It's not Dyslexia but it is a Reading Problem

I actually came across this problem in my classroom.  I had a student who could read anything.  He enjoyed reading aloud in class. But he could not understand or comprehend what he was reading.

I cam across this article in the Vanderbilt Magazine, Summer 2013, "Maybe It's Not Dyslexia".  Peabody College became part of Vanderbilt University and are know for their teaching program. Usually when a student has trouble reading we call it Dyslexia. Most people think of dyslexia as a problem when a student thinks b's are d's or whey have trouble sounding out words.

But when a student reads perfectly and then flunks the comprehension test, teachers feel  like they are not trying.  The true problem is "Specific Reading Comprehension Deficits, or S-RCD.  Usually this problem is not discovered until the student is in third or fourth grade.  The study showed that up to three to ten percent of children can't understand what they are reading.

This study has show that different parts of the brain are not working perfectly with dyslexia and S-RCD.

Unfortunately the article does not say how to help those with S-RCD.

School Starts Tuesday

San Diego Unified might have their act together this year. I received no calls about long term subbing for the first month of school. Who knows I might be called yet.

While cleaning out my library I found materials another teacher passed on to me.  I am so excited.  All summer I have been helping a soon to be 3rd grader on how to improve his reading.  I have been working on phonics and sight words.  It was an entire package of Phonics for Teachers and Parents by Phyllis E. Fischer.  I even have a 3.5 disk and a tape with it.  Now I need to find someone who can red the disk and put it on a CD for me.

I still have too many books to organize.  Do I organize by reading ability or by topic?  I think I should have a librarian friend come over and give me some help.

I did find an interesting article called "Researchers hoping to overhaul 'special ed'.   Kansas University will be doing some research in the area.  Wayne Sailor feels that special programs are like silos.  They are each operating independently of each other:  The gate or honor program, English as a Second Language program, special education, etc.  The article mentions one in California and I think it is probably San Diego Unified or some Charter schools.{ LJWorld. com August 25, 2013}

Some schools have already started but just a reminder, a teacher can offer hope to a student which sometimes can be their greatest gift.