|uly20. 2011
_____ ®1'* ^ortlanh (Dbseruer
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
METRO
,
photo by
C ari H achmann /T he P ortland O bserver
Leslie Dale tutors a group o f students enrolled in a summer math class sponsored by the Blosser Center for Dyslexia Resources. Instructional aides standby as Miles
Kelly (from left), Elizabeth Hwee and Mya Cyr listen in at the round table.
Learning for Dyslexic Minds
Summer program gets kids ready for fall
will be failed 3rd grade and parents and
teachers don’t know what to do.” A
mismatch in reading approaches is the
problem.
Whole language, a reading program
widely used in schools sihce the 1960s
encourages children to memorize words
C ari H achmann
signs of dyslexia; inaccurate reading,
T he P ortland O bserver
poor spelling, trouble “sounding out”
S-c-a- b “Scab,” says Kiara Liebo words, reversal of letters or symbols,
aloud, sitting across from her reading and “childish” handwriting.
and spelling tutor, Suzette Kamm, who
Cathy Wyrick, parent of a dyslexic college
gives her the okay tojum ble up the paper
letters on her desk and form a new,
a
bigger word.
Upstairs in quiet, sun-lit rooms of the
Rose City Park Presbyterian Church,
other young students like Liebo are tak
ing month-long summer tutoring lessons
from non-profit Blosser Center for Dys
lexia Resources to better their reading,
- Cathy Wyrick, parent of a dyslexic college graduate and director at Blosser Center
writing, spelling, and math skills before
graduate and director at Blosser Center, says as whole parts. If somebody reads to
the next school year.
Dyslexia, an unexpected difficulty dyslexic children are often at a disadvantage them, they pick up the language skills out
learning to read, write, and spell is a in our public school system because few of the air, supporting the idea that learn
neurological and most often genetic trait teachers have the knowledge, tools, and time ing to read should be as easy as learning
to understand and address kids experienc
that one out of every 10 people struggle
to speak.
ing severe difficulties in reading and spell
with, the International Dyslexia Asso
“While this method works for 35-40
ing.
ciation reports,
“Parents call us up when they are percent of the population, it does not
The association estimates up to 20 really frustrated,” said Wyrick. “A child work for dyslexic children,” said Wyrick.
percent of the population demonstrates
The Blosser Center tutors all ages and
by
Parents call us up when they are really
frustrated. A child will be failed 3rd
grade and parents and teachers don't
know what to do.
tra in s te a c h e rs u sin g the O rto n -
Gillinghamm approach, an alternative
curriculum designed specifically for dys
lexic readers and those struggling with
literacy skills.
Based on multi-sensory sequential
phonics, the approach is sequential; start
ing with small, 3-letter-words, those learn
ing to read are encouraged to gradually
build up longer and longer words, and
m ulti-sensory; everything a student
reads, they also write and speak.
“The reading is getting easier,” said
Sam Records, a familiar summer stu
dent receiving tutoring at the Blosser
Center. “ I’ve learned a lot of new things
and new, harder words.”
With a mind that thinks three-dimen-
sionally, people with dyslexia often have
spatial talents in art, drama, sports, mu
sic, science, creative writing, mathemat
ics, mechanics, computers or aviation.
Many high achieving people are dys
lexic. Albert Einstein and John Lennon
continued
on page 23