Yvonna Graham > Quotes

“Choral reading goes by other names: reading-in-unison, shadow-reading, shared-reading, or the neurological-impress remedial-reading technique. It simply means that two or more people read together. The tutor says, “Say the words with me, or right after me. I will not ask you to read out loud all alone. If you ever want to read aloud to me, just let me know.” Choral”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Choral reading meets this need. Choral reading allows the use of interesting material written at a higher level, so dyslexic students aren’t forced to read only at their independent reading level, which can be extremely boring.”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Choral reading opens up the possibility of using newspapers, magazines, all manner of high interest books, comic books, and personal letters…it makes reading accessible to adults and students who are completely unmotivated by the simplistic fare at their tested reading level. While participating in choral reading, the student repeatedly sees words in context. Repetition in context is a key to dyslexic reading. Practicing”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“What is the most important thing for teachers to learn about dyslexia? That your dyslexic students are truly trying to understand and they truly want to learn.” —Piper—”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“There are hundreds of programs that claim to teach dyslexics to read. Most of them work for some students. None of them work for all students. Results of research on various methods is collected and presented on the US Dept. of Education website. (summarized from “What works clearinghouse:,” 2007)”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Resistant (hard to teach with traditional methods) dyslexics tend to be imaginative and highly intelligent, and learn to read extremely well when taught using right brain techniques instead of left brain techniques. (summarized from Davis, 1994)”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“The new technology like iPad and Kindle has been wonderful for me. I can even have the text read out loud while I track along with it. I can highlight parts I need to come back to” —Eddie—”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Boxes and shapes are: A way to use the dyslexic strength in shape recognition to help with word recognition and spelling. Background:”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Draw the student’s attention to the ambient sounds in the work space. Ascertain whether any of the sounds are distracting or painful for the student. One example is a TV or computer monitor left on, even though nothing is currently showing on it. Certain monitors emit a high pitched whine, above normal human hearing, which some students can hear. Other sources of high frequency noise are sonic rodent barriers, security systems, and deer whistles. Even though the parent or teacher may not be able to hear anything, the student could be in actual pain”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“About 10% of the population is dyslexic. About 10% of dyslexics (1% of the population) are resistant dyslexics, meaning they don’t respond to standard programs emphasizing phonemic awareness and direct instruction in phonics-based reading. (Summarized from Everatt, 2007)”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Tutor: I’ve known lots of students who couldn’t read and who were extremely smart. They all learned to read when they were taught the right way. And they went on to do pretty cool things, like become scientists, engineers, professors, musicians, and teachers. [Tim approaches table and starts bouncing gently on the ball] How’d they do that? I’ve had millions of lessons and I still can’t read. Tutor: Well, we would start with games, not books. We’d do lots of different things and figure out exactly what works for you. And you’d have to be willing to practice some easy reading exercises at home with your mom or dad for five minutes every day. [Tim”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Some colleges use technology like speech-to-text, spell check, audio books, smart phones, smart pens all the time. But at Eddie’s college he has had to fight for the right to use his accommodations, even to the point of threatening to sue on the basis of A.D.A. It’s taken a lot of energy and time, but he’s obviously not a quitter.” —Judie—”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“The school gave me a test. I scored very high on some parts and very low on others. They said that made me Dyslexic and it couldn’t be fixed. That was in 8th grade. I was already devastated emotionally because I was being molested by a “priest. I just gave up.” —”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“When the student switches to a new neural strategy there is usually an initial dip in both speed and comprehension, then a huge leap forward—often 3-4 reading level years in only 3-4 months. (Summarized from Frith, 1985)”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Dyslexics use right brain skills more heavily than non-dyslexics. They see forests, not trees. They see patterns not lines. They see context, not text.”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Teachers and parents tried to be nice by letting me know it was ok that I wasn’t as smart as my brother.” —Katie—”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Repetition in context is a key to dyslexic reading.”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Attention – Teach chess. Research shows that learning chess raises testable IQ by 15 points! (Dauvergne, 2000) Start teaching chess using just the pawns and queens. The object of pawns and queens is to get one pawn all the way across the board first. When the student has mastered this simple game, add the knights. After all the pieces have been taught one at a time it’s time to add the king and teach about check and checkmate. When the student can play a full game it’s time to encourage the him/her to join the local chess club if the student shows an interest.”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Audio books are available for free from several websites:      LibriVox.      literalsystems      audiobooksforfree      podiobooks      open culture      InternetArchive      LearnOutLoud      ProjectGutenberg      Lit2Go      StoryNory The”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“I wanted so much to please my teacher. Then all of a sudden the other kids were learning to read. It was obvious everyone else was getting it. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t read. And I couldn’t please my teacher.” —Piper—”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Sensory Integration Sensory integration is: Building neural pathways between right and left brain hemispheres. Background:”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Phonics didn’t work the down; I couldn’t see taught myself break the words bricks to me. I finally Words were to read in shapes, not phonics or sounds”. —Katie—”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Two of my teachers made a huge positive difference for me. One was my football coach who did not think I was a loser, and encouraged me to stay in school and keep trying. The other was a special ed teacher who realized that I had a reading disability but that I wasn’t retarded. She honestly told me that she wasn’t trained to help people with dyslexia but that she knew it existed and that it wasn’t my fault. She knew how hard I was trying. She spent a year teaching me to fill in the blanks on paperwork such as job applications so I would have that skill when I needed it. She also let me leave class early so I could saunter into the lunch room from the direction of the “regular” classrooms so other kids wouldn’t know I was a SPED.” —Eddie—”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough

“Newer research reveals that in dyslexics, the pathway from sound to symbol (phonemic awareness) is not available or is so difficult to use that comprehension shuts down. Dyslexics become fluent readers only by getting meaning straight from the visual symbol without mouthing it or silently saying the sounds in their heads. (Summarized from Karp, 1943)”
― Yvonna Graham, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents: What to do when phonics isn't enough