Dyslexia Demystified: Marianne Sunderland's Approach and Homeschooling Tips

Curious if OT could help your child's struggles? Download Why Choose OT to find out! homeschoolot.c...
---
In this episode, we explore the unique challenges and triumphs that come with teaching dyslexic kids at home. We'll discuss effective strategies like the use of assistive technology and the Orton-Gillingham approach, as well as the critical balance between accommodation and remediation. Marianne shares her insights on why listening to books can be beneficial, how reading development surges around middle school, and the importance of continued reading practice beyond the early grades.
---
Full Shownotes and Links: homeschoolot.c...
---
In this episode, you'll hear about:
Marianne's Background as a homeschooling parent, dyslexia advocate
Learned about dyslexia along the way
Certified as an Orton-Gillingham dyslexia tutor
Overcame misinformation and myths
Six of seven dyslexic children graduated without traditional education paths
Understanding Dyslexia as a neurological issue, not vision-related
Dyslexia Strengths include big-picture thinking, entrepreneurial skills
Homeschooling Benefits include: customized pace, avoids school system limitations
Encourages curiosity, strengthens parent-child bonds
Tools and Strategies for Dyslexia
Decoding vs. Encoding: Easier to read than spell
Assistive Technology: Supports spelling delays and intellectual work level
Listening to Books: Enhances sentence structure, vocabulary
Assistive Tools: Speech-to-text, typing, reading apps
Middle School Development: Brain progress boosts reading ability
Continued Practice and Remediation: Integrate assistive tech with traditional methods
Vision Issues as related to dyslexia
Visual issues affect intake, not processing
Importance of reputable vision therapists
Dyslexia Signs and Symptoms can include delayed speech, shape/color difficulty, letter sounds, ADHD correlation (40-60%)
Orton-Gillingham Approach includes: multi-sensory, explicit, systematic teaching method
Home-friendly programs with consistent review
The Homeschooling Challenges of rigorous high school requirements
Advantage of Community College: Boost skills, affordability, at-home living