Surprisingly, we’re still having this discussion after at least 30
years. When my son could not read well in the 3rd grade we were told not
to worry about it, that he would do just fine. A year later we had him
tested at children’s hospital. Dr. David Urion said he was “classic
dyslexic.”
The term for the teaching method used at the school at the time was
“whole language”. We were told that students didn’t need phonics, it was
almost a dirty word. That was the opposite of what those who understood
dyslexia recommended. Several students were in the same situation, and
some of those parents were demanding enrollment at the Carroll School
paid for by the town.
My wife had a couple of very constructive meetings with the principal,
Joann MacManus, and Joann agreed to hire a “reading specialist” from the
Carroll School. (Btw, We learned at the time that just as many girls are
dyslexic as boys but since boys tend to act out more they are identified
more often.)
An ed plan and phonics worked out well.
The summer after his freshman year at college we came home to find my
son reading James Joyce. My wife asked him if that was a school
assignment and he replied, No. I followed her in another room to find
tears in her eyes.
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