A child with processing issues

[psreit]

Hi, I am posting my reply to my welcome. I was directed to share it in a separate post.

Thanks! I just randomly came across your curriculum online. We have 3 grown children who graduated from homeschooling and now have an adopted dd, almost 7 yo. I began homeschooling with K last year. We didn't really cover all the material because she just wasn't ready to grasp some of it. Beginning this year, I began a very reputable program, beginning with K, covering things she didn't get from the year before and then I had planned to go into the first grade level. However, because of some special needs dd has, e.g.,attention span, emotional needs, and some processing issues possibly stemming from a mild CP she had at birth, I felt the need to put her in our Christian school for Kindergarten. This has been good for her in helping her to understand why we have school, and also having other children to model, has helped her with reading and writing. It was good for me to have this break, to regroup and gain more confidence in homeschooling her.
I am ready for it! So much that I am looking for curriculum for this fall already. Our homeschool convention and curriculum fair is in May, but since you won't be there with your curriculum, I need to find out about it another way. So far, I am very excited about it, and it is probable that I will use BLHFHG in the fall for first grade. I like how the Bible is integrated into it, and also that the lessons are planned out. It really seems like something that will work for us. My concern is Math and Phonics. DD is very intelligent, when she gets something, she doesn't forget it, but because of processing difficulties, I just don't know what method would work best for her. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I look forward to the suggestions and encouragement from other members as well. I'm very excited to get back to homeschooling. The fall seems so far away.

Thanks for making this available.
Pam

PS I'd like to know more about the phonics and reading that is listed for BLHFHG. I was thinking about using something else, but I'm not sure.

[Tansy]

Hi Psreit
I have an adopted daughter from India she has been stuck in 3rd grade for 3 years now. She also had symptoms of RAD So for the peace of the home we have placed her in a wonderful charter school, they are also willing to work with our Nuro-development therapist. My dd is mixed dominate and has audio processing issues, and her short term memory is almost non existent. She still lacks strong motor skills.

I loved HOD for her cause we could go at her pace. My dd2 adopted at age 5 from China is thriving on it.
Some things I struggled with before I knew all the LD my dd1 India girl had (ok I still struggle but I'm better informed now):

Singapore was massively confusing to India girl, in her mind 7 peanuts and 7 raisins were 2 different quantities. (frequent tears)
Math U See used no distracting pictures and had lots of hands on maniplulatives that were identical. (infrequent tears)

We used Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons. Not the reading lesson maybe w2w can chime in on that. (some tears)

But what I did find is the CM narration format frustrated her (to tears). Once I modified it too: read a paragraph then have child narrate one sentence. Then read again. Was much more helpful... as well as Mom transcribing it on a board and reading it back to her to show her success. My dd reads at a 6th grade lvl but comprehension is only at 3rd. I have been able to improve this through the use of audio stories. 4 a day

She loved the spelling format, works like a dream for her, we still use it to this day!
Science was a favorite subject and the experiments are fun.
She loved the poetry and hated the copy work but taking a cue from Carrie that says less done well is more, once I limited my expectations for her 2-3 lines per day she was pretty happy.
Doing the Grammar orally was hard for her but once I had her write it down she was all A's Her visual processing works much better than her Audio.

Our Therapist has us doing lots of Baby stuff with her like crawling and creeping, cross body patterning. Fine motor exercises. This is to fill in any missed development. I know she did not have a "rich" environment those first 2 years of her life. How I so wish she was home cause at this point she has no life... She goes to school comes home and does 2 hours of therapy eats dinner and has anther 30 min of therapy then chores, snack and goes to bed. 2 days a week she has off she must do her homework.

Now If she would co-operate and be homeschooled she would have 2 hours of HOD and 2.5 hours of therapy and have a life. But that is not the life She wants and until she wants it... no point in bringing her home.

I hope I Helped ya out. Each child learns differently once you find something that works stick with it. HOD is so fexible you can pull it into any shape that works for your family.

[Carrie]

Pam,

Tansy did a good job of sharing her scenario with you and of giving some good things to ponder with your own daughter.

As far as placement goes, I would spend a bit of time looking over the placement chart to find your daughter's best fit. I'm thinking you'd mainly be choosing between Little Hearts for His Glory and Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory. Here's a link to the chart:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

If you have other questions, ask away! I'm sure more moms will be along to offer their wisdom.

Blessings,
Carrie

[my3sons]

I just wanted to encourage you that dc with all different kinds of needs use HOD and thrive! I think your dd would do very well with HOD. Every type of learning style is integrated into HOD. Plus, there are many choices that make it easy to fine tune your placement within HOD's guides. There are always several levels of math, English, writing, reading, etc. in every HOD guide, and they all have plans written for them. So whatever you choose, the guide still works in the day to day.

I think hands-on learning is key to helping dc with processing issues. HOD has the child doing the hands-on learning themselves with the parent overseeing it. So, for example, dc do the science experiments themselves, rather than having the parent do them or having the parent have to take over doing parts of them because they are too difficult for the child to do. The same goes for history activities, art activities, etc. The child is the one actively doing each part of the curriculum. This may seem like a small point, but believe me, a ton of curriculums do not do this. I have had to take over and demonstrate or do the experiment, the project, the activity, etc. for so many other curriculums - which makes ME remember and understand the key idea of the lesson, but not so much the child. Anyway, I think you will find your dd has every opportunity to learn with HOD, and I think she will thrive with it over time.

In Christ,
Julie

[psreit]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like Tansy is dealing with a lot more than I am. One thing she said that I've taken to heart are some words from Carrie that 'less done well is more'. Although Angie is very bright, she is overwhelmed and frustrated if given too much to think about at once. That's what I like about HOD. There aren't pages and pages of seatwork like a lot of curricula. I think small bites will work out so much better for her. And she does love hands-on activities. I like what Julie said about the children doing their own projects. Angie needs that. When she gets frustrated with something, she gives up and then refuses to continue (with a lot of things). We have a bio dd who is 20 yo. She was born with spina bifida. She is bright, she just has a lot of physical limitations. When she was younger, unfortunately, we did too much for her, so now we have a harder time getting her to 'help out' or take certain responsibilities for herself. I don't want that to happen with Angie. Her needs are different, but I know she could end up relying on people to do things for her.

I did order Beyond, along with The Reading Lesson, just last evening. I think I chose the right one. She is almost 7 and she is making progress in K, so I feel that level will work. I will just take it at a speed that won't overwhelm her. Really, I feel the main area she could have problems would be the copywork, as I have talked about in another post. That is where I will implement 'less done well is more'. Also Angie may need more review or practice in certain areas to make sure it sticks. Not seeing much of what she is doing in school makes it hard to determine what is sticking.

I really appreciate this discussion board. It has been very encouraging and helpful. I look forward to getting my copy of Beyond.

Pam in PA