. Here is what we can do to help:

• Set a homework routine with a specific, quiet place to work and a specific time.
• Be patient, and be prepared to walk through instructions with them, repeating them as simply and often as needed.
• Help them make connections between their homework and their daily life. The key to learning something and using that knowledge is connection. Most dyslexics can’t do that on their own. Help them see how what they are working on connects to their life. Attaching meaning will help them with memory and allow them to store and retrieve the information.
• Approach homework by using learning tools that help with the way their brain works: Allow them to draw and create visuals for the concepts they are studying. Group spelling words into similar phonetic skills, and break them into syllables for decoding. Have them tell you what they want to say in a paper, and type it so they can concentrate on the concept, not spelling and handwriting.

Dr. Cronin stated: "Homework has a specific function and purpose: It is designed to help the child remember, think about, and learn to use certain essential facts, processes, or strategies. Since the dyslexic child doesn't attack learning in a onetwo- three fashion, you must give special care at home. Because a dyslexic child will ask why before how, you should start with concrete examples and then work backward to the principle on which the examples are based."

Some information taken from:
Cronin, Eileen M., Ph.D. Helping Your Dyslexic Child. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1997.

This section contains stories of famous or recognized people who have been reported in the media, on the Web, and in books as having some form of dyslexia or struggling in school.

"I have nothing but the utmost praise for the program. My daughter's teacher informed me that she had made leaps and bounds in her reading skills."
—Angie Pate, Cambridege City, Indiana

View more success stories.

Phonics Games

As one mother said, "I am convinced that learning to read does not have to be such a frustrating experience." That is why the Intensive Phonics at Home software (ages 4-9) is full of fun, interactive phonics games. Pizza Pizza!, Whack a Word, and Tomb Reader are just a few of the available games. Each game focuses on the words learned in the corresponding lesson. Having the games available keeps students excited about learning to read! Click on the link to play a demo of some of the games.

Visit: ReadingHorizonsAtHome.com

To play the Fun Phonics Games! These games are availble on Intensive Phonics at Home (ages 4-9) software.