Here is our list of ways to help your Grey Area child.
Roughly in order from the most affordable to quite expensive.If you are wondering what a ‘Grey Area child’ is click here.
Talk to your child”s teacher:
Your child”s teacher will have many suggestions to help you assist your child. Typically they will be in the form of extra practice to take home and do together.
Focus on your child :
Spending lots of quality time together and finding ways to include reading into your child”s hobbies is a gentle way of helping. Reading recipes can be involved in cooking. Fact finding on the internet can be fun as can asking your child to be part of planning a holiday or day trip.
Purchase a program :
Working at home together with a program like one of the Notch Hill Literacy Programs is both affordable and targeted. A good program should be fun, teach through different senses and teach many of the “hidden skills” that are needed before reading will happen.
Be wary of computer programs:
Children are really smart, many computer based literacy programs are graphically astounding – but the graphics often give away the answer without the child actually having to do the reading. If you have a computer program you like, be sure to sit with your child as he or she completes it in order to make sure that it is being used as you are expecting. Sitting together also makes it a social activity which is a key way to help your child enjoy doing extra “homework”.
There are a couple of computer programs that are little different :
- For maths I love the Kahn Academy – it’s free, it’s online, it’s fantastic.
- For reading I’ve heard good things about Fast ForWord. Using a Neuroplasticity approach it teaches literacy through “brain games.” Unfortunately licenses are typically bought by school districts. Ask your child”s teacher if access is available to you. Parents in the Lower Mainland can check out Reading and Learning Pathways.
Tutors:
Tutors can be wonderful, tutors can be a disaster. Click here to read more about picking a tutor. For Grey Area kids Multi-sensory programs are a must, tutors that follow Orton-Gillingham are typically good. In the Lower Mainland – check out Symbols.
Schools:
The Cadillac of options – you are looking at around $25k + a year to send your child to a private school that caters for children with learning challenges. For that price however, you will re-build your child”s education and self esteem. Schools in the Lower Mainland are Eaton Arrowsmith, Fraser Academy & Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School.