Help for the Special

   The month of October is filled with special observances from the silly to the serious. For example, the month claims to be, among other things, National Positive Attitude Month. Other observances include Bullying Prevention Month, National Sarcastic Awareness Month, and International Dinosaur Month. Among this plethora of observances, though, is one that is especially significant to me—Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, one out of every five children in the United States has either a learning disability or ADHD. So, assuming a classroom size of twenty-five students, five of the students in that classroom will struggle to learn due to a learning disability. That’s a huge percentage! In order to properly meet these students’ unique needs, we need to provide an educational approach that works and allows each student to achieve his or her potential. For my family and me, the numbers are real people. Two of my three children are diagnosed with learning disabilities. Having a learning disability does not mean a child is unintelligent. Often, it is just the opposite! But by having a learning disability, the child affected struggles to learn information, retain it, and maintain the same rate of educational growth as peers. Fortunately I had already discovered IEW curriculum before my children were officially diagnosed. Having used IEW with my oldest child and seen such wonderful growth in his writing and communicating skills it made perfect sense for me to use IEW with my younger children too. Following the EZ+1 approach to adding skills, I took each of my special learners through many IEW programs, being sure to move at their individual paces. It has paid dividends, too. All three of my children are now in college and are doing very well. They just needed to be taught in a manner in which they could learn. Do you have special learners in your home or classroom? Don’t despair. We have many programs that will help them experience success. If you are new to IEW, I suggest you first explore our web page dedicated to special needs. On it you will find curriculum, blog posts, podcasts, webinars, and articles that will inform and empower you to help your struggling learners succeed. Take a tour of the page, and when you are ready, explore some curriculum options for your students. Some of the products you may want to consider include the following: The Student Writing Intensive: This intensive is available in three levels. Pick the level that coincides with your student’s reading level. Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization: Based on the Suzuki method of mastery instruction, this course helps students develop their linguistic skills as they practice and perfect speaking poetry aloud. It’s a wonderful opportunity to introduce multi-sensory learning and allows a student to move at an individual pace. Primary Arts of Language: Reading and Writing: These courses introduce reading and writing to students using the Blended Sound-Sight method of instruction, a multi-sensory approach. The course is designed for K-2 students, but it works equally well with older students who struggle. I actually used this program with my 4th grader, and we both found it to be very helpful. Cursive Knowledge: A relatively new book to IEW’s curriculum lineup, this book introduces students of all ages to cursive. If you have a student who struggles with dysgraphia, teaching him or her to write cursive may be an approach that helps with a multitude of issues, including directionality, hand cramping, and spacing issues. All About Spelling: Based upon the Orton-Gillingham method of instruction, this spelling program teaches spelling using a multi-sensory approach that has been proven to work with students who have dyslexia. Phonetic Zoo: This spelling program, designed to be followed once the first three levels of All About Spelling are completed, continues to instruct students using an auditory approach to learning spelling. Having a student who struggles to learn can be daunting, but don’t let it get you down. Equip yourself with information by becoming educated about your student’s needs, and then explore what IEW has to offer. We earnestly desire to help parents and teachers meet their students’ needs―all students, including those who struggle! And if you find you need additional support, contact us. We are always very happy to help you help your students succeed.    Jennifer Mauser  has always loved reading and writing and received a B.A. in English from the University of Kansas in 1991. Once she and her husband had children, they decided to homeschool, and she put all her training to use in the home. In addition to homeschooling her children, Jennifer teaches IEW classes out of her home, coaches budding writers via  email,  and tutors students who struggle with dyslexia.