Students with Dyslexia and Tracking issues will struggle with the all important 3rd Grade FCAT (3rd Grade Reading FCAT) and the 10th Grade FCAT (10th Grade Reading FCAT).
Many students with Dyslexia are actually 3D Learners -- who learn best when they see and experience information.
For a 3D Learner, the 3rd Grade FCAT and the 10th Grade FCAT are hard because:
- The small words throw them
- They have difficulty remembering words they have previously learned
- They skip words and lines when reading
The 3rd Grade FCAT is a especially tricky high stakes test. Schools in Florida spend 7 months preparing for the FCAT, and even a typical student feels the stress.
Now let's take Matthew and Jennifer. Two children who have Dyslexia -- a problem with words.
We asked their parents three questions:
- Does your child remember places visited, even from years ago?
- Does your child learn best when they see and experience information?
- Does your child skip words and lines when reading?
Matthews mom answered yes to all three -- and Jennifer's dad had to check -- he called back and said yes to all three -- and he asked "How did you know to ask those questions?"
My name is Mira Halpert, M.Ed. Two of my four kids have Dyslexia. I now realize that most kids with Dyslexia have an uncanny ability to learn best when they see and experience information -- and we label them 3D Learners.
72% of the 3D Learners we have tested also have a tracking issue.
Matthew's mom was frustrated though. She knew her son had Dyslexia and a Tracking issue -- but the school gave him no accommodations -- they told her that neither Dyslexia nor Tracking issues qualified her son for Special Education, an IEP (an Individualized Education Plan) or extra time on any test, and certainly not on the FCAT.
Jennifer's mom had been luckier. She had learned the magic words were a Learning Disability. Jennifer had qualified for Special Education, an IEP, and extra time on the FCAT -- but she still failed.
We asked three more questions:
- Does your child have trouble with the little words on the FCAT -- why, what, which is the best answer? Both parents answered yes?
- Does your child have trouble remembering words the have previously learner? Matt's mom said no, and Jennifer's dad said yes. Not every child has every challenge?
- Does your child get anxious the week of the FCAT? Matthew's moms said yes, and Jennifer's dad said she got sick for weeks, if not months before the FCAT.
The five biggest challenges for the child with Dyslexia and Tracking issues include:
- The FCAT is hard, and both these problems together make the test very difficult.
- The sight word vocabulary and pattern recognition problems are rarely understood and almost never addressed - by either schools, tutors or learning centers.
- Tracking issues are only occasionally caught -- and most remedies yield marginal gains.
- The anxiety challenge is understood, but rarely overcome.
- Very few people test for the learning differences, only a few catch the tracking issue, and very, very few professionals address the sight word vocabulary, pattern recognition, tracking, anxiety and getting the right accommodations at school.
We have developed a No Cost 3D Learner Screening Tool to help you to determine the relevant issues.Click here to access the
3D Learner Screening Tool
Mira Halpert M.Ed. developed and directs the 3D Learner Program (R) in Boca Raton. Mira prides herself on addressing the whole child and transforming Stress into Outrageous Success. For more information visit Parents Make The Difference or call 3D Learner at 561-361-7495.